How to Care for a Pet Guinea Pig. Guinea pigs often squeak with joy when their owners enter
a room. How can you resist such welcoming pets? You will need A companion guinea pig
or two A guinea pig pen that's at least 4 sq. ft. in size Newspaper & bedding, such
as aspen shavings, shredded paper, or pellet-type Guinea pig food, such as hay, pellets, greens,
and vegetables A one-qt. animal water bottle Hiding places, such as empty coffee cans,
shoeboxes, and flowerpots A small pet brush A hard-sided wading pool and guinea pig vitamin
c tablets. Step 1. Before you actually bring your guinea pig home, do a little research
online and in magazines and books. Guinea pigs need more care and attention than you
might expect. Step 2. Guinea pigs are social animals—they’d much rather live with another
guinea pig or two than by themselves. If you want your little squeaker to be the happiest,
get her a friend. Step 3. Female guinea pigs can usually live comfortably together. Male
guinea pigs should be from the same litter to reduce grumpiness and fighting. And since
guinea pig neutering isn’t widely available, don’t keep males and females in the same
pen. Step 4. Guinea pigs need plenty of space to run around. One guinea pig needs at least
four square feet of space—but the roomier, the better. Step 5. Guinea pigs’ feet are
delicate. Don’t keep them in wire-bottomed cages. Instead, use cages with solid bottoms,
and line the cage or pen with newspaper topped with plenty of hay, shredded paper, or recycled
pellet-type bedding. A hard-sided children’s wading pool makes a good guinea pig pen. Step
6. A guinea pig’s main food source should be fresh, high-quality timothy hay. Feed your
piggies as much hay as they’ll eat—they need the fiber, and munching on hay is the
best way to keep their teeth from growing too long. Step 7. Guinea pigs depend on their
owners to provide them with vitamin C. Commercial guinea pig pellets contain the necessary amount
of C. Generally, one adult guinea pig needs a ¼ cup of pellets per day. Use fresh pellets,
as vitamin C breaks down, and don’t substitute rabbit pellets, which aren’t the same thing.
Many guinea pigs think Vitamin C tablets are a treat. Give your piggies a quarter of a
tablet once a week, or sprinkle a crushed tablet over their food. Step 8. Guinea pigs
should also have a handful of varied greens and vegetables each day. Provide those high
in vitamin C like kale, dandelion greens, and strips of red pepper. Step 9. Guinea pigs
drink tons of water. Make sure yours have clean, fresh water available at all times.
Step 10. Guinea pigs love having hiding places to play and sleep in. Try empty coffee cans,
shoeboxes with holes cut in them, and overturned flowerpots. While guinea pigs like to play,
they’re not particularly nimble—offer them balls and low ramps for exercise. Step
11. Give your guinea pigs plenty of “floor time” each day. Let them run around in a
space that’s free of wires and other dangers—you don’t want them nibbling on your computer
cords! Step 12. Many guinea pigs love to be brushed. Longhaired guinea pigs should be
brushed every day. Step 13. Call a small-animal veterinarian if your guinea pigs are sneezing
or coughing, have diarrhea, or seem lethargic. A happy, healthy guinea pig can live for up
to 10 years, so with good care your little friend will be around for a nice long time.
Did you know Excited guinea pigs sometimes jump up and down—a behavior called “popcorning.”