Guinea pigs are sweet little pets that can be trained and tamed easily. When you are planning to get some small creature to keep your child company, yet which will not be heavy on maintenance, you can go for a guinea pig.
But like any other pet, you need to know a lot about the guinea pig and their habits, habitats, diet, and accessories needed for them.
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Are guinea pigs cuddly?
For those who seek to spend time with their pet guinea pigs, this is good news that guinea pigs love to be cuddled. Guinea pigs are usually much affectionate and cherish the time spent with their owners. Guinea pigs are many social animals and they love to be around their owners. Petting, stroking or handling does not disturb them.
How should you handle the guinea pig?
Do not rush when petting a guinea pig, just be slow and gentle. Do not try to pet them when they are sleeping as that may make them stressed or anxious.
Always try to pet in the direction in which fur grows. Their head is the first area that should be petted and then you can move to the back area. Do not chase a guinea pig when it is not near you or maybe moving from you to pet it.
Which are the most popular guinea pig breeds?
There are quite a few types of guinea pigs but among them, the American or English guinea pigs are most friendly. Also, they are much easily available in any pet store. They are great for first-time pet owners as they are pretty lazy in attitude and thus, will be handled easily.
Abyssinian guinea pigs are also much popular, with their bright-colored coat; you will easily be attracted to them. This is a high-energy creature which will be a problem for first-time pet owners, also the coat needs proper brushing and care.
Skinny pig is another unique-looking guinea pig that looks much like a miniature pig. This pig has a bare body which means they are not supposed to be outdoor for long. There is no need for grooming but they need good nutrition through their food. Also, they are high priced than most of the guinea pig species.
How long does a guinea pig live?
When captivated, guinea pigs may live for 4 years to 8 years. This is their average life span but it can be increased with proper care and also it depends upon the individual health.
What is the diet of a guinea pig?
Guinea pigs usually live on fresh green vegetables and fruits. When they are in the wilderness, they eat the green leaves that are around them dandelions, and timothy hay. They should be fed with at least one cup of hay every day as that will keep their digestion in good condition and also their teeth, which keep getting bigger, will be in shape by chewing the hay.
How can you provide proper care to your guinea pig?
Though many owners think that the guinea pig is a low-maintenance pet, they still have to see the truth when they bring the pet home. You have to engage a good amount of energy and time to look after your guinea pig. You have to spend time with your guinea pig to make it feel safe and settled. Along with that you also have to take it out and socialize with other pets. The time span that a guinea pig will offer will be around 7 to 8 years and you have to make the best out of that time.
Interacting with your pet is necessary to keep it healthy physically and mentally. Also, you have to maintain a good bonding with your pet so it stays happy and keeps you happy too.
Is there any supplement needed for a guinea pig?
If you plan to provide commercially available food to your guinea pig then you should also provide it with vitamin C supplements. As vitamin C is not present cannot be stored in the body of your guinea pig, you have to provide it on daily basis. There are some vegetables that can provide a good amount of vitamin C like broccoli, kale, etc. But along with that, you should also try to feed your guinea pig with tablets or drops of vitamin C.
What kind of habitat is required for guinea pigs?
Though guinea pig is small creature, they need a vast area to live in. If you wish to get two guinea pigs, then the enclosure should be even bigger. For the single one, the cage you brought should be at least 7.5 square feet and for a couple of them, you have to arrange for a 10.5 square feet area.
There should be soft bedding on the floor of the cage where the guinea pigs can play, move or relax. The wires of the cage should not be the place where the guinea pigs will ride, as this can cause foot infections.
How frequently should you clean the guinea pig habitat?
As the main food of the guinea pig is high fiber vegetables and hay, they poop a lot. The enclosure of the guinea pig should be cleaned once a week mandatorily. The delay in this process will create much nuisance like odor and infection of bacteria.
The cleaning is a two-step process which means you have to first clear out the poops and then you need to disinfect the interior of the enclosure. Use some gentle chemical solution to clean the interiors as there will be a chance that the guinea pig will try to lick it if any remnants of this cleaner solution remain there.
Which solution is best for cleaning the guinea pig habitat?
As chemical solutions can cause danger, you can make a natural solution with vinegar and water, by taking it in equal amounts. This solution can be used to wipe the interiors of the guinea pig enclosure. The whole enclosure needs to be wiped off and the walls, as well as bedding, should be cleaned of feces if any.
If you are unable to make this solution at home then there are various options available at a pet store.
What kind of bedding can be used on the guinea pig enclosures?
Paper towels or other paper-based beddings are best for making the bed in the guinea pig enclosure. You should never offer wood shavings like pine or cedar, as these woods release some toxic elements which can cause severe illness in your pet guinea pig. Additionally, these wood shavings cause allergies or attacks of asthma in the humans of the same house.
Does guinea pig make any noise?
Guinea pigs are much communicative and vocal. They make lots of sounds and mostly these are squeaking sounds.
Sometimes they make a sound like “wheek” which means they are in need of food or something else.
The purring sound, which is similar to the one made by cats’ shows that they are in their best mood, content, and happy.
Sometimes they make a growling sound which is uttered when you are keeping more than one guinea pig in one cage. One guinea pig makes this sound to the other to show its dominance over the other. This is usually a slow sound that is hard to identify.
The angry ones make a sound most similar to the chattering of teeth, but it also can be a symptom of a dental problem, so pay attention.
The rarest sound that is made by the guinea pig is chirping like a bird. Not many owners have heard this sound and it is not yet revealed why they make such sound.
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