This may be your first time keeping a guinea pig. Don’t feel scared or confused about how to care for it. In this article, some tips are shared on how to care for your guinea pigs. It’s also among pet animals that homeowners have in their homes.
Unlike normal pets like dogs, cats, etc, the guinea pig pet is a furry friend you would want to have. Just as in parenting a child, you should also try your best in pet parenting.
How To Take Care Of Your Guinea Pig
They’re commonly known as cavies. Guinea pigs make excellent, fun, and loving pets when given appropriate care and veterinary treatment. A member of the rodent family that are docile and sociable.
They only bite at impulse due to fear. They are herbivorous animals with an average lifespan of 4-5 years. They enjoy living in groups of two or more.
With their hyper attitude, you’ll surely want to have a taste of its happiness. Here’s a guide on how to take care of your guinea pigs.
Build a home
You should have brought the guinea pig home and furnished it to welcome your new pet. Stock it with its favourite meal, water, and every other thing it needs to survive.
Make sure the temperature is regulated by keeping them a mile away from windows. If the temperature gets unusually hot, they suffer from heat strokes.
Set their beds with either old papers, Carefresh, etc, and change them at 3-4 days intervals. If you plan on caging them, make the cage larger. At a minimum, it should be 50“ x 24”.
Make the environment calm and soothing for your pet as it’ll make it comfortable. Speak calmly to them, stroke their hair, and try to make the home comfortable for the new pet. It’ll take time to adapt, but it’ll surely do.
Ensure they feed well
Food is a requirement to get energy and with the right combination, you enjoy good health. This theory doesn’t change in the instance of the guinea pig.
An ideal guinea pig diet comprises 80% hay, 10% pellets, 5% vegetables, and 5% fruit. Ensure that their food rack is refilled every day with fresh hay and about ⅛ cup of fresh pellets.
They enjoy veggies and occasional fruit treats twice a week. This is due to the high sugar contents in the fruits that are dangerous for their health.
They need Vitamin C treatment to provide them with vitamins. Guinea pigs love fruits, but too much can be bad for them due to fruits’ high sugar content.
Change their food and water container
This pet can loiter around while in its cage. When its food gets refilled, it joyfully sits on the food rack. This is why they should be changed at least twice a day. This way, you reduce the chances of getting itself all messy.
Their water containers shouldn’t be left behind. Change them as much as you can. This way you provide a neat environment for your pet.
Ensure they have a supervised playtime
They shouldn’t be caged all day but be allowed to go outside under supervision. You can even get some toys or items they could play with and can be changed at least once a month.
Ensure they don’t eat anything that comes into their mouth due to their love for chewing things. This way you have a fun-filled playtime with your pet.
Have a veterinarian
This kind of pet isn’t rampant in these recent times. This is why you need a veterinarian who can guide you on how best to take care of your pet.
A few days after you bring them home, take them to a veterinarian to know how best they’ve adapted to the environment.
Checkups should be done regularly by your veterinarian. This way, you detect early signs of diseases. A vet examines your pet and points you in the right direction, helping you give them the best care.
