Guinea Pig Care Information
Typically guinea pigs are kept in pairs, depending on temperament females are also kept in larger groups, often along with a neutered male. Guinea pigs should never be kept alone as they are social animals by nature and can become unhappy if living without company.
Housing
Guinea pigs can be kept either inside or out, they will need a hutch or cage in addition to regular access to an outdoor run where they can graze and play. If they are to be kept outside they must be out of the wind to and the hutch must either be waterproof or under cover so the bedding doesn't become damp. Cold temperatures are not an issue as long as the guinea pigs have been able to gradually acclimatise and have plenty of bedding which they can burrow into. Guinea pigs that are kept indoors should only be allowed outside in mild weather. As far as size of living quarters goes, bigger is better. A separate sleeping area should be in place so your guinea pigs can hide away when they feel the need. Have a look at our supplies page for various housing options.
Bedding
There are a range of bedding options for guinea pigs - these include: hay, straw, wood shavings, shredded paper, carefresh, vetbed, fleece and more. I would recommend using a layer of newspaper (for easy cleaning) covered with an inch or two of wood shavings; plenty of soft meadow hay should also be available for the guinea pigs to snuggle into and nibble on. Which bedding you use is really down to preference, so long as the guinea pigs have a safe, clean and draught free place to live. During winter the sleeping area of outdoor setups should be topped up with plentiful bedding to help the guinea pigs keep warm.
It's worth noting that hay is best when it is as fresh and unprocessed as possible - the plastic wrapped pet shop stuff can be quite dusty and low in nutrients. Farm fresh hay can be hard to get hold of but tends to be far superior - try BoxOfHay.co.uk.
Handling
The more you handle your guinea pigs the friendlier and more confident they will become. When you first get them home they will most likely hide for a couple of days as everything will be new to them, during this period handling should be minimised and veg such as cucumber should be placed in their hiding place so they can obtain moisture without having to venture into the open to find their water bottle or bowl. After the initial few days their confidence should rapidly build, at this point the more handling you can do the better - I always advise frequent short handling sessions rather than less frequent longer ones, partly because safely picking them up and putting them down helps build trust but also because they are likely to become uncomfortable if held for extended periods of time by someone who they are unfamiliar with.
Maintenance
The frequency at which you will need to clean your guinea pigs’ hutch or cage will depend on the bedding use – for example fleece will require almost daily cleaning where as if you have used wood shavings as bedding you will need to clean this out about every 5-7 days. It will be apparent when cleaning is required.
Guinea pigs' nails need clipping periodically with specially designed small pet nail clippers - this can be done at home with the right equipment however we do offer a mobile guinea pig nail clipping service for those in Bicester, Kidlington and the surrounding vilages, most vets will also offer this service. Health checks (eyes, nose, teeth, nails, skin etc.) should be carried out with a simple look-over when handling your guinea pigs. Guinea pigs can live up to 8 years of age although their average lifespan is about 5 years.
Food
Guinea pigs should have access to unlimited good quality hay (try BoxOfHay.co.uk) and pellets (we recommend Burgess Excel pellets - have a look on our supplies page) plus about a mug's worth of fresh veg per pair of guinea pigs per day.
Good fresh foods include:
- Grass
- Apples
- Grapes
- Watermelon
- Cucumber
- Carrots + tops
- Dandelion leaves + flowers
- Parsley
- Bell Pepper
Poisonous foods include:
- All parts of buttercup plants
- All parts of potato plants
- All parts of bean plants
- All parts of ivy plants
- All parts of evergreen shrubs and trees
- All parts of rhubarb plants
If you'd like any further information or advice just ask!
Housing
Guinea pigs can be kept either inside or out, they will need a hutch or cage in addition to regular access to an outdoor run where they can graze and play. If they are to be kept outside they must be out of the wind to and the hutch must either be waterproof or under cover so the bedding doesn't become damp. Cold temperatures are not an issue as long as the guinea pigs have been able to gradually acclimatise and have plenty of bedding which they can burrow into. Guinea pigs that are kept indoors should only be allowed outside in mild weather. As far as size of living quarters goes, bigger is better. A separate sleeping area should be in place so your guinea pigs can hide away when they feel the need. Have a look at our supplies page for various housing options.
Bedding
There are a range of bedding options for guinea pigs - these include: hay, straw, wood shavings, shredded paper, carefresh, vetbed, fleece and more. I would recommend using a layer of newspaper (for easy cleaning) covered with an inch or two of wood shavings; plenty of soft meadow hay should also be available for the guinea pigs to snuggle into and nibble on. Which bedding you use is really down to preference, so long as the guinea pigs have a safe, clean and draught free place to live. During winter the sleeping area of outdoor setups should be topped up with plentiful bedding to help the guinea pigs keep warm.
It's worth noting that hay is best when it is as fresh and unprocessed as possible - the plastic wrapped pet shop stuff can be quite dusty and low in nutrients. Farm fresh hay can be hard to get hold of but tends to be far superior - try BoxOfHay.co.uk.
Handling
The more you handle your guinea pigs the friendlier and more confident they will become. When you first get them home they will most likely hide for a couple of days as everything will be new to them, during this period handling should be minimised and veg such as cucumber should be placed in their hiding place so they can obtain moisture without having to venture into the open to find their water bottle or bowl. After the initial few days their confidence should rapidly build, at this point the more handling you can do the better - I always advise frequent short handling sessions rather than less frequent longer ones, partly because safely picking them up and putting them down helps build trust but also because they are likely to become uncomfortable if held for extended periods of time by someone who they are unfamiliar with.
Maintenance
The frequency at which you will need to clean your guinea pigs’ hutch or cage will depend on the bedding use – for example fleece will require almost daily cleaning where as if you have used wood shavings as bedding you will need to clean this out about every 5-7 days. It will be apparent when cleaning is required.
Guinea pigs' nails need clipping periodically with specially designed small pet nail clippers - this can be done at home with the right equipment however we do offer a mobile guinea pig nail clipping service for those in Bicester, Kidlington and the surrounding vilages, most vets will also offer this service. Health checks (eyes, nose, teeth, nails, skin etc.) should be carried out with a simple look-over when handling your guinea pigs. Guinea pigs can live up to 8 years of age although their average lifespan is about 5 years.
Food
Guinea pigs should have access to unlimited good quality hay (try BoxOfHay.co.uk) and pellets (we recommend Burgess Excel pellets - have a look on our supplies page) plus about a mug's worth of fresh veg per pair of guinea pigs per day.
Good fresh foods include:
- Grass
- Apples
- Grapes
- Watermelon
- Cucumber
- Carrots + tops
- Dandelion leaves + flowers
- Parsley
- Bell Pepper
Poisonous foods include:
- All parts of buttercup plants
- All parts of potato plants
- All parts of bean plants
- All parts of ivy plants
- All parts of evergreen shrubs and trees
- All parts of rhubarb plants
If you'd like any further information or advice just ask!