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Eye sight

Tonisita

Tonisita

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 5, 2023
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Location
Berkshire
My guineas don't seem to be able to see food right in front of them. If they drop it they struggle to find it straight away. Is this because their eyes are on the side of their head? I googled it but couldn't find the answer. They can't both have dodgy eyesight or be thick!
 
You are correct in thinking it is because their eyes are on the sides. They are finding the food entirely by scent so they will snuffle around for it a bit.
It has to be said though, guinea pigs are not the most intelligent creatures!
 
Tonisita said:
My guineas don't seem to be able to see food right in front of them. If they drop it they struggle to find it straight away. Is this because their eyes are on the side of their head? I googled it but couldn't find the answer. They can't both have dodgy eyesight or be thick!
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The area immediately in front of the nose/mouth is covered mainly by scent and touch as well as by the whiskers. Anything a bit further aways is actually covered by both eyes for a shorter distance.

Guinea pigs as prey animals have a wide angle sight ; it is sharp for about half a metre; afterwards they react to sudden movements. They have a small area ahead of their head that double/in-depth sight. However, eyesight is their weakest sense; they are much better at smelling, hearing and touch. They are perfectly adapted for the environment they have developed in; living mostly in dense undergrowth and moving along tracks between their denning area and their feeding gounds twice daily at dawn and dusk.

If you want to find out more about guinea pigs as a species, then you may find this link here interesting: Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
 
I've had fingers chomped on before because when you're holding food in their "blind spot", well your fingers smell like food too. They don't do it on purpose, not at all, but they can't see your fingers to know which is which.
 
Pantalaimon said:
You are correct in thinking it is because their eyes are on the sides. They are finding the food entirely by scent so they will snuffle around for it a bit.
It has to be said though, guinea pigs are not the most intelligent creatures!
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I have noticed this. Running straight through their water dish, for instance!
 
Lorcan said:
I've had fingers chomped on before because when you're holding food in their "blind spot", well your fingers smell like food too. They don't do it on purpose, not at all, but they can't see your fingers to know which is which.
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This has happened to me too! When I shout Ouch they look apologetic, if that's possible! I always let them sniff my hand and come at them from the side, so they know it's me.
 
Wiebke said:
The area immediately in front of the nose/mouth is covered mainly by scent and touch as well as by the whiskers. Anything a bit further aways is actually covered by both eyes for a shorter distance.

Guinea pigs as prey animals have a wide angle sight ; it is sharp for about half a metre; afterwards they react to sudden movements. They have a small area ahead of their head that double/in-depth sight. However, eyesight is their weakest sense; they are much better at smelling, hearing and touch. They are perfectly adapted for the environment they have developed in; living mostly in dense undergrowth and moving along tracks between their denning area and their feeding gounds twice daily at dawn and dusk.

If you want to find out more about guinea pigs as a species, then you may find this link here interesting: Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
Click to expand...
Thank you! They ate fascinating. I love the way they go from a fluffy ball to pancaking and going flat! I have Smudge, who is brave and adventurous, and Pickle, who runs from his own shadow. But he bates Smudge and isalways rumblestrutting. I take Smudge out to give him a break at times. I have them in an indoor cage at night and a playpen during the day. I'm getting brave enough to give them floor time but yesterday Pickle chased Smudge round the room until he hid under the cage andit was a challenge to get him out. Pickle is very vocal and purrs the whole time he's on my lap and purrs to sounds on my phone too. I see him as musical! I don't want to have favourites but he's so naughty with Smudge, it's hard not to give more attention to him. They are very definitely their own little personalities. I don't get cuddles from Smudge now because he has learned to get other arm of the sofaand leap the gapi to the cage. He promptly has a sleep without Pickle moving him on, so I leave Pick in the playpen. Sometimes Smudge has a lie in, inhis furry nest next to my laptop when I'm working but messes up my emails when he wakes up and starts running over the keyboard! I tried Pickle in the nest on the table next to me while working but he pooped and kicked out of the nest, onto the table! I just couldn't stop laughing!
 
Tonisita said:
This has happened to me too! When I shout Ouch they look apologetic, if that's possible! I always let them sniff my hand and come at them from the side, so they know it's me.
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They do realise it's not food they've bitten down on, although there's always a momentary look of confusion in their eyes before they twig "OH" and try again. I offered Bann one end of something long - a green bean or a slice of celery, something like that - and he sniffed all along the food til he got to the other end, where I was holding it, and then tried to eat my fingers instead. 🤨
 
It has to be said though, guinea pigs are not the most intelligent creatures!
[/QUOTE]
Dear Miss Bramble,
I feel the need to bring this to your attention and propose extending the FOREVER section of the naughty list to include this slave.
@Pantalaimon , how very dare you!
I am very intelligent thank you and so is my young companion Mischievous Master Boris.
We must be intelligent as we can manipulate you primates into giving us what we want (mostly)
Yours in umbrage,
Dignified Sir George
 
Lorcan said:
I've had fingers chomped on before because when you're holding food in their "blind spot", well your fingers smell like food too. They don't do it on purpose, not at all, but they can't see your fingers to know which is which.
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I lost a chunk of flesh from the end of my finger this way. It had some traces of banana on it and I made the tremendous mistake of holding out to be licked!
 
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