Guinea pigs...are they nocturnal??

[kidcreoleandthecoconuts]

Just wondering as we've just got one and it spends all day hiding in it's bedding. And then at night when the children are in bed it all active.
Also I was wondering...should we have got 2 guinea pigs? ( There was only one left where we bought it from) It was kept with dwarf rabbits and I think it's a bit lonely now .

I used to have mine in the house and they didn't seem to be nocturnal. It might be a bit scared of the children and trying to keep out of the way during the day time.

definately get another one, they are so much happier in pairs. I have kept 2 at a time for 28 years .

I don't think they're nocturnal no, ours very active all day. But they do get lonely and are much happier with a friend. Is it a boy or a girl?

Ds has one at my mums and it is up all day too. It was one of a pair but the other died recently.

Thanks for the quick replies!
Ours is in the house too so that it gets used to us and we're trying to handle it often.
We think it's a girl....because it's a youngster with y shaped genitals .
So i guess another female would be best.

Make sure you get it sexed professionally before you get another one. I have known a few people get the sex wrong and end up with several more piggies than expected.

I have a female and neutered male now. But in the past I have had pairs of 2 females and 2 males, the males fought like mad for a couple of weeks but they settled down in the end. PITA keeping them in different hutches for that time though, I wouldn't recommend it unless you have lots of time to get them to be friends!

Ours spent a long time in their nest compartment during the day when we first got them - it took them a long time to be confident enough to just wander about the cage. I read somewhere that their sight is quite poor and sudden noises/movements frighten them - which is why yours might be more active at night when the house is quieter/calmer (I presume!)