Suitable Houses For Guinea Pigs

Cedric James

Building an appropriate house is a step to creating a home for your guinea pigs. Always remember, your pets should not only be caged and displayed, they should be cared for and made comfortable.

Living in a house that emulates the natural niche of a cavy not only looks splendid but is essential if you want to keep your pet healthy and bursting with energy. Choosing the best house for your cavy should therefore be done with care, preempting any danger and considering the animal's behavior as it grows.

Contrary to what most people believe, there are no wild guinea pigs out there. Guinea pigs are rather denatured considering the time they are being kept by humans. Nevertheless, they still show signs of wanting to forage and hunt.

A large enough area will be suitable for your cavy. The cage's base should be somewhere between four and six square feet for a single guinea pig. You can increase this by two square feet for each of the next three animals. They are social and they like company. If you are planning to adopt a guinea pig, consider buying three.

For the height of the cage, pick a cage tall enough to discourage the cavy from climbing. You should also be able to reach the bottom of the cage easily for cleaning. A height of two feet is favored by most.

Cages usually come with plain wire mesh floor. This will injure your guinea pig's feet and may cause bumblefoot. To avoid this, you should line the floor, preferably with hay. You can also use hypoallergenic wood shavings or even unprinted paper shreds.

Next, you should then put ornaments and toys inside the cage. Placing a pot inside will give your pet something to climb and hide in. Putting a plastic tube will give your pet a hiding place when threatened. Put logs, sticks and small blocks of wood to satisfy your pet's need to chew. Add some exercise paraphernalia to the cage, like the wheel. Try some rocks to give the cage some terrain for your pet to tackle.

Then place utensils for eating and drinking. For the food, pick a heavy dish, preferably made of ceramic or clay. Your pets can be quite playful even when eating. Sometimes, they may tip the feeding dish and spill the contents wasting the food and spoiling the cage. Also, pick a feeding dish that you can easily transfer from one spot in the cage to another. Guinea pigs like to forage. Give him this challenge to keep him from getting bored.

For drinking, get a drinking dish that is also heavy and not too high. It should be easily accessed by your cavy. You should also be able to remove it easily as you will need to wash the dish and replace the water every day.

Better yet, buy a guinea pig feeder and waterer that fits your cage. This will ensure freshness of the water and the food.

Read more.....

How to Choose the Right Bedding For Your Guinea Pigs

By Cedric James

In nature, guinea pigs love a comfortable place to live in. Putting them in a cage with barren wire mesh floor will not only be rude but painful four your pet. To make your cavy comfy, it would be wise to put a flat base under the wire cage. This will also make it easier for the cage to clean.

As for the bedding, there are different options to choose from. All will depend on your budget and what you think will be best for your pet. There are treated beddings especially made for cavies available online. You may also check on your local pet store if they can offer you good bedding supply.

Wood shavings for bedding are cheap. You can choose from pine pellets, aspen and pine shavings. Like any other natural bedding, make sure that the shavings are either cured or at least dried well.

Only shavings from select trees can be used. Do not risk on shavings if you don't know where it came from and how it was treated. Moist bedding fosters bacterial and fungal growth that may infect your pet. When available, opt for shavings treated to be hypoallergenic.

If you are uncertain of the quality of the shavings, leave them in open air to dry. Also, shavings produce some dust that your guinea pig will inhale. Check for dustiness before thinking of putting shavings in your cavy cage. Ascertain that the tree which the shavings are taken from is not treated with insecticide or other harmful chemicals to avoid poisoning.

Regular straw can also be put in your cage. As long as it is properly dried and rid of hard parts that may injure your guinea pig, it is fairly safe. You can make straw shavings on your own by cutting grass early in the morning (after the dew dries) and leaving it in the open air to dry. If you can spare the effort, dry them with a mild breeze to remove both dust and loose pollen.

Hay will be a good choice for cavy cage bedding. When cured well, hay has significantly less dust than wood shavings. It will also complement the chewing needs of your cavy. When cured properly, it has proteins and a lot of fiber to supplement your guinea pigs diet.

Unfortunately, hay cannot absorb fluids quite well. For this, you will need to replace the hay every day. Look out for signs of molding in your hay. Some pet stores sell hypoallergenic hay. This form of hay is well-cured and treated to prevent causing allergies to your pet.

If you work in an office that spews out a lot of shredded paper, it will also be wise to maximize this resource. Guinea pigs find shredded paper quite soft and comfortable. It is also absorbent. Shredded paper will also produce lesser dust and definitely no pollen. When using shredded paper as bedding for your guinea pig's cage, weed out strips that have ink. Some inks can be toxic to your guinea pig.

Read more.....

What to Feed Your Pet Guinea Pig

By Robert Turberville

Wild guinea pigs or cavies are mainly grazers and live off plants and the stems, leaves and seeds of grass. Pet cavies thrive on grass, hay, fresh vegetable matter and grain.

Grass and Hay

Grass and hay form the principal part of a guinea pig's diet. The safest way of giving them access to grazing is to use a movable ark which can be moved frequently onto areas of fresh grass. Very fresh grass clippings can be used but they must not be left to wilt and ferment nor previously treated with any chemical fertilizers, weed killers etc. Feed good quality meadow hay to your pets. Quality hay is green in color, sweet smelling and should not contain harsh weeds such as thistle and dock. Use a hay rack for feeding to keep it off the floor otherwise it will get trodden and messed on.

Wild Plant Food

Many wild plants may also be fed to guinea pigs and are a useful part of their diet. Dandelions and groundsel are a favorite food plant of guinea pigs, but other weeds commonly found in lawns and flower beds can be safely given to your pets. These include chickweed, clover, coltsfoot, cow parsley, shepherd's purse, sow thistle, vetch and yarrow. Plants to be avoided because they may be poisonous, including bindweed, bryony, buttercup (unless dried), dock, dog's mercury, foxglove, laburnum, nightshade, (common and deadly), poppy, privet, ragwort, sorrel, wild clematis, wild arum, wood anenome and yew. Only feed those plants which you have a positive ID on; if in doubt leave it out. Plants from the roadside or fields may have been affected by road pollution or agricultural spray drift and these are best left where they are - stick to your garden or a known safe plot to gather weeds.

Raw Fruit and Vegetables

Raw fruit and vegetables help provide a regular vitamin C intake. Unlike a squirrel, your pet cavy does not use it's front feet as hands so give them their fruit and vegetables cut up into chunks. They appreciate celery, melon or lettuce leaves which they enjoy but, like dandelion, too much lettuce will cause them to pass urine frequently.

Cereal Food

Cavies need some cereal foodstuffs each day because, unlike their wild cousins, they do not have access to plentiful grass seed heads They can be fed on crushed oats, proprietary grain mixtures sold for guinea pigs, wholemeal bread and possibly bran fed twice a day either dry or moistened with hot or cold milk or water which is the way bran should always be fed.

Feeding Cleanliness

Left over food in feeding bowls may go sour especially in hot weather so remove bowls between feeding times. Guinea pigs trample over their empty food bowls or sit in them and use them as a toilet, and will get pretty smelly. Removing the bowls gives you the chance to give them a good wash before putting in fresh food at the next feed. Don't forget that cavies are grazers and eat little and often so fresh food needs to be available at all times of the day and night. Leave them hay and vegetables to feed on overnight.

Water and Supplements

Guinea pigs can get part of their water needs from fresh vegetable food but water must always be on hand for them to drink from. Drip feed bottles are a popular way of providing clean water but need scouring occasionally to stop the build up of algae. Useful supplements include a mineral lick (bought from a pet shop); cod liver oil in winter; and one 250mg tablet of vitamin C dissolved in water.

Read more.....

Proper Care For Your Guinea Pig

By Chris Short

Guinea pig health considerations must be on top of your priority list if you want to rear strong and happy cavies. You should provide them with a clean environment that is free from harmful substances and bacteria. You should also give them healthy diet plans that are packed with the essential nutrients they need.

Lastly, you should see to it that all of their grooming needs are properly met on a regular basis. Grooming, proper feeding, and appropriate housing are the basic needs of growing cavies. This article will discuss the general care that every guinea piglet should receive.

Proper Feeding and Diet Plans

Guinea pig health is directly related to the eating habits of all cavies. If your cavies consume appropriate amounts of nutrients and vitamins, their life would last longer. It is okay to feed them with pellets because these prepackaged goodies are also packed with Vitamin C. You should also incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet. Keep in mind that pellets do not provide all the nutrients that cavies must receive.

Cavies that eat healthy remain happy. However, start watching how much you feed your pets. Both overfeeding and underfeeding them can cause serious health complications that can lead to illnesses.

In ensuring guinea pig health, it is also important to provide them with sufficient Vitamin C supply. This could keep them safe from scurvy, a disease that causes stiffness of joints and loss of teeth. Normally, a cavy would need at least 10 to 30 milligrams of Vitamins C a day. Give them ¼ of a Vitamin C tablet daily to ensure sufficient intake.

Water should be available for your piglets 24 hours a day. Store their water in sealed drip bottles to prevent water contamination. Change their water supply on a daily basis.

Grooming and Cleaning

Grooming your cavies is an important aspect of developing guinea pig health. Keeping them immaculately clean is equivalent to keeping them away from harmful viruses. You should regularly inspect their eyes, ears, and nose. Once you see any signs of infection, contact a veterinarian as soon as possible.

You should also see to it that their nails are clipped on a regular basis. This could avoid chances of bacteria accumulation in their nails. Be careful while cutting their nails because their toes might bleed if you cut them too short.

Bathe them when they start smelling bad. Use a mild shampoo. Strong shampoos may cause excessive fur shedding, dryness of skin, and itchiness.

Guinea Pig Health and Appropriate Housing

Keep in mind that some bedding materials are harmful for cavies. Do not use straw, cedar shavings, and other potentially harmful materials. Use hay in the topmost layer of the bedding. Hay can provide many benefits. It could keep their teeth from excessively growing. Its softness can also provide them with the comfort they need. They can even burrow under hay in order to relax and hide whenever they want to feel alone.

You could also add some accessories inside their home. However, see to it that the toys you choose are suitable for them. Do not overcrowd their cages because they need ample amount of space to explore and walk around. Change their absorbent beddings at least twice a week.

Read more.....

Tips on Guinea Pig Health - What Are the Symptoms and the Treatment?

By Sherry Young

When you have a guinea pig as your pet, you must know what type of guinea pig diseases that might infect your pet. Extra care and attention should be devoted to your pet as guinea pig is more prone to illness and diseases than other type of pets.

You have to know the health of your pet in general to make sure your pet stays healthy and happy always. Healthy and happy pet makes it more fun to play with.

The following are list of the common health problems that may affect your pet:

Generally, frequent sneezes indicate that your guinea pig might have some allergy towards his surrounding. The material use for his bedding in his cage might be the cause of the sneeze. The bedding is there to keep him warm and provide comfort to him. Change the bedding entirely to a complete new set and see whether that helps to reduce the sneeze. If that does not improve, put the cage in a different location instead. If your pet always rubs his nose and you notice that there is some sort of discharge from his nose, send him to the vet immediately.

Scratches is good to help clear away any minor irritants. But if your pet likes to scratch his body consistently and frequently, this might indicate he has some problem on his skin/body as fungal or parasites might have infected him. You can easily spot any brown insect that cling to his body if you were to comb his hair gently with a pet brush. Just clean or wash that area with a medicated shampoo to help get rid of the lice. You should also clean and disinfect the cage regularly to clear any parasites problem.

Take notice to the colour of the urine. Slightly milky colour is normal but if the urine is white in colour this could indicate the presence of high calcium level in his diet which is higher than the normal intake. If there is traces of blood in his urine resulting to the colour red or pinkish to his urine, this indicate that your pet might have stones in his bladder. Take him to see the vet for further advice.

Your guinea pig will get watery eyes if some foreign elements such as too much dusts or allergy is presence in his eyes. Please head to the vet to seek advice on how to get rid of the irritants. The presence of cyst may also result in watery eyes. If this is the case, you need to get professional help from experience vet surgeon to help remove the cyst.

You must feed him adequate amount of Vitamin C daily as the lack of it may result in him to suffer from scurvy which cause him to have stiff joint. He cannot move properly. The daily recommended intake of Vitamin C should be at least 10 milligram. You can feed him with tiny pieces of carrots as a source of vitamin C.

Read more.....

Factors Influencing Guinea Pig Training

By Cedric James

People would think that guinea pigs have low intellectual capabilities. They are often mistaken as dumb creatures. But this is a common misnomer and should be corrected. Guinea pigs are very intelligent mammals that enable them to perform different tasks and tricks.

Conditioning

Like most creatures, guinea pigs can learn through repetition. The cause and effect of what they are doing triggers a psychological process which is commonly termed by scientists as classical conditioning. It works by telling your cavy that this action leads to these consequences. A very good example of this is when your cavy becomes excited and jumps around every time you open the cage door. The reason is that it knows that upon opening the cage, you would refill the food bowl or set it free on the floor.

Motivator

A great motivator for the guinea pig to perform a trick or task is the presence of a reward such as a treat. What greater joy would your cavy experience than to have a full stomach? After all, being hungry is indeed a terrible thing to experience.

In some instances, pet owners punish their cavies if a task is not performed well. This is not recommended, pets will live in fear and your presence alone will make them tremble. I have heard of cases of cavies getting hit by a newspaper in the mouth if it would demand food. Slapping the fragile mouth of the cavy can lead to all sorts of injury and even death. Therefore, harsh punishment should not be done.

Treats and Praises

Treats are preferably edible nutritious foods. Depending on your pet's preference, vegetables and fruits cut into small pieces are the best choice for treats. Just remember not to give excessive amounts for they might be full and won't find additional treats pleasant anymore.

Besides the treat, additional praises can be added after or before the task. Cavies love motivating words such as "go piggy". Gentle caress on the head can also boosts the cavy's moral and it would feel very happy after it successfully performed the task.

A special consideration to be firm with is not to give treats if the task is not executed. This is only indicated if the cavy has already learned the trick. If you do give the treat, you defy the purpose of the whole conditioning process. Your cavy would think that he can have the treat even if he does nothing.

Owners Responsibility

As a cavy owner, you should know the strengths and limitations of your cavy. Remember that some tricks require strength and youthfulness. Always consider the age of your cavy. Take note that training them earlier is always better. The saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks", is half true and very applicable to your cavy. Old ones can still learn tricks but it will take a little more time and effort for this to be done. In addition, some tricks such as sitting up requires your cavy to be young. Sitting up is when your cavy sits on his butt with his two front legs upward. Old cavies can't do this because they have a bad spine and a decreased in muscle strength.

Read more.....

How Many Guinea Pig Breeds Are There?

By Chris Short

The question of pedigree is a hard one to answer. Just as with domestic cats and dogs, there are a lot of different breeds of guinea pigs, but not all are recognized by governing organizations. In North America, the American Cavy Breeders Association holds power, while the UK has its British Cavy Council. There are a few more such bodies, but to the ordinary pet keeper those things do not particularly matter. What most people want to know when asking about guinea pig breeds are the different descriptions and aesthetic characteristics.

There are about a dozen or so named breeds. Because many of these breeds have "ideal" characteristics in contrast to the natural variability of actual characteristics, confusion may arise. For the sake of argument, we will skip most of the talk on rosettes and focus on the hair length and characteristics as the main points of differentiation.

The body shapes of guinea pigs are similar across all breeds, unlike with dogs and cats where one breed can look vastly different from another. Colors can vary also, and colors are not particularly associated with most guinea pig breeds.

The first on our list is the Rex. The Rex's hair is short and fuzzy, and stands on end uniformly across its entire body.

The Teddy looks kind of like a teddy bear, due to its dense, fuzzy, erect coat. The coat is moderately long, enhancing the huggable appearance much like the stuffed toy it is named after. This breed is quite popular, especially with younger pet owners.

The Abyssinian is another common breed. Its hair varies in length across its body, standing up in clumps or ridges. This creates a messy but rather amusing appearance that lots of pet owners like.

The Peruvian is the original long-haired Cavy. The hair falls like a curtain all around, even in front of the face, and can grow longer than 20 inches (50 centimeters). Trimming and grooming are essential for the best appearance. Such additional maintenance reduces its popularity as a pet, so it is more popular as a show breed.

The Silkie or Sheltie also has long hair, except it tends to flow backward, and never falls forward onto the face like the Peruvian.

Texels are strongly similar to Silkies, except for the addition of corkscrew curls. Mild grooming is required to keep the curls from tangling.

There are a few relatively rarer breeds too, like the following:

· The Alpaca is a curly coated Peruvian. Many of these are first-generation Peruvian hybrids.

· The Crested breed has a singular rosette on the head, giving it the eponymous crest.

· Coronets are long-haired like Silkies, but with crests like the Crested.

· A Ridgeback is genetically similar to the Abyssinian, but with a more uniform coat, with the exception of a ridge of hair running down the spine.

· Abbyruvians or Sheba Mini Yaks are also quite similar to Abyssinians, but with longer hair. The hair tends to curl up and clump, giving rise to the nickname "Bad Hair Day" Cavy.

· There are also hairless guinea pig breeds, but they require a different set of care conditions, and as such are not popular as pets.

There are even more breeds, but these are the most well known ones. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled!

Read more.....