How one can Take care of a Pet Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are a species of rodent that enjoys good recognition as an distinctive pet. There are a selection of types of guinea pigs with completely completely different coat types and coloration patterns. The commonest are the American (temporary, clear coat), Abyssinian (temporary coat with swirls referred to as rosettes), and Peruvian (prolonged coat). There are additionally hairless varieties referred to as skinny pigs. As pets, guinea pigs are often nice and docile. Their care is fairly time-consuming nonetheless straightforward. Their housing is fairly easy to rearrange and protect, and their diets can be found at most pet retailers.

Guinea Pig Habits and Temperament

Guinea pigs are social animals, so it’s actually helpful to keep up them in same-sex pairs or small groups to forestall loneliness and tedium. A pair of females is the upper selection, as two males will typically battle, notably if they aren’t neutered. It’s best to not let your guinea pig work along with completely different pets throughout the household—notably any predatory animals harking back to canine, cats, and ferrets—as they’re typically merely injured.

As pets, guinea pigs is prone to be nervous at first, nonetheless they not typically chunk. With frequent coping with, they typically develop into tame and comfortable being picked up and carried spherical. Guinea pigs will bond with the people who look after them most, and many take pleasure in cuddling with their householders. Some moreover will squeal out of delight after they see their favorite of us. Guinea pigs have quite a lot of personalities, from shy to outgoing. Nevertheless common they’re gentle and affable pets.

Moreover, whereas they’re usually quiet animals, guinea pigs may make some fairly loud vocalizations, notably after they’re squealing for pleasure a number of meal. Moreover they often make a deep purring sound after they’re relaxed. They’re often energetic in the midst of the day, though they typically rise up and switch spherical at evening time. So that you just will not want to keep their enclosure in your mattress room for individuals who’re a lightweight sleeper.

Guinea pigs typically is a greater time dedication than some of us could anticipate from such a small animal. Plan to spend a minimum of a lot of hours per day giving your pet consideration out of its enclosure, allowing it to coach and uncover. And together with every day feedings, anticipate to spend time cleaning the enclosure a minimum of as quickly as per week.

Measurement Data

Guinea pigs stretch between 8 and 19 inches prolonged on frequent. They often weigh spherical 2 to 3 kilos. They develop rapidly all through their first 4 months after which completely fill out at spherical a 12 months outdated.

Housing

Guinea pigs need as large of a cage as you’ll match and afford. Many pet retailer cages marketed for guinea pigs are actually too small. Keep in mind their cage is their main space for prepare besides you might be able to take your pet out and monitor it for most of the day. Most likely the best decisions is a cage with a plastic base and wire excessive, which allows for good airflow.

One guinea pig must have a cage that is a minimum of 30 inches by 36 inches. For two guinea pigs, get a cage that’s a minimum of 30 inches by 50 inches. A prime of spherical 18 inches is okay. The bottom space is additional very important than the height, as guinea pigs usually don’t climb.

Throughout the cage, add a small animal hideout or nest, which you will discover at most pet retailers, the place your guinea pig can go to actually really feel secure and leisure. And add some guinea pig toys for chewing and play, which moreover will be discovered at most pet retailers.

Place the cage in a fairly quiet part of your individual dwelling. Loud noises and sudden actions can merely stress a guinea pig. Moreover, make it possible for the cage is out of direct daylight and away from drafts.

Explicit Substrate Needs

On a regular basis use a cage with a robust bottom and by no means a wire grate, as this may increasingly hurt the ft of a guinea pig. Add a 2-inch layer of paper bedding on the bottom. Avoid cedar and pine bedding, which could irritate a guinea pig’s respiratory system.

What Do Guinea Pigs Eat & Drink?

Guinea pigs are herbivores, which means they eat crops. Present your guinea pig an infinite amount of timothy hay every day. You’ll merely lay this throughout the enclosure or use a specific feeder known as a hayrack. Merely make it possible for some is on a regular basis obtainable. This aids digestion and helps to placed on down their enamel, which develop repeatedly.

Moreover, select a enterprise pelleted meals formulated for guinea pigs to feed every single day. The pellets must be fortified with vitamin C, as guinea pigs cannot produce this vitamin on their very personal. Adjust to the bundle deal instructions for the way in which quite a bit to feed. Many owners put a day’s worth of pellets in a small bowl of their guinea pig’s enclosure throughout the morning and eradicate any uneaten pellets sooner than the following day’s feeding. Go for a ceramic bowl over a plastic or stainless steel one, so your guinea pig is not going to have the flexibility to tip it over.

To enhance the hay and pellets, provide a variety of up to date vegatables and fruits every single day in a single different small bowl separate from the pellets. You’ll feed these at any stage in the midst of the day, nonetheless they should not exceed 10 p.c of the general every day weight-reduction plan. Some good decisions embrace romaine lettuce, kale, and cilantro, along with carrots, zucchini, kiwi, and blueberries. Preserve the sugary fruits to a minimal as a cope with just a few cases per week. And on a regular basis search the recommendation of your veterinarian to make certain you are feeding the acceptable quantity and variety of meals.

Lastly, guinea pigs on a regular basis need entry to wash water. Objective to get your guinea pig using a water bottle that attaches to the facet of the enclosure as rapidly as attainable. Water bottles is not going to spill or develop into contaminated like a water dish can. Nevertheless don’t take away the water dish until you might be sure your animal is consistently consuming from the bottle.

Frequent Properly being Points

Guinea pigs are usually hardy animals, nonetheless they’re subject to some widespread properly being points.

Guinea pigs could develop diarrhea and completely different digestive factors from micro organism, viruses, or parasites. Antibiotics may affect a guinea pig’s digestive system.

There are some properly being factors that notably affect a guinea pig’s eyes. Usually, a guinea pig will scratch its eye on one factor in its environment. Or it’d develop a watch an an infection, usually from unsanitary residing conditions. The eye could develop into watery, crusty, and pink.

Furthermore, in case your guinea pig’s weight-reduction plan wouldn’t have adequate vitamin C, it could properly develop scurvy. A guinea pig with scurvy could lose its urge for meals, appear to be in ache, and have bleeding gums. Scurvy will probably be lethal, so search the recommendation of your vet immediately for individuals who uncover any of these indicators.

A weight-reduction plan that doesn’t have adequate hay could trigger a guinea pig’s enamel to alter into overgrown. This may result in them not with the flexibility to chunk down accurately and chew their meals. So for individuals who uncover an absence of urge for meals or weight discount in your guinea pig, have your vet confirm its enamel. The vet can trim the enamel if essential after which advocate weight-reduction plan adjustments.

Teaching

Litter Teaching

Some guinea pigs will probably be educated to utilize a litter discipline. Select a small litter discipline with temporary partitions, and fill it with a singular bedding from what you make the most of within the the rest of the cage. Moreover, it could be helpful in order so as to add some soiled bedding. Place the litter discipline in a spot the place your guinea pig tends to alleviate itself, and cope with it when it jumps in and explores the sector. Then, cope with it every time you see it relieving itself throughout the discipline. If it begins relieving itself in a model new spot in its place, switch the litter discipline there (or get a second discipline for individuals who can match it). Lastly your guinea pig could start to see the sector as its toilet.

Practice

Widespread prepare is essential for guinea pigs to help cease weight issues and completely different properly being factors. Having fun with alongside along with your guinea pig in a secure house open air of the enclosure for a lot of hours per day will help it get every bodily train and psychological stimulation. Plus, all through the enclosure it could be helpful to place the sleeping house on one facet and the meals on one different, so your guinea pig has to face up and switch spherical. Deciding on an enclosure with a second diploma accessible via a ramp (with a robust floor, not wires) may encourage bodily train.

Grooming

As part of their care, guinea pigs need frequent grooming a minimum of weekly (or additional usually for longhaired guinea pigs). Brush out any mats and unfastened fur with a small, stiff brush or comb. Moreover, intention to clip your guinea pig’s nails as quickly as every two weeks, or they will develop into overgrown and affect the animal’s means to walk. Your vet can current you the way you are able to do a nail trim if essential.

Upkeep Costs

On a month-to-month basis, your necessary costs for a guinea pig shall be its meals and bedding. Plan to spend spherical $40 on frequent, counting on the varieties you choose, what variety of guinea pigs you’ve got, and the dimensions of the enclosure. Moreover, you’ll periodically have to modify nests and toys, which could run spherical $10 to $20. And you must positively funds for an annual veterinary checkup along with emergency medical care.

Execs & Cons of Defending a Guinea Pig as a Pet

Guinea pigs are principally quiet pets that don’t take up quite a lot of space. They’re moreover pretty entertaining, and some will probably be very nice and cuddly. Nonetheless, they’re social animals, and it’s excellent to keep up better than one after the opposite, which supplies to every their value and upkeep. Plus, they’re liable to some properly being points and require a vet who focuses on guinea pigs.

Associated Distinctive Pets to the Guinea Pig

In case you occur to’re concerned in associated pets, check out:

In every other case, check out these completely different distinctive animals which may be your new pet.

Shopping for or Adopting Your Guinea Pig

Pet retailers are a typical provide for pet guinea pigs. Nonetheless, you might be larger off going to breeder or rescue group, which often could have the flexibility to offer you additional detailed information on the animal’s origin, properly being, and temperament. Plus, good breeders and rescues are inclined to cope with their guinea pigs recurrently, which helps to keep up them tame. Guarantee that any vendor houses feminine and male guinea pigs individually, or there is likely to be a chance chances are you’ll take home a pregnant female. Rely on to pay spherical $10 to $40 on frequent, though this may increasingly vary counting on elements harking back to age and coloring.

Copy/Breeding

Native distinctive veterinarians could have the flexibility to stage you throughout the path of guinea pig breeder or rescue. The first benefit of a breeder is it will often have a wider variety of animals or a specific choice you’re searching for. Seek for a guinea pig that is energetic, alert, and in good physique scenario. If the seller says it’s tame, then ask to cope with it. The guinea pig ought to relax out fairly quickly in case you keep it.

To steer clear of by likelihood turning right into a breeder your self, keep a lot of guinea pigs in same-sex groups. Some vets moreover will spay and neuter guinea pigs.