What to Do if You Regret Getting a Guinea Pig

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Guinea pigs are loving animals that make great first-fourth dimension pets and are the perfect improver to a growing family unit. Like nearly household pets, guinea pigs require a lot of time, interaction, and commitment. Put in some time to research nigh your guinea pigs bones intendance earlier yous bring them dwelling. About importantly, y'all volition demand to ready their cage and buy a few supplies to have your guinea pig accommodate to the new surroundings comfortably. This commodity will show you lot how to ready for your republic of guinea pigs inflow.

1. 1

   Purchase or build a cage. 7.five square anxiety is the minimum requirement for 1-two guinea pigs; however, 10.five square anxiety is desirable for comfort. An indoor C & C or Midwest cage are a few popular and inexpensive options to firm your guinea pigs in. Otherwise, guinea pigs that are housed outdoors are more than suitable inside a secure hutch.^[1]

   • Don't fall into the trap of buying inappropriately sized cages from pet shops that do not have plenty space for guinea pigs.

   Tip: An indoor C & C cage that measures 115cm x 77cm is a perfect selection to house your commencement guinea pigs in. C & C cages are cheap and easily expandable, making them applied for new republic of guinea sus scrofa owners.

2. 2

   Purchase a cage with a solid bottom. Guinea pigs have sensitive feet that must be protected. Refrain from purchasing a cage with a wire lesser, equally these are uncomfortable for your republic of guinea pig to walk on and can crusade bumblefoot.^[2]

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3. iii

   Ensure the measurement of the muzzle is correct. 1-ii guinea pigs require 27" x 41" (2 10 3 grids) of space at minimum.^[three] If yous are purchasing a C & C cage, make certain the spacing of the grids are pocket-sized enough and then your guinea pig does not get their caput stuck through. Look for cube grids that have openings between one 1⁄2–2 ane⁄2 in (3.8–6.4 cm).^[four]

   • Make sure the base of the cage is high enough to lay down a layer of bedding. You lot will need a deeper pan if you are using paper bedding, wood shavings, or careFresh.

4. iv

   Practice not buy a drinking glass tank or aquarium. While these enclosures are suitable for hamsters and mice, guinea pigs are much larger and require more than infinite and ventilation. Republic of guinea pigs oftentimes excrete and urinate, which creates loftier amounts of ammonia in the air. A glass tank or aquarium is not suitable equally they do non have acceptable airflow.^[five]

   • Look for a cage that has ventilation effectually the iv sides and on top as well.
   • Glass tanks and aquariums can crusade upper respiratory infection if your republic of guinea pig is housed in them for a prolonged period.^[6]

5. five

   Find a suitable location for the muzzle. Republic of guinea pigs are sensitive to temperature and are prone to isolation and predators; therefore, it'south brash to house them indoors where their surround can be regulated. Situate the muzzle in a quiet room, such as your bedroom or study. ^[7]

   • Keep your republic of guinea pigs abroad from small children and other household pets that may scare them.
   • Guinea pigs adopt a temperature averaging at 65 °F (18 °C) and 75 °F (24 °C).^[8] Avoid rooms that are air-conditioned, besides warm, or likewise humid. Guinea pigs need good airflow, so ventilation is important.^[9]
   • Do non place your guinea hog in a shed or garage. Car fumes are dangerous to guinea pigs, and the temperature within a garage or shed cannot be regulated properly, making them an unsuitable identify to locate the cage.^[x]

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1. 1

   Line the bottom of the cage with absorptive bedding. Place paper sheets or puppy pads at the base of operations of the cage to absorb liquids and urine. Layer a pile of paper bedding, wood shavings, or fleece on meridian. Aspen or kiln-dried pine are suitable wood shavings to use; however, do non use cedar, as it contains chemicals that can injure your guinea pigs respiratory system.^[xi]

   • Practise not apply corn cob, cedar chips, or straw as bedding. These materials are dangerous to guinea pigs.^[12]
   • Be sure to spot-clean the muzzle daily, peculiarly if your republic of guinea pigs are living on fleece. Guinea pigs often urinate. Soiled bedding tin crusade bumblefoot or urine scald if they aren't cleaned upwards promptly.

2. 2

   Attach a water canteen to the side of the cage. Buy a non-leak water bottle and hang it at a comfortable level that your guinea pigs can attain. Alternatively, you tin can use a heavy-weighted bowl; withal, if your republic of guinea pigs are living on wood shavings, their bedding may fall into the bowl.

   • Your guinea sus scrofa'due south water bottle volition need to exist cleaned out and refilled every day to prevent algae growth.

3. 3

   Identify two food bowls inside the cage. Guinea pigs require a medium-sized bowl for their vegetables and a smaller bowl for their pellets. Choose a heavy-weighted bowl that your guinea pig cannot tip over. Avoid plastic bowls every bit your guinea pig may be inclined to chew on them.

   • Guinea pigs require 1 cup of fresh vegetables each, and 1/8 cup of pellets each. Have these measurements into account when purchasing their bowls.
   • If you have two or more than guinea pigs, you lot can purchase a larger bowl to suit their food, or y'all tin purchase individual bowls for each guinea pig.

4. 4

   Place a hide firm within the muzzle. Guinea pigs are casualty animals; it'south their instinct to run and hibernate when they feel threatened. Place one hide house inside the muzzle per republic of guinea grunter. A plastic igloo or wooden hut are a few suitable options to choose from.

5. 5

   Buy a few toys for your guinea pigs. Guinea pigs crave toys to promote their enrichment and mental stimulation. Without toys, your guinea pigs might become bored or feel lonely. Do non buy practice wheels or balls, as these are dangerous to guinea pigs. A few toys you lot could purchase for your republic of guinea pigs are:

   • Hay stuffers.
   • Chew toys
   • Tunnels
   • Ramps
   • Hammocks
   • Treat balls

6. half-dozen

   Refrain from purchasing a hay rack. While a hay rack may feel like a suitable option to shop your republic of guinea pigs hay, they aren't rubber or applied for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs tin can get stuck inside the hay rack, or even suffocate. Their hay is much amend piled on the ground inside their cage to permit proper and safety consumption.

   • Because their hay is stored on the footing; you must frequently make clean upward whatsoever hay that has been urinated on for hygienic and prophylactic reasons.
   • Alternatively, you can use a shallow litter box to place your republic of guinea sus scrofa's hay inside. There are special litter-boxes commercially designed for guinea pigs that tin be tied to the corner of their muzzle.

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1. 1

   Select a high-quality guinea pig pellets. Republic of guinea pigs require 1/8 loving cup of plain pellets a day. Look for a pelleted brand that fortifies vitamin C, equally guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C on their own. Oxbow adult guinea pig pellets are vet-approved and recommended.^[13]

   • Do non purchase guinea sus scrofa and rabbit food. Look for a brand that focuses solely on your republic of guinea hog'southward individual dietary requirements. Most rabbit pellets do not contain vitamin C.^[xiv]
   • Avert mixtures of pellets that incorporate seeds, grains, dry fruit and colourful pieces. Guinea pigs tend to favour these unhealthy morsels of nutrient over the good for you pellets; therefore information technology'due south recommended to purchase a plain pellet brand.^[fifteen]

2. 2

   Purchase vegetables for your guinea pigs. Guinea pigs require ane cup of fresh vegetables each day per squealer. It's advised to buy all their vegetables 1-ii days before you bring your guinea pigs dwelling house to maintain freshness. Purchase a supply that will final upward to several days.^[16]

   • The simply vegetables guinea pigs can eat daily are bell peppers and lawn cutting grass. Carmine bell peppers will last for a week if kept in good conditions and are mostly cheaper when purchased in bulk or in season.^[17]
   • Other vegetables guinea pigs can swallow 2-4 times a calendar week are; romaine lettuce, broccoli, celery, kale, spinach, bok choy, carrots, pea pods, dill, parsley, fennel, and basil.
   • Republic of guinea pigs can exist fed fruit sparingly as a treat. Most fruits are loftier in sugar, then should be express.

3. three

   Select grass hay for your guinea pigs. Guinea pigs can consume several varieties of hay. Timothy, orchard and meadow hay are the most desirable types of hay. Expect for hay that is fresh, has a green and grassy tinge, and is soft and pliable.^[18]

   • Hay can be purchased in large boxes or by the bale in most farm supply stores. These are by and large cheaper and fresher and so hay purchased by the bag in pet stores.^[19]
   • Refrain from purchasing hay that is stemmy, yellowish, and has a musty scent to information technology. Hay like this is likely old and has been sitting on the shelf for a while. Republic of guinea pigs adopt fresh grassy hay.^[20]

4. 4

   Inquiry which foods are toxic to guinea pigs. There are a few vegetables and other food groups that republic of guinea pigs should not consume. In that location are also a few vegetables that should exist limited due to their nutritional content; such equally lettuce, spinach, and kale.

   • High-calcium foods such every bit spinach and kale should be limited to one-2 times a week. Too much calcium can result in the formation of float stones.
   • Limit lettuce to 1-ii times a week, and never feed your guinea grunter iceberg lettuce. Almost types of lettuce have piddling to no nutritional content. Information technology'south advised to purchase alternative vegetables instead.
   • Exercise not feed your guinea pig potatoes, rhubarb, avocado, tomato stems, or onions (including leeks, bound onions, and chives).
   • Guinea pigs are lactose-intolerant, then they cannot exist fed dairy. For this reason, yogurt drops that are commercially bachelor as treats to republic of guinea pigs should not exist fed.
   • Meat and other human being foods are too a no-no. Junk food such as candy, chocolate, or potato fries are extremely dangerous if fed to guinea pigs. This includes bread.

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1. 1

   Adopt more than one guinea pig. Guinea pigs are social animals that naturally live in herds in the wild. Adopt your guinea pig in pairs of the same sex. If your guinea pig is housed alone, they will show depression-like symptoms and become bored. Human interaction lonely is non enough socialization for your guinea pig.

   • Always adopt same-sexual activity guinea pigs; otherwise, y'all risk the risk of babies. Yous tin can simply house a male and female together if the male is neutered or the female person is spayed.
   • Boars do best when they are housed every bit pairs in x.five square pes cage at minimum. It's unlikely that yous will have a herd of three or more boars get forth.
   • Because they are less territorial, sows tin can be housed in groups of three or more, providing that you accept enough space.
   • Always introduce your guinea pigs in a neutral environment with unlimited food and one of each item to forbid bug arising due to dominance. It is normal for your republic of guinea squealer to mount, chase, or bicker with the other guinea pig; this ways they are establishing dominance.

2. two

   Allow your guinea sus scrofa time to settle in. Adjusting to a new surroundings tin exist scary and stressful for your guinea pig. It'due south important to permit them space and time to adjust. Refrain from handling your republic of guinea sus scrofa for the starting time three-v days.

   • Proceed to intendance for your guinea pig past feeding them once a day, and providing them with unlimited fresh hay and water.

3. 3

   Bond with your guinea pig. Permit your guinea hog to adjust to you by communicating to them several times a twenty-four hours to have them get used to your presence and voice. Once your guinea pig is more confident, endeavour hand-feeding them with vegetables or treats.

   • Reach your arm into your guinea pig's cage and have them sniff your hand. If your guinea squealer is confident enough, endeavor petting them on the acme of their head.
   • Do non hold your republic of guinea pig until they are comfy. Guinea pigs are casualty animals; they do not similar being grabbed from to a higher place or held. Doing so may scare them, especially if they haven't adjusted to you quite withal.

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Add together New Question

• Question

  I'm going to get a republic of guinea pig, but my dad is worried that I won't take care of it. How can I convince him that I will?

  

  Do some research (this article is a good place to start) almost the best food and bedding, the best muzzle, and everything else a guinea pig needs to exist happy and salubrious. Tell your dad what yous've learned. Tell him how oft you plan to clean the cage, when y'all'll feed the pig and play with him, etc. If you take a plan, it will bear witness that you're taking this seriously. Make certain to as well practice your chores at home and keep up with your schoolwork, every bit doing this will show that you lot're responsible.

• Question

  I'm planning on getting guinea pigs, and I would have care of them, but I don't have much gratuitous time on the weekdays. I'm gone almost 9 1/two hours. Is that okay?

  

  Guinea pigs can be fine on their ain (as long as at that place are 2 of them). Yous being gone will merely make it harder to tame them. Be sure you do a lot of inquiry before getting them. I recommend checking out the YouTube channels Skinnypigs and Little Adventures for some really good republic of guinea pig info.

• Question

  I'm looking at cages, and I can't seem to find one large enough for 2 guinea pigs. Can I utilise a wired dog cage as a guinea pig cage?

  

  Probably best to attempt to avoid that. If yous become to Amazon and search "republic of guinea pig cage large" you will go plenty of results. Be sure to read the descriptions advisedly, just the beginning detail to appear is the muzzle I have my two guineas living in, and information technology's worked beautifully for them!

• Question

  I desire a guinea grunter merely my mom thinks it will smell bad. How practice I keep it from smelling bad?

  

  Amy Harrison

  Superlative Answerer

  Provide your guinea pigs with an absorbent, odour-control bedding, such as CareFresh, scented paper bedding, or wood shavings. Their bedding must be spot-cleaned daily, and fully replaced with the base of operations of their cage scrubbed down once a week. Guinea pigs don't unremarkably smell; their living weather and bedding does, however, retain smell.

• Question

  Tin I have guinea pig in an apartment?

  

  S10132022

  Customs Answer

  Definitely, just make sure that the temperature is regulated, there is plenty space for the cage, and that in that location is a space for them to take time outside of their cage that's republic of guinea sus scrofa-proofed.

• Question

  If I have a play pen do I still demand a big muzzle or can I designate a cage specifically for sleeping and food?

  

  Amy Harrison

  Top Answerer

  Guinea pigs are active both during the day and nighttime, therefore they require enough infinite fifty-fifty when they are put away to sleep at dark. The minimum size requirement for i-2 guinea pigs is 7.five foursquare feet.

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• Don't feed your guinea pigs any homo foods, avocado or iceberg lettuce.

• Some toys tin be dangerous so watch out!

• Be cautious of immature children and other pets.

• Don't add together vitamins to your guinea pigs water as they may refuse to drink.

• Adult guinea pigs shouldn't be fed alfalfa hay as it's calcium content is too high.

• Practice not use an aquarium for a muzzle as the glass sides don't provide practiced ventilation and nigh are modest.

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