Perhaps your guinea pig has probably escaped away from your yard while playing, or you’re merely pondering if your guinea pig would be happy living within the wild. But can pet guinea pigs survive in the wild? I did some research and here is what I have learned.
Pet guinea pigs don’t have the necessary skills for survival in the wild. Also, they are unaware of the danger that they can face by their predators. They will be affected by illness and disease as well. They also risk being run over by traffic. Thus, the chances of survival are pretty low.
If your guinea pig runs away from the house, try to trace them and get them back home. They may be in life-threatening situations, and getting them back ASAP must be your only priority.
If you are not ready to take care of your guinea pig, do not let them free into the wild.
As an alternative, try to inquire about adoption or find a new home for your pet as this is the bare humanity option.
Can I release my guinea pig into the wild?
Releasing any pet, including guinea pigs, could lead to breaking the law of your country. That relies on the state that you live in.
As different areas have different kinds of law-making on this issue.
The root cause is social control. If unfixed and unneutered guinea pigs come across with each other, then they will probably reproduce.
If they realize a region with food and hardly any predators, they will quickly populate.
That can have a significant impact on the native system. These guinea pigs can treat upon native flora and expand in numbers.
That can tempt different predators and change the wild animal population forever.
Even there will be some financial implications as well. Native authorities will be required to manage the population.
Ill guinea pigs also need to be handled to check illness breakouts. It is typically the taxpayer that receives the bill against the work.
Even if you find that it is lawful to unleash your guinea pig in the wild, it remains inadvisable.
Undomesticated guinea pigs and pet guinea pigs are entirely different in nearly every manner.
Can pet guinea pigs live in the wild?
Those guinea pigs who are born in the condition of being confined, don’t seem to be prepared to run free.
They lack the ability which is required to survive in nature. Leaving your guinea pig into the wild is very dangerous, as this could be a life-threatening situation for them.
The two basic needs that trained guinea pigs will continue in the wild is they will naturally find a place to hide and snooze inside.
Also, they will act as a prey species, avoiding any potential danger that they might face.
Sadly, this is where the connections end. You’d not survive long in the cave as our ancestors did. A guinea pig will be just as helpless as you when you live them in the wild.
On average pet guinea pigs can survive for around 5-6 years in captivity. That falls to hardly a year or two for wild guinea pigs. A guinea pig who is unprepared for survival in the wild will not last this long anyway.
What do I do if I don’t want my guinea pig anymore?
Sometimes guinea pigs are set free as the owner can not take care of them anymore. That could be caused by the welcoming of a new pet or kid or behavioral problems in the pet.
It would be best if you could re-home your guinea pig or leave them at a shelter instead of leaving them free.
If your friends or loved ones will not agree to take care of your guinea pig, try to find a shelter home for them. That could be a simple step from your side for your guinea pig.
Permit us to repeat; domesticated guinea pigs are bred to be tamed. As they are not fit in the wild, moving freely. Releasing a domestic guinea pig into the wild does not seem to be doing any good to them. It’s sentencing them to a painful life.
My guinea pig escaped, can it survive in the wild?
Sadly, the chances of pet guinea pig’s survival in the wild are pretty slim. They will face a lot of problems that pet guinea pigs don’t face. These includes:
- Predators looking to hunt
- Traffic and animal traps
- Weather
- Infection and Illness
Do whatever you can do to find your guinea pig to and get them back as soon as possible if your guinea pig escapes.
These small creatures can think that the amazing outdoors looks like a wonderful adventure in the beginning.
They will instantly learn the difficult way that this is not the fact.
They are less likely to find their way back home. So, you need to find a way out to get them back.
Pet guinea pigs cannot escape wild predators
One of the most notable risks of pet guinea pigs in the wild is predators. A gentle guinea pig is essentially free food for opportunist predators like snakes and foxes. They can not recognize the danger that they are surrounded by.
Begin with their feeding timetable. A pet guinea pig understands that they will regularly get a balanced diet whenever they want it.
In wildlife, this kind of case is not there. Your guinea pig needs to eat only grass and they need to survive without fresh hay, pellets, fruits, and vegetables.
If the guinea pig is the lucky one, they will be ready to make it through this.
Sadly, most areas host predators licking their lips whenever they find prey like this.
Pet guinea pigs are not so trained and aware of the predators. They can get stressed from their presence and may not be capable enough to protect their lives.
On the other hand, the pet guinea pig has a coat specially reproduced for an elegant attraction. It makes it difficult for them to camouflage in the environment. As a result, the guinea pigs stand out and are easy to follow.
Your pet guinea pig will also have a hard time escaping a wild predator, as they are not so trained to do so. As a result, the likelihood of them surviving goes further down.
Pet guinea pigs are culled as pests
A pet guinea pig will have chosen some habits and taste preferences. That will probably include fresh fruits and vegetables. A guinea pig who identifies the taste of such delicious food will find it out.
It will typically get the guinea pig to fields and vegetable scraps. Not every landowner will be kindhearted to allow them to eat, as the owner needs to take some action regarding this issue.
Farmers are likely going to find a way to get off the guinea pigs if they are going to attack their crops.
The guinea pig may even welcome their life-threatening condition on their own. If released, they might reach to some human being in the neighborhood who can unknowingly feed them something that might be bad for their health.
Pet guinea pigs have no traffic sense
Besides regular exercise, a gentle guinea pig spends its whole life in an enclosure. From there, they are unaware of the threats of the outside world.
Cars and other motor vehicles are an important example of this. Guinea pigs have not been trained to watch out both sides when crossing the road. They are likely to fall afoul of traffic, mostly on the district roadway.
It is the truth that domestic guinea pigs are not naturally scared of the roadway. They will frequently linger on the road, unaware of the hazard that could come at any time. That increases the chances of getting injured by vehicles.
Pet guinea pigs do not understand weather
Another thing regarding a guinea pig’s enclosure is that it protects them from harsh weather. There will be no such shelter obtainable for them if guinea pigs are left in the wild.
Thus, the guinea pig may get trapped in heavy rainfall or thunderstorm. If they do not dry away, the guinea pig can develop lung inflammation caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
The shedding cycle of a domestic guinea pig might also be unbalanced. It is mostly possible if the guinea pig lived inside. Guinea pigs shed their fur depending on the temperature. That indicates that, in theory, they have a cozy wintertime coat.
The issue is that guinea pigs do not have a calendar. Their bodies respond to the cycle of light and heat to understand when to shed and when to grow fur.
If your guinea pig survives under unnatural light, they might become detached or drop out of synchronicity with the components. That can make them unsafe in cold temperatures. Also, there is not an option to get into the enclosure when the temperature drops.
Pet guinea pigs need help of the vet to remain healthy
Beyond contagious diseases, guinea pigs also need standard health care. For example, their teeth will continuously grow.
If a guinea pig does not get their teeth trimmed, their teeth will become large instantly and painful for them.
If the guinea pig reproduces, then this problem is likely to increase as they can have several babies.
These small creatures will reproduce between themselves, with no other guinea pigs around. Inbred guinea pigs can encounter a master of well-being problems and deformities.
How to prevent a pet guinea pig from escaping?
You may be worried regarding your guinea pig escaping, and it might be true in some cases as some guinea pigs are escape artists.
They will likely find a way to escape through their cage as well. To stop your guinea pig escaping, you can follow the following steps:
- Make sure that their enclosure is firmly sealed and secured. Guinea pigs require proper ventilation but avoid spaces large enough to slide through.
- Try to fill up their pen with soft toys and other types of entertainment sources. As bored guinea pig is more likely to plan their escape.
- Do provide petting and affection. As guinea pigs need some personal attention. They will likely try to escape if they feel that they are ignored or left alone.
- Make sure to close the gate of your backyard every time you let them outside to play. Guinea pigs can be as quick as lightning when they require to be.
- Make sure there are no gaps in or under fences. Guinea pigs can go through small holes quickly. You can use solid wooden fences, anchored by bricks to prevent guinea pigs from escaping.
- Set up a proper enclosed area with no escape route while letting them out to play. Protection from predators is also something you need to look out for.
Conclusion
You can’t release your guinea pigs in the wild, as it could be life-threatening for them.
They will face numerous kinds of problems, like predators, weather, human activities, and infections, which may lead to an unfortunate end.
The owner of guinea pigs needs to keep an eye on their pet all the time.
As these little creatures are always in their excitement mode, they are also unaware of threats of the outside world.
If you are unable to take care of your guinea pigs moving forward, you must leave them in a shelter home or re-home them somewhere where they can be cared for.
Sources: Olfaction, Care of Guinea Pigs, Guinea pig housing, Suitable bedding for Guinea Pigs, Petsaver guinea pig guide, Guinea pig care, GUINEA PIG GENERAL CARE GUIDE.