» 6-Page Printer-Friendly CARE GUIDE :: Basic Topics
Guinea Pig Care Guide Overview
A guinea pig can be one of the most endearing and wonderful pets. They may live as long as 9 years (the average is 5 to 7), so the decision to bring one into your home must be made carefully.
Your cavy (the proper name guinea pigs are known by) will depend on you for food, water, medical care and companionship. The advice on this site will help you give your pet a healthy start so you can enjoy each other's company for many years.
DIET -- A basic diet of quality hay, pellets and vegs will keep your guinea pig healthy.
- Nutrition -- Guinea pigs are strict herbivores. Links to nutrient requirements and advice on what NOT to feed.
- Hay -- Find out how to recognize quality hay.
- Forages -- Your guinea pig will love these tasty weeds and grasses.
- Food Chart -- Vitamin C, Calcium, Phosphorus, and more. Use our calculator to see how your diet rates.
- Pellets -- Is your pellet a quality pellet?
HOUSING -- Large cages work best. Discover the best locations.
- Bedding -- Which bedding will work for you?
- Free Range -- Give your guinea pigs a room!
- Cleaning Tips -- Discover the key to easy cage cleaning.
HEALTH TIPS -- Learn the Secrets to Good Health!
Weigh Weekly! -- What is a normal weight? How much weight loss is too much?
Handling -- Want to know the safest way to carry your guinea pig?
Grooming -- How often to shampoo? What is a grease gland?
Clipping Nails -- Make nail trimming part of your care routine.
Exercise -- Just as exercise is good for us, so is it good for our pets.
Quarantine -- Adopting a new pig? Be sure to quarantine!
What's Normal? And What's Not? -- What your mother never told you...
BREEDING -- Female guinea pigs can be sexually mature as early as 4 weeks old.
Find out why breeding is risky and never recommended.
SEXING -- Have two or more pigs? Are you positive about the sex of your guinea pig?
Read these tips to make sure you've sexed them correctly!
BEHAVIOR -- Find advice on taming your new pet, descriptions of chirping, popcorning, and more.
COMPANIONSHIP -- How important is having a guinea pig companion to your pet? Will male guinea pigs always fight? How can I help my guinea pigs to get along?
AGING -- As the years advance, we watch our dear pets age and then pass from our lives. The loss of a pet is heart breaking for many of us.
- Pet Loss -- Dealing with the loss of your pet.
- Euthanasia -- When is it time to say good-bye?
NEED PRINTED INFORMATION?
This pamphlet is a concise reference offering advice on health, nutrition and housing.
Print out a pamphlet (translations into many languages available):
Please enjoy your new guinea pig. (S)he will prove to be a fascinating and wonderful pet. We are happy to share our lives with ours and wouldn't have it any other way!
Forums
Talk with fellow guinea pig owners on these popular forums:
- Guinea Lynx (medical and general care)
- Guinea Pig Cages (great housing advice)
- French speakers may wish to visit Cobaye Aventure · Pour Bien s'occuper de son cochon d'inde
Translations
Translations into Bulgarian of a few Guinea Lynx pages can be found here:
https://guineapigsbg.wordpress.com
Be sure to contact Lynx for permission to translate and post any information from GuineaLynx.Info
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