How to Take Care of a Guinea Pig
The Care and Loving of your Piggy: How to take care of this adorable animal
The life expectancy for the guinea pig is 5 to 7 years. Without your devotion and attention, his life may be even shorter. If you have or plan to get one for a pet, you owe it to him to learn how to take care of a guinea pig.
Since the Spaniards introduced the guinea pig to Europe in the mid 16th century, they have been wonderful domesticated pets. Their life prior to that hadn’t been so great; the Incas used the little fellows for food. If you do not take proper care of your little friend, he might just as well be in South America awaiting star billing as an entrée.
Guinea pigs don’t get very large and can easily be overlooked on the floor or outside in tall grass. The most common accidents of guinea pigs involve falling off of something or having someone step on them. Always know where they are, or get them a plastic ball to roll around in. This gives them some protection from feet and predators.
As rodents, the pigs love to gnaw. If they are not supervised, they will eat toxic plants, electric wires, shoes, and anything else that looks interesting to them. Their teeth grow constantly, so they need safe things to chew on to keep the teeth worn down. Hard wood and bone objects are good for this, just not so small to cause choking.
Guineas have constantly growing toenails, too. They should be clipped once per month with standard toenail clippers. If you mistakenly cut one too short, push it into a bar of soap to stop the bleeding, and apologize to your friend.
In the guinea pig’s cage, put a box with an open end for him to hide in because he is a timid creature. The box can be cardboard, and you can replace it from time to time as it gets worn. The bottom of the cage should be smooth and kept covered with hay, wood chips, or some other type of bedding to prevent his feet from getting inflamed and sore. The cage doesn’t need a top if the sides are 16 to 20 inches high.
Your pig is a very delicate creature. You should never grab him roughly, tug him, or snatch him around. Use both hands to pick up your pig. Place one hand under the hind quarters and the other under his neck.
If you have cats, dogs, or other indoor pets, do not allow them to be around the guinea pig without supervision until you are sure they will not harm him. The plastic ball helps during the process of the pets learning to get used to each other.
Some of the more common illnesses and health problems associated with guinea pigs are:
* Pneumonia and hair loss caused by lack of vitamin C and other required nutrients.
* Debilitation because of age usually won’t happen before four years of age, if he is cared for properly.
* Diarrhea from intestinal problems caused by a diet with excessive sugar, carbohydrates, and fruits.
* Pasteurellosis is a disease caused by bacteria. It causes eye and respiratory infections. This, along with streptococcal infections, usually is caught from other pigs at a young age.
Except for old age problems, most of your pig’s health concerns will be alleviated if you take proper care of him. If he gets sick, antibiotics do not work well in his system, so keep him healthy. Learn how to take care of a guinea pig before you bring him home. His life is in your hands.
