Guinea pig is a hamster! Hamster is a guinea pig! Which one should I choose, guinea pig or hamster? Go further to know Hamster vs Guinea Pig difference and comparison.
If you’re currently debating on guinea pig and hamster, and in a difficult situation choose one between them. Then, this article is for you. In this article, I will discuss different things about guinea pig vs. hamster. After reading this article, you will be clear about these two lovely animals.
7 Differences Between a Hamster and a Guinea Pig
If you want to know comparison and difference between Hamster vs Guinea Pig, you can check amazing facts below-
1. Difference in appearance and size
Guinea pigs and hamsters are both small animals, but they have differences in their size. Guinea pig is bigger than the hamster. An adult guinea pig’s size is between 20 to 30 cm. On the other hand, a full-grown hamster is between 15 to 20cm. When it comes to weight, guinea pigs weigh around 700gm to 1200gm.
Guinea pigs look rounded and known for their plum body. On the other side, the hamster does not look round. The biggest difference between them is their tail. The guinea pig has no tail; on the contrary, the hamster has a tail.
When it comes to their children, guinea pigs give birth to well-developed young children, but hamsters give birth to blind and hairless children.
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2. Eating habit
Guinea pigs are herbivores which means they eat grass and other green leaps. The grass is considered to be their primary food. They don’t eat meat. They are coprophages, which means they eat their own waste. Being a coprophages animal, they can get additional vitamins such as vitamin K and B.
Compared to guinea pigs, hamsters eat grass, meat, and seeds. That’s why they are known as omnivores. They can live on vegetables and meat. But they love seeds like peanuts. As far as meat is concerned, they eat meat in the form of insects. For nutrition, they depend on different types of seeds.
3. Guinea pig is more social than the hamster
Guinea pigs can remember complex paths for moths (generally food paths). They guide themselves through motion. They are not good at climbing but good swimmers. The eyesight of guinea pigs is not as good as a human being, but they have a wider angle view. They can view things at a 340-degree angle. Guinea pigs are social. They love to live in groups.
Hamsters are a good climber and swimmer also. But they don’t like to live with other animals. They become aggressive if they see other animals in their territory. They are not as socialised as the guinea pig.
Guinea pigs used to remain active all day, but hamsters become active in the evening.
Guinea pigs are more vocalised than hamsters. Guinea pigs used to make noise often compared to hamsters.
While eating, the guinea pig holds its four legs on the ground. The hamster holds food with two front legs and keeps two back legs on the ground.
4. Guinea pig lives longer than the hamster
When it comes to life expectancy, guinea pigs live around five to eight years. Compared with the guinea pig, hamsters live around two to three years.
5. Guinea pig healthier than the hamster
Guinea pig doesn’t face too many health issues. If you can feed them properly, then there is less chance of disease development in their body.
On the other hand, hamsters seem to get more disease than guinea pigs. The common known hamster’s disease is ‘wet tail.’ Besides this, hamsters are also attacked by different types of skin diseases.
6. Usual habits
Hamsters are escaping in nature. They always try to escape from their cage. That’s why you should keep them in a secure place. Besides that, they chew things that get in their way. They used to chew the cage. As a result, the cage becomes dirty and smells bad. So, it would be best if you cleaned it regularly.
Guinea pigs are not escaping in nature. They usually don’t try to escape from their living place. Though you should keep them in a secure place.
7. Running in the wheel
Guinea pigs can’t run in a wheel because their legs are not compatible to do that. It would be best if you don’t try to run them in the wheel. It will hurt their legs. Even it can permanently damage their legs. But the hamster is an ideal candidate for running in the wheel.
Final words
Guinea pigs are not like hamsters in no way. Though they may look a little bit the same, in reality, they have significant differences. Both animals are different from each other in size, appearance, habit, eating, etc. I hope you like reading on Hamster vs Guinea Pig difference and comparison.