Caring for guinea pigs

The minimum space for a guinea pig enclosure recommended by the RSPCA is 120cm x 60cm x 45cm. Ideal housing should have as much space as you can over the minimum. Cages should always be in quiet, safe areas away from dogs, cats and other predators. Guinea pigs are active for about 20 hours a day, so it’s important to give them plenty of space to run around.

Guinea pigs need exposure to sunlight and grazing on grass is an important part of their management. Outdoor runs must be predator proof and have a sheltered area for protection against hot weather, cold or rain. Guinea pigs don’t cope well with big changes in temperature so when you bring your guinea pig inside in winter, make sure you wait for the right temperature to reintroduce them to outside again.

Guinea pigs need a solid floor with a good depth of dust free litter (shredded paper or wood shavings) or hay. Don’t use soft woods such as pine or cedar as these can cause illness. Bedding should be changed 1-2 times a week, along with spot cleaning daily, to help to protect against feet infections (pododermatits). Good cage hygiene and adequate ventilation can also help to prevent respiratory tract infections. Overgrown claws can develop if the flooring is inadequate to wear these down.

Guinea pigs are social animals and are happiest living in pairs. Keep a same-sex pair together to ensure you don’t have any unwanted litters or contact the surgery to discuss neutering of mixed sex pairs. Give them tunnels and untreated wooden toys to chew on. Guinea pigs incisor teeth grow continuously so they need untreated wooden toys, bits of fruit trees (not poisonous ones)or willow sticks to chew in order to wear the teeth down.

Rabbits should not be kept with guinea pigs. They have different dietary requirements and rabbits can often bully guineas pigs. Rabbits also carry a bacteria, Bordetella Bronchiseptica, which can cause fatal respiratory infection in guinea pigs.

A healthy guinea pig's diet should consist of as much good quality hay and grass (not lawnmower cuttings) as possible. A small amount of commercial grass based guinea pig pellets (not muesli), and vegetables and fruit, that are non-poisonous to guinea pigs can be added. Avoid sudden changes in their diet and introduce new foods gradually.

Good quality hay (timothy, meadow or grass hays are best) should make up most of the diet along with some fresh grass. Fibre aids with digestion and is very important for wearing down their continuously growing teeth. The wrong diet can cause serious dental disease.

Guinea pigs are one of the few animals, along with humans, that can’t manufacture their own vitamin C so they need to get it from their diet. Pellets do contain vitamin C but the level reduces with storage time. Supplementing vitamin C can be achieved by crushing a vitamin C tablet and sprinkling a small pinch onto their food. Vitamin C is unstable in water.

Guinea pigs develop preferences for food early in life and so it is important to expose young guinea pigs to a variety of food.

Fresh water must be provided every day. If using sipper bottles, these must be checked daily to ensure they are working. Ensure the water doesn’t freeze in the winter, without water guinea pigs become seriously ill.

Guinea pigs need the right vegetables and leafy greens. Many of these can be poisonous, so always check before feeding them. Safe foods include cucumber, peppers, celery and broccoli. For a comprehensive list of safe and poisonous foods please see the RVC Feeding your Guinea Pig information sheet.