Written By : M Samy

Having a Guinea pig as a pet [ the Guide ]

What’s a Guinea pig?

Having a guinea pig as a pet is the dream of every child, it doesn’t cost much but it’s up to the parents to take care of it in the end because it’s a fragile animal that has its own particular needs like vitamin C and a daily attention and affection.

having a guinea pig as a pet

Dont worry, it’s not a pig and above all, you won’t need to go all the way to Guinea to bring back one !! and after reading this article [Complete Guide ] you will know everything about this adorable pet.

Native to South America, from the plains and mountains of the Andes, the guinea pig , piggy , Cavy is a rodent, which can weigh up to 3 lbs once adult, a strict herbivore that lives in families composed of a dominant male, several females and the young. 

Long bred for its meat by the Maya and Spanish and Dutch explorers, but has managed to conquer the world as a pet that helps it’s owner to be happy and healthy , it’s not surprising, when you know its characteristics. 

The Characteristics of the Guinea Pig

there are several breeds or rather varieties of guinea pigs, so much so that rodent specialists have had trouble classifying them.

But what interests us is how to find our way around and to know what kind of guinea pig we are talking about when we buy or adopt one.

Most popular Guinea pig Breeds

Guinea pig most common and popular breeds

In general, people classify guinea pigs according to their hair, so there are different varieties of guinea pigs: 

  • The Long-haired 
  • The smooth ones
  • The stiff-haired
  • The Hairless Guinea Pigs ( Skinny guinea pig & the Baldwin )

Do not linger too much on this point, you will see that the breed or the category of the guinea pig does not have too much influence on its character or its way of life, your choice must then be guided only by your heart when you see the animal, its physical aspect, its colors and its behavior when you approach it will be your only criteria when you want to choose a guinea pig.

All you have to remember is that the guinea pig is a very sensitive and affectionate animal, you will have to show him a lot of affection and attention at all times especially if you adopt only one individual.

Is the guinea pig the ideal pet for you and your family ?

Is Ginny pic the best choice for your family and kids ?

The guinea pig is a passive animal, which only collapses when hiding in its litter or in a small shelter in its cage, they rarely bite, if ever ! That’s why you should never give in to your children’s whims and buy them a guinea pig if you think you’re going to let them take care of it alone.

The guinea pig is therefore a very fragile and sensitive pet, you should never let small children get close to it if you are not present with them.

On the other hand, the guinea pig does not like to stay alone too long, he loves cuddles and caresses, you will have to give him a lot of affection and he will give it back to you of course … I am telling you this so that you know that if you do not have at least one or two hours a day to devote to your guinea pig, for cleaning, feeding … etc, choose another pet instead. 

What will make you choose a guinea pig as a pet?

Although the guinea pig is a pet that needs more attention and presence than others, it is still the pet that people choose after dogs and cats of course, what are the advantages of having a guinea pig in your home then ?

The guinea pig is not going to invade your house as a dog or a cat could do, a small space where to put its cage, in the living room for example will be enough.

Contrary to a pet hamster  which is difficult to take in its hands or that of its children, the guinea pig is willing to be taken in his hand and loves to be stroked, it is also big enough for you to grasp it.

You should also know that unlike dogs and cats, you will not need to take your guinea pig out to relieve itself or to exercise, you can just let it run for a few minutes in a room with your presence of course.

Guinea pigs are not likely to bite your children even if they do something that displeases or hurts them and they are pets that can live more than 7 years, they are not likely to die very prematurely and upset your children.

The guinea pig is an animal that does not give off bad smells if you learn how to keep him clean so you can install its cage in your bedroom or living room without the need for air fresheners.

The guinea pig is very sociable and loves company, it is also very interactive and will never let you feel alone, which is the case of a hamster for example who will not care about you.

Finally, the guinea pig is a very affectionate pet, fun and endearing, ideal for the whole family provided that there is always the presence of an adult when he leaves his cage, children love guinea pigs and they can also replace a cat when it comes to keeping a senior company. 

If these advantages convince you to buy a guinea pig, let’s see now, which breed to choose ? How to choose the best guinea pig and the best suited to you, your family and your lifestyle and environment ? 

This video is about the ten reasons to get guinea pig as a familly pet

What’s to stop you from adopting a guinea pig?

The Guinea Pig is one of the cutest pets, adored by children, they may be the ones who ask you to buy them a Guinea Pig, but before giving in to their whims or yours, please read  these few obligations and disadvantages, in a way, that could dissuade you from buying or adopting a Guinea Pig:

The guinea pig does not tolerate solitude, you will have to be very present or be able to get more than one piggy to keep them company, so you must think about a budget for at least two cavies. 

Your guinea pig will need at least three square feet of space, that’s what your pet’s cage should measure, so you must have enough space in your bedroom or living room to install the cage.

As I said before, your guinea pig will feel better if you install it in a place of the house where it will have company most of the day, this place will be your living room or your bedroom in the ideal because the guinea pig needs a permanent contact with its master, a visual and emotional contact especially.

Your guinea pig will ask you cuddles every day, it is very emotional, and it is not an animal to be contemplated from afar as a hamster or a fish would be, you will understand it when it will thank you with squeaks, and chirps. every time you show it a little tenderness and affection.

Contrary to a dog or a cat which can defend itself all alone, the guinea pig would be very fragile in the hands of a child, you will thus have to be present each time your children want to caress it or play with it to avoid physical problems or emotional shocks.

The guinea pig has some requirements concerning its food, you must in fact provide it with 10% of its weight in fresh vegetables (hay and vegetables) every day without counting its daily dose of vitamin C, without it it will not stay alive very long, so think about it.

The guinea pig is a pet that can live more than 7 years, and if you have other plans, such as traveling or a husband or wife to be who will not tolerate his presence, you must give up adopting one, a guinea pig should be seen as a new member of the family. 

It is necessary to envisage a small budget only for your guinea pig, between the cage, the care, the food, its vitamin C without counting the litter which you must change two to three times per week and if you adopt two specimens think of their cost then.

Two hours minimum each day for your guinea pig, it is also necessary to find him a good veterinarian, and the specialists do not run the streets, be ready to seek in another city a specialist of the rodents if there is not one where you live. 

If you don’t have a problem with all this, good news then, I’ll tell you all about these adorable little pets.

Know , those are the ten reasons Not to get Ginipic 

How much is it gonna cost you to get a guinea pig?

the budget that takes to groom a Guinea pig

You have to count between 20$ and 40$ to buy a guinea pig, you also have to count 200$ to 250$ or even more for the cage , the accessories and the food and finally an average budget of 45$ each month.

It is also necessary to plan to spend more if your pet gets sick or to buy a new toy for example …etc…

Which breed of guinea pig should I choose?

Believe me when I tell you that you should not bother asking yourself this question, especially if you do not intend to breed them because there are many different breeds of guinea pigs, such as :

  • The guinea pig Rex.
  • The Peruvian
  • The Shelty
  • The Lunkarya
  • The Guinea Pig Alpaca
See also  What to look for when buying a guinea pig

You will also hear about the :

  • The Satins
  • Black guinea pigs , White Crested , the English Crested, ..etc…
  • The Abyssinians
  • American guinea pigs, Teddy, Texel, Silkie, Coronet ...etc.
  • Albino or Skinny Guinea Pigs 
  • Giant guinea pigs …etc…

But believe me, apart from the fact that long-haired guinea pigs would require more cleaning and brushing, it’s all a matter of taste, I advise you to go to the pet shop, than the guinea pig section, remember the advice you will have throughout this article to choose a guinea pig in good physical and mental health and above all you must listen to your heart, this is the best way to choose a guinea pig. 

Choosing a male or female guinea pig?

is it better to get a male or a female guinea pig ?

You must know first of all that choosing a couple of guinea pigs will quickly become problematic if you are not prepared to take care of a whole pack, they give birth very quickly and you will find yourself with a family of guinea pigs under your arms, not knowing what to do with them !

If on the other hand you want only one guinea pig, know that you can choose either a male or female guinea pig, the males are just a little bigger than the females, the characters are almost the same, just try not to bring home a female guinea pig who is already pregnant. 

I would rather advise you to choose a couple of guinea pigs as long as they are of the same sex, two males or two females, they will keep each other company and this will give you more freedom because you will not have to be present at home all the time. 

Just make sure that the two guinea pigs you choose are bred together from birth and that they are also of the same breed to avoid fighting with each other.

Guinea pigs also have their teenage crisis, they often happen to young guinea pigs to fight over who is the leader, the risk would be greater if you put a female in the same cage with two males, one of them may kill the other, so avoid this.

I advise you to choose between these options:

To sum up, choose one guinea pig instead if you’re often at home. An adult guinea pig will tolerate loneliness better and adapt to your home more quickly.

Choose two or more young guinea pigs of the same gender and age, provided they have been raised together since they were babies. 

Many people say that male guinea pigs are more affectionate than females, but females are more adventurous and dynamic, but what is true is that each guinea pig has its own story, its own temperament and character, regardless of its sex and race, So take the time to contemplate your guinea pig before buying it, you could easily detect its character traits, they are not very different from those of humans because in nature, they live in large families and have a very active social life compared to other pets.

How old must my guinea pig be to adopt it ?

Is it better getting a baby Guinea pig ?

I would say that you should never choose a guinea pig that is not yet weaned by its mother, a month and a half is the ideal age when you choose a guinea pig, at that age, it has already acquired immunity and it has become accustomed to the human presence and therefore a little socialized by its mother, taming it will not be so difficult once it arrives at home, I will tell you further how to do it.

You can also choose an adult guinea pig, they are easy to tame, it is only a little trickier to choose two that are not bred together.

How to recognize and choose a healthy guinea pig ?

which Ginipic should i choose?

Caring for your guinea pig when it is sick could be very expensive, that’s why you have to be careful when you choose one, so here are the characteristics of a healthy guinea pig:

First when you go to buy a guinea pig, ask the seller or the breeder to show you the guinea pigs of the gender and age you want to buy and take your time to look at them. 

You must immediately cross off your list the guinea pigs that are huddled in a corner of the cage, with their eyes half-open and showing signs of stress, you will notice that they breathe faster than the others. 

Then look at his fur, the hair must be shiny, without knots or dandruff and his skin must not show any sign of aggressiveness, therefore of wounds, bald areas, crusts, bumps … and any other sign of infection, parasites or malformation, the hair must also be shiny and uniform.

Then check that the guinea pig’s ears are clean and free of dandruff as well, and check for infections. 

Then look if there is no discharge from the eyes, they should be bright and shiny, from the nose and anus too, these three organs should be clean, dry and without crusting which is a sign of recent discharge and diarrhea when it comes to the anal area. 

Legs must be clean, without protrusions, claws neither too long nor twisted. 

The incisors must be short, straight, clean, neither broken nor twisted (very important).

Once you have chosen your specimen, it is now time to learn how to take care of your guinea pig, but before that let’s see what to do before you go looking for or buy your guinea pig. 

This video may help you to understand how to choose a healthy Ginny pig

What to prepare at home to welcome your Guinea Pig?

Before anything else and even before bringing your guinea pig you will have to prepare its arrival at home here is what you must do to welcome your guinea pig in ideal conditions:

Plan the ideal cage for your guinea pig: 

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I would rather advise you a cage with bars, of a square of surface on the ground , only one floor because the guinea pig is not going to climb to the second and also because these cages with bars, are modelables and you can add accessories and recover them to clean them easily when you want, a rabbit cage would do very well the business .

Think that this Rabbit cage is the best choice for a Guinea pig too , if you want Go see it on Amazon , in case i found a better choice i’ll exchange it . You only have to put it on a support like a coffee table to raise it from the ground by one foot (30 cm).

Avoid Plexiglas cages and terrariums, they will isolate your guinea pig from you and make it sad, difficult to arrange and clean, badly ventilated … etc… As for the hutches, they are to be favoured for the hot seasons and are rather ideal for the outside of the house.

This cage must be installed half a meter high, in a frequented place in your house, the ideal is the living room or your bedroom, not that of the children, especially if they are under 7 years old. 

Never install your guinea pig in the hallway, kitchen, garage, terrace or any other stressful place. 

Choose for your guinea pig a place far from the sun but well ventilated, avoid exposing it to smoke, draughts and humidity.

This video will provide you more advice about Guinea Pigs Cages :

What to buy for a New Guinea Pig ? :

Then buy the necessary accessories for the Guinea Pig’s cage, such as: 

piching the right guinea pig

Also think about the tools you’ll need for grooming and cleaning the guinea pig’s cage, as well as a first aid kit and guide.

For the food, buy hay packages, complete food and also provide vitamin C and a clean syringe to administer it orally (the most effective way) and fresh vegetables also at room temperature of course. Do not forget a fresh water at his disposal that you will change every day.

A transport box for your guinea pig:

best guinea pig supllies

Once you have prepared your house to welcome the guinea pig, you will need a transport box for small pets, you can use the one for cats or rabbits, line it with a good quantity of hay, put a piece of apple in it and bring back your guinea pig.

See also  Why is my guinea pig biting me hard ?

Keep this transport box, you will use it to take your guinea pig to see a vet or just to walk it outside if the weather conditions allow it of course.

Take your guinea pig to the vet:

do guinea pigs make good pets ?

Before taking your guinea pig home, you can make an appointment to see a vet if you have any doubts about the specimen you’ve chosen, also take the opportunity to ask him for advice on the ideal food and how to take care of it in general. 

Remember to also ask for his emergency number in case you have any doubts about your guinea pig’s health one day for example.

How to tame your guinea pig ?

Once you have brought your guinea pig home, there will be a period of acclimatization, here is the best way to proceed to acclimatize your guinea pig to its new environment and to the members of your family, know that the younger your guinea pig is, the easier it will be to tame it.

The whole point is to make the guinea pig understand that it is in a safe place and that you do not pose any danger to it. 

First days with my Guinea pig

I would rather advise you to install a shelter or a small house in the guinea pig’s cage for the 10 days following its arrival at your home, so your guinea pig can use this shelter as a refuge if something stresses it, especially children, cats … etc. and also it will be able to observe its new habitat and environment from a place on the ground. 

During this phase of acclimatization, the duration of which will depend on the temperament and character of your guinea pig, note that this period will be from 15 days to a month and will be shorter if you adopt two guinea pigs instead of one, because they will reassure each other; therefore, just feed your animal, change its bedding and give it its daily dose of vitamin C by injecting it, for example, into a piece of fresh cucumber.

After this period, you must remove the shelter ( the small house) of the guinea pig’s cage and replace it with a good pile of hay, so he can use it as a shelter if needed and generally the guinea pig will quickly feel safe and after 20 days to a month he will have gotten used to you, children and other pets ( here’s how to introduce it to your dog )and you will be able to enjoy your guinea pig and begin to take it in your hands and pet it.

Steps to follow to tame a guinea pig:

First of all, know that you must never catch your guinea pig when it sleeps or when it is in its shelter, it will assimilate this to an aggression and the relations will deteriorate between you, follow scrupulously the following steps to tame your guinea pig:

Step One

how to approche a Gunea pig

Begin by approaching the guinea pig’s cage, talking to it gently while observing its reactions.

The first few times, your pet will run away and hide in its shelter but little by little it will stop doing so and start to take an interest in you.

When he stops hiding when he sees you approaching his cage, start the second step by opening the door of the cage, put a piece of his favorite vegetable between your fingers and offer it to him, he may bite your finger but it is not out of aggressiveness, he will eventually accept the piece of vegetable after a few attempts, and when he no longer shows signs of concern and accepts your presence, start by touching him gently and giving him small caresses without insisting too much until he gets used to it.

Step 2

what to do with a Guinea Pig the first days ?

After your guinea pig has got used to your smell and doesn’t seem to be afraid of you anymore, you can try to take it in your hands and this gently, don’t insist and try again after a few hours if he doesn’t let you do it, and once he has let you take it in your hands, caress it gently while talking to him of course.

Choose the ideal time for this operation, when he does not have his nap, or is not eating, it is advisable to take your guinea pig at the same time every day, the afternoon for example is an ideal time to cuddle your guinea pig.

Step 3

when could you pick-up your Guinea Pig ?

The last step is to introduce your guinea pig to the other members of the family, make him discover little by little your house and your garden, enlarge its perimeter a little more each day so that he remembers it.

You will then gradually begin to understand the sounds your guinea pig makes and its gestures and you will be able to detect which caresses are most pleasing to your pet.

This Taming Tips Video may help

What you should never do when your guinea pig is in the acclimatization phase :

The first days of your pet’s arrival are crucial and if there is one thing to avoid to reduce this period it is to move the guinea pig’s cage even once or to change the configuration of the cage; leave the cage in its place and the accessories too. 

Now let’s take a look at how to take care of your Guinea Pig on a daily basis. 

How will you feed your Cavies ?

To give healthy food to your guinea pig, you have only one condition to respect: “The guinea pig must eat only grass and products made only with herbs” because contrary to the hamster which can eat almost everything, the guinea pig is a strict herbivore, let’s see all this more closely.

The best diet for your piggies:

I’m going to give you the ideal proportions for a guinea pig that weighs about a kilo, so you’ll adjust these quantities to the weight of your animal:

Fresh water at will

Vitamin C (every day):

  • 20 mg of a Vitamin C for a guinea pig of 1 Kg
  • 50 mg to 60 mg for younger ones , lactating or pregnant females).

Diluted in water ( not the best way ) that you have on his favorite vegetable, or added to his water, the best way to give him his daily dose of vitamin C is directly in his mouth with a needleless nutrient syringe of course. 

You can also provide it with its vitamin C in a natural way, the one naturally present in plants.

Here is a list of plants that can provide you with 20 mg of vitamin C: 

  • 15 grams of parsley or blackcurrant
  • 20 gr of Broccoli , Pepper or Kiwi fruit 
  • 30 grams of orange
  • 60 gr of fennel

Measurements are in Grams ( gr) and the plants must be extra fresh and of good quality.

If you want to make sure, double the quantity of these plants because the doses are approximate, if not give him his vitamin C (diluted in water that you will pour with a syringe directly into his mouth (every day).

This video is about how to give Vitamine C to your Guinea pig:

Vitamin E (5 mg):

This vitamin E is also important for your guinea pig although your pet would be more likely to die if it does not have its doses of vitamin C for a few days, Vitamin E also remains very important for the good health of your guinea pig. 

To provide him with this vitamin E, make sure his diet includes at least one of the following plants every day:

  • Watercress, parsley, kiwi,
  • Broccoli, spinach and sorrel.
  • Tomato and Kiwi slices
  • Fennel and oats.

Vitamins k and B :

If you see your guinea pig eating its droppings, let it do it, it is a natural reflex because it is recovering minerals and vitamins k and B not assimilated during the first digestion and which are very important for its health.

Hay , a lot of it

2020 10 23 21 47 35 Can guinea pigs kill each other Recherche Google

Fresh hay of good quality and at will, there must always be some in the cage because the guinea pig will also use it as shelter, it is thanks to the permanent presence of hay in the cage of your guinea pig that this one will not only wear out its teeth (which grow of approximately 4 mm: month) and maintain them in good condition but especially to benefit from the mineral salts which contains hay and which are essential to its wellbeing and its growth.

prairy hay for guinra pig

The best hay for your pet is of course that of the prairies, composed of grasses and legumes in equal parts or a little more grass, and especially multiple wild plants, the same ones that your guinea pig would have access to if he lived in the wild. 

You should always smell the hay if it does not smell musty, check that it is dry and not damp, shake it to check that it is not dusty.

Complete Pellets for guinea pigs (25gr to 30 gr) :

Never give him extruded products intended for other pets, do not believe everything that the manufacturers of products for pets tell you.

Opt for a high quality pellets and as soon as I’ve done my research, I’m going to recommend a few brands , For the moment ,  these pellets are the most recommended for a Guinea pigs

Greens for your piggies

healthy food for a guinea pig

The equivalent of 10% of the weight of your guinea pig, in our case 100 gr of fresh vegetables, well washed and which are neither frozen nor cooked and especially not treated with pesticides, here is the list of vegetables (fruits and vegetables) that you can give to your guinea pig:

1-Veggies Without moderation for piggies:

best way to feed a Guinea pig

These vegetables do not present any risk for your guinea pig, give him two different varieties of vegetables every day, just respect the ideal portion (100 gr/1kg): 

  • Lettuce
  • Cucumber (not too much, risk of diarrhea).
  • The pepper
  • Fennel
  • Endive
  • Zucchini
  • Celery
  • Basil
  • Watercress
  • Comfrey
  • Yarrow
  • Fruits (Watermelon, Melon, Kiwi, Pears, Grapes, Tomato, Tangerine, Ripe Oranges)

2- Occasionally and with small quantities:

These vegetables and fruits can only be given to the guinea pig two or three times a week and in very small quantities. Avoid giving them to your guinea pig all together. 

  • Carrots
  • Spinach
  • Cabbage ( because of bloating)
  • Wild Parsley and Dandelion
  • Alfalfa
  • Fruits ( Banana and Apples, apricot, cherry, strawberry and raspberry )

What food is forbidden for a guinea pig?

Learn how to well feed a Ginny pic

Now that you know what you can feed your guinea pig, let’s look at the list of forbidden foods that your pet should never have at its disposal, make sure that your home especially the places where you release your pig is pet-friendly too and avoid giving it the following foods afterwards:

  • Any frozen fruits or vegetables
  • Leftovers from your food
  • Peelings from vegetables and fruit that have been treated with pesticides or are not fresh
  • Any cooked vegetable
  • Any poor quality feed, especially hay
  • The Onion and the Potato 
  • Ornamental plants 
  • Sweets (cakes, sweets, chocolate … etc.)
  • Your toddler’s cereal
  • Cheese, yoghurt and all dairy products
  • Fats, meat, eggs … etc.
  • Soda, alcohol, coffee,…etc…
  • Hot or cold food 
  • Poor or stagnant water quality
See also  How to know if my guinea pig is cold ?

Be sure to Google any food that you suspect may be harmful to your Guinea Pig before feeding it to your Guinea Pig, make sure you follow these rules to ensure a good diet for your Guinea Pig:

piggies as pet
  • The water must always be fresh and renewed every day.
  • The hay must be freely available and of good quality.
  • Pellets are only a supplement and do not replace hay and plants. 
  • The pellets must be complete and its ration must be composed of only one model (no mixtures) and specially designed for guinea pigs.
  • A dose of 20 mg/1 kg of vitamin C every day
  • Avoid monotony and vary the plants that you give to your guinea pig, the only constant is hay, he will also use it to wear out his teeth and prevent them from growing too much which would be a problem.
  • No abrupt change of diet, if you add a food to the diet, do it gradually.
  • Do not peel the vegetables and fruits before giving them to the guinea pig, just wash them well beforehand.
  • Never take a risk and always research a food before feeding it to your guinea pig.

Now let’s talk about guinea pig health.

Video showing a safe veggies you could give to a guinea pig

How to ensure good health for your Guinea Pig?

The Guinea Pig is unfortunately a pet a little fragile, it is thus essential to take care of its well being and this by getting him a good hygiene of life, an excellent food and to adopt some good habits while respecting some rules, here they are:

  • To ensure a correct food to your guinea pig and to take care that it has its vitamin C every day. 
  • Make sure that there is always a piece of apple tree branch, bump, etc. in the cage so that your pet can wear out its teeth.
  • Ensure good hygiene, periodic cleaning of the cage, accessories and especially the cushions, hammocks, nest ... etc.
  • Put the cage in the right place like I told you to before.
  • You wash your hands every time you’re going to be in contact with your guinea pig.
  • Avoid stressing your pet cat the guinea pig is known to have a very fragile heart.
  • Make sure that your guinea pig does not have skin problems and intervene as soon as you notice or suspect an infection, also regularly check its ears.
  • Check his teeth and claws often
  • Quarantine the sick individual immediately if you have more than one, provide an extra small cage for these cases.
  • Treat infections immediately as soon as they occur and ask your veterinarian for the cause of the infection.
  • Always have a first aid and first aid kit on hand in case your guinea pig gets injured.

Despite all these precautions, your guinea pig can get sick at any time and it is important to know the symptoms of common guinea pig diseases so that you can intervene before it gets worse. 

So here’s the thing:

How do you know if a guinea pig is sick?

How to know when my Guinea pig get sick

You must be constantly attentive to the appearance and behavior of your guinea pig, and at the slightest of these signals or symptoms, you will have to take him to see a veterinarian before his case worsens:

  • If you see your guinea pig drooling, has runny eyes or nose…
  • If he curls up into a ball and doesn’t move, or his belly is swollen and hard.
  • If he’s stopped feeding and lost weight fast enough
  • If he has diarrhea, his excrement or urine contains blood or if he squeals when he goes to the toilet.
  • If you notice the appearance of crusts or dandruff on his skin, bumps under the skin or if he starts to lose his coat quickly because he scratches harder than usual.
  • If you notice an acceleration in his breathing rhythm, produces whistling noises when he breathes.
  • If you notice that he doesn’t open his eyes fully and leaves them closed…
  • Overweight or obesity in guinea pigs is not a worrisome symptom and if your pet seems to be overweight, try to take it out of its cage more often and make it exercise, the diet is not recommended for guinea pigs.

In fact several diseases of the guinea pig are caused by lack of hygiene, so let’s see how to ensure that your pet and its environment always remain clean.

The cleaning of the guinea pig’s cage :

choosing guinea pigs as pet

You will have to clean the cage of your guinea pig at least once a week or even two times during the summer because your pet will produce more urine than during the other seasons.

To clean the cage, you will use hot water and dishwashing liquid not too strong bleach and vinegar for the stains, do not forget to rinse well and remove these products and wipe and finally let dry completely (the cage before putting back the accessories well cleaned with water and vinegar as well and rinsed well and finally your guinea pig

The cage must be completely dry (leave it in the sun) before putting back the accessories and putting new litter in it, otherwise it will quickly become wet and cause other health concerns.

You must put all the accessories back in their usual places to avoid disorientation and make your pet lose its bearings.

Changing the litter box :

which litter is the best to a Guinea pig ?

You must change the litter every two days in the case you have only one individual see more frequently if you have two guinea pigs in the same cage especially in hot weather, do it when your guinea pig is out of the cage.

You can also just remove the soiled litter and put back some new litter, in this way you will be able to change the litter completely only when you will clean the cage once a week (this solution is not recommended in summer period).

You will need to litter-box training your cavy too .

Cleaning your guinea pig :

a shower for a Guinea pig ?

You can give your guinea pig a bath but only if necessary, clean the dirty areas of its fur with a cloth soaked in warm water, you can possibly cut the hair soiled by urine and clean the hair on the legs fairly regularly. 

If your guinea pig gets dirty regularly, it’s a sign that you need to put a little more litter in its cage.

This video is about bathing a guinea pig

Conclusion:

Guinea pigs and kids

Having a guinea pig at home is the dream of many people, especially children, but you must also be aware that there is work to be done for the well-being of your pet.

Don’t count on your children to take care of the guinea pig by themselves, you will have to watch all this closely because only an adult could really take care of this pet as you will have surely noticed by reading this article.

Are you still willing to have a guinea pig in your house?

Hope so !!

Any Questions ?

M Samy pet blogger and author at famillypet

About Author

Hey! Samy here , Welcome to my Blog I'm an animal lover, especially pets and Really concerned about their well being ; I've been around and caring for all my life and Now ; a full-time Pet blogger at your service . My motto here at Famillypet is: "Pets First" ... Read More

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