Guinea Pig Tips

While they may be small animals, Guinea Pigs need a lot of room to move around. Make sure that the area you are keeping them in allows them to freely move around without getting into trouble.

The cage in which you keep your guinea pig is very important. You should purchase a cage from a pet store that is made just for guinea pigs. Don’t use an old fish tank because it does not provide ventilation. Also make sure that the bottom of the cage is not made of mesh wire – it will hurt their feet.

Not only should you feed your guinea pig pre packaged guinea pig food, but you can treat them with leafy greens such as kale, collards and romaine lettuce. Just don’t give it to them all at once mixed up the first time. Over a few days give them a little of each separately to make sure they like it and can eat it with no digestive problems.

Guinea pigs like to keep clean, but since their living space and bathroom are in one cage you have to clean out the cage on a regular basis. Make sure to remove everything and scrub it down before putting clean bedding back in.

Guinea pigs are social animals and do best when with another guinea pigs. Having a pair of them (either two males or two females) is good for them because they can interact with each other.

You need to be very careful about picking up a guinea pig. It is best to pick them up so that you have one hand under their front legs and the other hand holding their back end. It is also a good idea to hold them close to your chest to that they feel secure.

If you have a long haired guinea pig, it is best to brush them every day. This will keep their fur from getting matted and tangled. It is also good to brush short haired guinea pigs to help remove dead hair and dust.

In the guinea pigs cage you should have a hutch, or small house, for them to go into to sleep.

Make sure you find a vet that is knowledgeable about guinea pigs. Not all vets are knowledgeable as they specialize in other animals.

Guinea pigs love to play. Make sure that you have a variety of toys for them to play with. You can find everything from safe chew toys for them, to elaborate cage systems for them to explore through at your local pet store.

Guinea pigs have a life expectancy of up to 7 years normally. Pets like hamsters only live 2 to 3 years, so if you get a guinea pig be prepared to take care of it for double the time of other smaller cage pets.

Although it may seem like a good idea, do not put Vitamin C into a guinea pig's water. It is important that they get enough Vitamin C in their diet but this may deter them from drinking their water because of the taste.

You can give guinea pigs a small amount of fruit as a treat. About one to two pieces a week is fine, if you give them more than that it may be too much sugar for them.

When you do let your guinea pigs out to run around, make sure you keep all cords and cables out of their reach.