Guinea pigs can see in the dark, but they have limited vision. However, they most likely use their other senses to get around in the dark.
I’m not entirely sure whether guinea pigs can see in the dark or not; however, it seems that some rodents do have limited vision at night.
Let’s see whether a guinea pig can see in the dark or not!
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Guinea Pig’s Vision
guinea pig’s eyesight is very well equipped for their lives in the wild, where they’re constantly looking out for and are on the run from predators, so due to their unique eye placement
Guinea Pigs Have Peripheral Vision:
Guinea pigs are able to see at a 340-degree field of view, while humans only have a 220-degree field of view.
So guinea pigs are able to see all around their bodies except for those two degrees directly behind them.
This allows guinea pigs to see something coming at them from both the front and directly beside them.
Guinea pigs see 33 frames per second, whereas humans only see 22.
This allows guinea pigs to have a much quicker reaction time also worth mentioning that guinea pig’s eyes are almost always open even while sleeping, but they do have eyelids and can blink.
Color Vision:
Guinea pig’s eye consists of the cornea, sclera, and iris, similar to humans, which means they are not color blind.
They have unique eye placement on the top of their head, which provides them with better vision than dogs, cats, and other animals.
But like humans, guinea pigs cannot identify every color with total clarity. Guinea pigs can see color; however, it does seem that they can see specific colors better than others, such as red and green.
Guinea pigs cannot seem to see in front of or directly underneath their nose, so often, they probably cannot see the food while eating it.
Instead, they use a combination of touch and scent; you may notice this when guinea pigs drop a piece of food and may have a more challenging time finding it.
However, it has been recognized that their strength lies within their strong memory power and sense of touch, smell, and hearing.
While most guinea pigs can see colors, some guinea pigs, like lethal white guinea pigs, are born color blind either in one or both of the eyes.
Can Guinea Pigs See In The Dark?
There has been some speculation that guinea pigs can see in the dark; however, this is not entirely true.
Guinea pigs cannot see in complete darkness.
They need a bit of light in order to see something, and they most likely use their other senses to get around in the dark.
Guinea pigs have a good sense of smell and hearing, and they likely use their whiskers to help navigate, but the main reason for guinea pigs being able to get around in their cage so well at night is through memory.
Do Guinea Pigs Have Good Eyesight?
Guinea pigs have limited eyesight, just like a hamster. But their eyes do have some unique features.
Their eyes are placed on the side of their head, which gives them 340-degree eyesight.
Guinea pigs can see 33 images per second, which is way more than humans (22 images per second), allowing them to avoid blurred vision while turning their heads.
Another benefit about their eyesight is that they identify colors, majorly; red and green. They can keep their eyes open, even when they are sleeping.
Despite this, guinea pigs’ eyesight does have downsides too.
One of the significant downsides is that they have poor depth perception, which means they can only see like 3-5 feet away.
This means objects more than 5 feet away become blurry for them.
So, they rely on their other senses to help them survive and move around, especially in the dark.
Overall, guinea pigs do have a decent vision.
How Far Can Guinea Pigs See?
Guinea pigs have a wide field of view, but they can’t see very well in every detail.
Guinea pigs are shortsighted.
They don’t have good depth perception, which means they can see only about three to five feet in front of their face.
But guinea pigs can see you when you’re standing right in front of them.
Guinea Pigs have a 340-degree vision which is actually mind-blowing! This means the guinea pig can see you even if it’s facing the opposite way.
However, the range depends on the health of your guinea pig.
So if your guinea pig has weak eyesight or getting old, you should include some healthy vegetables in their diet to improve their vision.
How Do Guinea Pigs Navigate In The Dark?
Seeing is not the only way a guinea pig to get around in the dark.
They are excellent at memorizing their surroundings and mapping them out in their head. This is why your guinea pig navigates its cage so well, even in the dark guinea.
Since their eyesight is relatively weak in the dark, they use their ears, whiskers, and noses to move around in the dark.
They have a very well and highly developed sense of taste, and their sense of smell is 25 times better than humans, which helps them to get around quicker, even in the darkest places.
Do Guinea Pigs Need Light at Night?
Not really!
A Guinea pig may have trouble seeing in complete darkness, but that doesn’t mean you should provide some sort of artificial light for your guinea pig to help them get around after dark.
Guinea pigs have been living in the dark for ages, and they are capable of navigating in the dark without any issue.
Installing artificial light could do more harm than good, and it might disrupt their living rhythms and sleeping patterns.
So, think twice before providing any kind of light for your pet.
Do Guinea Pigs Like To Be In The Dark?
Guinea pigs are crepuscular, meaning they do most of their activity during down and dust.
They sleep intermittently throughout the day and night with breaks between them. They usually don’t have a fixed schedule for sleeping.
Daily, guinea pigs sleep a total of four or five hours. A single nap can last from ten to 30 minutes which means guinea pigs are awake most of the night and spend a lot of time in the dark on a daily basis.
Since guinea pig spends most of their time in the dark, they feel more comfortable, safe, and protected in the dark because it’s hard for predators to see and hunt them.
What Does Guinea Pig Do At Night?
Guinea pigs are unusual compared to most rodents. They are called crepuscular (meaning that they are most active at dawn and dusk).
They only sleep about four hours a day and take short naps during the day and night, sometimes without shutting their eyes.
What guinea pigs do at night may vary.
After observing, guinea pig parents found that most of the time, at night, they nibble on their food, wander here and there and hide in places for about two to three hours.
And the rest of the time, they remain inactive.
Again around 5 or 6 am at dawn, guinea pigs start to be more active, and they eat and move around more.
Final Thoughts
No scientific research can say that guinea pigs cannot see in the dark.
Guinea pigs can see in the dark, but they have limited vision. They rely on their perception, whiskers, smelling sense, and excellent hearing more than their sight.
But it doesn’t mean you should install artificial light in their room to help them see; it will do more harm than good.
Artificial light can interrupt their natural sleeping pattern and affect their daily activity. So, let them in the dark and feel homely.
However, you can help them by placing food and water in their place so they can find it easily without hurting themselves.
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