Yes, guinea pigs are wonderful pets for kids. They are not as fragile as other pets like rabbits and they are generally less skittish than rodents like gerbils and hamsters. Guinea pigs are good pets for school-age kids and older than 12 years old kids as they can individually take care of the pet. They did not require much care and can be handled easily but their food diet is very particular which could be tough for a school-going kid to handle.
Children must be supervised by an adult person and guinea pigs are not harmful at all they just bite while they are stressed out but their bite is not dangerous or painful. Guinea pigs require low maintenance and are very friendly pets and children can enjoy themselves a lot with them. The Guinea pig is also a very good pet for beginners. Guinea pigs are considered good pets for children and also give them a sense of responsibility.
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Why guinea pigs are good pets for small kids?
There are several reasons why guinea pigs make good pets for children.
- Guinea pigs are captivating, adorable, and small in size and make themselves a perfect pet for children. They are not harmful at all but very energetic and playful and also famous for their funny vocalizations.
- Guinea pigs are very fragile and need to handle with care but they are not very prone to accidental injuries if someone is not seeing them.
- Guinea pigs are very joyful pets and kids enjoy themselves a lot with them as soon as children understand guinea pigs’ boundaries. It will teach them how to take responsibility and take care o small pets.
- They are even cheaper than other pets and do not require any kind of walk-in rainy and cold seasons just like other pets.
- Having a guinea pig at home with children make them responsible for taking care of other and things like feeding, cleaning and caring for any pet.
Reasons why guinea pigs are not suitable for you
- One of the major reasons why guinea pigs are not suitable pets for children is allergies. It may be a possibility that anyone can suffer from an allergy to furry animals. In this case, you need to consult a doctor who will make sure that allergy won’t pose a threat to your health upon exposure to furry animals like guinea pigs.
Is Guinea Pig Safe Pet For You?
If you are looking for a good pet that is safe for your children, guinea pigs are safe for beginners too. There are many qualities that a guinea pig has to be a safe and loving pet for your children as well. You need to know a little about them and their diet. They are very fluffy and do not need much attention and care. Here are some facts about guinea pigs that you need to know as a guinea pig owner.
1. Require low maintenance:
One of the best reasons which make guinea pigs be good pet is that they require very low maintenance like other ones. They just require a good cage set-up, require water, and a very simple diet that includes green veggies, some fruits, supplements of vitamin C, and some insects sometimes. That’s all the requirements that a guinea pig wants from its owner.
2. Health issues:
Guinea pigs are very healthy pets and they do not require much medication when properly cared for and have a proper diet. Most of the health problems that occur in guinea pigs are due to high temperatures. You have to provide them with a cool temperature because they do not survive more in hot and humid temperatures. They live around five to seven years usually more than other rodents.
3. Remain active all the day:
Guinea pigs remain excited and active all the time and they are ready to go when you want to go somewhere. Children also remain happy while they play with their pets.
4. Comes in many varieties:
One better thing about guinea pigs is there are so many varieties and you can decide which one you would like to have. They come with short or long hair, multiple colors, and sizes. Guinea pigs have around 12-13 breeds and come in ten to eleven possible colors.
5. Stay happy in pairs:
Guinea pigs love to stay in pairs because they are very social animals and remain happy to play with some partners. So if you are going to buy guinea pigs, it will be better to buy them in a pair so they will not remain alone. One more fact about them is that in Switzerland, it is illegal to buy a single guinea pig.
6. Make a bond with their owners:
Guinea pigs do not want to live alone. When you buy a guinea pig, in starting it will remain dull and sad but after sometimes it will start to play and recognize you and other family members and often get excited when you will try to play with them approaching their cage. They have very keen eyesight and will recognize you as well as your sound. It will greet you by jumping when you come to it.
7. Great choice for children:
Guinea pigs are not fragile so they do not need to be handled very carefully like rabbits. Children can play easily with them that’s why making themselves a good choice for small children. Guinea pigs also love to play with children as they remain automatically very excited all day. In this way, kids will also have a lot of fun and very less chances to get a bite from their pet.
Important points you need to remember
- While you are having a guinea pig as your pet, you need to remember some of the important points about their diet and health which are necessary to keep them fit.
- Guinea pigs always love to eat only fresh vegetables and need some every day. So you have to find out which veggies your pet love to eat.
- Guinea pigs cannot store vitamin C in their body so you have to make sure the diet you are following must have a good amount of vitamin C.
- Fruits should be provided in very low quantity per week as they contain high water contents which can cause health problems in the pet.
- For the bedding of guinea pigs, do not use pine or cedar shavings because they are very toxic to them.
- If your pet has long hairs, they need to be com properly once a week.
- Guinea pig’s teeth grow continuously throughout their life so you have to provide some objects all the time which they can chew and keep their teeth at the desired size. You can give them some apple branches and some toys to chew.
Wrapping Up
Guinea pigs make excellent pets for children and most importantly they are very safe for small kids and adults too. Children also love them because they can play with them for a long time and they awake and remain excited for a longer period. Despite their small size, they make better companions and build a bond with the owners and other family members. Most importantly, they are very healthy and require low maintenance for their living. So guinea pigs are the better options as a pet for children.
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