Diet
A healthy guinea pig diet is about 80% hay, 10% pellets, 5% vegetables and 5% fruit. Every day give your guinea pig fresh hay and provide them with approximately ⅛ cup of fresh pellets (per guinea pig) daily. Guinea pigs cannot store or manufacture their own vitamin C so in addition to their pelleted food you should offer a Vitamin C fortified treat to help them out. Guinea pigs will also enjoy daily veggies, like bell peppers or green leaf lettuce, and the occasional fruit treat twice a week like blueberries or oranges. Guinea pigs tend to love fruits, but too much can be bad for them due to the fruits’ high sugar content. We feed our pigs Oxbow brand pellets.
A healthy guinea pig diet is about 80% hay, 10% pellets, 5% vegetables and 5% fruit. Every day give your guinea pig fresh hay and provide them with approximately ⅛ cup of fresh pellets (per guinea pig) daily. Guinea pigs cannot store or manufacture their own vitamin C so in addition to their pelleted food you should offer a Vitamin C fortified treat to help them out. Guinea pigs will also enjoy daily veggies, like bell peppers or green leaf lettuce, and the occasional fruit treat twice a week like blueberries or oranges. Guinea pigs tend to love fruits, but too much can be bad for them due to the fruits’ high sugar content. We feed our pigs Oxbow brand pellets.
Exercise
Guinea pigs should have daily, supervised time outside of their enclosure and be provided with appropriate chews/items to safely provide mental, behavioral and nutritional enrichment. To keep interest and provide maximum engagement, multiple enrichment items/toys should be offered and replaced with new/different items frequently (at least once a month). Be sure to keep a close eye on them when they are outside of their cage because they love to chew on things: especially electrical wires. Large, contained areas like a play pen may be used to protect the guinea pigs from unsafe areas in the house.
Guinea pigs should have daily, supervised time outside of their enclosure and be provided with appropriate chews/items to safely provide mental, behavioral and nutritional enrichment. To keep interest and provide maximum engagement, multiple enrichment items/toys should be offered and replaced with new/different items frequently (at least once a month). Be sure to keep a close eye on them when they are outside of their cage because they love to chew on things: especially electrical wires. Large, contained areas like a play pen may be used to protect the guinea pigs from unsafe areas in the house.
Health and Grooming
Little critters need check-ups just like any other family pets. Take your guinea pig to a veterinarian for yearly health checks. You might need to take your pet in for a checkup if they display any unusual signs like: Lethargic behavior , Lack of interest in food, Cloudy, sunken or swollen eyes, Overgrown front teeth/drooling, Bare patches in the fur ,Sneezing; discharge from the eyes, nose or mouth, Diarrhea or discolored droppings for more than 6-8 hours or head tilt.
All guinea pigs need to have their nails trimmed periodically, typically every month to two months. Guinea pigs’ nails may be trimmed using nail trimmers meant for cats — either scissor-style clippers or guillotine-style ones. If two people are available for the task, one person can gently hold the animal close to his/her body, supporting it with a hand under its chest and abdomen so that its legs aren’t dangling, while the other person does the clipping. If only one person is available to both restrain and clip, the guinea pig can be gently burrito-wrapped in a towel and held “football-style” under one arm, leaving both of the owner’s hands free for clipping.Typically, guinea pigs need to be brushed only once or twice a week to minimize shedding. Brushing also gives an owner a chance to monitor their pet’s skin for parasites (such as mites or lice), lumps, or crustiness — all of which warrant a trip to the veterinarian.In general, guinea pigs do not need to be bathed unless their skin or hair becomes soiled with urine or feces. When this occurs, a simple “butt bath,” in which the pet’s hind end is shampooed and rinsed in the sink, with a towel in the basin to prevent slipping, is all that is needed. Longer haired breeds may need more frequent bathing, as their hair may become matted and dirty more easily. Guinea pigs do not typically like to be immersed in water, so just an inch or two of warm water in the sink, with a sink sprayer to rinse off the shampoo, works great. Non-medicated soap, such as liquid Dawn or Ivory, or any mild pet shampoo, is fine, as long as all of it is rinsed off thoroughly. Generally, towel-drying is all that’s needed after a bath. However, if it’s very cold, a warm hairdryer set on low can help dry long-haired breeds quickly.
Guinea pig's teeth are "open rooted" and grow continuously throughout their lives. They wear down the surfaces of their teeth by chewing on high fiber hay every day. They also need daily vitamin C supplementation to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Guinea pigs’ teeth don’t need to be brushed at home or cleaned by a veterinarian regularly; however, guinea pigs that do not eat hay and simply eat crumbly, dry pellets do not wear down their teeth properly and frequently develop tooth root impaction (like wisdom tooth impaction in people) which leads to pain on chewing, drooling, and frequently, decreased appetite. These are all signs that the guinea pig needs to see a veterinarian.
Little critters need check-ups just like any other family pets. Take your guinea pig to a veterinarian for yearly health checks. You might need to take your pet in for a checkup if they display any unusual signs like: Lethargic behavior , Lack of interest in food, Cloudy, sunken or swollen eyes, Overgrown front teeth/drooling, Bare patches in the fur ,Sneezing; discharge from the eyes, nose or mouth, Diarrhea or discolored droppings for more than 6-8 hours or head tilt.
All guinea pigs need to have their nails trimmed periodically, typically every month to two months. Guinea pigs’ nails may be trimmed using nail trimmers meant for cats — either scissor-style clippers or guillotine-style ones. If two people are available for the task, one person can gently hold the animal close to his/her body, supporting it with a hand under its chest and abdomen so that its legs aren’t dangling, while the other person does the clipping. If only one person is available to both restrain and clip, the guinea pig can be gently burrito-wrapped in a towel and held “football-style” under one arm, leaving both of the owner’s hands free for clipping.Typically, guinea pigs need to be brushed only once or twice a week to minimize shedding. Brushing also gives an owner a chance to monitor their pet’s skin for parasites (such as mites or lice), lumps, or crustiness — all of which warrant a trip to the veterinarian.In general, guinea pigs do not need to be bathed unless their skin or hair becomes soiled with urine or feces. When this occurs, a simple “butt bath,” in which the pet’s hind end is shampooed and rinsed in the sink, with a towel in the basin to prevent slipping, is all that is needed. Longer haired breeds may need more frequent bathing, as their hair may become matted and dirty more easily. Guinea pigs do not typically like to be immersed in water, so just an inch or two of warm water in the sink, with a sink sprayer to rinse off the shampoo, works great. Non-medicated soap, such as liquid Dawn or Ivory, or any mild pet shampoo, is fine, as long as all of it is rinsed off thoroughly. Generally, towel-drying is all that’s needed after a bath. However, if it’s very cold, a warm hairdryer set on low can help dry long-haired breeds quickly.
Guinea pig's teeth are "open rooted" and grow continuously throughout their lives. They wear down the surfaces of their teeth by chewing on high fiber hay every day. They also need daily vitamin C supplementation to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Guinea pigs’ teeth don’t need to be brushed at home or cleaned by a veterinarian regularly; however, guinea pigs that do not eat hay and simply eat crumbly, dry pellets do not wear down their teeth properly and frequently develop tooth root impaction (like wisdom tooth impaction in people) which leads to pain on chewing, drooling, and frequently, decreased appetite. These are all signs that the guinea pig needs to see a veterinarian.
Cages
Most cages marketed for guinea pigs are way too small. Guinea pigs need appropriate room to roam, with separate spaces for a nest, bathroom area and food and water. No animal is meant to live in a cage all the time, so make sure to provide your pig with time outside their enclosures at least once a day to stretch their legs, explore and exercise. I recommend the Midwest Wabbitat Deluxe Home! C&C grid style cages work great too! Make sure your guinea pig's cage is safe from other pets who may see them as prey. Provide them with a hidey so they feel safe. You can use a shallow cat litter box to put your guinea pigs hay in and encourage them to go potty there for easy clean up. I highly recommend using a liner for the bottom of the cage instead of bedding. It's more economical and the pigs love them! They're very soft and easy to wash! We use the Guinea Dad liners. Don't forget to provide a food bowl and water bottle for your guinea pig! Give your pig lots of toys to play with so they don't get bored while you're away!
Most cages marketed for guinea pigs are way too small. Guinea pigs need appropriate room to roam, with separate spaces for a nest, bathroom area and food and water. No animal is meant to live in a cage all the time, so make sure to provide your pig with time outside their enclosures at least once a day to stretch their legs, explore and exercise. I recommend the Midwest Wabbitat Deluxe Home! C&C grid style cages work great too! Make sure your guinea pig's cage is safe from other pets who may see them as prey. Provide them with a hidey so they feel safe. You can use a shallow cat litter box to put your guinea pigs hay in and encourage them to go potty there for easy clean up. I highly recommend using a liner for the bottom of the cage instead of bedding. It's more economical and the pigs love them! They're very soft and easy to wash! We use the Guinea Dad liners. Don't forget to provide a food bowl and water bottle for your guinea pig! Give your pig lots of toys to play with so they don't get bored while you're away!