Do Guinea Pigs Like To Watch TV? [Know The Fact-based Truth]
As a guinea pig owner, we can tell you that guinea pigs are extremely curious house pets. Don’t believe me? Turn on a TV, and you’ll see how curious they are about watching TV. But that’s kind of strange, right?
So, do guinea pigs like to watch TV? Yes, they do like to watch TV. However, it’s not because of any certain program. Rather, they are attracted (or “hypnotized”) to the seemingly random motions played by the artificial screen light.
Now, you should also know that not all of them like to watch screens. And, there are good reasons behind this. Want to know about this topic in better depth? Take a look at my dedicated discussion below right now.
Do Guinea Pigs Indeed Like To Watch TV? (In Details)
Like many other pet animals, these animals indeed like to watch TV, as well. But, as we have already indicated, they are not fond of watching TV because they love the programs.
Rather, it can occur for one of 2 reasons. Such as:
1. TV has a hypnotizing effect on your guinea pig:
The flashing colors and the motion movements on the TV screen is a fascinating and new thing to them. Consequently, they are attracted to watch the TV whenever the TV is turned on.
That means your TV has a somewhat hypnotizing effect on your pet.
2. TV gives a dopamine rush:
A credible scientific article in the newspaper “The Guardian” suggests watching electronic screens such as TVs or smartphones releases the Dopamine hormone in the brain of human beings. And, it’s likely that the same thing also occurs in animals.
So, we can safely assume that guinea pigs also experience the release of dopamine hormone in their brain while watching TV. And, this is the reason why they keep staring at the TV screen like a zombie, when the TV is being played.
Notes: Not all guinea pigs are the same.
Now, with all that said, you should also know that this beautiful pet does not stare at the TV 100% of the time. Rather, you would often see your pig roaming around your room randomly while the TV is still on.
So, it is not a universal rule that all of them will like to watch TV for sure. Rather, they may not want to watch TV sometimes.
Here are some videos of guinea pigs watching TV:
Is TV For Guinea Pigs Harmful?
Watching TV from a long distance is not harmful to them. According to a 2011 research, keeping at least 3 meters of distance between the watcher and the TV screen is completely safe.
Therefore, if your pig is not watching TV extremely up close, you can rest assured that it’s not going to do any harm to your pet. However, if your lovely pet is watching TV for a long time from a very close distance, it might hurt the sensory vision of him. As a result, your pet might experience vision loss.
In addition to that, a healthy guinea pig should always spend enough time doing its natural activities, such as roaming around and looking for food. But, if your one is watching TV all the time while staying still, it might experience increased mental stress, according to Georgia Southern University research.
As a result, your pet can suffer from hypertension and insomnia, which is not healthy at all. So, make sure that your furry friend is not watching TV all the time during its daily routine.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Music On TV?
If you noticed that your guinea pig is attracted to watching TV, you probably have also noticed that it’s attracted to TV music as well. That’s right; this animal is attracted to pleasing sounds. So, they can also be fond of music on TV.
Think about it, your pet friend responds to your voice and sound, right? It’s because they can distinguish between harmful and friendly sounds. Consequently, they can also depict the sound being played on the TV.
Now, since the TV screen has a hypnotizing effect on your pet, the TV music also has an “attracting” effect on him. So, whenever TV music or any other music is played, the pet can be drawn to it. However, this phenomenon might not be as frequent as guinea pigs being attracted to watching TV screens.
What Do Guinea Pigs Like To Watch On TV?
As we have already mentioned, guinea pigs do not actually watch the programs that are playing on the TV. Rather, they just like to stare at the TV screen, although it’s fully meaningless to them.
Therefore, there’s no particular program that these pet companions will surely love to watch. But, as we have told above, these little animals can distinguish between pleasing and displeasing music. So, your pet can be attracted to a particular program due to its distinguished music.
However, you cannot really say for sure which program your pet will like. So, all you can do is watch TV with your cute buddy and notice which type of program it is most attracted to.
Next time, when you want your pig to watch TV, just play the program it likes.
My Guinea Pigs Hate Watching TV, Is It Normal?
It is absolutely normal for some guinea pigs to not like watching TV. As already mentioned, it is not a universal trait that all of them will love to watch TV. Rather, most of them will like to spend time sitting in front of the TV screen while other ones might want to get away from it.
Some pigs do not like to stare at the TV screen because it’s simply too much to grasp the content of the screen for the pig’s eyes. As a result, it can be a natural response that some of them will want to get away from the never-ending playing screen (TV).Now, while this might be a bit worrying for you, this is fully normal. It’s because, just like humans, not all animals will want to watch TV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are a few questions that people frequently ask on internet forums regarding pet guinea pigs and TVs.
1. Should I cover my guinea pig cage in front of the TV at night?
Normally, all animals should have a sound sleep at night. Therefore, it’s better if you can make such an environment in your home that your guinea pig has an undisturbed sleep. So, we think it’s better to cover the cage of your pet friend while you’re watching TV late at night.
However, while covering the cage, make sure that there’s enough opening for the air to pass through freely. Otherwise, your pet might get suffocated.
2. Is TV a healthy entertainment for my guinea pig?
In general, most pets (such as cats and dogs) love to watch TV due to its nuanced sound playback and fascinating motion display. So, watching TV can be healthy entertainment for your furry friend.
But, if your pet doesn’t like to watch TV and wanders away when the TV is turned on, the TV is not healthy entertainment for him. In that case, you should look for other entertainment options for your pet.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it, people. Now that you’ve got a clear understanding on this query, do guinea pigs like to watch TV? The bottom line of this discussion is that guinea pigs normally would like to watch TV. But, we can’t say for certain that all of them will love watching TV.
So, if you are an owner of a lovely guinea pig, you should try playing TV in front of your pet. If you notice that it likes what’s being played, you should let it watch TV from a safe distance. However, you should only let your pet watch TV for a couple of hours every day.
Best of luck!