19 Tips For Looking After Your Guinea Pig
Looking after your Guinea pig can be difficult work if you don’t understand what it takes to take care of a guinea pig.
Guinea pigs are adorable pets with lots of personalities, and they’re easy to care for.
If you want to know how to take good care of a guinea pig, keep reading!
The following are some common tips for looking after your Guinea pig:
Make sure the guinea pig cage is cleaned regularly
Cleaning the cage at least once a week is essential in keeping your guinea pig healthy and happy.
You can use mild soap and water, or you can use a special pet shampoo that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals.
Remove any soiled bedding and rinse well with fresh water before replacing it in its proper place within the enclosure.
Dry thoroughly before replacing bedding for reuse later on!
The guinea pig cage should be cleaned regularly. A good way to keep it clean is by using a toothbrush, duster, and disinfectant solution.
It’s also important to always keep water bottles fresh and clean as well as food bowls.
Weekly, you can give your pet a bath using warm water and antibacterial soap (diluted with water).
You can use cotton balls or paper towels on the floor of their bedding area as well if they get dirty.
However, we recommend only doing this once every few weeks so that your pets do not get sick from bacteria buildup in their environment all too often!
Lastly: when cleaning out toys or anything else inside the cage such as rubs or mats etc.
Make sure that no harsh chemicals come into contact with these items since they could cause severe harm if ingested accidentally by accidentally swallowing them whole…
Read more: 9 Ways To Make Your Guinea Pig Love You.
Feed your Guinea pig the right food
Guinea pigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal food.
They should be fed a healthy, balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, hay, and pellets.
Guinea pigs do not need to be fed chocolate or avocado; these foods can cause digestive problems in guinea pigs if eaten too often.
In addition to being safe for guinea pigs to eat themselves (or at least not poison them).
Fresh produce is more nutritious than store-bought treats like dried fruits and vegetables because it contains more vitamins and minerals than commercial treats do.
Make sure the guinea pig is vaccinated
Make sure the guinea pig is vaccinated and up-to-date on its shots.
The guinea pigs that you adopt should already have been vaccinated, but it’s still important to make sure they are up-to-date with their shots.
Guinea pigs that have not had their vaccinations may be more susceptible to illness than those who have been vaccinated regularly.
If you notice any unusual behavior in your guinea pig or if he becomes ill after receiving a vaccination.
Contact your veterinarian immediately so he can check his health status and see if additional vaccines are needed at this time.
Read more: 10 Top Guinea Pig Sick Symptoms.
Make sure the guinea pig is exercised
Guinea pigs are naturally active, but they can get bored easily.
If your guinea pig is not getting enough exercise, then try to give them something new to do each day.
Providing a variety of toys is a good way to keep your pet entertained. You may want to consider getting him or her some of the following;
A Kong toy filled with treats that he can chew on for hours at a time.
A hidden treat dispenser; or even better yet, make one yourself!
Read more: 11 Top Signs Your Guinea Pig Is Happy.
Keep records of your guinea pig’s health
Keeping a diary of your guinea pig’s health is an important part of caring for them.
You can use it to record any changes in behavior and how you respond to them, as well as any changes in weight or eating habits.
For example, if your guinea pig has been eating less than usual or not at all (or even vomiting) then write down that information in the diary so that you know what needs to be done next time around.
Keep an emergency veterinary kit on hand
An emergency veterinary kit is a good idea to keep on hand in case of an illness or injury.
It’s also a good idea to make sure the following items are included:
- Tweezers
- Plastic bags (for small rodents)
- Paper towels and cotton swabs, as well as antiseptic wipes and disinfectant spray (use hydrogen peroxide for wounds).
Keep a close eye on their weight
If your guinea pig is gaining weight, you should check its weight regularly and make sure that they’re staying at a healthy weight.
If the guinea pig is overweight, cut back on the amount of food you give them for several days or weeks until their body naturally returns to its normal state.
If your guinea pig is underweight, increase its daily feeding from 1/3 cup per day up to 1/2 cup per day until it reaches its ideal weight range (or as close as possible).
Make sure they always have access to fresh water
Guinea pigs need to drink a lot of water. They have a relatively high body temperature and need to keep it cool by drinking lots of fluids, which can lead to dehydration.
Guinea pigs are not big drinkers, so you’ll want to make sure that their water supply is always fresh, clean, and full-tasting.
If your guinea pig’s water bottle has a removable cap (like most plastic bottles do), take this off before filling it with tap or filtered tap water—this will allow your pet access at any time!
Give them lots of attention
Guinea pigs are social animals, so it’s important to give them enough attention.
If you don’t provide your guinea pig with attention, they can become bored or stressed out. This will affect their behavior and make them more prone to getting ill.
Guinea pigs need stimulation in order to stay happy and healthy—and one of the best ways to do this is by playing games!
You can use treats as rewards for tricks or simply play with them on occasion while they’re awake (the best time).
Get them a companion or two
As a general rule, guinea pigs need to be around other guinea pigs. They’re social animals and will enjoy the company of their fellow piglets.
But not only that: if you want your pet to get along with others in his or her new home.
Then it is crucial that you provide him or her with plenty of company when he or she first arrives at your house (or wherever else he or she might end up).
Guinea pigs can be very social animals who thrive on companionship and interaction—and they don’t like being alone either!
So if you plan on getting more than one guinea pig as a pet in your household, make sure they have plenty of opportunities to play together and interact socially.
Give them plenty of time out of their cage every day
Guinea pigs need to run around. They need space to play and explore, and this is especially important for guinea pigs who live in cages.
But don’t worry: you can still give your guinea pig lots of exercises even if he or she is confined within a cage all day long!
Guinea pigs are social animals, which means that they love interacting with other members of their species—including humans!
It’s important for them to have access to a variety of different environments (both indoor and outdoor) so they can get used to being around other animals as well as humans.
This will help reduce any stress-related behaviors such as biting or tail whipping while also providing opportunities for exercise without stressing out the animal too much at once by forcing him/her into a tiny space when needed.
Guinea pigs need room to live and play in
Guinea pigs need space to live and play in. They should have a cage that’s at least 12 inches high, with a small door for easy access.
A guinea pig will typically spend most of its day in the cage with some freedom to get up and down easily, but it also needs somewhere private to sleep at night.
Guinea pigs are nocturnal animals, so you’ll probably want to provide your pet with an area where it can hide during the daytime hours when you’re not home or asleep yourself!
Keep noise and excitement to a minimum near their cage
Guinea pigs are easily startled, so keep noise and excitement to a minimum near their habitat.
If you’re planning on getting a guinea pig, make sure you have a place for it to run around and play.
Don’t use dust-extraction products that can harm the environment your pets live in.
- Dust-extraction products can harm the environment your pets live in.
- Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
- Carefully clean the guinea pig’s cage and bedding, especially if you are planning on cleaning it frequently.
- Use damp cloths to wipe up any messes or spills on floors or furniture—you don’t want any harmful chemicals lingering in your home!
They’re easy to handle and fun to play with!
Guinea pigs are social animals who enjoy being petted and held.
They like to play with toys and other objects, such as sticks or balls.
They also love treats of any kind—sweet potatoes, fruits, vegetables—and will eagerly wait at the door for their owners to hand them over!
You can take your guinea pig outside for playtime in its habitat area (which you should provide), or simply sit on the floor with him/her in your lap while he explores all around you.
Feed your guinea pig fresh vegetables and hay
The main thing you need to know about feeding your guinea pig a diet is that it needs to be high in fiber and low in fat.
Guinea pigs have an insatiable appetite for fresh veggies, but these foods shouldn’t be canned or processed.
They can also enjoy hay, which is rich in vitamins and minerals like iron and calcium. Hay should be replaced daily so that it stays fresh for your pet’s enjoyment!
Make sure the guinea pig is handled gently
A Guinea Pig is a delicate creature that needs to be handled gently. The following are some ways to ensure you are doing this:
- Don’t pick up the guinea pig by its tail, as this can cause injury to the spine and other internal organs.
- Don’t hold it too tightly. Guinea pigs have very thin skin, so squeezing them might cause bruising or other injuries if they don’t get used to being held tightly first (or at least from time to time).
- They also like space! You should always let your guinea pig roam around freely in an area where it will feel comfortable without getting stressed out by being picked up or squeezed too tightly in any way possible.
- Don’t drop lids on their heads (or anywhere else), especially with children around who might not understand why it’s important not to mess around with these animals’ bodies even though they’re just toys made out of plastic anyway which shouldn’t have anything attached directly onto them anyway…
Change your guinea pig’s water bottle twice daily – once in the morning and once in the evening
- Change your guinea pig’s water bottle twice daily – once in the morning and once in the evening.
- Make sure the water bottle is clean. This can be done by washing it out with soap and water, or even putting it through a cycle of boiling, then freezing. If you have an old one that no longer works well, replace it with a new one!
- Check for leaks by filling up a glass or bowl with water and placing your guinea pig on top of it; if anything comes out when they drink from this source (like drops of liquid), then there may be an issue with how much air gets inside their cage as well as with how tightly connected its lid is to its base—check both sides carefully before deciding whether something needs to be fixed!
Look carefully at its eyes to ensure they’re clear and bright, not cloudy or sunken
One of the first things you should do when caring for your guinea pig is to look carefully into its eyes.
They should be clear, bright, and not sunken or cloudy. If they are, then something may be wrong with your guinea pig’s health.
- Sunken eyes can indicate dehydration and can lead to eye infections if left untreated. The best way to prevent this is by ensuring proper hydration levels in the cage as well as providing fresh water every day at all times!
- Cloudy eyes can also indicate an infection—so try cleaning them out with some warm water first before taking further action on any other signs that may suggest an issue with these precious animals’ health (like vomiting).
Conclusion
Guinea pigs are fun and playful animals, but they also need plenty of care.
If you want to care for a guinea pig well, there are many things you can do to ensure its well-being.
Remember that Guinea pigs can live up to 8 years or more, so it’s important not only to keep them clean but also to provide a good diet.