can you give me some tips on guinea pigs?

Question

i would really like to surprise my daughter on christmas with two little guinea pigs,but i don't know a thing about them.can you help a girl out?

Answer 1

Before I start giving care advice, I want to encourage you to research piggies alot before getting them. They are wonderful pets who can be a world and a half of fun. They are highly intellegent and very loving little creatures. They do, however, require care appropriate to their species. I also want to suggest finding some forums or Yahoo! Groups about piggies. They can be a wonderful help to you as you and your daughter are learning about her new pets and if they ever become ill. Ok, the following is a very basic care guide. There is much more to know about piggies, but I'd be here all day if I tried to cover everything.

Housing

Guinea Pigs need to be kept in well ventilated, draft free, solid bottom cages. Wire bottom cages can seriously damage your Guinea Pig's sensitive feet and foot sores can be deadly. Their cages must be kept clean and dry or your Guinea Pig may get sick. Cedar and Pine shavings should be avoided as they have been found to cause liver damage and could kill your Guinea Pig. They may also irritate your Guinea Pigs respiratory system. A bedding made from paper, aspen shavings, kiln-dried pine, hay, or cloth is safer. IMPORTANT! Guinea Pigs should NOT be housed with rabbits. For futher information on why visit http://www.rspcareadingguineapigs.co.uk/index_files/Page1693.htm


Feeding

Guinea Pigs need to be fed a diet of timothy-based Guinea Pig food to get the proper nutrition. They should also have a constant supply of timothy hay to help with digestion. IMPORTANT! Guinea Pigs need Vitamin C or they could get scurvy and eventually die. Most Guinea Pig foods have the Vitamin C required by your pet, other rodent foods do not. Vegetables high in Vitamin C given daily are a good way to ensure they are getting the Vitamin C they need. Guinea Pigs do NOT eat seeds naturally. They are grazers and feeding them seed mixes will make them unhealthy and could choke them. Plain pelleted food is healthier and safer and is typically even cheaper. They should be fed in a heavy bottomed food dish to prevent them from dumping their food on the bottom of their cage.

Guinea Pigs need a clean, constant supply of water. This is best given with a hanging water bottle so the Guinea Pig does not soil it's water. The water bottle should be cleaned regularly with a small baby bottle brush.

Grooming

Guinea Pigs only need baths if they get particularly dirty otherwise they keep themselves clean. Your Guinea Pig may be brushed with a soft cat brush to remove loose hairs. Long haired breeds need extensive grooming and are not recommended for beginners.

Handling

Always hold your Guinea Pig with two hands securely and supporting its body. Children should be supervised while handling any animal. Guinea Pigs should only be allowed out of their cages and allowed to play under supervision and in enclosed "piggy safe" areas.

Answer 2

OK what do you need to know? They come from a foreign country I think it's New Guinea? No ideal. They are very fragile animals. If not handled right you could really badly hurt them! Wire cages are the best for them because it allows some air flow in an aquarium there air is limited. They vitamin c so you'll need to give them slices of oranges. They like hay, or at least mine did. When you go to the pet store to pick them out make sure that it is friendly and doesn't try to bite when you pick them up because if they do bite that either means that they are naturally mean or they a sick and in pain. The short hairs are the easiest to take care of and have fewer health problems. They need salt to. Make sure that you buy them a cage that they will grow into and when they get full size it still is a good size for them. Give them something to do in their cage like a tube or a tennis ball. You'll also need a water bottle, feed dish, and a hay rack. There is also a spray that you use to clean them and then you just wipe it off. Also a wood hut that they can go into if they get scared. If they need to get their teeth down they can chew on that too. Also get males, they are friendlier! Good Luck!

Answer 3

i had one when i was like 3 and it died when i was in third grade. so it doesnt have the livespan of a dog or cat so i would not consider it ( my guinea pig died of old age) there is special food you have to buy for it. you could get it at Petco or Petsmart or Walmart. you have to get an appropiate cage for it. one with a smooth bottom and wire around it. you need shavings of some kind.i would recomend aspen shavings because that way your guinea pig wont have respitory problems(if you use shavings with oils it will cause respitory problems with small animals) you need a water dish or a water dispenser (the water dispencer is easier so you dont get the shavings in the water). well thats about all i know.

Good luck

Answer 4

Guinea pigs make excellent pets, for ages four and up, with supervision of course, unlike hamster and gerbils they are less likely to bite and do not smell if you are changing their cage on a regular basic, Do not you cedar shaving, as they are dangerous to the piggies. I run a rescue and we have placed 1,950 piggies in loving forever homes. Keep in mind when getting a piggy (please adopt) for your child keep in mind that you will be the primary care giver. We get a lot of owner turn ins. The main reason is child lost interest in caring for it. They are easy to care for you need an plastic bottom cage wire on top, bedding, woody pet, care fresh, yesterdays news, or aspen are all fine, a commercial grain for guinea pigs, as the need victim C fresh fruits and veggies, water and hay, alfalfa under six months timothy over 6 month. Oh yes and lots of love,

Try this listed link if in the event you would like to know more about the
http://www.guinealynx.info/

If you would like to adopt a homeless piggy try
http://www.petfinder.com/

Top left corner click BREED (click for list)….. Click
SMALL AND FURRY …..click
Guinea Pig……click

It will then ask you for your zip code; it will list all available piggies


In addition, if you would like to look around ours I did post it, happy piggy hunting.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NJ250.html

If you go with a rescue you will leave know how to take care of them, they will also be guaranteed to be healthy and not pregnant which is not always the case with larger pet store, I will not name names as that would be rude and mean all at the same time.

Answer 5

Guinea pigs take a lot of special daily care to keep them healthy. I know mine (5) are over 6 years old, I could spend an hour on here instructing you but the webs are fun to explore. Piggies are really fun if you take the effort to take proper care of them.So here ya go.

Answer 6

fairly easy to deal with. just have to keep their nails trimmed and give them a block of wood to keep their teeth short, cage needs cleaned regularly, once a week or so, they say cedar chips for the bedding arent the best but ive never had a problem with it, them being handled is always good, keeps them socialized and not biting, they cant sweat so during the summer keep them cool, and if it gets too cool u can always put a towel or something around part of the cage, they feel really safe if you build or buy them something to hide in (as in a little house, 3 walls and a flat roof pretty much). they love their veggies. if u ever had questions you could just call the pet store and theyd help you out. or theres plenty of books out there.

Answer 7

There easy to care for. They do nothing but eat and poop. We use to fill there cage with fresh grass and watch them eat there way out. A hamster is much more entertaining

Answer 8

Do not buy a boy and girl, they breed quicker than rabbits. I suggest two girls as two boys will fight.
They make lovely pets if treated right.

Answer 9

i heard they eat them in peru