Guinea Pigs As Pets
Guinea Pigs Care Information
As people move into smaller homes guinea pigs as pets can be fun alternatives to larger animals. They have many benefits other than just their small size but there are things to know if you want one to live a long and healthy life. By learning about their needs you can enjoy the companionship of a guinea pig for years to come.
There are a few basic things you need to know before making the decision to keep a guinea pig. As rodents they do have some special needs and personality quirks. All of the different breeds of guinea pigs are essentially the same creatures with similar body shapes. They are all approximately ten inches long and can weigh several pounds. Different breeds have different hair textures and lengths from the short haired American to the long haired Peruvian. There is a middle ground. The Abyssinian has shorter hair than the Peruvian and it has a dishevelled, rumpled appearance.
Guinea pigs are often quite friendly and outgoing. They are vocal and communicate frequently. If a guinea pig has been handled from when it was a baby they can be quite comfortable around humans. They may show some excitement if they are in a new situation or place but they will often calm down quickly and love to explore new situations. If you are deciding whether a particular guinea pig would make a good pet give it a few minutes to relax and become used to you before evaluating its? personality.
Care and Housing for Guinea Pigs
A guinea pig is a fairly large rodent, much larger than a hamster or a gerbil. Therefore, the cage they live in needs to be quite large as well. Guinea pigs are extremely social animals as well so it can be a good idea to keep more than one so that they have some social interaction and stimulation. However, you should keep in mind that this can cause some problems. If you keep a same sex pair, males may fight and if you keep a male and a female, you can expect babies once the pair have reached about five or six months of age.
A home-made cage will work as well as a store bought one but you need to be careful of the materials used to make it. If it is chewable, the guinea pig will chew it. They are rodents and need a way to grind their teeth. Also, you should be careful that the materials used do not contain chemicals that could be harmful if eaten.
They should be fed pellets which are made for guinea pigs. Some pellets such as those meant for rabbits or other rodents can be nutritionally incomplete, and may end up causing your guinea pig severe health problems if they are fed it continually. Guinea pigs enjoy special treats from time to time. These can take the form of specially formulated guinea pig treats, or you can use fresh vegetables such as carrots or leafy greens. Fruit, such as grapes, is also a good choice, but guinea pigs do prefer sweet things so you need to limit what you give them in order to keep them healthy.
Guinea pigs need a healthy diet of good quality pellet food. You can also feed them fruits and leafy green vegetables although you need to make sure that you don?t give too many because this can cause health problems. You should make sure that the pellets you are feeding are made for guinea pigs. Different rodents have different nutritional needs so you want to make sure your guinea pig is getting all the vitamins and minerals it needs. Other good treats include dry alfalfa hay and wooden chew toys to help keep the teeth in great shape.
If you decide you want a pet guinea pig, you may be pleasantly surprised by how friendly and active they can be. By knowing a bit about them, you can keep your pig happy and healthy throughout its life.
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