Why do guinea pigs burrow and make hay nests?
Happy Saturday efurryone. Today’s post is something a little bit different. Whee have been asked on twitter a furry good question; Why do guinea pigs burrow in their hay and make nests?
Being the 21st Century pigs whee are whee immediately googled it to give a precise answer. Surprisingly, whee could find nothing specifically answering the question. So I, Basil B. Pig, have decided to investigate and give you my thoughts on the matter.
The first thing you should remember is that us piggies are prey animals. That means it’s important to hide and camouflage ourselves. In the wild guinea pigs are a colour called agouti which blends in very well. Mummy used to struggle to spot Nutty when he was in the garden as he somehow seemed to vanish against greens and browns.
Image found – http://guineapiggies.tumblr.com/
So whee hide to protect ourselves from predators. Whenever there is a loud unexpected noise in the house whee will dash to our pigloos and hide under the hay. It’s instinct.
Another thing, probably more relating to domesticated pigs, is it keeps us warm. Whee are far more likely to burrow and make hay nest when it’s cold so Mummy gives us extra hay to hide in.
Hay is 75% of our diet so it is furry impawtent to our physical and emotional well being.
Whee hope this has answered your question twitter person and if anyone else has any idea why piggies might burrow and make nests in hay whee would love to hear it.
Where do you go when you want to be safe and/or warm?
Basil
xxxx
Posted on November 16, 2013, in Piggy Blogs and tagged cute, guinea pig, guinea pig blog, guinea pig blogger, guinea pigs, hay for guinea pigs, pet, pet blog, pet blogger, pets, small furries, small furry, why do guinea pigs make hay nests, why to guinea pigs burrow. Bookmark the permalink. 47 Comments.
Hutch A Good Life 
Well boys, your Mummy’s explanation of why you burrow is excellent and I’m sure it’s exactly the answer…..it’s snuggly, safe, and you’re surrounded by a food supply too when you hunker down in the hay. Where do I go when I want to feel safe? My Mom’s lap!!!!!
Kitty Hugs and Happy Saturday, Sammy
Mummy has bought us little snuggle cushions which make us feel safe but nothing beats our home made, hand made, hay nests!
Basil
xxxx
Sounds like the right answer there guys..the doggies circle and circle in the garden scrath up the mulch and make nests..they do it on their beds with their blankets too..i believe with larger animals its about temperature control..in the hottest part of the day the Red Kangaroo digs and lies in dirt..the soil being cooler and then licks the furs on his arm to dilate blood vessels and cool down..animals are very smart I think you do it for comfort,safety and a sense of security 🙂 hugs Fozziemum xx
In cool weather whee like to hide under hay to stay warm, in hot weather whee do the same to keep the sun off of us! It’s pretty cool how clever us animals are!
Basil
xxxx
Basil animals are very smart and seem to understand their bodies better than us!!! Fozziemum xxxxx
Excellent explanation there Basil. My place is behind the sofa and I hide there when the boom booms go off.
Have a super Saturday.
Best wishes Molly
Buddy once tried to hide under the sofa when he was scared but then Mummy got some vegetables and he came right back out!
Basil
xxxx
That’s ver important to have a safe place and a hay cave is perfect for that, no matter if you are 21st century pigs. Even humans act like cave dwellers and they live in 21st century too LOL
If whee don’t know something, or Mummy doesn’t know something then whee always google it. It’s the sensible thing to do!!
Basil
xxxx
We go in bed with Them. Piggies would be squished so I wouldn’t try it.
Hmmm whee do like cuddling the hoomans first thing in the morning in their duvets but Mummy says there is no poop allowed in hooman beds so whee don’t really go there. No poop in bed? Craziness!
Basil
xxxx
Well I am a hooman but I head for under my blankie. Yes I am a 62 year old woman with a blankie!
Hay smells so very good too Basil!
That’s a great safe place!
Hay does smell lovely. It one of the hoomans favourite smells!
Basil
xxxx
Pawesome explanation! We Mals burrow and make nests in snow and dirt to make good napping places! Wooooowooooooo!
Snow? *shivers*
Hiding from it sounds like a good plan to us!
Basil
xxxx
Because having an edible bed ensures that no unnecessary strenuous activity — like walking across the cage to the food bowl — will be required.
Wentworth Wigglewhiskers
Whee could not have put it better ourselves!
Basil
xxxx
I like to sleep under the manger so I have added armored protection from monsters and easy access to hay. It’s a win-win!
Harville Wigglewhiskers
I hide in the bath 🙂 ideally full of hot water and bubbles
Mummy likes baths too ^_^
Basil
xxxx
Now that sounds like a good answer to me too and MollySue and Annabelle love their hay.
In the winter they mainly eat timothy and some alfalfa.
In the spring, summer and most fo the fall we are able to get grass hays from the local farmers in big bunny bags full and they love that too.
There are so many different types of hay it can be difficult to pick!
Basil
xxxx
Well, I just thinks you piggies are just smart as all get out!! You make a warm snuggle cave outta your foodables??? BRILLIANT!! Wish I would have thought of that!!
Hmmm, how do I make a kibble-cave???
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
You can try hiding in your noms but whee are not sure how is it would be, or how cosy it would be for that matter!
Basil
xxxx
Pigloos hehe ^_^ my hamster caves used to be so warm, you could feel the heat radiating from it with your hand! And hii Amy! I tried to make a post with the prehistoric internet I have here, I hope it’s a bit okay!
I’ve seen the post and love it!!
~ Amy
grrrrreeeaattt! what great information! And as prey, you are unfortunately even lower on the prey chain than cats and we seem to be pretty low…sigh…and I personally hide under my tent on my bed I let Mom and Dad share with me…if really scared…straight to UTB!
When Noah gets really frightened he runs to the hoomans but whee piggies do tend to prefer to huddle and hide when whee are afraid.
Basil
xxxx
I used to volunteer at a rabbit and guinea pig rescue. The rescue didn’t have the money for igloos, but every guinea pig got a box, and they LOVED it. So much so that we rarely saw the guinea pig, just a moving box. The box would walk over to the food, engulf it, there would be chewing noises, and then the box would walk away and the bowl would be empty.
I think it’s just a guinea pig thing. 🙂
Whee love our cardboard boxes too! And paper bags!
xxxx
I love the explanation. But why do I snuggle under the covers? Do you think I was a piggy in a past life? I do love my veggies…
You must have been a piggy in a past life! It’s the only explanation!
xxxx
Thanks for explaining things, Basil. I love your new header!
Thank you, whee are furry Autumnal at the moment!
xxxx
😉 ‘Pigloo’; now DAT is a cute werd fer yer nestz…..yer nest lookz so cozy Basil….
As a furry Kitteh me doez not burrow butt me doez go hide in da cupboard up high when scaredy kat. If me iz just all sad n pouty me snugglez in me pedestal bed…or me goez under coverz wif Mum in her bed…
Lub Nylablue xxx
Hide in a cupboard? I hope they put in a nice cosy blanket fur you!
xxxx
I make blanket nests when I want to get cozy or hide. I may not blend in, but I sure do sink in deep so no one can see me! 😉
A blanket nest sounds super cosy! I want one!
Basil
xxxx
Very wise and true! Hay is so very important for your guys!!
Whee do love it!
xxxx
Henry – Wash basket, Oscar his bed tunnel and Archie mum’s lap 🙂
Great safe spots there!
xxxx
We go to PaPa’s lap or Mommie’s arms when we want to be safe and warm!
XxOo Squeaks and Stevieeee
Whee like snuggling the hoomans to feel safe too. My favourite spot is right under Mummy’s chin!
Basil
xxxx
Mom’s lap is a good place to stay safe and warm. Some of us will go under the covers at night when we are sleeping with our humans. We are glad we don’t have to sleep in our food like you do. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Just love Guinea pigs. We’ve had so many sweet ones, through the years. Lovely post.
Thank you for your comment 🙂