A small insight to guinea pig care/keeping
Please bare in mind everyone cares for their animals differently, we do what works best for ourselves and our pets.
Guinea pigs make wonderful pets for children and adults, They can be kept indoors or outdoors thus making them suitable for many people. They are easy to handle and love to have human interaction. Like any social animal they love company from other guinea pigs so I strongly advise keeping at least two pigs together, (if and where possible). Sows (female guinea pigs) can live in groups. Boars (male guinea pigs) can be a little more difficult to pair, but not impossible (iv often found sows a little more complex) ,If you have a single boar and want a friend for him, its best to get a young boar as this reduces the risks of fighting. Boars tend to be the more laid back pigs but saying this all pigs are different so no two rules apply in all cases. You can also keep a neutered boar with a group of sows, he often keeps the peace. Guinea pigs can live to between 4 - 8 years. In my opinion guinea pigs should never be housed with rabbits, they have different dietary requirements and rabbits can cause serious damage to guinea pigs even if its accidental. A rabbits kick is known to fatally injure pigs. Rabbits can also carry Bordetella bronchiseptica which is the most common cause for respiratory infections in guinea pigs. The two species cannot communicate which can and does cause unnecessary stress on both animals.
Guinea Pig Housing
C&C Cages, (cage and corplast) They are very easy to build, move around and alter. They are also alot cheaper than your average hutch/cage. They are a metal grid which can be connected together to form a cage. The base is usually coroplast (a strong yet flexible plastic sheeting) Lino flooring can also be used and is just as good although not a solid.(lino has worked perfectly for me in the past). You must be aware that grids come in different sizes so care should be taken when getting the grid system as you wouldnt want your guinea pig getting their heads stuck.
**For more pictures of the various C&C cages I have built over the years please see the guinea pig pictures/videos section**
**For more pictures of the various C&C cages I have built over the years please see the guinea pig pictures/videos section**
Pet store cages are usually on the small side and for the prices they charge your best looking online for alternative housing. I would always advise seeking information from a reputable source before spur of the moment buying a cage.(pet stores want to sell sell sell, sometimes giving false or inaccurate information) I find two story guinea pig cages unsuitable as more often than not the ramps are difficult for the pigs to get up and down, so to make these safe would need to be adapted. There is also the possibility of your guinea pig falling and injuring themselves.There are some good cages for sale out there but you have to search around. The ferplast and zoozone range of cages are good value for money and often come in good sizes. The liberta retreat cage, pictured on the left is also a good indoor cage.
Hutches are another good way to keep guinea pigs, if not the most popular. Always ensure the hutch has a suitable latch to keep predators (cats, foxes etc) from getting at your pigs.. Keep the hutch out of direct sunlight, and sheltered from the wind. Also ensure you have a suitable cover for when it rains so the hutch remains dry. For the cold winter months its usually best to move the hutch into a warm dry area to prevent your guinea pigs getting very cold. If you cannot move the hutch, make sure plenty of bedding is provided and the hutch is kept clean and dry. Shop bought hutches are often very flimsy and made from cheap materials and usually need fixed after a year or two of life. It may be worth sourcing a joiner or a specialised hutch builder to get a good quality long lasting hutch. Maybe even build your own.
Aslong as the hutches are kept dry and clean dry bedding is provided then guinea pigs can live outside all year round. A companion is advised for added warmth/comfort. You can also purchase cosy heat pads for the colder nights.
The hot weather is more of a concern than the colder weather.
Aslong as the hutches are kept dry and clean dry bedding is provided then guinea pigs can live outside all year round. A companion is advised for added warmth/comfort. You can also purchase cosy heat pads for the colder nights.
The hot weather is more of a concern than the colder weather.
Guinea Pig Bedding
Guinea pig bedding can vary in price, comfort and how they look. Many people keep their guinea pigs on wood shavings, bedmax/littlemax This is perfectly ok to do and is one of the cheaper options. You can also use carefresh, medibed, rapport bedding and Megazorb. You can also keep guinea pigs on flat newspaper with hay over the top, this usually needs changed every couple of days due to the paper getting wet. Straw can also be used but ensure its not too poky as it can cause eye injuries. People also keep their piggies on vetbed, or fleece. This can work very well but needs a bit of pre preparation before use. There are also many other beddings that can be used, its always worth sourcing a local equine/country store for beddings and hay/straw and even feed. Its often far cheaper than pet stores.
Feeding - * For More Info See The Dry Food Page *
Pellets are often fed to prevent selective feeding. Muesli type feeds can encourage selective feeding, its best to assess your pigs as you see fit and decide what feed works best for you and your pigs. Along side pellets pigs should always have a fresh supply of hay, this helps to keep their teeth down and their digestive tract moving. If in doubt in how much to give them, just think hay hay hay!! Its very important. They must also have fresh water available. Guinea pigs also enjoy a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables, please see the cavy safe foods section. Guinea pigs do not produce their own vitamin c (like humans) so we must ensure they are given vitamin c rich fruits/veggies, a pellet feed formulated with added vit c or supplement them with powder/liquid vit c in their water or on their feed (see the feed page for more info)
