Guinea pigs are wonderful companions for many people.  They have a rich range of noises they make to communicate with each other and their human family.  Since they are so social, it is important to keep them in pairs or larger groups.  However, some guinea pigs do best by themselves if they spend a lot of time out with their owners.

Diet

An adult guinea pig needs to have timothy hay available at all times to keep its teeth worn properly and to keep its stomach and intestine healthy.  Additionally, a guinea pig needs a good source of vitamin C, such as Oxbow Cavy Cuisine pellets.  Only offer the recommended amount of pellets listed on a bag and do not simply leave a bowl full of pellets in the cage at all times.  If you do, a guinea pig may munch on pellets and not the hay which can lead to problems with teeth, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.

Young growing guinea pigs and sows that are pregnant or have babies need a different diet than healthy adult guinea pigs.  Timothy hay should be available at all times but it is a good idea to offer small amounts of alfalhay hay every day to provide a little extra protein to support growth.  Offer pellets that are also a little richer in protein and other nutrients, such as Oxbow's Cavy Performance pellets.  The pellets should be available all the time.

It is important to use pellets that are fresh as vitamin C loses its potency over time.  Check your guinea pig pellet bag before buying.  Some have a "best if used by" date or an "expiration date" on the label and you know right away if they are still full of vitamin C.  Some have "manufactured on" dates which requires a little more thought--in general, if the pellets are 6 months old or older, the vitamin C level is questionable.  It is always a good idea to provide extra vitamin C in the form of fresh bell peppers, parsely, and even tiny pieces of citrus fruit.  A snack of a tablet containing at least 90 mg of vitamin C is another way to make sure your guinea pig is getting enough.  Oxbow Vitamin C treats are a good way to provide this although chewable vitamin C products for people may also be used.  If you use a human product, make sure you break it into smaller pieces so you are not giving more than 100 mg to your guinea pig a day.  We do not recommend adding vitamin C to the water as it makes the water taste bad and many guinea pigs will go thirsty rather than drinking the vitamin-enriched water.

Water

Fresh water should always be available. Some guinea pigs like water bowls and some like water bottles.  Water should be changed daily.  Disinfect the bowl or bottle with a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 cup of water at least once a week and rinse thoroughly with fresh water before refilling it for your guinea pig.  Some guinea pigs with special needs may be given water flavored with fruit juice so that they drink more, but this should only be done with a veterinarian’s approval.

Caging

An adult pair of guinea pigs needs a cage at least 4 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 2 ft tall.  A solid floor is recommended since wire floors can create foot problems.  Provide at least two plastic guinea pig hutches or cardboard boxes big enough to hide in (but not so cramped a guinea pig can't turn around).  It is a good idea to have at least two hide boxes per guinea pig. The cage should be well-ventilated.

Recycled paper products, such as Yesterday’s News™ or Carefresh™, work well as substrates, as do paper towels and blank newsprint (available from specialty paper shops or online paper supply companies). Many guinea pigs quickly learn to use litter boxes but you may need to place a couple of old fecal pellets in with the litter to get them started.  Paper pulp products, such as Yesterday’s News™ or Carefresh™, or compressed straw pellets, such as Eco-Straw Litter, should be used in the litter box. Clean the litterbox daily, more often if needed, so that your guinea pig does not develop dirty fur on its hind feet and tail from going into a soiled litterbox.  If the litter box isn’t cleaned daily, a guinea pig may sit in the soiled litter and may not urinate as often which may lead to bladder infections and stones.

Temperature

Guinea pigs can become overheated easily.  Do not expose to temperatures above 85°F for any length of time.  Guinea pigs may have supervised access to a yard even during our hottest months as long as there are plenty of cool shady retreats.  Temperatures under 60°F may be stressful too.

Handling

Always scoop up a guinea pig to fully support all four feet and its belly.  Children under the age of ten should always have older experienced guinea pig handlers help them hold their pet. Guinea pigs learn routines very easily and look forward to their play time outside of their cages.  Be careful when they are on furniture as startled guinea pigs can leap off laps and injure themselves if they fall too far.

Preventive Medicine

Male guinea pigs (also known as boars) may get into vicious fights if they are not neutered.  We recommend that boars are neutered at 4 to 6 months of age.

We recommend female guinea pigs (also known as sows) are spayed at 4 to 6 months of age if they are not going to be bred.  This prevents various reproductive system problems that develop in older sows.

A new guinea pig should have a check-up to make sure it is healthy.  At a minimum, we recommend an annual check-up to monitor tooth wear, weight and body condition, cleanliness of the hind end, shape of the toenails, the wear patterns on the soles of their feet,  and urine and fecal quality.  Bloodwork is recommended every 6 to 12 months as a guinea pig gets older.  The accelerated life span of a guinea pig means than a year between health check-ups is like us waiting 10 years between doctor’s visits!  With that in mind, consider talking to us about a comprehensive wellness plan we designed to keep your guinea pig healthy as long as possible.

Common Problems

• Malocclusion of the teeth: Many guinea pigs develop problems with their teeth.  When the premolars and molars (i.e., cheek teeth) don’t wear properly they form sharp points that can trap the tongue and cause a guinea pig to drool, lose weight, and produce small hard fecal pellets or diarrhea.  The abnormal teeth can cause ulcers of the cheek and tongue. Treatment normally requires anesthesia so that the cheek teeth may be filed into more normal shapes.  Some guinea pigs may need filings every 4 to 6 weeks or other procedures such as tooth extraction in order to do well.
• Cervical abscess: A guinea pig may develop a lump and a discharge from its jaw or neck.  Some times this is a simple infection and other times this is an infection of the root of the teeth and will not clear up on antibiotics alone.  Surgery is typically required to remove the infected tooth and associated infected bone.  This may be a very difficult problem to resolve and may take weeks to months of treatment.
• Congested or runny nose:  A guinea pig may develop a clear runny or thick yellowish discharge from its nostrils and dried crusts around its nose.  Sometimes the guinea pig may sneeze frequently and may also have problems breathing.  This may be secondary to problems associated with malocclusion of the teeth but is frequently an infection caused by bacteria, particularly one called Bordetella or "kennel cough".  Bordetella may cause very serious illnesses such as pneumonia.  A guinea pig can die within 48 hrs of first showing a runny nose so it is important to have your pet checked immediately whenever you notice any of these signs. See our care sheet "Guinea Pigs - Respiratory Infections" for more information
• Flakey Skin: Guinea pigs can have infections of mites and a fungus called "ringworm".  See our care sheet, "Guinea Pigs - Dandruff and Mites".
• Matted hair: This may be secondary to malocclusion of the teeth since a guinea pig uses its incisor teeth like a comb to groom its fur.  If the incisor teeth are normal, this may indicate back pain or some other discomfort that makes the guinea pig reluctant to curl into the positions needed to groom itself.  Sometimes this may happen as a result of a dirty litter box or from diarrhea or “sludgy” urine accumulating around its hind end. Obese guinea pigs often develop hair matts.
• Hair Loss: Some guinea pigs may groom themselves or their companions excessively and cause patches of hair loss, a condition called “barbering”.  Other causes of hair loss include the ringworm (a fungal infection and not a true “worm”), mites and lice, irritation from urine scalding, endocrine problems (especially cystic ovaries), and other conditions.
• Skin Growths: Many guinea pigs develop a swollen lump on their skin that may sometimes rupture and ooze grey to white granular material.  This is usually a hair cyst but there are abscesses and tumors that can appear very similarly.
• Bladder Stones: Guinea pigs frequently get bladder stones and require surgery.  See our care sheet "Guinea Pigs -- Bladder Stones".

Local Rescue Organizations

Piggie Poo Rescue http://www.piggiepoo.org

Rascally Rabbit Rescue http://www.rascallyrabbitrescue.org

Copyright 2009
Kevin Wright and Jay Johnson
Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, LLC
744 N Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85203
info@azeah.com