So you want to adopt guinea pigs....
Guinea pigs are magnificent creatures. But they are not for everyone. They are not “starter” pets, despite what the pet stores will tell you. They do require daily care. If you are thinking of adopting guinea pigs, please watch this video from Scotty’s animals on the 10 steps you should take before adopting guinea pigs. Every step is very important in deciding if guinea pigs are right for you and your family.
Pre-Adoption Checklist
Here is a list of Must-Have Supplies to have when adopting a guinea pig. Please view further in the page for details on what is appropriate and links of where to buy!
- Appropriate Enclosure
- Bedding/Liners
- Hay
- Pellets
- Veggies
- Vitamin C
- Water Bottle
- Food Dish
- Hay Box
- Hidey
Local Exotic Veterinarians
**Please note that I have not used all of these vet clinics, I have just collected the clinics that will see exotic pets. Vegas Friends of Guinea Pig Rescues uses Aloha Animal Hospital as a primary veterinarian for our guinea pigs.
Feeding Guide
Guinea pigs have very sensitive digestive systems that can disrupt easily, so it is important to know what you can and cannot feed them.
Hay: Having an unlimited supply of hay at all times is CRUCIAL to guinea pig ownership. Hay is 80% of a guinea pig’s diet! Guinea pigs must be able to munch on hay anytime they want to. In addition to keeping their digestive systems going, the hay also helps to wear down their teeth since a guinea pig’s teeth never stop growing! Guinea pigs can have Timothy or Orchard hay, they cannot have alfalfa because it is too high in calcium.
Pellets: Each guinea pigs should have only 1/8 cup of pellets a day, so if you have two guinea pigs, you can give them 1/4 cup of pellets in their bowl. You should not feed unlimited pellets. You want your guinea pigs to eat mostly hay to keep their teeth down, if you offer unlimited pellets, they will eat the pellets instead of the hay. When picking your pellets, make sure it is pellets only, no other little pieces of food or treats, otherwise they will only pick out the things that are not as good for them. The rescue uses Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig Food.
Veggies/Fruits: Guinea pigs cannot make their own Vitamin C, so having daily veggies that have high amounts of vitamin C in them is very important. A lack of Vitamin C can lead to health issues such as scurvy. Guinea Pigs should have 1 cup of fresh veggies a day. NO frozen veggies or fruits! Fruit should be given in moderation as they contain high amounts of sugar. See below links/documents on what can and cannot be fed to your guinea pigs. When in doubt, please go a google search to find out if your guinea pigs can
Treats!!
There are so many guinea pigs treats on the market and sold in pet stores that are NOT good for guinea pigs! Some even have labels and pictures of guinea pigs on the packaging.
If you are unsure on if a treat or toy is good for guinea pigs, please do your research. Here are some of the good and bad to get you started:
NOT good for your guinea pigs:
- Yogurt Drops (guinea pigs cannot have dairy)
- Anything with seeds on/in it (choking hazard)
- Dyed wood/products (A lot of the Kaytee products)
GOOD for your guinea pigs:
- Pea Flakes (more on that below)
- Most anything made by Oxbow or Small Pet Select
- Herbal Forage
Here is a link to Scotty’s Animals and his take on treats. PS- bonus- if you check out his website he has a 15% of coupon for Small Pet Select!
Pea Flakes
If you have ever adopted or fostered with me, you will know that I am a total fan of pea flakes. Pea flakes are like guinea pig crack. They love them, they go crazy for them, they look forward to them every night. And the best part is, they love it so much that they will dare to eat it out of your hand, which encourages bonding. One of the best parts of watching a rescued foster come out of his/her shell, is watching them taste pea flakes for the first time. And then come back for more! While pea flakes are awesome, they still need to be given in small quantities. I give mine 3-4 pea flakes a night, maybe 5 if they are being extra cute.
You can buy pea flakes from Guinea Dad, Small Pet Select and various stores on Etsy. If you are crafty, you can even make your own! They are literally just smashed, dried peas. Nothing more.
The Importance of Properly Sized Guinea Pig Cages: How to Keep Your Furry Friends Happy and Healthy
The most important part of having guinea pigs is to have the proper enclosure. Guinea pigs need room to be able to move around a lot, do zoomies and popcorn around. Increased movement lessens the likelihood of bladder stones and keeps your guinea pigs healthy. You generally cannot buy an appropriate enclosure at a pet store so please plan on ordering one online or finding a used one on Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp.
There are generally two concepts for a guinea pig cage: a C&C enclosure, or a Midwest Enclosure.
A C&C enclosure is made of grids and is highly customizable. You can make different configurations and can always expand the size. Below are some affiliate links to C&C enclosures. The preferred minimum size is 2×4, but the bigger, the better!
https://guineapigcagecompany.com/
https://www.crittercolonyclub.com/
The other option is a MidWest enclosure, which is what you have likely seen at the rescue. A Midwest would be recommended for a female pair, or a young male pair, but if using for a young male pair, you will need to upgrade within the next few months as they grow.
You can link two Midwest enclosures together to make a perfect sized enclosure! Below is a link on Amazon to purchase a Midwest Enclosure:
**Most pet stores DO NOT sell enclosures that are appropriate for guinea pigs! Always check the dimensions before purchasing!
There are also a lot of DIY options. I personally used this tutorial from Squeak Dreams and made an enclosure for my personal female herd of four!
Fleece or Bedding? That is the question....
There are two options when deciding what kind of material to use for your enclosure. Fleece or bedding. There are pros and cons to each selection and you may have to try both before deciding which one you prefer and what works best for you.
DO NOT use pine or cedar bedding, it is bad for their lungs and can cause respiratory problems. Use fleece liners and pads or paper bedding. They poop 40 times a day and pee every 30 minutes (literally) so the cage has to be cleaned a lot. If not, they can get a respiratory infection.
Fleece: fleece is the choice of many guinea pigs owners, including myself. The pros of having fleece is that good fleece lasts a long time, you can customize your enclosure with all the cute prints and it gives your guinea pigs a soft area for their feet. There are several companies that make fleece liners such as Guinea Dad and Kavee, you can buy handmade lines on Etsy from numerous shops, you can make your own if you are crafty with a sewing machine, or you can simply buy pieces of fleece and an absorbent layer and lay them down in your enclosure. There must be an absorbent layer under the fleece to draw the wetness away from the top. Most people use u-haul furniture pads, but towels will also work. There are many YouTube videos on making your own fleece liners. The downside to using fleece is that it can be costly up front to buy the liners, and you also have to wash them, which can take a toll on your washing machine if you have a lot of guinea pig laundry. There are laundry bags you can buy that you can put all your fleece items in and then put in your washing machine.
https://www.theplushpiggie.com/
https://www.guineadad.com/collections/guineadad-liner-2-0
Bedding:
There are two options for bedding: Aspen shavings/paper bedding or fleece. NEVER use pine or cedar bedding as there are toxic poisons in them that can harm your guinea pig.
Aspen bedding has pros and cons. It can be an on-going expense versus buying fleece just one time. It can also be messy. But it does not need to be cleaned as much. You can buy Aspen bedding at Small Pet Select, PetSmart (Full Cheeks brand) or Tractor Supply Store.
https://shop.smallpetselect.com/collections/bedding-for-guinea-pigs
https://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/litter-and-bedding
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/premier-pet-aspen-pet-bedding-20-cu-ft-2419378