Guinea Pig Memory

The quality of the nerve cells in an organism determines how efficient its memory is. This trait is genetically determined, meaning it is passed down from generation to generation. Human neurons are wrapped in a myelin sheath, which allows for the lightning-fast and efficient conduction of electrical impulses. And how does the memory of domestic animals work?

Guinea pigs have an intelligence level similar to that of rats. They have an IQ higher than hamsters, but are significantly lower than smarter dogs.

One of the ways guinea pigs learn is through conditioning. This is a process of rewarding desired behavior. After a while, the rodent starts behaving in a certain way because it expects a treat. This allows you to teach the animal to perform tricks, such as standing on its hind legs or spinning tops. Both guinea pigs and dogs, they can't learn by modeling, which means they do not imitate the behavior of other members of the herd. They remember primarily their own experiments and their effects.

Interestingly, guinea pigs respond to their name. Mine also understands when I call her “Pet.” Guinea pigs get used to people and trust them, although they can be a bit fearful when they first meet them. They can recognize the voice, smell, gait, and even appearance of their owners. They sense a person's mood by their tone of voice. They identify with their guardian family and see themselves as full members of the pack.

A pet pig's memory works great with a circadian rhythm. This means that if you feed your guinea pig regularly, it expects it at a specific time and eagerly awaits its portion. A late meal is stressful for the animal, so we should stick to the established feeding times.

It is worth knowing that Guinea pigs can also experience PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder. Animals remember the loss of a member of their herd for the rest of their lives, related to a predator attack that took place before their eyes. Breeders say that after such an experience, their charges are constantly stressed and hypersensitive to stimuli. There is a high probability that a guinea pig will not regain emotional stability and full happiness after the trauma.