Caring for your Guinea PigGuinea Pig or Cavy is part of the vast family known as rodents. They originated 3000 years ago, from South America. There are 7 species of genus cavia, our cavy being Cavia Porcellus or Pig like cavy, as they are likened to pigs. Guinea pigs are very sociable and we would NEVER recommend one on its own. In our opinion two boars are less argumentative than two sows. The most important thing is that they have been brought up together. Then either two boars or two sows should get on together. They will always establish a ‘pecking order’.
Guinea Pigs by nature are timid creatures and need several weeks to settle into their new home. On getting your guinea pig home have the
Hutch or Cage ready, with
Bedding-Medibed,
Hay-Excel Fresh Forage, vegetables,
Dried Food -
Excel Guinea Pig Food and water. Carefully put the guinea pigs into their new home and leave them to settle for a minimum of 24hrs. They move very quickly when frightened and it will help if you can put a piece of wood about 2” high across the hutch front to stop your pet from falling out when you open the door. Do not give your pet a box to hide in, to start with, let them see what is going on around them. The way to a guinea pig’s heart is through its stomach so give small quantities of vegetables,
Grass/Hay-Excel Fresh Forage and fruit etc, several times a day, so they quickly associate your voice with a supply of food.
There are over thirty different breeds of guinea pig so do your homework before you decide which breed type to buy. The breed you buy will determine how long their coats get and how much grooming you will need to do. You should groom your guinea pig regularly and a longhaired guinea pigs will need a LOT of grooming. On buying your guinea pig you should be shown that the eyes are bright and clear, the skin is clear of blemishes, the bald patches behind the ears, the toes and the sex.
HousingChoose a wooden hutch for outdoor use or a cage, such as the
Hagen Zooxone Large Marble for indoor use. If you have limited space availabe we suggest the
Ferplast Cavie 80. You can also buy a
Guinea Pig Run, with lots of shade, for summer use. Guinea pigs should be moved inside during the winter months. They should always be protected from draughts damp and direct sun light.
BeddingWe do not recommend wood shavings, as these can dry out the coat and could also cause respiratory problems as the guinea pig’s nose is always near the bedding. We recommend
Medi-Bed, or
Russel Rabbit Bedding. Clean your cage or hutch when required with
Johnsons Clean and Safe for Small Animals.
FeedingGuinea pigs are herbivores they must have a meal of fresh vegetables and fruit every day to supply vitamin C . A lack of vitamin C will cause paralyzed back legs, which is usually fatal.
Cereal Based Mix or
Nuggets Containing Vitamin C. Fresh drinking water must be available at all times. Remember to carefully monitor the
Water Bottle this will indicate if you guinea pig is using the
Bottle. If necessary you will need to use a
Bowl if the water level is not going down. Please note guinea pigs, like rabbits, eat their own droppings, this is known as coprophagy. This is perfectly normal, as a guinea pig’s digestive system does not extract all the necessary vitamins the first time round, so special
Soft Pellets are made containing the B vitamins and bacteria that inhabit the flora of the gut. The guinea pig re-ingests these.
Skin ProblemsGuinea pigs can suffer from assorted ‘mite’ and ‘mange’ skin problems. Your guinea pigs should be treated against these problems before purchase but they can reoccur at any time. Always check your guinea pigs skin for bald patches or scabs and go to your vet for treatment.
Shopping ListBook - Animal Series Guinea Pig
Pet housing Spray - Johnsons Clean and Safe Small Animal Spray Hutch or Indoor Cage - Ferplast Cavie 80Water bottle-PPI Classic 1 Litre BottleMineral Stone - Rosewood Knaw Stone Stack
Bedding-Supreme Russel Rabbit Bedding Food - We recommend Burgess Excel Guinea Pig Food but always feed your new guinea pig what the breeder has fed, then gradually change the food over if you want to.
Hay-Excel Fresh ForageFood Bowl - Any ceramic heavy duty bowl measuring between 10-15 cm’s in diameter. Please note plastic is not as hygienic. The
Armitage Ceramic Bowl is ideal.
This article gives basic guidelines only and is not intended to be a substitute for a good book on Guinea Pigs. Tel: 01603 423600