So you've just brought your new guinea pig home from the shelter or pet store. And now, you are not totally sure what to do. Let us help you get off to an excellent start with this quick-start guinea pig owners ' guide.
First of all, if you have just come back from the shelter or pet store with just a single pig, we highly recommend that you turn around and go back. Guinea pigs are social creatures and tend to do better when there are at least a couple pigs living together. Two females are a good mixture. Two males can live together in peace as long as they've been raised together. And while it's feasible to introduce two grown males to one another, it does require patience and care. A male and a female are the absolute best combination, but naturally one of them needs to be "fixed" in order to avoid a future in-cage population explosion.
Your first task is to choose a cage. Pet shop cages tend to be too little to adequately house a single pig "not to mention multiple pigs. Use the following guidelines when selecting guinea pigs cages:
- One guinea pig: 6-7 sq. Ft.
- Two guinea pigs: 7.5 sq. Ft.
- Three guinea pigs: 10.5 sq. Ft.
If you are unable to find one roomy enough at the pet shop, you can always build your own cage or buy one online from a trustworthy cage seller. In recent years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cages have become quite popular because they provide a lot of cage for the money. Try the resource area and the end of this essay for links to some online C&C guinea pig cage stores.
Place a nest box, a piece of PVC pipe or other enclosure within the cage. Pigs like to hide out in comfortable small places and providing a hiding place within the cage will make your pigs feel more happy and more secure.
Never place your pigs in an aquarium. Yes, a few people do house their pigs in an aquarium, but it is very unhealthy for their respiratory system. Harmful ammonia gas forms as your pigs urinate inside the enclosure. In a wire cage, there is adequate ventilation to carry this gas away. However , in an aquarium the ammonia gas is contained by the glass walls causing your pigs to inhale it in twenty four seven.
Fill the cage with bedding or litter. Avoid cedar chips and cat litter made from clay. Both are really bad for your guinea pig's lungs. A litter made of recycled newspaper works quite well. Also, many people have started to line their cages with an absorbent material covered in fleece. The fleece permits liquids to wick right through into the absorbent layer.
In general, Timothy hay is superb for your pigs. Your pigs can have it in virtually unlimited quantities. Alfalfa hay should be given much more sparingly. Alfalfa hay is richer and will cause your pigs to gain unnecessary weight.
While, commercial pellets are fine for your guinea pigs , however , they're also terribly rich and will be given in low amounts as a supplement to the primary diet which should consist mainly of fresh fruits and vegetables. Only vegetables with rich dark colors should be chosen. Iceberg lettuce shouldn't be fed to your pigs; it is generally empty calories with only tiny calorific value.
Do not forget to install a water bottle in your pig's cage. Water dishes don't work well "as pigs like to tip them over.
Above all, don't panic. Guinea pigs are great little animals and don't require an unreasonable quantity of care. Remember that guinea pigs do better in pairs or groups than living alone. Be sure to provide sufficient living space. C&C cages are a popular choice nowadays because they do provide a lot of room for a reasonable price. Supply a comfortable hiding place for your pigs - many nest boxes are available for guinea pigs. An upside-down little cardboard box works well too (though guinea pigs like to chew so you may have to replace it often). Feed your pig mostly deep-colored fresh veggies and provide a water bottle. That is all you need to start.
First of all, if you have just come back from the shelter or pet store with just a single pig, we highly recommend that you turn around and go back. Guinea pigs are social creatures and tend to do better when there are at least a couple pigs living together. Two females are a good mixture. Two males can live together in peace as long as they've been raised together. And while it's feasible to introduce two grown males to one another, it does require patience and care. A male and a female are the absolute best combination, but naturally one of them needs to be "fixed" in order to avoid a future in-cage population explosion.
Your first task is to choose a cage. Pet shop cages tend to be too little to adequately house a single pig "not to mention multiple pigs. Use the following guidelines when selecting guinea pigs cages:
- One guinea pig: 6-7 sq. Ft.
- Two guinea pigs: 7.5 sq. Ft.
- Three guinea pigs: 10.5 sq. Ft.
If you are unable to find one roomy enough at the pet shop, you can always build your own cage or buy one online from a trustworthy cage seller. In recent years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cages have become quite popular because they provide a lot of cage for the money. Try the resource area and the end of this essay for links to some online C&C guinea pig cage stores.
Place a nest box, a piece of PVC pipe or other enclosure within the cage. Pigs like to hide out in comfortable small places and providing a hiding place within the cage will make your pigs feel more happy and more secure.
Never place your pigs in an aquarium. Yes, a few people do house their pigs in an aquarium, but it is very unhealthy for their respiratory system. Harmful ammonia gas forms as your pigs urinate inside the enclosure. In a wire cage, there is adequate ventilation to carry this gas away. However , in an aquarium the ammonia gas is contained by the glass walls causing your pigs to inhale it in twenty four seven.
Fill the cage with bedding or litter. Avoid cedar chips and cat litter made from clay. Both are really bad for your guinea pig's lungs. A litter made of recycled newspaper works quite well. Also, many people have started to line their cages with an absorbent material covered in fleece. The fleece permits liquids to wick right through into the absorbent layer.
In general, Timothy hay is superb for your pigs. Your pigs can have it in virtually unlimited quantities. Alfalfa hay should be given much more sparingly. Alfalfa hay is richer and will cause your pigs to gain unnecessary weight.
While, commercial pellets are fine for your guinea pigs , however , they're also terribly rich and will be given in low amounts as a supplement to the primary diet which should consist mainly of fresh fruits and vegetables. Only vegetables with rich dark colors should be chosen. Iceberg lettuce shouldn't be fed to your pigs; it is generally empty calories with only tiny calorific value.
Do not forget to install a water bottle in your pig's cage. Water dishes don't work well "as pigs like to tip them over.
Above all, don't panic. Guinea pigs are great little animals and don't require an unreasonable quantity of care. Remember that guinea pigs do better in pairs or groups than living alone. Be sure to provide sufficient living space. C&C cages are a popular choice nowadays because they do provide a lot of room for a reasonable price. Supply a comfortable hiding place for your pigs - many nest boxes are available for guinea pigs. An upside-down little cardboard box works well too (though guinea pigs like to chew so you may have to replace it often). Feed your pig mostly deep-colored fresh veggies and provide a water bottle. That is all you need to start.
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To learn more, pick up a good guinea pig reference guide - see the left sidebar on our guinea pigs cages home page for links to a couple authoritative guinea pig care guides. Also, for an unadvertized discount special on quality C&C guinea pigs cages <--CLICK on this LINK.
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