Caring For Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs can be delightful and lovable pets. The decision to bring one into your home must be made carefully, as the average lifespan of a guinea pig is six to eight years, but they may live as long as 10 years. Your guinea pig will depend on you for food, water, an enriched environment, veterinary care and companionship.

The bigger the better! A larger cage requires less frequent cleaning and provides space for play, toys, and exercise. If your guinea pigs are indoors and separate from other household pets, an open-topped enclosure will allow for easier petting and interaction. Short playpens or C&C caging are popular options for making indoor guinea pig spaces. Outdoor pens with a hutch and an attached run are another option. Outdoor pens must be fully enclosed and kept in a fully fenced area. Hutches must be in a draught-free position with access to natural light and plenty of shade to ensure it is protected from rain, wind and direct sunlight in warmer weather. Position in a way to avoid threats from cats or dogs. Whether indoor or outdoor, ensure that the flooring is soft, as wire floor can injure guinea pigs’ feet and legs, and lead to sore hocks.

• SIZE – Our minimum housing size requirement is 1.5m2 for a pair of guinea pigs. For each additional guinea pig, add approx. 60cm2. We do not recommend aquariums and plastic tubs, as they have poor ventilation and isolate a guinea pig from its surroundings by limiting sound, sight and smell.

• BEDDING – Fleece is the best flooring for guinea pigs. Lining the area with newspaper first is a good way to absorb any urine. Other bedding options to place atop the layer of newspaper include a 3-5cm layer of shredded paper, straw or hay. Their bedding needs to be changed every 2-3 days or more frequently depending on how messy your guinea pigs are. We do not recommend cedar or pine shavings, because they contain aromatic oils (phenols) which can contribute to respiratory problems. Sawdust and cat litter are too dusty and should not be used

• LOCATION – Choose a bright, draught-free room with a stable temperature between 18-24 degrees Celsius, with natural light but out of direct sunlight, and situated close to household activities.

• ENRICHMENT – Guinea pigs need complex environments where they can express important behaviours such as foraging, hiding, and playing. Hiding spots give them a sense of protection and provide enrichment. Offer different types of hides (at least one per guinea pig and one additional, as they like to have a hiding space of their own), tunnels, and guinea pig-safe toys. Brown paper bags on their side and cardboard boxes with holes cut in them work well. Change the hides and toys around to help keep things new and exciting. See our Kids' Portal for some ideas on how to make your own guinea pig suitable toys.

• CLEANING - Guinea pigs are sensitive to ammonia levels produced from their urine. Keeping the hutch clean and tidy helps keep ammonia levels down and avoid potential problems.

• ACCESSORIES – Provide guinea pigs with a water bottle, water bowl, pellet bowl, hayrack, and litter tray (one per guinea pig, a hide over each tray helps usage). You will also need nail scissors and a brush for grooming and a pet carrier for travelling (cat carriers work great, avoid soft carriers as they can chew through them). We recommend a snuggle sack for human cuddle time as this will help make the guinea pig feel safe, secure and avoid the risk of falls. It will also reduce the possibility of nibbles, especially when young children are handling a guinea pig.

• FLOOR TIME – Daily exercise in an enclosed space with an easy-to-clean floor will help keep your guinea pig physically and mentally healthy. Guinea pigs love racing through obstacle courses of PVC pipefittings, ramps, fiddlesticks and other objects. We do not recommend exercise wheels or balls, as they can injure a guinea pigs spine, legs or feet.

Guinea pigs require a diet high in fibre and protein. Guinea pig diets lacking fibre are associated with gastrointestinal and dental diseases. Guinea pigs need a daily diet containing vitamin C as they cannot produce and store vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in their bodies. Vitamin C deficiencies can lead to a range of serious diseases. Guinea pigs require 10 to 30mg of vitamin C daily to prevent scurvy. You can give vitamin C-rich foods, such as melon, kale, parsley, and capsicum.

• Unlimited hay - To keep their digestive system running smoothly and give their teeth a good work out, guinea pigs need constant access to hay. Make sure the hay is not dusty or mouldy. Meadow and Timothy hay are great options. Place hay in a rack to prevent it from becoming soiled.
• Water - Provide a water bowl and water bottle. Change both daily.
• Vegetables - Serve approx. 1 cup of veggies per guinea pig daily. Avoid watery vegetables like iceberg lettuce, as they can cause loose stools.
• High-quality pellets - Formulated with vitamin C (approximately ¼ cup pellets per guinea pig daily). Avoid pellets advertised for both rabbits and guinea pigs, and those that contain seeds or coloured pieces.

You can feed 1-2 tsp of fruit 1-3 times per week as a nice treat for your guinea pigs. Remove all seeds and pits.

• Apple
• Banana
• Berries (boysenberry, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry)
• Carrot
• Celery stalk (cut in 1cm chunks)
• Cranberries
• Grapes (seedless)
• Mango
• Papaya
• Pear
• Persimmon
• Pineapple
• Pumpkin
• Raisin
• Stone fruit (without stone - peach, plum, nectarine, cherry, apricot)
• Melon/watermelon (no pips)
• Tomato (ripe fruit only) - leaves and stems are posionous.

Sticks from trees are a fantastic way to naturally wear down teeth. Do not feed branches that have lichen on them.

Although guinea pigs are small, they are regarded as high maintenance pets. They require a varied and nutritious diet, and ongoing maintenance to keep a clean and enriched environment. Providing your guinea pig with the opportunity to exercise in a safe, guinea pig proof area 1-3 times a week, if not daily, is a great way to increase their overall health and happiness. Below is a guide for their daily routine. Please ensure you have enough time each day to provide guinea pigs with what they need.

Morning:

• Feed 1/8th cup pellets per guinea pig
• Top up water
• Top up hay
• Inspect toys and hides to check if they need cleaning (rotate new ones in 1-3 days)

Evening:

• Change newspaper and fleece if soiled, at least every 1-3 days
• Replace water in bowl and drink bottle
• Change litter tray
• Feed 1 cup vegetables per guinea pig
• Feed 1/16th-1/8th cup pellets per guinea pig
• Feed a handful of fresh grass

To help your guinea pig live a long, healthy life, it is wise to provide regular veterinary care from a veterinarian with guinea pig experience. We recommend finding a veterinarian close to you before taking your guinea pig home. A veterinarian can ensure your guinea pig is in good health, keep a record of their weight, show you how to trim their nails, and make sure their teeth are in good shape. A wellness check is also a great time to ask questions about how to provide your guinea pig with a good life.

The easiest way to monitor your guinea pig’s health is to weigh your guinea pig once a week. A kitchen scale and a small box or container for holding your guinea pig works well for this. Keep a chart! Often the first sign of illness is weight loss. A chart will alert you to weight loss, giving you an opportunity to seek veterinarian help early.

Be an observant owner. When a guinea pig is ill, they can go downhill very quickly. Prompt, competent veterinary care is crucial to saving the life of a sick guinea pig. Do not be afraid to call your veterinarian if you have any questions. Take your guinea pig to a veterinarian immediately if you see the following signs: refusal to eat, hunched posture, diarrhoea, blood in urine, limping, loss of balance, excessive scratching, or hair loss. Unusual behaviour (e.g. your guinea pig is sitting with their face in a corner and is slow to respond to you) could also be reason for alarm.

Guinea pigs are prey animals and good at hiding signs of illness in the early stages. Once you notice signs of illness, your guinea pig may have already been sick for one or two weeks. Illnesses can be successfully treated when caught early. Guinea pigs are very sensitive to some drugs, so it is important to find a guinea pig knowledgeable veterinarian.

• BATHING – Guinea pigs are good at self-grooming. However, an occasional bath is okay if their hair becomes soiled. Longhaired guinea pigs are more likely to need the occasional bath. A baby shampoo or a specific guinea pig shampoo will be gentle on their fragile skin. Use a shallow bowl of warm water to bathe them. Check that the water is a comfortable temperature when tested on your wrist. It is extremely important that they are completely dry before returning them back to their home. Ensure not to bathe your guinea pig too often, as it can dry out their skin – once a season is usually enough for those that get heavily soiled hair.

• CLIPPING NAILS – Guinea pigs need their nails clipped about once a month. Start clipping their nails at a young age so that they adjust to this necessary activity. Small animal nail scissors or small human nail clippers trim their nails well. Pay close attention to the location of the “quick” (pinkish coloured section inside the nail) to avoid cutting the living part of the nail. If your guinea pig has dark coloured nails, holding them up against light can help you find the quick. You can also ask your veterinarian to teach you how to clip your guinea pigs nails.

• GROOMING – Longhaired guinea pigs require frequent brushing and may need their coat carefully clipped. Brushing guinea pigs will help remove some of the loose hair and reduce shedding.

Guinea pigs are social herd animals that thrive in each other’s company. They are brighter, happier animals if allowed to live in their natural herd state and can become very lonely without one of their own kind. Same sex and male/female pairings work well. In terms of herds, a group of females works, and can be stable with one male present. Before you begin introductions, ensure all guinea pigs have been checked by a veterinarian, are up to date on preventive health care and have been desexed if necessary. Never mix undesexed females and males, to avoid unplanned litters. Pregnancies for older female guinea pigs can be dangerous and even fatal.

How to bond guinea pigs:

1. Start slowly, with two important senses in mind - sight and scent. This can be easily achieved by placing both cages side by side. It is helpful for them to be able to spend time together with a barrier in place to prevent any fights. Ensure they cannot touch each other through the barrier at the beginning of this stage of introduction. Their cages can slowly be moved closer as the guinea pigs become familiar with each other. Teeth chattering and rumble strutting at this stage is normal guinea pig behaviour.

2. During this initial stage, you should also do some ‘scent swapping’. This means swapping their unsoiled bedding - or items such as snuggle sacks or litter trays - so that they can get used to each other’s scent.

3. After about a week, once they are used to each other’s scent, you can try a physical introduction. This should take place in a neutral space that does not have the heavy scent of either guinea pig, to discourage territorial behaviour. A playpen is a great option for your initial physical introductions. When it is time for your guinea pigs to meet in the pen, never leave them unattended. Look for positive signs such as popcorning (jumping and twisting in the air) or gentle sniffs of each other. They may even groom or relax together. Guinea pigs may display signs of dominant behaviour such as rumble strutting, mounting, or teeth chattering. This is all normal behaviour as they work out their relationship. Provide yummy snacks, such as fresh lettuce leaves or a handful of parsley, so that they associate being together with something they enjoy - eating!

4. Once your guinea pigs have had a few peaceful face-to-face meetings (around 20 minutes each meet) it’s time for them to take the big step of finally moving in together.  If you’ve followed the ‘scent swapping’ stage correctly, both guinea pigs should be accustomed to each other’s scent. Ideally, for their shared cage, use bedding from both of their enclosures to help them settle in. Plus plenty of healthy snacks and toys to keep them occupied. Watch them closely for the first hour, and if all goes smoothly, check in on them frequently throughout the day to be certain they are ready to live together 24/7.

Keep an eye out for aggressive behaviour such as persistent chasing, facing off against each other with their noses raised, or circling. Some of this behaviour is normal during a first meeting and many guinea pig pairings will sort out any differences quickly. Do not forget that guinea pigs will establish a hierarchy and for this reason, some squabbling is to be expected. Never place your bare hands into the playpen to break up a fight, as you could be bitten accidentally. Have a towel ready to wrap around your hand if you need to intervene and distract any guinea pigs showing aggressive behaviours. Move your hand away to observe again.

If you have had to separate your two guinea pigs during their first face-to-face meeting, do not abandon all hope of them ever forming a bond. It could still happen but for now, it is time to slow everything down. Go back to the scent-swapping stage for a few days before letting them meet face-to-face again. Whilst some guinea pigs will soon adapt to a new friend, other pairings may take longer to adjust. Repeat the process from Step 1 and observe! Any fighting that draws blood, even after slow introductions, indicates the bond is not a good match.

Guinea pigs must be kept with at least one other guinea pig or in a herd of guineas. Rabbits also flourish being bonded with one other rabbit. SPCA does not recommend housing rabbits and guinea pigs together for the following reasons:

• DISEASE – Rabbits can carry bacteria called Bordetella. This can be passed on to guinea pigs, causing a respiratory disease.

• HOUSING – Guinea pigs are more sensitive than rabbits to cold temperatures, therefore a warmer environment is needed. Indoors in winter is ideal.

• BEHAVIOUR – Rabbits like to groom each other, and guinea pigs like to huddle. Guinea pigs may become stressed if a rabbit starts to groom them.

• SIZE – Rabbits are often much larger than guinea pigs. Even if they were to become friends, due to their size and agility, a rabbit could easily injure a guinea pig.

• DIET – Guinea pigs need a daily dose of Vitamin C, whereas rabbits do not. Pellets advertised for both species will often include an overdose or under-dose of Vitamin C for one species.