Surprise Reason Causes Guinea Pig Hopping Instead Of Walking

Guinea pigs are amazing animals to keep around as pets. They are furry, cozy and make you feel in awe of them. There are surprising reasons to know about guinea pig hopping instead of walking. 

Guinea pigs usually walk around, but they might hop when they are happy. Guinea pig hopping is normal as it indicates that they are happy. However, if the hopping or twitching lasts longer, something is fishy. 

Let’s find out why your guinea pig is hopping rather than walking. 

Hopping and Popcorning or Jumps in Guinea Pigs

Popcorning is when the guinea pigs show their signature dance move. They feature running, jumping in the air, land over the floor, bouncing in the air, and starting it all over again.

These moves of guinea pig set a perfect sound which resembles the popping of popcorn. Popcorning guinea pig is all about being happy.

Hopping in guinea pigs is somewhat similar to popcorning, but the intensity of jumping isn’t like popcorn. 

Normally Guinea pigs start hopping/jumping when it gets boring or doesn’t get enough stimulation. There can be various other reasons for hopping.

A guinea pig might hop when suffering from a certain health disorder like bone disorder, stomach ache, or Vitamin C deficiency. These common factors might lead to hopping in guinea pigs.

The difference between the two is complicated to identify. Still, if the guinea pig is constantly doing this behavior, then you might take it to the vet for an immediate checkup.

Why Does Your Guinea Pig Hopping Instead of Walking? 

Guinea pigs usually walk, but they might hop if they are excited about something or feeling happy. However, guinea pigs might be suffering from underlying health problems if they aren’t happy. 

These problems include stomachache, a bone issue, severe Vitamin C deficiency, or poor absorption of Vitamin C.

If your guinea pig is suffering from such issues, it’s high time to see your vet. If the vet says everything is fine, it’s best to keep a constant eye on your guinea pig to find out if it’s acting normal or not. 

Broken Toenails or Sores on The Feet 

Broken toenails or sores on the feet can lead to hop instead of walking. It causes severe pain and excessive bleeding. It usually happens when they have sharp, long nails and get stuck within wire cages, toys, bedding, or more.

If the guinea pig suffers from broken toenails or sores, there are certain signs to look for. You might see swelling, redness, discharge from its paw, difficulty walking leading to hopping, foul smell, and stiffness. 

Take your guinea pigs to the vet immediately if you see such signs. You can also put some pressure over the bleeding site if it’s bleeding a lot. 

You can use Styptic powder over the tip to control bleeding and use a proper nail clipper next time. Ensure the nail bed is clean and dry, leading to immediate recovery. 

If there are any signs of bacterial infection, make sure to visit the vet immediately.

Joint Pain Is A Sign Of Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C deficiency occurs slowly over a period of time. The signs of vitamin C deficiency are not visible immediately. You may not notice the issue right away, as it depends on the guinea pig’s age, dietary intake, and health status. 

The signs of vitamin C deficiency include fatigue, slow movement, swollen joints, joint discomfort, pain, and more. 

Some guinea pigs develop joint disease due to vitamin C deficiency even if they are getting enough Vitamin C. This happens because of concurrent illnesses like a dental disease that prevents the guinea pig from eating well and results in poor absorption of Vitamin C.

To help your guinea pigs get rid of vitamin C deficiency, make sure they take enough hay and a good quality diet. Make sure the guinea pigs consume enough vitamin C in their diet.

Add leafy greens, healthy fruits, and vegetables to the guinea pig’s diet to help them stay healthy and overcome vitamin C deficiency. 

Apart from it, make sure to give them enough rest and treat them immediately with Vitamin C supplementation under the doctor’s supervision. 

To prevent joint disease and Vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs, give them around 10 mg of Vitamin C every day. However, do not over-supplement the guinea pig as they might suffer from bladder stones. Make sure to take help from a vet.

Childlife Liquid Vitamin C, Orange, 8 Ounce

Sign of Osteodystrophy Spreads 

Osteodystrophy in guinea pigs is a type of skeletal disorder where the calcium from bones is removed with a degraded bone matrix and replaced by unstable connective tissues. 

This disease spread is commonly seen in the satin guinea pigs. Osteodystrophy is rare but occurs due to chronic kidney failure or calcium deficiency. 

Osteodystrophy spreads lead to severe pain, instability of guinea pigs’ skeleton, postural disorders, movement disorders, difficulty in eating food, and much more. Therefore, the radiographic picture is advice for identifying the osteodystrophy spreads. 

Treatment of osteodystrophy spreads is not possible. Ensure to visit the vet immediately and get your guinea pigs checked regularly. 

Conclusion

Hope this guide helps you identify why the guinea pig is hopping around rather than walking. Make sure to take your guinea pigs to the vet regularly for checkups and take advice with treatment from them.