Guinea Pigs

There are eight species of guinea pig. Of those, only one of them is kept as a pet. They usually live for 4-8 years.

Guinea pigs were a part of our household from my mid-teens until I left home. The first ones came to the house as a rescue. My mother had been in the pet shop getting food for the cats when she noticed two rather bedraggled-looking guinea pigs. She learnt that they were a former breeding pair. My mother was incensed at their condition, so home they came. We read up on them and consulted our vet so we could provide the best care and life for them that we could.

The sow was aggressive; we named her Tammy. The boar had old wounds and great big bald patches. Patches became his name. The pair had been forced to continue breeding, and the sow had turned multiple times on the boar. Dad duly took them to the vet, who looked them over and advised us of Tammy’s pregnancy. Once the babies were born and weaned, they were all found suitable homes. Tammy calmed down after this and became very affectionate. Patches’ hair grew back; he was an old softy. They were kept separately, but where they could see each other and interact safely. Tammy, on occasion, still tried to attack him.

Introducing these two lovelies into our lives started a love affair with guinea pigs for both my mother and myself. When I moved in with my partner, I also had a couple of female guinea pigs. They were called Rabbit and Olivia.

Below are some things you should consider before adding guinea pigs to your family. Please see the bottom of this post for links to the websites I used while gathering this information.

• They are very social animals. In the wild, they live in family groups and sometimes form colonies. As pets, they are happiest in pairs.

• They can only store vitamin C in their bodies for a short time. Because of this, their diet needs to have extra vitamin C in it.

• They are curious animals, so they need a stimulating environment. You can achieve this by providing toys, interaction with other guinea pigs and human interaction.

• Guinea pigs only sleep for short periods. Unlike hamsters, they are active during the day and night.

• Guinea pig teeth and nails grow quickly, so you need to keep an eye on these. If you know how to, you can clip the nails yourself with the correct type of nail clippers. You should only ever let a vet deal with the teeth.

Guinea pigs are adorable animals, but like all animals, you need to be sure that you understand and can provide what they need to live a healthy and happy life.

The opinions in this post are mine and do not reflect those of Kelp Social.

References

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/guineapigs
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/guinea-pig/wellbeing-and-care/guinea-pig-care