While handling your guinea pig, you may wonder, do guinea pigs have belly buttons?
The fact is yes, they do. Almost all mammals, who give birth to their young ones, have a belly button—it is the point where the umbilical cord connects the mother to the baby.
Let’s take a quick look at what does guinea pig tummy button look like. Do they have an innie or an outie? And where is the belly button located?
But before we get to that, did you know that male guinea pigs also have nipples? It may sound odd as male guinea pigs have no use of nipples but the fact is that both sexes of all mammals (including humans) have nipples.
Do Guinea Pigs Have a Belly Button?
Yes, guinea pigs have a belly button. It is the point where the umbilical cord was attached to the guinea pigs when they came into this world. It is through the umbilical cord mama guinea pigs feed their young ones as they grow inside of her. When a pregnant guinea pig gives birth to a litter of guinea pigs, all have separate umbilical cords attached to their belly.
After delivering the pups, mama guinea pigs clean them off and bite off their umbilical cords. Depending on the length of the umbilical cord attached to the guinea pig after it is bitten off by the mother guinea pig, the size and shape of belly buttons may worry from guinea pig to guinea pig. Just like humans, while some guinea pigs may have an innie, other may have an outie, and yet for other there might be no sign of it—it might be plain like the skin.
I Cannot Find Belly Button on My Guinea Pig!
If you were unable to find the belly button on your guinea pig, worry not as for most guinea pigs there is no sign of the belly button. This usually happens when the mama guinea pig bites the umbilical cord very close to the skin, leaving no bump. In other cases, if the remaining umbilical cord is long, it may drop off as the guinea pig age.
In short, the younger the guinea pig the higher the chance that you will find the belly button on your guinea pig.
Similarly, the belly button is more visible on skinny and shaved guinea pigs. That said, you should never shave your guinea pigs unless it is a medical necessity.
Do Guinea Pigs Like Belly Rubs?
While after recognizing their owners, and getting comfortable, guinea pigs may come to like being held; they do not like their bellies to be rubbed. On top of that, guinea pigs hate being on their back. Actually, in the wild, our guinea pigs are prey animals and they are most vulnerable when laying on their back. This is the reason they are always on alert even after decades of domestication: guinea pigs even sleep with their eye open, and rarely blink their eyes.
The point is, you should not put your guinea pig on its back and fondle his belly, looking for a belly button. Flipping might trigger the primal response and your guinea pig might bite you, trying to escape. So, be careful while feeling the belly button on your guinea pig. You may want to offer your guinea pig his favorite treat with one hand and look for the belly button with the other hand.
If you are unable to find the belly button, do not push it. It is very common for guinea pigs to show no sign of a belly button as the mama guinea pig often severs the umbilical cord very close to the skin, leaving nothing to make the ‘umbilical stump.’
Final verdict: Do Guinea Pigs Have Belly Buttons?
Yes, guinea pigs have belly buttons. It is located at the center of the guinea pig’s belly and its shape and size vary from guinea pig to guinea pig. It is like a tiny pea-sized bump for most guinea pigs, even as adults. That said, it is fairly common for guinea pig owners to not be able to spot the belly button as the fur overgrows.
While both male and female guinea pigs have nipples, and belly buttons, guinea pigs don’t have tails.
