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Guide to Guinea Pig Care

Guinea pigs can make a wonderful, loving pet. Guinea pigs are very sociable animals and must be given a lot of attention. In their natural habitat guinea pigs live in family groups.In order to have a happy guinea pig it is best to get two guinea pigs to provide companionship to each other while their human friends are away. Two females or a male and female are the best choices, however in the second situation one or both must be neutered to avoid unwanted offspring.

Nutrition

Guinea pigs cannot manufacture their own vitamin C. Although guinea pig pellet food contains vitamin C it is sometimes not enough. It is very important to supplement vitamin C; a teaspoon of the vitamin C liquid can be added to the typical 12 ounce guinea pig water bottle. Since vitamin C deteriorates it must be added to fresh water daily.

Guinea pigs should be fed a diet of hay, pellets, and fresh fruit and vegetables. It is important that they are given hay every day to aid their digestive system, in addition to pellets. It is also important to provide fresh vegetables daily and fruits in small amounts as special treats. New food should be presented one at a time to make sure your guinea pig does not have a bad reaction to them. Broccoli and cauliflower are wonderful vegetables for guinea pigs because of their high vitamin C content. Carrots, pea pods, and herbs are also good. In addition wild clover, dandelions, and grass can be picked from your yard but make sure pesticides have not been sprayed on them. Fruits to give small amounts include apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, pineapples, papaya, and blueberries, but make sure to remove the pits and seeds.

Housing

The guinea pig cage must have good ventilation, a solid bottom, and be large enough for the guinea pigs to freely move about in. Wire bottm cages can be used only if something is put on top of the wire to separate the guinea pig's feet from the wire bottom. A glass aquarium should never be used because of poor ventilation. When looking for a cage choose one with high enough sides to keep guinea pig bedding and food inside yet still allow the guinea pig to see over the edges. Sides around three inches are the best but make sure the wire part of the cage is at least ten inches to prevent guinea pig escsapes. A guinea pig should be given a private place to go in the cage if he is frightened or just wants to get away from it all. A cardboard or wood box with an open bottom and a hole cut in the side is a good option.

Guinea pigs need daily exercise and in most cases their cage is not big enough to satisfy this need. Playpen fences can be bought or built to make a special paly area. This area should include all the things necessarry in the cage; the easiest way to do this is to have the cage in or attached to the play area.Another option is to give the guinea pig free range of a room in home or the whole home. The guinea pigs should always be able to get back into their cage for bathroom breaks or to be somewhere safe. It is advisable to place shallow boxes with hay or organic litter in the guinea pigs' favorite corners to avoid accidents on the floor.

Bedding

It is best to start with a layer of newspaper at the bottom of the cage when it comes to bedding. Hay is a cheap and safe bedding material but must be changed every day. Guinea pigs usually eliminate where they eat so in this area a natural cellulose based cat liiter can be used. Another option is to use towels or blankets but these must be washed every day. The cage should be cleaned daily to prevent ammonia buildup.

Food and Water Dishes

Ceramic dishes are the best food dishes. Guinea pigs like to stand on the edge of their dish when they eat and anything lighter can be tipped over. Water bottles with sipper tubes are better than water dishes because no bedding or food can be kicked into them. Guinea pigs do however spit into their water bottles so it is important to clean the bottle daily with a bottle brush.

Baby Guinea Pigs

Baby guinea pigs can be very cute but be sure there are homes for them before you let your animals breed. Guinea pigs may become sexaully mature as early as four weeks so it is important to separate the different sexes by then.The babies are born with a full coat, open eyes, and can run and eat solid food. They will nurse for two or three weeks even though they are eating on their own. If the young are orphaned you can substitute a diet of mashed cucumber, grated apple, oat flakes, chopped bread, and pureed carrots and broccli. Guinea pigs enjoy a family life and it is not necessary to separate the father from the babies but be sure the father does not stay with the females over four weeks old. Also be warned that the female can mate shortly after giving birth.

When to See the Vet

Guinea pigs should have a physical exam twice a year. In addition if any of the following problems appear a verterinarian should be called.

• Decreased appetite
  
• Weight loss or large weight gain
  
• Discharge from eyes or nose
  
• Lethargy
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Lack of feces
  
• Incoordination
  
• Limping
  
• Hair loss
  
• Lumps or bumps
  
• Bleeding
  
• Failure or straining to urinate
  
• Any unusual signs or behaviors