All You Need to Know About Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are popular pets, especially for families, largely due to their wonderful temperaments. They are social, keep a daytime schedule, and rarely bite, even when they are stressed. Guinea pigs do need a large cage and opportunities to exercise and play outside of the cage, as well as a diet that provides adequate vitamin C and roughage.

Introduction to Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs live, on average, 6 to 8 years, weigh about two to three pounds, come in a variety of colors, are very social, and make great pets for children and adults alike. Learn some facts about guinea pigs and what you need to consider before choosing a guinea pig as a pet.

Guinea Pig Breeds

Did you know there is a hairless variety of guinea pig? There are actually about a dozen different breeds of guinea pigs like texels, coronets, Baldwins, and more, all of which can be categorized by their hair (or lack thereof).

Cages

Guinea pigs need a lot more room to run around than most people provide them with. Large cages can be purchased online or in a pet store, or a custom enclosure can be created using small fencing or pens to give your cavy plenty of space to run around safely. But even if you have a large cage, do not forget that your guinea pig will love some time to roam about freely.

Feeding

Vitamin C is the key ingredient in a guinea pig diet. Like humans and capybaras, guinea pigs cannot make their own supply of vitamin C to meet their daily needs, so it must be supplied for them. Guinea pig-safe vitamin C supplements and special guinea pig pellet food are fortified to help meet this nutritional requirement. Also, guinea pigs need a large amount of roughage, such as timothy hay. Stay away from sugary treats and seeds because they can cause gastrointestinal issues.2