Introduction
Guinea pigs are known to welcome their owners joyously with squeak as soon as you enter a room. This is the reason why these welcoming pets are irresistible.
To take good care of guinea pig pets, you need the following:
· At least 4 square feet guinea pig pen
· Since guinea pigs like companion, you should have at least two of them
· Materials for bedding such as pellet-type bedding, shredded paper, aspen shavings and newspapers.
· Food such as vegetables, hay and greens
· 1 quart animal water bottle
· Shoeboxes, empty cans, a flowerpot and a small bush for their hiding palaces
Other important requirements although optional are:
· Vitamin C table for pets and
· Hard-sided wading pool
Here are the steps to follow in bringing home Guinea pigs as pets:
step1
Before bringing home a guinea pig pet, read books, magazines and go online to find out exactly how they behave. These pets require more attention and care than many pet owners may expect.
Step 2
These pets are highly social; they prefer to stay with a companion or two of them other than on their own. Getting her a buddy would make your little squeaker the happiest pet.
Step 3
To reduce fighting and grumpiness, ensure male pets are from the same litter. Female pets on the other hand can live comfortably together on the same pen. And because guinea neutering is not widely available, males and females aren’t supposed to be housed in the same pen.
Step 4:
Sufficient space for running around should be provided. At least 4 square feet per Guinea pig is sufficient, although the spacious the better.
Step 5
They eat delicate food. They shouldn’t be kept in wire-bottom cages. Solid-bottomed cages lined or newspaper-topped pens with shredded paper, hay or recycled pellet-type bedding are ideal.
Tip
You can make an ideal pen from a hard-sided kiddie wading pool
Step 6:
Their main food store needs to be high quality, fresh, Timothy hay. Give them as much hay as possible to satisfy them. Your piggies require the fiber, so munching the hay is the only way to prevent the pets’ teeth from overgrowing.
Step 7:
These pets depend entirely on you to supply them with vitamin C. Commercial feeds supply the required amount of vitamin C. In general, an adult pig requires one-quarter cup of pellets per day. Fresh pellets can be used as vitamin C breaks down. Rabbit pellets should not be substituted because they are not the same.
Tip:
Vitamin C tablet normally confuse many of these pets to be a treat. They should be given a quarter tablet per week. Alternatively, you can crush them over the feeds.
Step 8:
Supply your guinea pigs with a handful of greens and veggies every day. Red paper, strips, dandelion and kales should specifically be supplied because they’re very rich in vitamin C.
Step 9:
Plenty of clean, fresh water should be available all the time because they drink gallons of water.
Step 10:
Cut holes in shoe boxes and avail them together with coffee cans that are empty in the guinea pig pens. These items will provide hiding places to sleep in and play. Overturned flower pots can also do. Although these piggies love plying, they aren’t nimble. Low ramps and moles should be should be provided for exercise.
Step 11:
Allow your piggies sufficient floor space that is devoid of wires as well as any dangers each day. You wouldn’t want them nibble on your computer cords.
Step 12:
Brush long-haired guinea pigs everyday
Step 13:
If you notice diarrhea, sneezing or coughing in the pen, a small animal vet should be contacted immediately. Happy and healthy guinea pigs can live for a decade. So if they’re properly cared for, these pets can stay for a long, nice time. Sometimes excited guinea pigs jump up and down. This behavior is known as popcorning.