Category Archives: How to care for your guinea pig

Comparing Guinea Pig Bedding Options

October 23, 2013How to care for your guinea pigaspen, bedding, carefresh, fleece, hay, towels, vetbedChris Perkins

Using the right bedding for your guinea pig is something that is vital for their comfort.

They will love and appreciate it if you go that extra mile to prepare good bedding for them and maintain it so that they can sit and sleep in comfort.

So here is a guide to that looks at the different types of bedding that is out there.

1. For any bedding that is laid down, this is the first layer that needs to be put down.

Newspaper

Use newspaper as the base material for your bedding. It is absorbent and also helps keep in the warmth and makes cleaning the cage a whole lot easier.

2. Then there is a whole range of different types of bedding that you can use.

Wood shavings

Wood shavings are fine to use as bedding but must be cleaned up regularly. It is cheap to purchase but do watch what you buy.

Avoid any that has dust, as it gets in their eyes and can be very irritable for them.

Also don’t use cedar pine or wood shavings as it contains aromatic oils that piggies will find toxic.

Wood shavings than be purchased from any good pet store on

Aspen bedding

Aspen Bedding is manufactured from natural aspen shavings specifically made to eliminiate the dust and wood debris.

It comes from hardwood so eliminating aromatic oils that are found in other types of wood bedding.

Hay

One of the most popular forms of bedding because you can dispose of it easily .

My guinea pigs love to move it to one side especially in their pig loos so this will stop this from happening. It also makes for a really nice comfortable bed for them to sleep on.

However it does need cleaning out regularly at least a weekly basis.

For bedding, alfalfa hay is the best to use.

For eating, timothy hay is guinea pigs favourite.

Carefresh

Carefresh is a bedding that is specifically designed to get rid of any pet odour. It is very long-lasting and is absorbent with the ability to absorb up to 3 times its weight in liquid. It is also dust free and hypo-alergenic.

All that is needed is to add 1-3 inches at the bottom of a cage.

Fleece

Some owners put fleece down for their piggies to bed on.

Fleece is a very popular bedding material as it is very warming for guinea pigs.

However, it does need maintaining on an almost daily basis as they are likely to pee and poop on it.

Therefore it is not a bedding that can be be left alone and needs to be washed often in a particular way.

This article on fleece is very informative on the subject of keeping it as clean as possible

‘Fleece should be washed with unscented laundry detergent. Using vinegar in the rinse cycle helps as well. Regular detergent may leave residue on the material and prevent the wicking action which is needed for a successful fleece bedding solution. It’s important to wash your fleece and absorbent liners in hot water in order to help kill bacteria and encourage wicking.’

So if you have the time and patience to maintain it, then fleece is a great bedding for your piggies and one that will find very comfortable.

Vetbed

Vedbed is a type of fleece that draws urine to the bottom layer so that guinea pigs can keep dry.

Just keep newspaper underneath which you can then change and clean out the poo. Your vetbed can then be washed as you see fit.

But make sure that you don’t use detergent or softener as it will ruin it. You can purchase it from any good online pet store.

Towels

Towels are a cheap way of providing bedding for guinea pigs. They are absorbent for guinea pigs but they still need to be changed almost daily to ensure that your guinea pigs are completely comfortable. You need not even buy expensive towels, very cheap ones will suffice. Make sure that the Towels are soft, and do not use any fabric softener when you wash them as it will reduce the absorbency of the material.

There are all kinds of bedding that can be used to put down for your guinea pigs. They do vary in price and in quality kits worth trying all the different guinea pig bedding options listed above to see what works for you. You may prefer one particular type to another.

If you can afford it, then do consider investing in good bedding, but guinea pigs will be more than happy with any of the options above, as long as it is maintained regularly.

18 Ways To Keep a Guinea Pig Warm

September 12, 2013How to care for your guinea pigcold weather, fall, keeping a guinea pig warm, keeping a guinea pig warm in winter, winter nightsChris Perkins

We in the northern hemisphere are waving goodbye to summer and although it is fairly warm over here in the UK at the moment, the nights are starting to draw in and you can feel a change in the temperature.

At times like these, guinea pigs start to feel the cold as well sand are not quite as happy in the cold.

So what can we do to keep them warm and in their optimum temperature?

Here are some ways we can keep a guinea pig warm during these months ahead.

Bring the guinea pig inside. Pretty obvious right? But not everyone does it. If you are cold outside then they will be too. They will be much happier in the temperature you are happier in.
Purchase a snuggle safe disk which looks like a Frisbee and can be heated in a microwave in a few minutes and then gives heat to a guinea pig for up to 8 hours.
Put a small blanket in their cage. I have also used old t shirts and other clothing to make caves for them. Anything like this can help keep them warm and snug.
Put lots of shredded paper in the cage which they can crawl under and hold their body heat in. Held in a box of some kind that they can crawl into would be best.
Get a shoe box and cut a hole large enough for the guinea pig to crawl through and put bedding inside. The enclosed space inside will help to conserve their own body heat.
Purchase a pigloo which can do a similar job.
Put a blanket over the cage during the night and then take half of it off during the day time.
Purchase a cozie or a cuddle cup. They’re a big hit with guinea pigs as they love to snuggle up inside them.
Move the cage away from windows and any drafts. These can make the guinea pig very uncomfortable.
Make sure they have another guinea pig to snuggle up to. They are naturally very good at keeping each other warm. If you only have one guinea pig, consider getting another to keep it company. If you have two consider getting three, and so on. The more of them there are, the more they can snuggle up to each other and keep warm.
Have a rice sock. This is an alternative to the heat pad which is basically taking an old sock and filling it with rice. Put it in the microwave for one minute. The rice will warm making it very comfortable for the guinea pig to snuggle up to.
Hot water bottles offer a terrific source of heat during the night. Just put hot water on it, put a cover on it and ensure the lid is tightly shut. Test it out before hand to ensure that it isn’t too hot and maybe add some extra layers of blanket to protect the guinea pig. Make sure that it is covered all the way round it to ensure that the guinea pig doesn’t chew it.
Block any drafts from doors and windows with blankets.
Create a cozy by taking a small box and lining it with fleece that are held by binder clips. Your guinea pig will love hopping into it to keep warm
Create tunnels for them to hide in. These can be purchased or made and guinea pigs love to run in tunnels and will even stay in them and sleep.
If your cage is against a wall then put a blanket between the wall and the cage. The wall is keeping in the heat but will be naturally quite cold if they are right close to it. The extra layer of insulation will help conserve heat.
Consider having a heater in the room to give the piggies warmth. Do keep in mind safety and that it doesn’t get too hot though. Make sure they are also kept well away from it as well.
Guinea pig sleeping bags can be purchased. These are fabulous inventions that can give the guinea pig warmth. They can also made like this below in the video

Keeping a guinea pig warm will ensure that they are happy and contented. You will notice the difference in their behaviour if you keep them in the temperature that they are happiest to be in which is 18-22 celcius/65-75 farenheit.

Hope you found this helpful.

There are probably some i’ve missed off.

Do you have any other useful tips that you could share? Drop them in the comments if you do 🙂

Getting Ready for Guinea Pig Winter Care

September 4, 2013How to care for your guinea pigkeeping warm, winterChris Perkins

So its getting to the end of summer and although its still warm here in the uk my thoughts are turning to the fall and a harsh winter again like we had last year.

It got very very cold here in England and not a good place to have a cavy. I really don’t want to kill it off and want it to get through winter the best way I can make it for them.

This being the first winter of cavy ownership, im investigating the best ways to prepare my guinea pig for a winter in the uk.

From research and talking to experts there are three possible solutions to this.
1. Bringing the cavy inside
2. Keeping it in a shed or outhouse
3. Keeping it outside in an insulated hutch

There seems to be a lot of opinion on what is the best option and so I have broken down the 3 methods of Guinea pig winter care, so they can be considered better.

1. Bringing the cavy inside

If you can bring them inside this is the best thing to ensure that they are ok.
Get them a run or guinea proof a room so they can get some exercise every day rather than being kept in their cage.
They can then spend more time with you and your family and feel part of the household.
It will also be beneficial in keeping them warm and away from the elements
If you can’t bring the hutch inside, then you can buy indoor cages that can be kept on a table or sideboard, they do vary in size though and obviously the bigger the cage the better for the guinea pig. But they will give your guinea pig some protection from the cold.

2. Keeping it in a shed or outhouse

If you really can’t bring them inside then a shed or another outbuilding is the next best thing and will give them good protection from the elements.
Make sure that they have access to natural light and that they have a pleasant environment to breathe. This means keeping away from dangerous fumes.
They need warm, dry draghtproof accommodation. A bed with cosy shredded paper or straw.
They come from south American andes where summer days are warm and nights drop below freezing
Damp is the big killer for guinea pigs
Their sleeping quarters need to be dry
Don’t leave them and abandon them over the winter time. They need lots of attention, cuddles and snuggles over this time.
Affection is highly apprecitated by piggies.

3. Keeping your guinea pig outside in an insulated hutch

Covering up the hutch may kill them as it creates humidity and could end up with difficulty breathing
Insulating a hutch can be done in the following ways.
using a piece of carpet or blanket or cardboard covered by a piece of waterproof tarpaulin can be sufficient.
You can also buy hutch covers from pet stores to cover your hutch. They are great for protecting against the elements but are not so good at heat insulation. So you would need something to insulate underneath.
Make sure you bring them inside on a daily basis if you can so they can get some time with you and your family. Experts say 2 hours a day is what we should be aiming for, but any amount of time you can give them will be appreciated.

Other considerations for Guinea Pig winter care

Its important to keep close to your guinea pig during winter time, so lots of cuddles and snuggles are great for it to feel wanted loved.
It will really appreciate being part of the family which is why bringing it inside the home is the much preferred option.

Another thing that I will investigate is bedding. You can get igloos or pet shelters from pet stores that your guinea pig can bed down in. this is much the preferred option to sticking a load of hay down and expecting the guinea pig to keep warm in it.
When you lay hay down it attracts mites and disease and the guinea pig will often just trample it down. It is better to put hay into a rack of a wire container to stop them from lying in it. This means that they can have good access to the timothy hay when they want it. They can also be washed easily.
Get a good stock of food in, including vitamin c pellets, timothy hay, and ensuring they have a good supply of water to keep them well hydrated.

If you are looking for further reading on the subject then the good people of Cavy heaven have produced a good pdf on the subject which is well worth a look.

Over to you
How have you found keeping piggies over winter time? Is there anything that I’ve missed that could be useful?

Would be great to hear from you in the comments.

Can Guinea Pigs Be Alone? 6 Tips to Help Your Guinea Pig

September 4, 2013How to care for your guinea pigliving aloneChris Perkins

We’re looking at the question, ‘can guinea pigs be alone?’

It is well known that guinea pigs are better when they have others to be around. Guinea pigs are naturally sociable animals and so require company.

But what if you just have one guinea pig, and can only have one guinea pig at this precise time? Is that bad, and what can we do to make its life more bearable.

It is fine to just have one guinea pig.

Although they are social animals it wont kill them to be alone, it just wont be that pleasant for them.

So here are some 6 things we can do as lone guinea pig owners to make their lives a bit more interesting.

1. As they don’t have regular company make sure that you spend regular time with your guinea pig. Experts say spending around 2 hours a day with it will do it a lot of good. If you can spend more, then that’s better.

2. Give them things to do to keep them occupied. A great article on this is this one

3. Let them run around in a room in your home is great for them. I often isolate a room in the house for them to do this, and he loves running around and letting off steam. Do guinea pig – proof the room first and you do have to watch it doesn’t start chewing things you don’t want it to. It is also likely to poop and so tissues, anti-bacterial spray and rubber gloves are necessary as well.

4. Consider bringing the guinea pig inside and putting it in high traffic areas so it feels part of the family. It will appreciate being part of the family and the attention that it brings.

5. If you have a garden, let it loose and follow it around once a day. You will need to watch it doesn’t escape through hedges but guinea pigs are natural explorers and they love to run around and find new things. Don’t get a leash for it though as this can be cruel for the guinea pig.

6. Guinea lynx suggests keeping an eye on its weight as it may start to lose weight due to not eating. Depressed guinea pigs can get like this. If your guinea pig is just sitting in one spot all the time, and not eating and drinking it’s a sign that they aren’t doing good. Spending time with them is great therapy for them, so give them as much time as you can.

So, can ‘guinea pigs be alone?’

Guinea pigs can be alone, however it is not advisable to let this happen for a prolonged period unless you have the time to spend with them to give them the company they need.

A guinea pig will always prefer the company of another guinea pig and then a human’s, however if that is not possible it will enjoy whatever affection you can give it.

A Free Guinea Pig Hay Holder Alternative

September 4, 2013How to care for your guinea pighay holder, timothy hayChris Perkins

Hay is the most important food for a guinea pig to have as part of their diet. It should take up 75% of their food intake.

Unlike other rodents like hamsters, gerbils and rats and mice, guinea pigs don’t need hay as bedding. In fact, when you lay it down for them they usually just move it to the side or even just pee on it.

So its important that the hay is set aside to ensure that the guinea pig can get to it but not pee in on it if they can help it.

You can buy a guinea pig hay holder to keep the hay in and these can be bought from any good pet store. But you can also do this for free very easily.

We finished a kitchen roll today, so I took the inside tube and broke it in half for my two

boars. Then I filled them both with the oxbow western timothy hay ensuring that it was sticking out both sides.

I’ve read about this idea on one of the guinea pig forums and thought i’d try it out.

Doing it this way provides a fun way of getting the guiena pig hay for your cavy. It means they can have some fun rooting into the tube to get it.

They can also enjoy chewing on the cardboard roll as well which provides an additional benefit.

Check out ‘Rocket’ enjoying it here

How Do I Get My Two Male Guinea Pigs To Get Along?

September 3, 2013How to care for your guinea pigfemales, fighting, males, persistent, retreat, two guinea pigsChris Perkins

This is an update from yesterday’s post about introducing my two male guinea pigs together and asking the question, ‘how do I get my guinea pigs to get along?’

Two male guinea pigs living together were always going to be one of the most challenging arrangements that I could make as a guinea pig owner.

Consternation in the cage

Having two male guinea pigs in one cage was always going to cause some consternation and this was no different.

I mentioned that they were chasing each other and there was quite a bit of chattering of teeth.

Separating them

I was quite concerned about them and decided to separate them after a day of them being together.

So I put them each in their separate cages last night.

Both cages are attached to the main run and can be closed off.

This morning when I went to see them, ‘Uno’ was trying to bite his way out of the bars and there was a bit of chattering of teeth when I let ‘Rocket’ out of his cage and into the main run.

Giving them time together again

Even with the chattering of teeth and the occasional rumbling, I released ‘Uno’ and watched them spend time together.

There was a bit of chasing but after a while, it calmed down and they got along with each other just fine.

I was relieved to see that there were no signs of them fighting.

They both made their places to rest amongst the wood in the run and they seemed quite content.

I’m pleased with how it’s going and there are good signs that the two boys are starting to get along.

These things will always take a little bit of time but the signs are positive.

Give them a place to retreat to

What’s important is that you give them their own space to retreat to.

Like many of us, piggies need their own space as well and they value it so make sure there are two separate places to go to where they can retreat to.

Be persistent

If you are worried about the time it is taking for your guinea pig to like the other, or that they are showing signs of not getting along, then do persist as quite often patience pays off and they do grow to like each other in the end.

Sometimes these things just take time!

What Happens When Two Male Guinea Pigs Don’t Get On?

September 2, 2013How to care for your guinea pigtwo male guinea pigsChris Perkins

Putting two male guinea pigs together is never an easy thing to do

We had one male guinea pig called ‘Rocket’ and we’ve been looking to acquire another boar to give him some company.

So we found ‘Uno’ a two year old tortoise shell who was raised by an experienced breeder to put with him.

The way we have done this is to put ‘Uno’s’ cage next to Rocket’s and to help them get to know each other.

The previous owner of Uno is an experienced breeder so we know that there is no problems with him, so I didn’t have any qualms with putting them together.

They seem to be ok together so I decided to bite the bullet and introduce them together on neutral ground.

At first they seemed to get on great and were quite happy sussing each other out.
However after about an hour, Uno started chasing Rocket about and there was quite a lot of chattering of teeth and rumbling

So what do I need to do when my guinea pigs don’t get along?

Two Male Guinea Pigs Chattering Their Teeth

Firstly, just to say that this chattering of teeth is quite normal. It is a signal of wanting to create dominance if its done a little. If it is sustained then the guinea pigs are getting ready to possibly attack.

What about biting?

Light nips and bites are also quite normal and again this is another sign of wanting to create dominance.

At this point I lost my nerve and separated them. They can see each other but cant touch each other, but than through the cage bars.

I will try again tomorrow and will keep persisting. Guinea pig zone is really helpful with this.

I won’t give up

They say to keep persisting and not to back down unless there is real fighting with bite attacks, a combination of rhumblestrutting, raised hackles, and loud and angry teeth chattering, both guinea pigs rear up on their haunches face to face, and a full-on battle.

Even with this posturing, I am glad to welcome ‘Uno’ to our home and think it will work out great in the long term.

Update – 20th October

With another month gone, I’m pleased to say that they’re getting on great.

They definitely need their own space but do share the communal areas well.

They spend a lot of time together and eat together as well. They are always chatting away to each other and seem to enjoy each others company.

There is the occasional chasing each other but there has been no violence.

They do still chatter their teeth, especially when I give them clean bedding or nice veggie or hay. But it’s like them saying ‘hey this is mine, don’t you touch that!’ 🙂

Overall it’s working out great, and I’m glad that we pushed through that initial difficult period.

Putting Two Guinea Pigs Together In 7 Steps

August 29, 2013How to care for your guinea pigbullying, male and female, quarantine, two females together, two males togetherChris Perkins

When they live in their natural habitat, guinea pigs live together in herds.

These often consist of a minimum of two guinea pigs who are sows plus their babies and also dominant male boar guinea pig.

As social animals, they would much rather live in that way so that it gives them much more safety together and they can talk and interact with one another.

So, just like guinea pigs that live out in the wild, domestic guinea pigs much prefer to be around other guinea pigs and love companionship.

With this in mind,

So, how does that relate to how they live domestically today?

Most guinea pigs do live together in two’s and three’s. But sometimes you will just have one guinea pig living alone.

If you have just one guinea pig and you want to introduce another, how can we introduce it and ensure things go smoothly?

image: flickr michael james

Putting two guinea pigs together who have never met each other

If they are coming from two different places then these things need to be considered.

1. For at least 2 weeks, keep them separate.

Put them in separate cages next to each other so they cant see each other but can hear and smell each other.

This is so that the guinea pigs can be checked out to see if they have and kind of disease. Check out this post on guinea pig quarantine.

2. After 2 weeks of keeping them quarantined, introduce them to each other.

The 2 week gap will be enough to allow the new guinea pig to get to know the old.

Do this on a neutral territory where neither guinea pig has encountered before so that the old guinea pig does not get defensive about their territory.

On the floor or in a bath are good places to do this.

Put them into the area at the same time and put some veggies around them to keep them occupied.

3. Keep an eye on what they are doing.

They may act in a perfectly normal way, be aware of them raising their head which basically means that they are trying to determine who is in charge of that area.

Check for raised hair which makes them seem larger than they are.

Also check for yawning which shows that they are baring their teeth at each other.

4. Try not to get in the way unless the fights get bloody.

There may be scratches and biting occurring as well so do be aware of this and intervene if necessary.

5. Don’t give up if it’s not working out

Once you have committed to an introduction, you have to see it through as too many introductions are not good for the guinea pigs.

6. If they have fallen out then a cooling off period is good.

Get them together on neutral ground and give them both a bath with the same shampoo so they have the same scent.

They will hopefully groom each other as well.

7. Separate them if they still can’t live together

If they still cant live together and continue to fight, you may just have to keep them in separate cages side by side which allows them to see and speak to each other but just not fight.

Other questions

Can an older male and a younger male guinea pig live together?

They should get along fine but they will look to establish dominance by biting the younger male.

Put them together but keep an eye on them and if they fight, put them in separate cages on more neutral territory.

If guinea pig males live together it is much better if they are from the same litter.

If you are going to put two males together then it is better to have one dominant one and one shy one as if you have two dominant males together they are much more likely to fight.

By having a more timid one with a dominant one, they are much more likely to get along.

Do watch out for bullying behavior though.

Shy submissive guinea pig’s will not enjoy being bullied not surprisingly and it may cause a lot of nervousness and depression with the submissive.

The dominant one can bully by not allowing access to the food or water bowl,but this can be sorted by having two food bowls in different areas of the cage.

If a guinea pig is being bullied it is far better to separate them rather than keeping them in the same cage. If they do stay in the same cage then make sure that they both have their own territory and hideaway space to go to to escape the other.

Can a male guinea pig live on its own?

If guinea pig male lives on its own, this is okay providing it is given lots of attention as they do get lonely easily.

It will need at least 2 hours a day with you amongst your daily routines, a good thing to do is to cuddle it whilst you are watching tv so it can have some affection from you.

Can male and female guinea pigs live together?

Male and female guinea pigs should not live together on a permanent basis, they will need two separate cages.

They really should not be breed by anyone except for an experienced breeder.

If you do want to keep them together then it would be worth neutering them before hand to ensure the female does not get pregnant.

Can two female guinea pigs live together?

Female sow guinea pigs will almost always get along okay.

It is quite rare that they will fight each other and so will just accept each other’s company when you put them in the same cage.

When you do put two guinea pigs together make sure that they both have somewhere to retreat to so that they have their own territory which does not belong to the other.

Something like a cardboard box or a hideaway should be sufficient for this.

What if it does not work out between the guinea pigs?

You need to be prepared for this possibility.

If you’ve tried your hardest but they just don’t get on with each other, the next step is to separate them into different cages but allow them to see and smell each other.

Sometimes it just doesn’t work out and the best thing is to keep them separated for their own good.

image: flickr danielhall

Guinea Pigs and Cold Weather

August 27, 2013How to care for your guinea pigcold, cold weather, winterChris Perkins

With August drawing to a close, I’m starting to think about the coming fall and winter time drawing in.

This brings new challenges as the owner of a guinea pig.

One of my concerns is how guinea pigs feel the cold.

Its good to be aware of this so I know when to bring my guinea pig inside as the hutch is currently sitting out in the garden.

Do guinea pigs feel the cold?

Due to its compact, body guinea pigs can tolerate the cold more than we think they can.

It can certainly tolerate the cold more than the heat.

It has a normal body temperature of 38-40 degrees Celsius and so has a very similar air temperature to humans which is between 18-24 degrees Celsius. This means that they feel the cold in a similar way to what we as humans do.

top image flickr mike scott

above image: flickr darren johnson

One thing they do not like is if they are exposed to drafts or wind and do not respond well to any kind of conditions like this.

So as guinea pig’s owners, its important we keep track of the conditions our guinea pig’s are living in. Especially if they are kept outside.

Here’s an interesting quote I found on the subject at this site

“Sutherland and Festing (1987) recommend the following conditions: Temperature 18-22C, 8-20 air changes/h, relative humidity 45-70%, 12-16h light/day cycle. Group- housed guinea pigs provided with bedding withstand colder conditions, but neonates have reduced survival at temperatures below 17C. Temperatures over 30C are not tolerated well, particularly by pregnant sows.” (The Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science Australia).

Guinea pigs and cold weather don’t go well together.

Because they have a similar feel of the climate to us, a good guide to how they are feeling with the climate is how you are feeling. If you are too cold to be outside, then your guinea pig is probably too cold.

If you are fine being outside without a jacket, then its a good sign that your guinea pig is fine being outside as well.

When should I bring my guinea pig inside the home?

At the moment we are in the heart of summer time here in the United Kingdom.

The weather is pretty good and I haven’t worn a coat in 4 months.

I feel pretty comfortable about leaving my guinea pig outside as I like being outside and we are averaging temperatures above 23 degrees Celsius.

When it starts to get colder, I will start to think about moving my guinea pig inside and into the warm.

Some owners feel that outbuildings are sufficient for a guinea pig in winter with some extra insulation being put on the hutch to help keep out the cold. Others disagree, and recommend bringing the guinea pigs inside the home.

I guess it depends on how severe your winter’s are and how insulated your outhouses are. Some owners always keep their guinea pig in outbuildings and have got on fine with this situation.

One thing that does need to be considered is when they are outside, that they really shouldn’t be in temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius even if they have bedding and other warm paper or cloth around them.

If the temperature falls below that marker, then its time to bring them inside, either inside your home or an outbuilding.

This is why its good to keep an eye on the weather temperature to make sure a guinea pig isn’t suffering in silence!

Handling guinea pigs for the first time

August 18, 2013How to care for your guinea pigbite, calming a guinea pig, care, guinea pig legs, handling, handling a guinea pig, lifting up, nails, picking up, stroking, stroking a guinea pigChris Perkins

How do you handle a guinea pig for the first time?

Being carried is not something that guinea pigs are very used to and are likely to be tricky to handle the first time you try and pick them up.

However, they are the type of animals that love affection and having company around them.

The great thing is the better you handle them, the tamer they can become.

Picking up your guinea pig for the first time can be a tricky thing because they aren’t used to you and will be scared and intimidated by a foreign hand approaching them.

But with a bit of care it can be done well.

How to handle a guinea pig for the first time in 6 steps

1. Start by guiding it to the corner of its home

2. Place your right hand around its shoulder

3. Put your left hand underneath your guinea pig so as to support their weight.

4. Lift up the guinea pig

5. Allow the back toes to go between the fingers of your left hand

6. Let the front legs rest on your wrist

By picking up the guinea pig in this way then you Will not be in danger of being scratched by the sharp nails of the guinea pig.

Holding your guinea pig is vital in order to build up a bond between you and them. By holding it often you can ensure that it gets to know you and it begins to trust you.

Some points to consider when handling your guinea pig

If you are holding your guinea pig then you do need to be concerned about these things;

Try not to keep a guinea pig out of its home long enough that it pees or poo’s on you. It will not discriminate where it does its business. A good time frame for being out of the cage is between 10-15 minutes.
Guinea pigs are able to kick and it is in their nature to do so. When you feed them, this is something they may do. It isn’t something that happens a lot but is something to be aware of.
Your guinea pig may look to bite your fingers if you hold them close. This is because they think it is food for them to eat not because they are attacking you. Guinea pigs are not attackers but will try and eat most things.
They love to be stroked on the neck, under the chin and on the head between their ears. This can be a very calming thing for them and they will often appreciate it with a purr.

Over to you

Is there anything I’ve missed here that needs a mention. I would love to hear from you in the comments.

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