Guinea Pig Care
Keep your guinea pig healthy
and happy
Advice on using the right accessories
for your guinea pig
Handling
Young guinea
pigs should be picked up with one hand under their
rear to support their weight the other hand over
the back to steady. With adults you will probably
need both hands underneath one under the rear
the other under the chest . Although they can
be fast moving and so awkward to catch once in
your hands they will normally become calm and
steady. Careful handling from a young age should
ensure a nice tame pet.
The Hutch
Your guinea
pig hutch should be large enough to accommodate
a sleeping area, feeding area & toilet (guinea
pigs will use a litter tray if supplied which
makes cleaning out much easier). A good size for
a hutch for 1 or 2 guinea pigs would be approx.
120cm long x 50cm deep & 50cm high. There
are many hutches of various shapes & sizes
available from pet shops some with split levels
and seperate runs. The addition of tubes &
pipes will help keep your pet fit running through
them as well as providing extra hiding places.
Feeding
Your local
pet shop can supply you with a good staple food
especially made for guinea pigs, but you should
also feed fresh raw fruit & veg. such as apples,
melon, celery, cabbage carrots etc.. Also you
could go out and collect food for your guinea
pig from the countryside such as Grass, Sow thistle,
Cow parsley, Vetch, & Dandelion. But do ensure
you don't pick plants from areas that may have
been sprayed with chemicals. Also beware that
some plants can be dangerous to your guinea pig,
these include Bindweed, Ragwort, Sorrel &
Dock leaves. Always provide fresh drinking water
& a mineral block.
Cleaning
With the
addition of a litter tray cleaning out the hutch
should be made easier. you may use a mild detergent
or one of the commercially available hutch cleaners
to clean the hutch and it's contents.
Bedding
The
bedding should be clean and dry. Straw is ideal
for guinea pigs to sleep in, and you can get small
packs of this from your pet shop. They also like
hay to nibble on. You can use wood shavings to
line the litter tray & bottom of the hutch.
A good tip to prolong hutch life is to cover the
bottom with Fablon or a similar stick on vinyl.
Health
Guinea
pigs are fairly healthy creatures. Heat stroke
can be a problem for guinea pigs in the summer
so ensure they can shelter from direct sunlight
and have fresh air circulating around their hutch.
They may also suffer from very cold weather so
in winter their hutch should be in a sheltered
position and covered at night. If you suspect
your guinea pig is ill (he may be off his food)
consult a vet as soon as possible. Slight wounds
may be treated with salt water or mild disinfectant
solution.
We also
have pet
care and advice sheets for other pets:
Dog
Care Advice Sheet
Cat Care
Advice Sheet
Reptile
Care Advice Sheet
View All
Our Pet Care Advice Sheets
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