Do Guinea Pigs lick each other's pee?

[Cherry Berry]

Hello wonderful Guinea Pig Parents

Today while feeding Cherry Berry. Cherry suddenly left his food bowl and ran to a hidey house.
He peed there and then licked it. Then, Berry went there and licked Cherry's pee.
I know that Guinea Pigs eat their own poop. But I didn't know that they lick each other's pee.
Does this behaviour signify something or is it insignificant?

Best Wishes,
Guinea Pig Mum

 

[Wiebke]

Hello wonderful Guinea Pig Parents

Today while feeding Cherry Berry. Cherry suddenly left his food bowl and ran to a hidey house.
He peed there and then licked it. Then, Berry went there and licked Cherry's pee.
I know that Guinea Pigs eat their own poop. But I didn't know that they lick each other's pee.
Does this behaviour signify something or is it insignificant?

Best Wishes,
Guinea Pig Mum

Yes, very occasionally piggies lick pee if it contains important information (pheromones) about the status/health of another piggy.

 

[Cherry Berry]

Yes, very occasionally piggies lick pee if it contains important information (pheromones) about the status/health of another piggy.

What does status mean? Is it like a health check they do for each other?

 

[Black piggies]

My trio of boar and sows would often lick each others wee. They'd concentrate on it and seem happy afterwards. They got along. It didn't seem a concern.

 

[Wiebke]

What does status mean? Is it like a health check they do for each other?

It is somewhat like reading a medical file which also includes a check on where in the oestrus cycle a sow; whether she is in season or whether she is pregnant.
Because our strongest human sense is the eyes (which is the weakest sense in cavies), we are not used to just how much information guinea pigs get with their much stronger sense of smell and their finer hearing.

 

[Cherry Berry]

It is somewhat like reading a medical file which also includes a check on where in the oestrus cycle a sow is or whether she is in season.
Because our strongest human sense is the eyes (which is the weakest sense in cavies), we are not used to just how much information guinea pigs get with their much stronger sense of smell and their finer hearing.

Ahh, that's so interesting. It's so good to know-how amazing Guinea Pigs are. Thanks