cavy care
FRESH FRUIT AND VEG
These are wide and varied and could be any selection of the following
Cabbage (green not white also small amount)
Broccoli
Spinach (not in large quantities)
curly Kale
Romaine lettuce (not Iceberg)
Celery ( small amounts as full of water)
Corn on the cob
Tomatoes ( small amounts because can cause mouth sores)
Courgettes
Sweet peppers
Cucumber (small amounts as full of water)
Carrots
Raw beetroot (no tops or leaves)
Apples (in small quantities as they can cause mouth sores)
Melon
watermelon ( small amounts)
Pears
Grapes
bananna (with skin)
orange (without peel)
strawberries (with tops)
parsley
plums ( small amounts because can cause mouth sorse)
HOUSING
Guinea pigs are social animals who prefer to live in small groups. If you
keep two or more females together, they will become great friends. If you want
two males, it’s smart to choose two babies from the same litter. Since guinea
pigs, like all rodents, multiply rapidly, keeping males and females together is
not recommended.
As a rule of thumb, you’ll need to provide a minimum of four square feet
of cage space per guinea pig—but please try to get as large a cage as possible.
You’ll need a solid-bottom cage—no wire floors, please, as they can irritate
your pets’ feet. Plastic-bottom “tub cages” with wire tops also make great
guinea pig homes. Never use a glass aquarium, due to the poor ventilation that
it provides.
Always keep the cage indoors away from drafts and extreme temperatures,
as guinea pigs are very susceptible to heatstroke. They’ll prefer an environment
kept at 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line the bottom of the cage with aspen or hardwood shavings or some other
form of safe bedding, such as grass hay. Do not use cedar or pine chips—the oils
they contain can be dangerous to your pets. (P.S. Yes, you can train a guinea
pig to use a litter box—but please note that this will require lots of time and
patience!)
DIET
Guinea pigs love to hide when they play, so be sure to place cardboard
tubes and/or empty coffee cans with smoothed edges in the enclosure for this
purpose. Plastic pipes and flower pots are good, too, and bricks and rocks for
climbing will be much appreciated. All guinea pigs need a cave for sleeping and
resting, so please provide a medium-sized flower pot or covered sleeping box,
readily available at pet supply stores.
Commercial guinea pig pellets should make up the bulk of your pet’s diet.
Nutritionally complete, they’re available at pet supply stores, and are made
from plants, seeds and veggies. Feed your guinea pigs twice daily, in the
morning and in the evening.
I recommends offering small amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables
to your guinea pigs every day. Try grapes, cucumbers, corn, peas, carrots and
pears. Half a handful of veggies and a slice of fresh fruit per pig is plenty.
Always make sure to clean up any leftover fresh food before it spoils. You’ll
also need to make grass hay available to your pets at all times. It’s great for
the digestive system, and will also satisfy your pet’s need to gnaw.
Unlike other animals, guinea pigs cannot manufacture Vitamin C, so you’ll
need to ensure that your pets get enough of this essential nutrient every day. A
quarter of an orange will do, but you can also include some fruits and veggies
that are high in C to their daily ration of fresh foods, such as kale, dandelion
greens and strawberries.
Fresh, clean water should be available at all times. Use an inverted
bottle with a drinking tube, and change the water daily.
GENREAL CARE
Remove soiled bedding, droppings and stale food from the cage daily. Clean
the cage completely once a week by replacing dirty bedding and scrubbing the
bottom of the cage with warm water. Be sure everything’s dry before adding fresh
bedding.
Did you know that guinea pigs’ teeth grow continuously, just like those
of other rodents? That’s why it is important that you provide yours with
something to gnaw on at all times. Branches and twigs from untreated trees will
work, as will any small piece of wood that hasn’t been treated with chemicals.
It’s crucial that you get your pets used to you—and used to being
handled. Start by feeding them small treats. When they’re comfortable with that,
you can carefully pick up one pig at a time, one hand supporting the bottom, the
other over the back.
Once you have hand-tamed your piggies, you should let them run around in
a small room or enclosed area to get some additional exercise every day. You
will need to carefully check the room for any openings from which the guinea
pigs can escape, get lost and possibly end up hurt. These animals must be
supervised when they are loose because they will chew on anything in their
paths—including electrical wires.
Guinea pigs are very conscientious about grooming themselves, but
brushing them on a regular basis will help keep their coat clean and remove any
loose hairs. Long-haired guinea pigs should be brushed daily in order to prevent
tangles and knots from forming.
Veterinary Care
If you think one of your guinea pigs is sick, don’t delay—seek medical
attention immediately. Common signs that something isn’t right include sneezing,
coughing, diarrhea and lethargy. Guinea pigs are also susceptible to external
parasites such as mites and lice. If you think your pet is infested, head to the
vet for treatment.
A careful watch must be kept on nails and they have to be trimmed regularly or they will curl and grow into the pad of the foot causing a lot of pain and discomfort.
This task is easy and can be done with nail clippers or specialist scissors readily available in the cat section of your local petshop.
Teeth should be checked and if a broken or misaligned tooth is noticed they should be clipped to an equal length by your vet or a breeder who will usually do this free of charge (the breeder that is, not the vet!) Keep a check on coats and be aware that lice, both static and running, can occur. Running lice are more easily spotted but a shampoo is
necessary to remove them and your pig should be regularly dosed with Ivomec for
parasites in general. This is usually in the form of drops applied to the
hairless area at the back of the ear.
Grooming
Grooming pet short-haired cavies is very simple. A soft brush, used with the lie of the coat or a gentle comb is sufficient. Longhairs need different treatment but there is plenty of advice available in the many cavy books or online.
Ears should be gently cleaned with a cotton pad squeezed out in warm water, not wet, and eyes should always be checked in case of foreign bodies being lodged in them, particularly seed from thieir hay which can cause big problems.
If you have any problems I suggest you go back to your breeder and ask advice first. Here at Quality pet cavies we are always available throughout your cavy's life to help in any way we can.