Guinea Pig Care

Guinea pigs are great pets for those looking to try a larger mammal, but aren't ready for the type of commitment a dog or cat would require. They're friendly, lively, furry, cute, and relatively low maintenance -- as long as you can afford the space to house them. Before you decide upon a guinea pig, read this and learn all of the rights and responsibilities contained in guinea pig ownership.

(Your first bit of trivia: their scientific name is Cavia porcellus. Guinea pigs are also known as cavies, and porcellus is Latin for "little pig.")

Contents [Hide] 1 Important Facts: 2 Essentials 3 How to Care for Them 4 Feeding 5 External Links

Important Facts:

• They grow to be around 10 inches long and weigh about 2-3 lbs.
• They're very social and generally happier with a companion, preferably same sex or neutered.
• If you get opposite sex pairs and keep them fertile, you will have many, many guinea pigs very soon.
• They usually live about 4 to 5 years, but can live up to 10 years.
• They make very tame, friendly pets, which, if handled correctly when young, will rarely bite or scratch.
• They are strict herbivores, meaning they do not eat meat.
• They require a good amount of space, though generally live in a cage
• They don't bite, but they might nibble on your food-scented finger.
• Although generally quiet animals, guinea pigs can make a lot of noise sometimes (day or night)
• The high pitch squeak is made whenever they are excited whether scared or happy
• They make a purring sound for general enjoyment
• Their heart rate is between 240-350 beats per minute.
• Their body temperature is around 99 to 103
• They breathe about 40-150 times a minute.
• They startle easy. If scared, they will often freeze for long periods of time or dart around in every direction.
• They do not get along with other rodents, so housing them with a hamster or gerbil is a bad idea. And although dogs or cats can be trained to accept them, they often see them as prey, so be careful.
• Their teeth are open-rooted, which means that they are always growing.
• Try buying guinea pigs at shelters and rescues before going to pet stores. Often times guinea pigs at pet stores are sick, and pet stores are less likely to know the current health status of the guinea pigs.
• Contrary to common belief, two or more male guinea pigs will not necessarily fight with each other, especially if they are introduced at a young age. It depends on more on their personalities rather than genders.

Essentials

Before bringing your new guinea pig home, there are a few necessary items that you will need right away. You don't want to get home, all excited about your new pet, and have no idea what to do with it. Be sure to go through this list so you know what you're missing. Buying the right cage and food is important when making your new guinea pig comfortable in its new surroundings. Knowing the right equipment to buy will help your pet live a longer, healthier life, making it a much more enjoyable pet. 

Cages  Smooth, flat bottoms are essential. Guinea pigs can easily get their feet stuck in wire or mesh bottoms. Aquariums  are meant for fish. They are too small and isolating for a guinea pig to enjoy. Shoeboxes for sleeping spots are ideal but might turn into anti-social zones, and may be difficult to get the guinea pig out of. 2 sq. ft. per pig is the minimum you should allow, each guinea pig needs adequate space to Roam.  A homemade cage, constructed from an underbed storage unit,  a kiddie pool,  or the floor and some wire mesh,  could be cheaper and more friendly. A cover is optional as long as the walls are more than 18 inches high and there aren't other pets around to climb in. Generally, guinea pigs don't like to explore, so if they are happy in their habitat, they will rarely try to escape from their cage. They should have spots for sleeping and other spots for eating and running around. Just like your home. Bedding  Recycled paper, hay, and aspen shavings  are great options. Cedar and pine shavings are can hurt your guinea pigs. Climbing Structures  PVC pipes,  large plastic tubs,  cardboard boxes  are great for crawling, chewing, and nesting.

Water and Food Use a large, heavy, ceramic food bowl  that is too small to climb into. Get a water bottle  with a steel spout and keep it filled. They drink a lot. Learn more about feeding below.	Exercise Pen  A large, enclosed, wire pen  will give them ample space to run around and work out. Make sure they have food, water, and shade during playtime and are free-from predators. Feel free to put the pen on your lawn if its pesticide-free. Keep the area free of chewable, unhealthy items, like carpet or electrical wires.	Toys Paper bags,  cardboard,  hard plastic rabbit/cat/baby toys,  wood blocks, fleece blankets,  and tunnels  are great. Like all rodents, their teeth grow constantly. They need to gnaw. Small, swallowable pieces are bad. Wheels aren't for guinea pigs. Get a hamster for those. Keep in mind they aren't very agile, so any toy that requires jumping or climbing is bad.

How to Care for Them

• Clean cage weekly, at least. Guinea pigs tend to be messy with their cages, so cleaning them out on a weekly basis is incredibly important to the health of your pet.
• Brush  them if they have long hair. Long hair is easily tangled from running around. If you're looking for less grooming maintenance, you may want to choose a short-haired guinea pig.
• Keep them in climate ranging from 65 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Guinea pigs have short, compact bodies that stay warm easily. Worry about excessive heat rather than them being too cold.
• Trim their nails once every 4-6 weeks. Nails can curl and grow back into the pads and cause pain and infection if left untended. You can trim your pet's nails by yourself, but make sure you know what you are doing first! Do not cut the "quick" (blood supply). Guinea Lynx, a medical and care guide for guinea pigs, provides a detailed description on how to trim your pet's nails yourself. 
• Pick them up by bringing one hand underneath them and putting the other on top, to stabilize them. If you're consistently gentle, they'll be very willing to play. Let them sniff you first and give them a chance to approach you.
• When handling young pigs, put a towel on your hand just in case. Their bowels aren't so sophisticated and you don't need that kind of mess on your hands.
• Handling them when they are young will make them much more friendly as they get older. Like a lot of pets, they are fearful of the unfamiliar.
• If it is lethargic, not eating, scratching too much, or its nails or teeth seem too long, take it to the vet. Common diseases include respiratory infections or diarrhea.
• If you leave a pan in a corner of their living quarters, they can be trained to use it as a bathroom, but they're not infallible.
• Don't lose them in your backyard. You can try to lure them back with food sounds, but you'll most likely never find them again.
• They're bad with distance. Don't let them jump.
• If one guinea pig dies, try to replace it quickly or its partner will be very lonely (No joke). If you can't, a guinea pig-sized stuffed animal  or a mirror could help keep the survivor company.
• Try to introduce the new member in a neutral territory with lots of food.
• It's a bad idea to keep a rabbit and a guinea pig together, even if you've heard that other people do it.

Feeding

• Feed them in the morning with pellets  and fresh foods. Give them hay  in the evenings. Change the water every morning.
• Guinea pig pellets should be the backbone of their diet.
• If they get too fat, give fewer pellets.
• Mixes with dried fruit are not as healthy as the pellet-only mixes.
• Like primates (that's us!) and unlike all other mammals, guinea pigs don't metabolize vitamin C from the sunshine. This means you need to feed them lots of vitamin C.
• If the pellets have vitamin C in them, keep them in the fridge so they don't get depleted of their nutrients.
• If you can sneak a vitamin C powder  into the water, go for it. But make sure the pigs drink it and that the powder or tablet is vitamin C only. Some vitamin drops have other minerals that can be potentially toxic to guinea pigs. 
• Vegetables with lots of vitamin C are the best way to go. About.com says to feed them, "kale, spinach, turnip greens, parsley and dandelion greens. .. carrots, carrot tops, and just about any other fruit or vegetable." It is best to choose greens that are high in vitamin C and low in calcium.
• Hay is essential to the diet. Timothy hay  is the best, not straw.
• Let them graze on your lawn in the summer.
• Introduce the fresh fruits, vegetables, and other plants to them when they're young. When they're older, they may be reluctant to experiment.
• Don't be surprised if they eat their green feces. These droppings are highly nutritious. This process is called coprophagy.
• Do NOT substitute rabbit, hamster, or gerbil pellets for guinea pigs. They require different nutrients.

External Links

• About -- An introduction to guinea pigs and signs to look out for when choosing your pigs.
• About -- Top three sites about homemade guinea pig homes.
• BBC -- A fact sheet and Flash diagram about how to take care of your guinea pigs.
• Guinea Lynx -- How to house your guinea pigs.
• Omlet UK -- Information about guinea pig bodies.
• Seagull's Guinea Pig Compendium -- Guinea pig advice for first-timers.
• Seagull's Guinea Pig Compendium -- Guinea pig behavior explained. For the seriously animal psychology fans only.
• Sunseed -- An easy-to-follow guinea pig care guide.