Hamster and guinea pig difference

Have you ever been curious about the differences between guinea pigs and hamsters?

Hamsters and guinea pigs are two of the most popular small animal friends coveted by kids, so let's get to know more about their history, what makes each of these critters special and decide which might be best for your family and current lifestyle. These often chatty yes, they can oink! Guinea pigs are actually rodents with tiny tails that originated hundreds of years ago in South America's grasslands, forests, and rocky terrain. They are still present in the world today where you might spot the short-haired English breed, a wiry hair Abyssinian with swirly rosettes in its fur or the long-hair Peruvian. Learn more about guinea pig breeds here. The beloved hamster is much smaller in size than a guinea pig -- but also a rodent. The most popular Golden aka Syrian hamster breed tops out at palm-size as an adult.

Hamster and guinea pig difference

New customer? Login to your VIPP account. Lost password? Recover password. Remembered your password? Back to login. Which cute ball of fluff should you introduce to your family: a hammie or a piggy? Guinea pigs and hamsters do share some common ancestry as they both belong to the order of Rodentia. They ultimately belong to different families, with cavies hailing from the Caviidae clan and hamsters coming from the Cricedidae tribe. Besides this connection, our sweet furry friends are actually quite different. To be a responsible hammie or piggy parent, you must carefully consider their specific needs when deciding which is going to best suit your lifestyle. Piggies are plumper, stockier, and more potato-like than their hamster cousins. To put it into perspective, they typically weigh around 1. Much closer to rodents in their looks, hamsters also have a tail in contrast to tailless piggies. Due to their physiological differences, they also navigate the world differently.

Subscribe to Love, Dodo. Hamsters are omnivoreswhich is best supplemented with foods they would eat in the wild hamsters would eat plants and insects in the wild. Piggies typically live between yearsbut in some rare cases have also been known to make it to a ripe old age in the double digits.

One major thing that differentiates hamsters and guinea pigs is lifespan. Hamsters have shorter lifespans than guinea pigs, generally living for 2 to 4 years. This is because they are small and have metabolisms that work much faster than their guinea pig cousins. Guineas generally live from 5 to 8 years, with some individuals reaching 10 years. Another key difference between the two is their size.

One major thing that differentiates hamsters and guinea pigs is lifespan. Hamsters have shorter lifespans than guinea pigs, generally living for 2 to 4 years. This is because they are small and have metabolisms that work much faster than their guinea pig cousins. Guineas generally live from 5 to 8 years, with some individuals reaching 10 years. Another key difference between the two is their size. As we mentioned above, hamsters are much smaller than guinea pigs, with the average size being in the region of cm. Even the smallest guinea pigs are larger than the biggest hamsters, with the average guinea being cm long.

Hamster and guinea pig difference

The Dodo spoke to Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian with Hepper , to find out the main differences between guinea pigs and hamsters and what factors a pet parent should consider before adopting one for themselves or their child. Guinea pigs are part of the Caviidae family, like wild cavies and capybaras, while hamsters are part of the Cricetidae family. There are other differences between them, too. An easy way to tell guinea pigs and hamsters apart is by looking at them.

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Both Hamsters and Guinea Pigs display a broad range of colourations. They are both parts of the Rodentia order, but guinea pigs are from the genus Cavia family, while hamsters belong to the Cricetinae family. The Dodo spoke to Dr. Guinea Pigs Know Their Names! Hamsters are generally nocturnal creatures, which means they prefer the nightlife. Hamsters, instead, only need to explore the world outside of their cages once or twice a week. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy. Guinea Pigs not only need another companion guinea pig to interact with but also thrive with human interaction. Guinea pigs, in particular, are incredibly social animals who love to play with their hoomans. So rather than sleeping at night or during the day, guinea pigs are actually masters of the power nap and with frequent short sleeps can be awake for as long as 20hrs within a 24hr period. In terms of nutrition, guinea pigs are herbivores and require a rather basic diet. They are very gentle and mild-mannered. Guinea Pigs can become quite fearful and agitated if not used to the contact. Again, it requires backward arching of the spine, something rats, mice and hamsters have no problem with, but guinea pigs are simply not physically built for. The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus was introduced to Australia in the 19th century.

Have you ever been curious about the differences between guinea pigs and hamsters?

Most guinea pigs will enjoy cuddling once they get comfortable around you. Keeping just one can work as long as someone is willing and able to step in and do the socializing. Recover password. In contrast, hamsters love to climb and often scale up the bars in their cage. Hamsters may also develop a range of skin conditions or be host to a number of parasitic worms, mites and fungal infections. GuineaDad built a cage with IKEA furniture, and it provides about 2 grid by 6 grid space for his three guinea pigs. Diet The dietary requirements of hamsters and guinea pigs are probably the most significant difference between the two species. Both guinea pigs and hamsters come in a variety of color combinations featuring a caramel hue, white, brown, black, and gray. Their litters are also very large, varying between furbabies to as many as Read our blogs:. Based on what is written, I would say taking care of guinea pigs requires a bit more diligence, and time in comparison to hamsters, but with such friendly fluff, it is all worth it! All in all, piggies are more robust than hammies, so they can be handled with fewer worries however, be still careful when doing so as their spines are quite fragile! When choosing which of these wonderful little animals to keep, it mainly boils down to personal preference. Consider which cage size you have room for in your home.