Guinea pig are very cleaver and sociable animals and love having a comainion if the hutch is big enough to comfortably accommodate them both. If you do have two guinea pigs the best companions are littermates or single sex groups. Never house guinea pigs with rabbits as rabbits are naturally dominant and may try to bully the guinea pig.
Housing They don't need a high cage as they don't jump but need good floor space. They should have soft bedding and be in an environment between 18 - 26 C. In wintertime they should be housed indoors. Living in a hutch allows the guinea pig to live outside and receive plenty of sunshine and fresh air. A good size for a hutch is 3ft wide x 2ft deep and 18in high (91cm x 61cm x 45cm) The hutch should be placed some where in a poition that is sheltered and out of direct sunlight. Extreme temperatures can cause stress to the animal. If your hutch dose not have legs then place it on bricks to avoid becoming damp during wet weather. Make sure the roof is sloping and waterproofed and it overhangs slightly to avoid poor drainage. The hutch should have a door that locke to avoid accidental escape or access by predators like foxes. Hutches Feeding
They should be fed twice a day with a high fibrous diet and vitamin C. In their natural habitat guinea pigs eat different types of vegetation. And domestic guinea pigs are also herbivorous. Guinea pig can digest fibre mor effciently than rabbits but they still need a specially formulated, nutrtionally balanced guinea pig food high in fibre, this helps the gut and wear down their continually growing teeth.
Handling Your Guinea Pig
Most of the time guinea pigs do not mind being handled when done so correctly. When you want to pick up your Guinea pig make sure you talk to it as you approach the crouch in front of your pet and let it come to you, presenting the back of your hand for it to sniff. Gently place your hand across its shoulders with the thumb behind the front legs on one side. Slowly lift the guinea pig and place your other hand under its rump and then place it on your lap or hold it to your chest and very slowly stand up.
Exercise Guinea are frighterned of large open spaces but love playing in a run with plenty of playthings. It only takes a few items to create an exciting enviroment for them. Making sure the security and position are extremely important to avoild any harm or stress to them while playing. Guinea pig activitys
Common Illnesses Guinea pigs are prone to skin conditons and the most common is marge. This is coursed by mitethat burrows in the their skin surface. Guinea pigs can get abscesses which are caused during knocks or fights, and by food that is sharp and has injured the mouth. If you think your guinea pig may have an abseccess you need to take them to the vet as soon as possible. Guinea pigs teeth continue to grow thoughout their life and they need a high fibre diet to ensure the teeth are evenly worn and to prevent overgrowning. If not worn down their teeth can grown incorrectly and this can lead to discomfort, absecsses, anorexia ect. One indication ofdental problems may be saliva around the mouth, chest or front paws and an inability to eat or teeth grinding. Make sure they have a high fibre diret and plenty of hay.
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