I am still new to owning a Pet Guinea pig, and I would like some adivice on caring for them..?

Question

I have read about them being able to run around the house, and them loving to lay with you, the noises they make. I have had her for three months now, got her as a baby, and when my boyfriend left out to sea, I can't seem to make her happy. I want her to have fun, and be happy. Any hints would be amazing. I know she likes the bells, she plays with hers all the time. Thanks

Answer 1

(I didn't know you were from VA Beach (I've been updated by the post of the answer-er below me)! I have been in VA Beach for about six months and my husband is too in the Navy! He'll be leaving for deployment in July. Maybe we should all get together and have a piggie party? Lol.)

Here is everything I know about guinea pigs (things you asked and didn't):

Guinea pigs need at least a 3 ft by 3 ft cage (it should be bigger if you have more than one). It should not have a weaved floor (like a bunny cage). The floor needs to be a solid piece. Choroplast (what business use to make posters) is a heavy kind of plastic that is a good floor material to use. I have it as the floor and two inches on the side so it is easier to clean. Some people just line the bottom of the cage with newspaper, but I find that it makes it more smelly and more of a chore to clean (surprisingly). You can find choroplast at any poster store. They may even give you a discount if you say you're using it for the bottom of a guinea pig's cage.

Guinea pigs need hay (as well as regular guinea pig food) as part of their diet. Timothy Hay is the best hay for guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs need a salt/mineral wheel because they do not get enough salt in their diets out of their native enviornment. They also need wood strips (or anything wood related) to chew on. Their teeth keep growing and in order to keep them under control they need to chew! If you cannot find any salt wheels there are also pills available that you can drop in their water bottles that will supply them with the same nutrients. And your piggie might not eat the whole wheel, my piggie only chews on the wheel every now and then (usually when I'm running low on fresh veggies and fruit!).

Guinea pigs need lots of water so a large water bottle is key.

A vet might be in order if your guinea pig gets sick! If your guinea pigs start eating or drinking less or more than usual something may be wrong with them so monitor them carefully. Also, guinea pigs may pick up mites. This could cause at it's most severe seizures (my guinea pig had seizures when he contracted mites) but mostly it causes his skin to become a sickly color, his fur to fall out and he becomes very (VERY) sensitive to the touch (since the mites are under the skin, you can imagine why). Luckily, most vets are able to give you a sulfur-smelling (rotten egg) "dip" that you can scrub your piggies with using a few cotton balls. Also, they may give your piggies some shots or even a formula to give your piggies orally. But this is all if they contract mites. Since guinea pigs are prey animals they usually try very hard to put off the "I'm-alright" facade. They act like they're fine even if they're in a lot of pain. This is why its important that you really pay attention to your piggies!

If your piggie does become ill it is best to clean out the cage fully. A regular cleaning involves the sweeping out of bedding (pine is best as cedar is prone to causing lung problems) and then washing it down with vinegar (vinegar is best to pick up that stubborn guinea pig poop!). After that wash it again with bleach and wash the food containers using bleach and soap too. If your guinea pig has a hammock (my guinea pig LOVES his hammock ) wash it in the laundry with your rags that you use to clean his cage and items. If your hammock is a colored hammock, don't be afraid to clean it by itself (I have a colored hammock and I don't want to lose that color!).

Guinea pigs are a wonderful pet to have and after enough handling will welcome being picked up and petted (my first guinea pig immediatly liked the attention my current piggie doesn't like it so much but I'm trying to get him to like it over time).

Even though guinea pigs fair well on their own they will be stimulated more with another guinea pig. Two females are best since they are, on average, less smelly and more gentle. Two males are prone to fighting (my guinea pigs were both male and did fight a bit at first but then it just became "don't-come-to-close-to-me-whe... and they both respected each other's boundries (and I worked to put them together over a period of many weeks - so it was a slow process)). And a female and male put together will obviously create mini-guinea pigs!

Guinea pigs love fresh vegetables and fruits (and they need a good heaping serving each day). Most piggies love celery, corn husks, apples, carrots and lettuce. My piggie doesn't like carrots but loves lettuce (as long as it is not wilted). Cabbage, grape vines (not the grapes, they're too squishy), peaches and potato skins are also favorites!

Avocados are posionous to guinea pigs so do not feed them acocados! Pears are also bad for guinea pigs. Your piggies might even like orange peels (not oranges or limes or lemons because they're a little too acidic for the piggies). But they might like the peels. You'll notice with time what your piggies like or don't like.

Piggies also love shredded paper. It's healthy for them to have paper. In fact, when I give my piggie hay I put it in a toilet paper roll tube. It's a toy because he has to wrestle the hay out of the tube but then it's food because he can eat the whole tube throughout the week. (I feed my guinea pig hay whenever I clean his cage - twice a week).

Your piggie itself might become stinky sometime throughout the year. Guinea pigs only need bathed no more than twice a year (there are exceptions, of course). If your piggie is super stinky you can give him a bath in the sink using baby shampoo. The "no-tear" forumla is best!

Most of the guinea pig maintance is an experience. If you notice that your piggies are getting too hot in the summer put a frozen water bottle in the cage (wrapped in a rag so they don't get "burned" by the ice). If they have a lot of poop in the cage before you usually clean it - clean it up. If your piggies nails are getting long - cut them (you can use a normal nail clippers and a buddy to hold your piggies).

Guinea pigs should have something to hide in or under. I use to have an igloo for them to hide in but when his roommate died I bought a slightly smaller cage since my piggie suddenly became a bachelor! Now the igloo doesn't fit but he hides under his hammock when he's scared.

A ball, similar to what hamsters run in, is not a good choice for a guinea pig because guinea pigs are prone to back problems (short legs and long body). Nor do they need a wheel like a hamster to play in for their cage. They do not climb very much unless you introduce unsteep ramps into their cage (depending on how long your cage is some people do add ramps to their cage).

And guinea pigs are vocal! If you place your guinea pig in the dining room near the kitchen he will soon learn where all his fresh veggies and fruits come from! He might even remind you himself if you are running late giving him his veggies! Mine reminds me when I'm running late for dinner (he starts squeaking at five excatly and gets louder and more upset if you don't get up right away to feed him!).

I wish you luck with your pig!

Answer 2

Guinea pigs are naturally prey animals, and for that reason they are quite skittish. To get a guinea pig to voluntarily walk onto your hand or to not resist when being picked up will require lots of time work. Once they are at that tame stage though, they are incredibly social and overall just great pets - definitely worth the money (especially if your rescuing them from a shelter). Guinea pigs are not normally loud, except near vegetable time when they will squeal at you demanding their food. They might also be a bit noisy when communicating with each other (especially if they are males). Of course the noise level of your guinea pigs will depend on their different personalities and preferences. I have my guinea pigs in my room and they are no disruption at all, but just be aware that some pigs may be.

Answer 3

A - They will run around your house, once they're adjusted, just make sure you have all critical areas blocked off (behind the TV, fridge) and don't mind picking up a few poops.
B - Guinea pigs aren't going to run up and plop down on your lap, but they will sit calmly after awhile on your lap when you put them there. Mainly they like to skitter around.
C - Some pigs are more "talkative" than others. I have one that barely makes any noises at all, and two that shriek with joy everytime they hear me opening the fridge or crinkling a plastic bag (which inevitably means they're about to get veggies. In fact piggies will be most happy about food, so use it to your advantage - hand-feed them kale & red peppers and let them know that you = food source

Finally (and ironically) I happened to notice your handle on here and I too am new to the Virginia Beach area, and a guinea pig owner, and my husband's in the navy. (Maybe we already know each other? Hah). This is the dorky site I made for my piggies:
http://www.secondstarillustrations.com/threepigs.htm

And feel free to email me at [e-mail] to ask me more about the area, or guinea pigs, or whatever. My husband's underway for two weeks so it's just me and the pigs sittin' at home =)

Answer 4

A friend will help her immensely. Guinea pigs are social creatures that do better in herd settings.

Check out the following sites for the best information available:

http://www.cavyspirit.com
http://www.guineapigcages.com
http://www.guinealynx.info

Answer 5

If she is allowing you to play with her and pat her then she is bonding with you. All piggies have different personalities. I've found when piggies are alone they're a lot more quiet than when there's more than one of them. Perhaps she would like a companion? If you can manage one, you can manage two and they will be happier and more interactive and noisy.

Answer 6

don't use a pine or cedar bedding as they release phenols which are toxic to rodents. get her yogurt drops or other treats. chew toys are wonderful. cheerios are good little treats for them to. does she have a wheel or a ball? i used to carry mine around in my pocket.

Answer 7

make shore you give it attention or it will go wild make shore its got food and water and cleen its cage weekly also dont let a dog or cat get near it they might want to "play" good luck