Guinea pigs make fabulous pets and are relatively easy to keep. If you have the time and space to keep two (or more) piggies together they are extremely rewarding small pets. They are herd animals and must never be kept alone as it can cause behavioural problems.
Housing
Firstly your piggies need somewhere to live which is safe, spacious and comfortable. They need room to stretch out and sleep and enough space that they can get away from each other if they want to.
If you are keeping your guinea pigs outside their hutch should be sheltered from bad weather and raised off the ground with a strong predator-proof run attached. Guinea pigs are sensitive to low temperatures and you may have to move them inside for the winter.
Many owners keep their guinea pigs inside all year round and we have some fantastic cages if this is what you would prefer to do – always go for the largest cage you can afford as it makes a huge difference to your pets and lets you fit in lots of great toys for them.
Your guinea pigs need plenty of places to hide and interesting toys in addition to wooden chews. You can have fun making their cage an interesting and exciting place for them to be.
Diet
Guinea pigs teeth need to be worn down as they grow continuously and their guts have developed to digest high levels of fibre through slow digestion. A suitable guinea pig food will contain a special balance taking all this into account but the bulk of the diet should be good quality hay. We recommend Alfalfa Hay and Terra guinea pig food. Fresh greens should be given every day (about a cup full). Broccoli and cabbage are ideal. Garden plants are not since many are toxic.
Like rabbits, guinea pigs produce soft poo which they will often eat a second time so they can get all the nutrition from their food – this behaviour is totally normal although it does come as a shock to some new owners!
Fresh water needs to be available all the time – ideally in a gravity fed bottle to maintain freshness.
How many guinea pigs do you have? Do you keep yours indoors? Let us know on the Little Pet Warehouse Facebook page.
