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![Do Guinea Pigs Want Daylight? Vet Reviewed Information & FAQ 1 silkie guinea pig](https://petkeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/silkie-guinea-pig_Linn-Currie-Shutterstock.jpg)
When caring for a guinea pig, most homeowners would take into consideration the frequent issues they want, akin to meals, water, hygiene, cleanliness of the atmosphere, and rather more. An necessary factor to think about when caring for guinea pigs is the quantity of pure mild they’re uncovered to. Do Guinea pigs want daylight? The straightforward reply is sure! Publicity to daylight is required for a guinea pig’s total well being.
However that doesn’t imply a guinea pig ought to simply be positioned exterior on a heat, sunny day. There are particular issues to think about when exposing your guinea pig to daylight. Under, we focus on methods to correctly expose your guinea pig to daylight, and the way it advantages your guinea pig!
Why Do Guinea Pigs Want Daylight?
Guinea pigs want daylight simply as a lot as they want meals and water! For guinea pigs, daylight helps them produce vitamin D.1 Guinea pigs want vitamin D for wholesome pores and skin and bones, they want vitamin D of their food regimen and publicity to UVB.
Daylight can also be helpful to guinea pigs as daylight within the daytime helps stimulate exercise. Guinea pigs sleep at nighttime, so publicity to daylight promotes motion, digestion, and total well being on your guinea pig.
Whereas your guinea pig can get hold of their dietary necessities via a nutritious diet, correct hydration, and ample train, it received’t be sufficient except they obtain sufficient daylight publicity for vitamin D. Lack of daylight publicity may even result in weak point or illness, additional highlighting how necessary daylight is to guinea pigs.
How A lot Daylight Do Guinea Pigs Want?
Whereas daylight is necessary for a guinea pig’s well being, an excessive amount of daylight could be dangerous and put them vulnerable to sunburn, overheating, and even vitamin depletion. To acquire the advantages they want, oblique daylight is sufficient!
When exposing your guinea pig to daylight, moderation is essential. Guinea pigs desire shaded or filtered mild. When uncovered to extra daylight, you’ll usually discover them looking for shade to flee the warmth, they aren’t very warmth tolerant and might develop warmth stroke.
Must you determine to take your guinea pig exterior for some solar, it’s best to do it throughout the dimmer elements of the day, akin to early morning or later afternoon when the solar is both rising or setting. The daylight received’t be too intense and the temperature received’t be too excessive, which is what guinea pigs desire!
Oblique sources of daylight, akin to lamps and indoor mild sources will also be used, however remember to management how a lot publicity they get because the temperature from these mild sources are rather more tough to control.
Why Are Guinea Pigs Delicate to Daylight?
To grasp why guinea pigs are so delicate to daylight, we’ve got to take a look at how their our bodies work, in addition to their pure instincts and conduct.
Guinea Pigs’ Physique Temperature
A guinea pig’s physique temperature is a large issue as to why they’re so delicate to daylight. They’ve a physique temperature of 102° to 104° F (39° to 40° C), which is larger than the traditional physique temperature of people. This larger physique temperature makes guinea pigs extraordinarily delicate to modifications in temperature, which could be caused by direct daylight.
When experiencing warmth, people sweat to control their physique temperature. Sadly, guinea pigs are unable to sweat, which places them in danger for dehydration and overheating. Guinea pigs depend on their atmosphere to control their physique temperature.
When these piggies really feel chilly, their blood vessels constrict to divert their blood to the torso to maintain them heat. After they expertise warmth, their blood vessels dilate to switch warmth out of the physique via convection. This is the reason piggies would actively search for water, shade, or a cool place to relaxation once they really feel scorching with a purpose to quiet down.
To maintain them comfy, an ambient temperature of 60°–85° F (15.5°C–29.4° C) is advisable.
The Crepuscular Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs are crepuscular animals, that means they’re most energetic throughout the twilight durations of the day. Guinea pigs are naturally extra energetic throughout daybreak and nightfall, when the daylight is dim, and the temperature is comparatively cool. Low mild means low temperature, making it the optimum atmosphere for them to obtain pure daylight!
Except for the bodily results that these piggies can expertise throughout the twilight hours of the day, this crepuscular conduct can also be influenced by their survival instincts. When transferring throughout the twilight hours, guinea pigs are much less more likely to be eaten by predators! Most predators are both nocturnal or diurnal, that means they hunt throughout the evening or the day, making the twilight hours a good time for guinea pigs to maneuver whereas avoiding being hunted!
How you can Safely Present Daylight to Your Guinea Pig
One frequent problem for guinea pig homeowners is determining methods to let your guinea pig obtain daylight with out overheating. Under are some tips about methods to correctly expose your guinea pig to pure daylight!
Indicators of Overheating
Guinea pigs are delicate to warmth due to their excessive physique temperature and lack of ability to control their temperature simply. Overexposing your piggies to daylight or warmth unattended can result in overheating, and you will need to look out for the indicators, akin to:
Guinea pigs depend on their atmosphere to chill off. To convey down their temperature, rinse them in cool water and call your native veterinarian for medical administration.
Conclusion
Guinea pigs want oblique daylight simply as a lot as they want a nutritious diet and correct hydration. With daylight and the right food regimen, they can produce sufficient vitamin D, which promotes wholesome pores and skin and bones.
As a result of guinea pigs are delicate to modifications in temperature, they’re susceptible to overheating if uncovered to an excessive amount of daylight and warmth. To maintain your guinea pig wholesome, pleased, and energetic, allow them to expertise daylight throughout the cooler occasions of the day!
Featured Picture Credit score: Linn Currie, Shutterstock
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