Pet Advice

Guinea Pig
Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are lively pets and quite talkative. The domestic guinea pig has its origins in Guinea, South America and came by their name because they do like their food. Popular with children and adults alike, the domestic guinea pig is an ideal first pet.

Housing
Guinea pigs kept outdoors will need a friend, they soon become quiet and sad if kept alone. There are many hutches on the market now that are well constructed and waterproof, covers are also available to cut down the winter winds. The main thing to remember when buying a hutch is that guinea pigs need to be kept warm and out of drafts, they also require something to hide in, like a piece pipe and space to run around. The minimum requirement for a cage or hutch length is about 70cm (28”).

Diet and Feeding
Guinea pigs require vitamin C every day in the form of fresh vegetables like carrot, apple or broccoli. Grass or hay should form the bulk of the diet along with a bowl of good quality dried food and plenty of fresh water each day. It is important to keep the teeth working on hay to stop them growing too long and prevent the Guinea pig from eating. Guinea pigs will require a salt lick in the summer months as the tend to drink more water when the weather is warm.

Care and Maintenance
Guinea pigs must not be left to stand on wet or soiled bedding, as this can make the soles of their feet very sore. The cage should be cleaned out at least once a week, more during summer periods if they are drinking a lot. Products containing lemon oil can be used to keep flies away off cages in the summer months.

Handling and Exercise
Guinea pigs love attention and are happy to cuddle in when handled daily. This is required in order to keep them tame as guinea pigs are naturally quite a timid animal and need to build up their trust with their owner, they should be handled for at least an hour a day. Care must be taken when handling to ensure that a frightened guinea pig can’t scrabble and fall, a good tip is to place one handover their eyes to calm them down if needed, place the other hand around the chest to support the body weight. As with rabbits and other small animals it is best to sit down and place them on a knee not to high off the ground and not carry them round too long. Guinea pigs need to run around and require lots of exercise to prevent them becoming overweight, this is best provided using a run either inside on the floor, or situated on the lawn, safe from predators.