| Best Care for Guinea Pigs |
| Housing: There are many different types of cages, and homes for guinea pigs. The one that I find to be the best is made of a plastic bottom with a wire top(see picture). My very first cage lasted for 10 years. I find these cages to be good because of the flat bottom. Some cages have wire bottoms which is not good, the small openings can easily break or harm your pigs legs. These cages vary in color and size. If you are planning on having one guinea pig I would recommend the average sized cage, if you plan on having more than one guinea pig I recommend the 3ft long cage. I have this one now and my pigs love the room that they have to play. Now that I have told you about the cage, you need to know what to put inside the cage. I like to cover the bottom with about an inch or more of newspaper(depending on how many guinea pigs you have). Then I sprinkle some CARE FRESH bedding to cover the paper, just enough not to see the paper. I strongly urge you to use CARE FRESH bedding over the other common types. Ceader bedding as well as pine bedding can cause allergies to develop in your pet. One of mine went bald due to the pine bedding I was using! CARE FRESH is made from paper pulp,it looks like egg carton pieces , absorbs odor and is not harmful to them if digested. Change the cage once a week to keep it fresh and clean. I encourage you to buy a wooden hutch for your pet to hide in. They need a place to feel safe when they are startled. They also love to jump on top of it to get a look around, It is common to see your piggy hiding in their box. Don't buy one made from plastic because these animals have an instinct to gnaw on hard objects. This is to prevent their teeth from growing too long. Mine love to chew on their box. We made a ramp out of wood and attached it to their hutch so they can run up and down it and hide under the ramp. Guinea pigs need to exercise and since those hamster wheels are not good for them, the hutch becomes their jungle gym. You can also litter box train your piggy. I recently did that with mine and they love to use the litter box. Just make sure your frequently clean the litter out! Recently my husband and I found a website with instructions on how to build your own piggie cage out of Coroplast, corrugated plastic and wire cubes. Check out cavycages.com for these amazing cages, we are in the process of making one for our piggies. Once it is all done we will post some pictures for you to see! |
| Food: When going to the store to purchase food, one can become a little overwhelmed. First let me tell you what I use and then why I chose to use it. NEW INFORMATION ON FOOD!!!...I no longer use Kaytees' Exact. I am now using a new brand called CAVY CUISINE. It is made by OXBOW HAY COMPANY. This brand is made only from Timothy feed. My vet told us that Isabelle was showing some calcium crystal and told us the food was the only source of the problem. She also felt that it was genetic since Jazmine had not gotten any crystals. We were told about this new brand. I URGE YOU to go ask your vet or go to the website. http://www.oxbowhay.com This brand does not have any alfalfa in it at all!! What is wrong with alfalfa you ask ? Well, alfalfa contains an excess of calcium that can not be properly digested in your guinea pig. What will happen is that your pig will develop crystals that will gather in his or her bladder and eventually can die. This is better known as Gall bladder stones. Unfortunately I found out too late for my Snickers. I had her on pellets, and she began to squeak in pain while urinating. Her urine was a pinkish color and very foul smelling. Now don't think if your pet has pink urine it is automatically Gall stones. It can be just a urinary track infection. So see your vet immeadiately. When I took her to the vet she was x-rayed and I was showed all the stones in her bladder. Even after surgery she was too weak to recover and she passed on to Rainbow Bridge(see poem). When we talked to our vet she told me about the alfalfa meal . As well as the alfalfa being bad for them there are other things to be aware of...Anything with a vitamin other than vitamin C. If your food, water drops or treats have vitamins A,B,D,E etc...it is wise to consult your vet. These things are not necessary in excess amounts for your pet. Just like what can happen with too much calcium, can happen with these. I know it is almost impossible to find food that does not have too much of alfalfa, or vitamins, but isnt it worth it? Consult your vet for more information. I also give them a handful of TIMOTHY hay a day. DO NOT USE ALFALFA HAY. Once again, that is not properly digested, the alfalfa hay is good for rabbits. Guinea pigs NEED vitamin C in their diet as well. I give them a vitamin C drop every other day because the brand I use has so much in it. The brand name is VitaKraft Drops. They come in yoguart, vegtable, and orange flavor. Ask your vet for the specific amount of vitamin C that your pet should be getting. Feel free to give your pet carrots, strawberries, blueberries and other fruits and veggies that don't have too much calcium or iron in it. An example would be spinach. That is not good for the piggys. |
| TLC: Guinea Pigs are very sociable animals and that is why they make such wonderful pets. They need a lot of attention and tender loving care from their owners. These animals can become very attached to their owner. It is possible to train them to not pee on you, to follow you around the house and to not bite you. When they do something wrong, tap them LIGHTLY on the nose and say no, followed by soft petting. Once they get over the initial fear of being someplace new, you will notice they become very accustomed to their new home. All of my past and previous ones squeak for me when I come home. Each pig has a separate personality. My first, Mikey,was calm and quiet. He loved to cuddle with me. My second, Snickers, was like a small child. She loved to be held, loved to follow me around the house, always talked to me when I came home and of course took naps with me! I currently have two pigs between my boyfriend and I. Our oldest,Jazmine, is very stubborn and very independent. She refuses to cuddle, she is always interested in other things, and is always complaining! She is alot of fun to watch run around and play though! Our younger one,Isabell, is similar to Snickers. She likes to cuddle, she is calmer, and less stubborn. The only wierd thing is when she is frustrated she bites the hair on her front paws! They are both very young so its possible that their personalities will change. As long as you show your pet how much you love them, they will love you just as much. Enjoy! |
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