Can You Have Too Many Guinea Pigs?

By Hugh Thomas

In most every guinea pig person's life, the question arises: exactly how many pigs are enough? Is one pig adequate, a pair of pigs the right quantity, three piggies, or should our home be converted by us into a refuge for abandoned and undesired guineas? Obviously, it is your own preference, but there are certainly a few things to consider.

First, an individual pig is usually a lonely pig. Now, if you are in a position to spend a great amount time with your pig everyday, then you can actually ameliorate a little of your pig's loneliness. But personally, when I'd only Grover the Rotund, I felt guilty leaving him throughout the day when I was at the office. Therefore, after about three months of experiencing a single pig, I adopted Buster [the Docile]to be Grover's cagemate. Two is just a perfectly significant amount of guinea pigs. And those two were hitting it off pretty well. I undoubtedly had enough pigs. Yet after a couple months after acquiring Buster, I starting experience the undeniable need for another. And hence, enter Wendal the Hairless Wonder.

Now that I've my three, I'm positively done with putting guinea pigs to the herd. Yet, Icabsolutely understand how a few of my fellow GPP's (Guinea Pig People) have found themselves in the positioning of owning 25 or so guinea pigs. They are just so darn cute, each so unique. And we are weak. It is so easy to keep getting just one more.

Pigs in herds are an appealing display to observe. They've their own social order, their own methods of play, their own unique language of sounds. I just like to watch my herd -- they are an absolute hoot!

Obviously, you can't group non-neutered mixed sexes. Otherwise a set of pigs will begin to turn into a dozen. Boys should only be held with others, although it is usually a risk to try and add new boars. Often they'll intimidate and scrap, leading to being divided or snipped at the vet. The others get on good, with little if any squabbling. Girl pigs, like people, an average of do not actually fight, though who knows if they gossip concerning the the others, and have periods where they do not talk to each other.

Most significantly, if you're planning to have multiple pigs, you absolutely must have adequate cage room for them. I would recommend an 3 square feet for each new pig, and at least 5 square feet for the initial one. More space is always better.

About the Author:

In addition to being sweet, amazing, and adorable, Guinea Pigs are also fun! To see how much fun they can be and to learn more helpful tips check out the blog Guinea Pigs Are Awesome If you are unsure about adopting a Guinea Pig read this article to see if it is right for you What to KNow Before Adopting a Guinea Pig

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Caring for Your Pet Guinea Pig

By Cathy Doggins

The guinea pig (also called a Cavy or Cavies) is originally from South America and remains one of the most popular pets for over 400 years. They can be discovered in natural settings in a few South American nations including Brazil and Argentina. While there are over 60 breeds, most domestic pet Guinea Pigs are either English, Abyssinian and Peruvian. Each breed has unique characteristics based mostly on hair length (short or long), The animals can also be differentiated by color or rosettes, which are circular swirls of hair. Many Guinea Pigs are cross-bred making for even more color variations. They eat easy to prepare foodstuffs and are the perfect pet for every rodent lover.

Guinea Pigs as Pets

The pet lives a median of 5 years and make excellent pets. They're mild non-aggressive creatures that seldom bite. The animals are very social with other Guinea Pigs. They will make some noise, though not so loud as to be a problem. Cavies don't leap or jump, so no cage lids or tops are needed.

Cages and Bedding

Any enclosure must be about 200 square inches. The animals can be messy since they like to shred any bedding material. Bedding can be shredded newspaper or recycled paper. Cage walls should be at least 10 inches high. The cage should be cleaned everyday since the animals often urinate and defecate.

Feeding and Supplements

Cavies are simple to care for and require a simple diet. The most basic requirement is a sipper type water bottle. Fresh water should be supplied each day and the bottle should be washed 4 times a month. Vitamin C enriched Timothy Food pellets produced specifically for Guinea Pigs should be supplied. Also provide green, not brown or tan, Timothy, grass or oat hay. Avoid Alfalfa since it contains too much calcium. Also provide your Guinea Pig green leafy vegetables in small portions.

As soon as you bring a Cavy home, get him used to eating a many types of foods. The patterns you set while they're young will stay the same for the life of your pet. It is hard to introduce new foods later in life. Suggested vegetables that are full of the required vitamin c incude:

- Turnip greens
- ,Mustard greens
- Dandelion greens
- Kale
- Brussell sprouts

Only provide fruits as an occasional treat. Fruits such as grapes, apples and orange slices (one per day for vitamin c is ok) can be provided. Fruit must not comprise more than 5% of a Guinea Pig's diet. Cavies need 10-30 mg of vitamin C daily. There are tablets available for sale that may be sprinkled onto fresh veggies. Do not add a vitamin c supplement to water since the value of the supplement lessens after adding it to water.

Health Care

Like cats and dogs, Guinea Pigs should be checked by a Veterinarian each year. Catching illnesses early is key to helping your pet live a long and active life.

About the Author:

Cathy Doggins is the author of lots of Guinea Pig articles like this one. In addition to her work with Guinea Pigs, Cathy is a frequent speaker on pet health. When not talking about pets, Cathy can be found at home caring for her dogs, cats and of course, Guinea Pigs.

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Trying Roasted Guinea Pig in Peru

By Jonny Blair

On my travels round the globe I have tried many and various food types and will be detailing them regularly. In this report, I take you to Peru where I tried Guinea Pig! Also known as Cui.

Having been mind blown by the epic sight of Machu Picchu and having just finished the four day Inca Trail, we were all in good spirits. It's a magical place. Our tour guides invited us for lunch in a restaurant in Aguas Calientes in Peru. We were meeting at 3pm. It was Christmas Day. I was hungry and was hoping to try some local food.

When I was a kid Christmas Dinner was always a special meal in our calendar. I headed to church in Aguas Calientes first as it was always a tradition to go to church at Christmas. After that I headed over to the Chaski Restaurant in Aguas Calientes for my Christmas Dinner! Peruvian style!

I hadn't eaten Guinea Pig before and was hotly anticipating it. I was in Peru of course, but it is also popular in Ecuador. I'm always up for trying new food, but I don't always finish it if I don't like it!

There were a couple of options with the Guinea Pig Christmas Dinner. The choices were either Cuy Al Horno which is Roasted Guinea Pig. This comes with potatoes, cheese and salad. There is also the option of Pepian de Cuy which is Stewed Guinea Pig and that one is topped with peanut sauce and comes with rice and spuds. The price of them both was 55 Soles. I went for the Roasted option as I like cheese. It was nice to be having potatoes on Christmas Day.

The entire Guinea Pig was on the plate, as you can see head and all! It was a cheers all round for our big group of Inca Trail survivors as we ate and drank to our hearts content!

Right so I had the guinea pig, all roasted and for my Christmas Dinner - was it any good? Yes because I ate most of it. You had to pick at the bones for a lot of it and to be honest there were not large chunks of meat in it. But I try anything once and I loved it. It tasted slightly like chicken. After having my guinea pig for Christmas Dinner it was now time for a few beers to relax and celebrate having done the mega 4 day Inca Trail. Guinea Pig in Peru - yes - go and try it!! Happy eating and don't stop living!

About the Author:

To find more articles like Eating Roasted guinea pig food guide features and advice.

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A Guide to Bringing Your Guinea Pigs Home

By David Emery

First Introducing Your Pet to Their New Home

Bring your guinea pigs home and introducing them to their new living quarters is a rather important and also stressful time in the life of these little animals. After bringing your pet home you will, of course, be tempted to hold and cuddle them, thinking that this will comfort them as it would a baby or small child. However, doing this to a guinea pig who is in a strange, frightening location can cause them great stress.

Let the first few days they are home to be for exploring their cage in a quiet environment free from stress or loud noises, both of which will scare the guinea pig.

Important Note:

Remember that when bringing an animal such as a guinea pig into the home, whether it's just one or several, each of them will need to have their own special "hiding place." Guinea pigs must have a place to feel safe, and also a place to go in the case of a fight breaking out between cage mates.

Keeping Your Distance

Notice everyone in the family hovering around the cage? Watching the guinea pigs every move? Although cute and interesting, doing this is definitely going to scare the little guys!

Your close presence is easily misinterpreted by an animal as small as a guinea pig who will probably think a predator is nearby. If you want to watch your guinea pig be sure to bend down so that you will be at eye level with the cage and your pet, allowing them to see that it's a friend watching them and not a foe.

Bribing Your Guinea Pig

The best way to get your pet to trust you is, without a doubt, bribery. Sound crazy? Perhaps. But it's true! Bribing the small animal that you want to love and adore is the best way for trust.

Bribing a guinea pig, who usually have great appetites, with treats is ideal for showing them that you are there to help and not harm them.

Best Bribing Ways?

It isn't hard to bribe your guinea pig with treats so they'll trust you.

To start, show you guinea pig what you have for them and leave it at the open door of their cage. Wait near the cage quietly with your hands sitting in your lap.

After a certain amount of time, if he hasn't taken the treat, carefully and slowly pick it up again, close the cage door, and leave. Try this several times a day until he gets the idea that he has to come and get it.

Each time he comes, try to move a little closer to your pet's cage. This way, he's going to get used to your presence slowly.

Before long, your pet will eventually take the treat from you, but probably with plenty of trepidation in the beginning. However, with even more patience on your part your guinea pig will be nibbling treats right from you hand without any fear at all and even become happy and excited when they see you.

How to Pick Up a Guinea Pig

Don't make the common mistake of using treats to bribe your guinea pig into letting you pick them up for the first time. You certainly don't want to break the bond of trust you've spent so much time building up.

Start by slowly and gently petting and stroking the guinea pig, letting them see you aren't a predator but instead their friend and new family member.

Holding Your Guinea Pig

Be careful when you pick up your guinea pig! Because of the shape of their body, you can damage their lungs if you grasp them too hard.

Lightly cup your guinea pig's torso while supporting their back end while lifting slowly. Carry them gently but securely while making sure the entire body is fully supported.

If you have children, teach them how to pick up and hold the guinea pig and younger kids should always be supervised as these tiny animals can easily be injured, or worse, if dropped or squeezed.

Keeping Your Guinea Pig Relaxed

Don't you just love the idea of sitting on your couch, petting your guinea pig in your lap, and reading the paper or watching the news? It's a great idea, but in practice, it takes a while.

When you first handle your guinea pig, do so in a quiet room, and make sure that nothing is going on. Have a treat ready, and see if you can get him to eat it on your lap.

With some patience and understanding, bringing your guinea pigs home can be an exciting and enjoyable experience for everyone.

About the Author:

Want to find out more about Bringing Your Guinea Pigs Home, then visit David Emery's site on how to choose the best information for your needs.

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What To Use As Bedding Material For Your Guinea Pigs

By Dann Nuss

Having a pet guinea pig is such a joy. Watching them play, eat, and scamper around in their cages is fun especially because they are so cute and cuddly. To keep your pets healthy and happy you should invest in proper bedding for them. There are many options for their bedding and this includes straw, paper, or even wood shavings.

Paper is abundant and cost efficient source of bedding. In terms of the comfort, paper is to guinea pigs, while feather is to humans. In addition, clean paper does not have dust and they absorb liquids easily. However, the only concern with paper is if it contains ink that is poisonous to guinea pigs.

Some may consider soft wood shavings as the best option for bedding. Shavings have a number of shapes depending on the order. Wood can be cut to look like pellets or actual shavings, or something complete different.

As we all know, shavings come from wood. Since wood carries a smell with it so does its shavings. Pine tree's shaving is an example of good smell and affordable materials. The only concern is that they can make dust.

However, if you are still decided in using the shavings, you should let the scent out of the system outside of the house and letting the wood shavings dry. Remember guinea pigs have allergic reactions to some scents. It would also help minimize the effect of the scent on the guinea pig if you would use cage instead of an aquarium.

The third kind of material is straw. With straw, the owner is hitting two birds at a time because the straw is used as bedding and as a source of nutrients.

Before using the straw, make sure it is dry and mold-free. The disadvantage of straw is that when it gets wet, say from water or urine, it can spoil easily and thus needs to be changed.

Avoid using sawdust as it can cause pulmonary problems with the guinea pig when they inhale the small particles of dust. Neither should you use materials that are hard because it can pierce through the eyes of the guinea pig.

About the Author:

Enjoy more of this author's advice regarding topics including the kids closet organizer and wall shelf brackets.

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Do Guinea pigs need vitamin C supplement?

By Allan Bakier

Guinea pigs can't provide their own C-vitamin, so you've to ensure that your pets gets adequate vitamin C in their daily feed.

How come cavy needs ascorbic acid?

You may be having vitamin and mineral pills to be sure to consume enough vitamins, but you should also make confident that your guinea pig receives adequate vitamins. Distinct from most other mammals, guinea pigs are unable to form ascorbic acid in their body system.

The ways to give your guinea pig vitamin c

The good news is, you can effortlessly give your guinea pig vitamin c and you can attempt this number of ways:

When you give food to your guinea pig with fresh greens, choose vegetables and fruit with high high content of C- vitamin. Use for example, parsley (that guinea pigs love) which includes approx. 40 times as much vitamin C as carrots. Also bell peppers, broccoli, rose hips and orange contains a lot of C- vitamins but you should solely feed the orange as well as other citrus fruits once a week, because the acid that they contain may damage your guinea pig teeth's when the get it too often.

Look for feed pellets made designed for guinea pigs - they usually are added vitamin C

Vitamin C droplets can be put into drinking water.

Ascorbic Acid sadly rapidly cease working in water, so it's not the best way to do it, and you can risk that your guinea pigs don't like to drink water because it tastes wrong

If your guinea pig is expecting, it should have double the amount vitamin c usually!

Shit Vitamins

if you find that your guinea pig eats some of his own waste, do not be afraid, there is nothing wrong with your guinea pig, when it eats its own feces it reuse some minerals, vitamins and microorganisms that it needs to be healthy. If you look hard you may notice, that it only consumes some waste that looks slightly distinct, they are smaller sized and looks softer.

Indications of vitamin c deficiency

Already after 2 weeks without vitamin c, your cavy well-being is influenced.

Check for the following symptoms because they may be a sign of that your pet cavy doesn't get sufficient C-vitamin: diarrhea, losing weight or eating under usual. Also a uncared for coat could be a sign of vit c lack.

When you eat your own vitamins think that also your cavy needs natural vitamins and sensible food.

About the Author:

Learn more about how to care for guinea pigs,visit guineapigscaretips.blogspot.com eller hvis du guinea pig careguinea pig breeders,guinea pig cages,guinea pig training guide etc

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The Best Information Before Buying a Guinea Pig

For your guinea pig health care you should know some common guinea pig diseases and their remedies.

Pneumonia

Signs include wheezing, difficulty breathing, tiredness, lack of appetite, and discharge from the nose or eyes. This is brought on by bacteria and your cavy(guinea pig) should be taken to your vet for antibiotics.

Guinea Pig Health Care

Lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy in a cavy.

While other mammals are able to manufacture their own vitamin C both humans and guinea pigs are unable to do so. So we must get it from our food. Lack of this vitamin will cause scurvy in humans as well as cavies. Symptoms will include easily bleeding gums for no reason. There can be swollen and stiff joints resulting in difficulty and reluctance to moving. The ribs can be swollen and painful.

Even though the vitamin is supposed to be included in pellets that particular vitamin can be damaged by poor storage techniques. Foods with vitamin C need to be included in the diet like vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, broccoli, celery, spinach and fruits such as apples.Scurvy can cause death in a cavy if you suspect it may be scurvy take your pet to the vet for a diagnosis and an injection of vitamin C.

Common Mistakes People Make With Guinea Pigs

Lice

Lice make their home in the coat of the cavy and they and their eggs will be attached to the hairs. You can detect lice by combing through their hair they are small flat and brown, unless it's "running lice" which can be seen moving through the hair. The eggs of these lice appear as white or black specs on the hair. Other signs include excessive scratching by you cavy or sensitivity to being touched he might even display some irritation when you touch him.

An insecticide shampoo is usually prescribed. You bathe him and use the shampoo on him and it will get rid of the lice.The good news is it is usually transferred from pig to pig but if there is no infected pig around the chances are pretty remote that he will get it. Other good news is the lice that affect cavies don't affect humans.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea can throw off their electrolyte balance and be fatal to them. Antibiotics will wipe out all the bacteria in the intestines including the good bacteria which will cause diarrhea or it could be you've fed him too many vegetables or wet food. If this is the case increase his hay intake.

In any case, especially if it's antibiotics, go to the health food store and get some acidophilus of lactobacillus in capsule form and feed the contents to your cavy. This will restore the good bacteria.

How to Take Care of a Guinea Pig

Pink or milky white urine

Normally they have clear white urine but if it is thick or solid white it can mean too much calcium in the diet so cut down. If it is pink or red it may be blood from bladder stones so take him to the vet.

Coughing

Cavies will cough occasionally but if there is a lot of coughing and wheezing it's probably a respiratory tract infection. Bring him to the vet for treatment.

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