10 Terrible Smells That Guinea Pigs Hate (Explained Here)

You know a lot about your guinea pigs right? I mean things like their favorite veggies and toys. So, do you want to know smells that your guinea pigs hate?

Guinea pigs hate the smell of scented candles, perfume, and detergents. The smell of cigarette smoke, baking soda, and aromatic woods like cedar and pine are toxic to guinea pigs. These smells can irritate cavies’ eyes, nose, and lungs. Worse, they can develop an upper respiratory disease. Be careful what sort of smells you have around your guinea pigs.

There are many scents that can hurt guinea pigs. But don’t worry, here’s a list of the most common ones…

1. Baking Soda 

Baking soda is a fridge staple in many houses (including mine). And it’s for a good reason since it helps absorb those unpleasant smells that we don’t want to perceive. Then is it a great idea to sprinkle some baking soda under our piggies’ litter?

Sadly, NO. Baking soda is not safe for our guinea pigs. 

Why?

Baking soda can be harmful to your guinea pig’s respiratory health. It can irritate their lungs and it’snot good for their respiratory system at all.

Even worse is that if your piggies swallow too much baking soda, it’ll cause intestinal bloating.

Crazy right? Let’s move on to the next scent on our list.

2. Aromatic Woods Like Cedar and Pine

Ah, we all love that fresh smell of aromatic woods like cedar. It’s natural to think it’ll be a great addition to your guinea pigs’ housing. Yeah, it’ll give a fresh smell that’ll keep the room from smelling like guinea pig urine. 

But are the aromatic woods safe for our piggies?

Uhhh, no. Aromatic woods are a no-no for guinea pigs. It can cause kidney and liver damage in your piggies if it’s used for too long.

Why? How?

That fresh smell of aromatic woods which you love so much comes from phenol. Phenol is released into the air from these aromatic woods and that’s why the air seems to “smell nice”. 

Your piggies will have to breathe in phenol every day. And then the next day, and the day after that. But the chemical builds up in their respiratory system and can bother lungs or give them some sort of infection.

Long-term exposure can develop into more serious cases like liver problems. Bottom line is, keep those aromatic woods away from your fur babies.

3. Essential Oils 

Hmmm…essential oils, a favorite of many people (myself included). Truth be told, essential oils are great to have around you. But what about your guinea pigs? Is it safe for them too?

No, essential oils aren’t good for guinea pigs. In fact, they can make them sick.

It’s dangerous to keep essential oils near your piggies no matter the reason. It can help keep fleas and other smells away from your piggies but it’ll cause harm too.

So is it worth it?

Of course not.

The strong smell of your essential oil can give your piggies breathing problems. Plus it might develop into more complicated respiratory issues. Now you wouldn’t like that, would you?

Don’t rub essential oils on your guinea pigs or keep them in their housing. And don’t even use them near the cage.

4. Cooking Smells and Strong Spices 

Are you surprised? This is news to me too. While making your favorite delicacies, you could be poisoning your guinea pigs. You may not even know. But does this mean you shouldn’t cook near your guinea pigs?

Well, yes and no. Yes if you’re cooking with non-stick cookware (the fumes are toxic). And no if you’re just doing basic things like making cereals that cause a strong smell.. 

Toxic kitchen fumes aren’t something your guinea pigs should be exposed to.

Smoky recipes are the worst, because the fumes will irritate your piggies’ eyes, lungs, and nose. So if you’re cooking something smoky, do it when your guinea pigs are out of the house or in another room.

Let’s say you’re making a delicious, but highly spicy meal. What happens then?

The strong spices (depending on whether they linger in the air) in your food can give your guinea pigs watery, irritates eyes and lungs. So, if you plan on eating something spicy, do it when your guinea pigs aren’t around. The same goes for any other intense cooking smells.

5. Colognes and Perfumes 

Do you like wearing perfumes? I do.

But is it safe to play with your piggies and cuddle them while wearing heavy perfume?

Uhhh, nope.

It’s not a good idea to wear perfume or cologne near your pigs. If you do, they might not like it and they could get sick.

And why is a perfume so bad for piggies?

These fragrances in perfumes and colognes come from chemicals. These chemicals affect piggies more than humans.

Imagine your perfume smell multiplied by 25, that’s how your piggies perceive it. So it makes sense that guinea pigs would hate the smell of perfumes.

6.Onions & Garlic 

Onions and garlic are a staple in the cooking ingredients of many households. They’re medicinal and good for humans.

But, they’re not safe for guinea pigs. Onion and garlic are bad for guinea pigs to eat (toxic even), but the smell is dangerous, too.

Both of them are considered natural pest repellents. That means they have strong chemicals in them. Even to humans, onions cause tears in our eyes.

The chemical is too strong for piggies to inhale, not to mention eating it. It irritates their nasal passage. 

If you don’t want your guinea pigs to get sick, it is important to keep onions and garlic away from them. These foods can cause respiratory problems in guinea pigs.

7. The Scent of A Predator 

Guinea pigs’ sense of smell makes up for their not-so-good eyesight. So they get familiar with their owners through their smell. But does this apply to only their owners? Of course not.

Piggies can smell most things including their possible predators. Your guinea pigs can detect a predator by its smell even from a distance. And of course, they hate the smell (who would love the smell of danger?). 

If your guinea pigs can smell a predator, they will become uncomfortable and nervous. This will especially happen if they are outdoor piggies.

Try to keep your guinea pigs well away from predators if you don’t want them freaking out on you.

8. Air Fresheners 

Many of us use air fresheners (almost every time). We like the unique smell and we even use different flavors. But are air fresheners safe for our piggies’ rooms? Do they like the smell too?

Well sorry, the answer is NO. Piggies don’t appreciate the extra scent. It irritates their nasal passage. Air fresheners make piggies uncomfortable and make breathing difficult for them.

Why?

The reason is simple. Air fresheners contain different chemicals that produce sweet scents. And these chemicals aren’t piggie-friendly at all.

So if you’ve been doing it before or you plan on doing it, stop. Don’t spray air fresheners near your guinea pigs for any reason.

9. Bleach, Cleansers, and Detergents 

Everyone has bleach, cleansers, and detergent in their houses. Yes, they’re useful in helping us get rid of dirt and odors. They also leave fresh scents after the cleaning.

The main reason is that these cleaning agents often have added perfumes. And guinea pigs hate perfumes. Their smell is aggravating to their respiratory system. 

Some detergents and bleach have very potent ingredients. They’re so strong and are toxic to guinea pigs. The more effective they are in cleaning, the more dangerous they are to your piggies. 

If you have to use a strong cleanser – like bleach – to clean out your guinea pig’s enclosure, then do so when your guinea pigs aren’t around. And make sure the area is well-ventilated before bringing them back in.

10. Cigarette Smoke

There’s tons of reasons why guinea pigs might hate the smell of cigarette smoke. For one thing, the smoke can be irritating to their eyes and respiratory system.

Plus, the smell of smoke can be overpowering for your fur babies, making it difficult for them to breathe. Guinea pigs have a very good sense of smell.

Guinea pigs navigate and interact with the world through the sense of smell and if cigarette smoke is constantly overwhelming their senses, it can be extremely stressful for them.

However, guinea pigs who live in a smoky environment will have greasy, smoky fur. This is because the smoke sticks to their fur and makes it look dirty.

Cigarette smoke can also be dangerous to guinea pigs. Secondhand smoke has been linked to cancer in humans, and it’s possible that the same is true for guinea pigs.

So if you smoke, try to do so away from your guinea pigs and always wash your hands (and change your clothes) before handling them.

Regardless of the reason, it’s clear that guinea pigs don’t enjoy the smell of cigarette smoke.

Do Smells Affect Guinea Pigs? 

Yes, smells can affect guinea pigs. It’s safest to keep all scented things (especially artificial ones) away from your guinea pigs, because the smell can be overwhelming for them. 

And when smells affect guinea pigs, you might notice a few symptoms like:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Runny eyes
• Shallow breathing
• Wheezing while breathing

Your guinea pigs can also experience an allergic reaction to smells. It can lead to an upper respiratory illness in your piggies. 

If your pigs are exposed to the wrong smell, it can make them sick. Even smells that you might not think are harmful to your fur babies can be dangerous. That’s why you should keep any artificial fragrance away from your guinea pigs.

Do Guinea Pigs Have A Sensitive Sense Of Smell?

Yes, guinea pigs have a sensitive sense of smell. It’s about 25 tiomes stronger than that of a human. They can perceive things from a distance. They use their sense of smell in all their daily activities.

Their sense of smell is strong enough to identify potential hazards. They also use it to identify their owners. Guinea pigs have not-so-brilliant eyesight that is made up for by their sense of smell.

Their sense of smell is higher than that of humans and that’s why certain smells affect them.

Do Air Fresheners Bother Guinea Pigs? 

Yes, air fresheners bother guinea pigs. Truth be told, air fresheners have a strong scent (which piggies dislike). They contain perfumes and scented compounds that are toxic to piggies.

If you spray air fresheners near your guinea pigs, it can make it hard for them to breathe. If they’re exposed to the smell for a long time, they might get a respiratory illness.

So yes, piggies shouldn’t be in a room that’s been sprayed with air freshener.

What Smells Do Guinea Pigs Like?

Typically, guinea pigs like any sort of guinea pig food-related smell. Guinea pigs like the smell of vegetables and of fresh hay. They also enjoy the smell of fresh grass and certain herbs like fennel, parsley, dill and basil.

What Do Guinea Pigs Dislike? 

Guinea pigs dislike being picked up, sudden loud noises, the smell of predators, being handled incorrectly, and cages that are too small. Plus, most guinea pigs dislike being alone.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the things that your fur babies dislike:

1. Being Picked Up 

Guinea pigs are prey animals. They hate being picked up because it scares them. They think you’re a predator (about to gobble them up) when you pick them up without warning.

Remember, you’re a big figure compared to your fur baby. So when you loom over them they can get scared and panicky – which they hate.

Plus, piggies are ground animals, they’re not good at climbing. They don’t even like heights. So when you hold them up they don’t like it. The solid ground is an assurance to them.

So if you want to pick up your little friends, be gentle and slow – and let them know that you’re about to do it.

Use a cuddle cup or cardboard box to pick them up. Doing so is usually a lot easier than chasing them around your enclosure – which is super stressful for them AND for you.

2. Sudden, Loud Noises 

Even humans hate this one (I don’t like being startled). Well, I guess you can relate to how your guinea pigs feel when you startle them. Your environment might be noisy which is upsetting to piggies.

Don’t scream at your piggies, use quiet voices when speaking to them. They have a sharp sense of hearing so you don’t need to be loud.

Shrieking kids, fireworks, and loud TVs can upset your piggies. Don’t blast loud music near your piggies too. Always make sure your fur babies’ environment is calm

3. Too Small Cages 

Nobody likes being confined. Your piggies also don’t like it. When you keep your piggies in a tiny cage, they feel trapped and unhappy. 

They need a cage that can allow them to move and exercise freely. They’ll want to play and run around in their cage. And if they can’t do that, they’ll feel bad.

So get your piggies a good-sized cage.

4. People Touching Their Butt 

Now, this is funny but important. Those little critters value their butt (they have a little pride). So you shouldn’t touch their butt (especially the male piggies).

You can scratch behind their ears or under the chin but not the butt. They feel touching their butt is showing dominance and they don’t like that. 

5. Being Alone 

When it comes to guinea pigs, one important thing to keep in mind is that they generally don’t like being alone. Unlike some other animals, most guinea pigs are social creatures who thrive on companionship.

Guinea pigs are social animals by nature, and they generally prefer the company of others. In fact, most guinea pigs dislike being alone and will often become anxious or depressed if they don’t have a companion to interact with. This is because guinea pigs are very social creatures that bond closely with their fellow herd members.

If you only have one guinea pig, you need to make sure it has enough opportunities to socialize. This includes letting you cavy out to play in a safe area, and spending a lot of time playing with him yourself.

By making sure that their social needs are met, you can help their guinea pigs lead happy and healthy lives.

Final Thoughts On Smells That Guinea Pigs Hate 

It’s important to know what smells bother your guinea pigs because you don’t want them to be exposed to anything toxic. Remember that they have a heightened sense of smell, so any strong scents can be harmful. If you’re using air fresheners, make sure they’re piggie-safe ones.

And keep in mind that guinea pigs also like certain smells. They enjoy the smell of their own food and hay. They might even enjoy YOUR smell as long as you avoid strong perfumes and detergents.

You can still buy your favorite perfumes and essential oils. You can wear them as much as you like. You just need to keep them away from your guinea pigs. Food spices should be kept well away too.

Note the things that piggies don’t like, especially if you’re still bonding with them. You don’t want to ruin the relationship, would you?

Do your fur babies have any other things that they hate? Please share in the comments section below.

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