Guinea pigs are extremely popular pets for children as they are hardy, relatively low maintenance, easy to tame and very, very cute! Guinea pigs come in a wide variety of sizes, colours and coat lengths!
The following information should be used as a guide to ensure your guinea pig is well cared for and that you can share a long, happy and healthy relationship.
The life expectancy of a guinea pig is approximately 5-7 years. Male guinea pigs reach sexual maturity as early as 3-4 weeks and female guinea pigs reach sexual maturity at 4-5 weeks! Therefore mixed litters need to be separated very early. Guinea pigs have a long gestation period of 60-73 days and interestingly, the piglets are born fully haired and able to walk and eat on their own!!!
Female guinea pigs are called sows, males are called boars and baby guinea pigs are called pups.
Guinea pigs are very social animals and therefore they are best kept in pairs (as a minimum). If you are not keen on breeding, then 2 females is best as males will often fight (even if they are littermates).
Guinea pigs are the only animal species (other than humans) that require vitamin C in their diet. They and we lack an enzyme that makes this vitamin. Without vitamin C, guinea pigs and people develop scurvy. This is the disease that plagued many sailors in years gone by!!
Guinea pigs are herbivores which means that they eat plants and plant products only!
Most commercial guinea pig pellets are excellent well balanced diets. Always ensure that the pellets are fresh as vitamin C degrades over time. Therefore purchase the pellets from a supplier with good turnover and keep them in a cool dark place. Also ensure that the pellets are manufactured specifically for guinea pigs. Rabbit and rodent pellets are unlikely to have enough vitamin C. And finally, choose pellets without nuts and seeds in the mix as guinea pigs can choke on these.
Guinea pigs are very messy eaters and will often tip over the food bowl or worse still, get into the bowl and use it as a toilet!!! It is therefore important to ensure you have a heavy ceramic bowl that is too small for the guinea pig to get into. To be on the safe side, we recommend you change the food daily!!!
Guinea pigs should also be supplied with fresh grass hay daily. This is very important for digestion (is a rich source of fibre) and grazing on hay reduces both dental disease and boredom. Avoid lucerne hay as this is high in calcium and can lead to problems. Always buy hay that smells fresh. Store hay at home in a well ventilated area
Just like rabbits, guinea pigs produce 2 types of faeces. Normal hard brown pellets which are waste and a special type of faeces called caecal pellets which are soft and often green. These are the digestive result of hay. Guinea pigs will eat these caecal pellets as they contain amino acids, fatty acids and vitamins.
NB/ Do not feed straw. Straw is devoid of nutrients and can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Fruit and vegetables
Fresh fruit and vegetables that are high in vitamin C should be fed daily to supplement the pelleted diet (about 1 cup per day).
Foods that are high in vitamin C include: dandelion leaves, kale, kiwis, parsley, spinach and brussel sprouts. Other fruit and vegies may be offered as a treat.
Avoid apples as some guinea pigs are allergic to them and develop scabs around their mouths. Also avoid celery as the strings can cause choke and nuts as they are high in fat and lead to obesity.
Fresh water should be available at all times. Water should be changed daily as guinea pigs tend to dirty their water supply. They love to climb into it, bathe in it and play in it. We highly recommend the use of water sippers rather than bowls so that you can be sure your guinea pigs always have fresh water.
There are some vitamin C supplements that can be added to guinea pigs water. These are not ideal as the vitamin degrades rapidly in water and it also changes the flavour of the water preventing some guinea pigs from drinking enough. The best way to ensure your guinea pig gets enough vitamin C is to feed a good, w