Guinea pig

 

Why would you consider buying a guinea pig? 

• Likes people around and is very social

• Talks (squeaks & squeals) when spoken to

• Tries to play with you, very responsive

• Gets used to you calling its name

• Excellent mammal pet if you like someone active & loving & are not ready for a dog/cat yet

• Clean pets (usually urinate & poop in the same place every day)

• Can come in different shades of black, brown & white, and can be short-haired or long

• Not as fragile as a hamster or mouse is

 

How much does it cost at a minimum?

• Cage $70-$100

• Pet $20-$40

• Food $30-35

• Bedding $20-$30

• Wooden Toys $5-$10

 

Minimum space requirements 

Cage should be 2.5 feet in length & 1.5 feet in width

 

What does it like to eat? 

Eats Timothy hay & pet store food on a regular basis with some vegetables like carrots, Romaine lettuce & green pepper

 

How much does it cost on a regular basis? 

Food (hay & pet store food) & bedding, so approximately around $20-$25 per month

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Is it lot of work to maintain this pet? 

Not really, but you have to spot-clean every day & change bedding every once a week. You might also want to clean the cage properly once in a few weeks which might involve taking the guinea pig out.

 

Does it get stinky?

Can smell if spot-cleaning is not done everyday & bedding is not replaced once a week, but does not stink otherwise

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Needs in the cage 

• Bedding

• Water bottle

• Food bowl

• Hideout

• Toys to chew on

 

Fun things to know

• You know your guinea pig is happy when it popcorns (shakes head & jumps)

• Fun to watch it run in laps around the cage

• Whistles & squeaks loudly when excited

• Guinea pigs even purr a lot like cats, and sometimes deep vibrating purring sounds made while trembling its body, conveys a cheerful mood for your guinea pig

• You can make lot of guinea pig toys at home

 

Useful tips

• Likes petting on his forehead and behind the ears

• Their teeth grow throughout their life, so they always need some wood to grind their teeth on (every pet store has wooden toys that do not cost much)

• Timothy hay is best kind of hay for a guinea pig

• Paper based bedding is good so as to absorb the smell, and keep them warm

• Make sure you spend time with your guinea pig everyday so as not to let it get bored

• Keep cage in a high traffic area in the house, away from direct sunlight and not in pitch black part of the house

• Do not use exercise wheels as they are not meant for guinea pigs and can actually cause them harm 

• Ensure they get their exercise on a daily basis

• When their nails grow, you would have to trim ‘em

• Speak to your guinea pig as much as you can

• Avoid placing them on edges from where it might fall as guinea pigs do not have good vision

• Avoid bathing guinea pigs and restrict to few times in the year