Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) is a rare viral disease that can be transmitted through the urine, droppings, saliva, or cage material of infected wild and domestic rodents, including hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, mice, and other small rodents.
Yes, it is entirely safe to keep your guinea pigs in a bedroom if you can ensure the temperature and airflow of the room is good enough for your piggies.
In my opinion, these feral rodents come top of any worst pet chart. One: they die all the time. Your fluffy pet will become bald and scabby overnight and become prone to seizures. Five: their teeth are another hazard – if they get too long, they can grow together and the guinea pig will starve to death.
Make sure you do not feed your guinea pigs the following foods (this is not an exhaustive list): cereals; grains; nuts; seeds; dried beans, corn, and peas; buttercups; garden shrubs (such as hemlock or privet); lilies of any kind; sweet peas; nightshade; oak; avocado; onion grass; onions; potato tops; mushrooms;
Guinea pigs love having a big area to roam around inIn the case of small children, it's fine for them to go in as long as they're properly supervised, and don't chase the animals around.
It is normal for guinea pigs to be afraid of being picked up. Some get over it eventually if they are always handled carefully and learn to trust their owner. If you can, arrange the cage so you can corner the guinea pig rather than have your hand pursuing him round and round. This tends to work up more fear.
It is ok to have one guinea pig, but it is best to go with a pair or more. Guinea pigs may show abnormal behavior if left alone. If you have enough time to dedicate to your guinea pig, interact and play with them, then you shall do just fine with a single guinea pig. Else it is best to get a pair or more.
When guinea pigs fight, it can get quite vicious, with blood being drawn. It isn't typical for a guinea pig to kill another one, especially if you intervene and separate them. But, if a fight breaks out when you aren't there, a larger guinea pig could attack, and kill one that is smaller or younger.
Asking How to Bond with Your Guinea Pig?
- Lay down some fleece liners and lay with them to bond with your guinea pigs.
- Hand-feed them veggies, treats, or hay, to increase bonding with guinea pigs.
- Talk to them so that they recognize your voice, so that guinea pig will trust you.
- Conclusion.
To keep your guinea pig calm:
- Choose appropriate cage size for how many guinea pigs you have.
- Make sure they have a few places to hide.
- Introduce new things into their cage slowly.
- Minimize loud noises.
- Try not to make sudden movements.
- Speak to them calmly when handling.
- Don't bother them when they're anxious.
Guinea pigs are generally as clean as you keep them, so if yours has an odor, it means you need to change your care routine, or he's sick. In fact, guinea pigs prefer to keep it clean. If you're cleaning out the cage and bathing your guinea pig as often as you should, odor shouldn't be a problem.
Exercise balls and wheels are deadly for guinea pigs. These activities may be appropriate for some pocket pets like rats, mice, gerbils, and hamsters, but they should never be used for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have a different anatomy, and they can badly injure their backs with an exercise ball or wheel.
Guinea pigs are docile animals, and rarely bite without cause. They tend to 'mouth' their owners while being held, just to see if you're edible! These are not hard bites, though, and don't hurt. Guinea pigs only use their teeth aggressively if they feel under threat - they are their only means of defence.
From expected lifespan to the social nature of guinea pigs, here are some things to consider before choosing a guinea pig as a pet.
- 01 of 07. Guinea Pigs Are a Long-Term Commitment.
- 02 of 07. Guinea Pigs Are Social.
- 03 of 07. Guinea Pigs Need a Large Cage.
- 04 of 07.
- Guinea Pigs Are Generally Easy to Tame.
- 06 of 07.
- 07 of 07.
The best location is an area near the kitchen or dining room, with frequent family traffic and visits. When near the source of food, the guinea pigs will help remind you when they want guinea pig food and attention.
The RSPCA advise that temperatures below 15 degrees are too cold for Guinea Pigs, and that they should be kept indoors. Therefore, if you choose to let your Guinea Pig live outside in the winter, you should make a few changes to his hutch and environment to keep him warm and happy.
Toys for Small Pets
- Chew Toys. Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, mice and rats all need wooden and chew-safe toys available in their habitats.
- Exercise wheels and exercise balls. Exercise wheels are a great option to provide exercise and enrichment inside our small pet's cage.
- Toy tunnels and tubes.
Add blankets and towels.Blankets give your guinea pigs something to snuggle up under, which helps them better maintain their body heat. Any blanket will do, though smaller is probably better. A small fleece blanket is a great option. You can also cut up old towels to use.
Guinea Pigs stare at people when they are dozing, are bored, lonely, feel under threat, or are not comfortable in their new surroundings. Thankfully there are a number of things you can to make your Guinea Pig feel safe.
As long as they are fed, they will be happy. Find someone to take them that will care for them as well as you do, and they won't miss you.
Guinea pigs do a good bit of licking. A guinea pig might also lick their person's fingers/hand, which can be a sign of affection — after all, that's how guinea pigs show affection to one another. Or the guinea pig might just like the taste of a person's skin.
Can I use newspaper for guinea pig bedding? The simple answer is no. Newspaper contains high levels of ink which when wet can release into the cage and get on their skin causing health issues. Guinea pigs also chew and eat bedding and swallowing ink is not good for your guinea pig.
Not all guinea pigs are going to be fans of being picked up. Because a guinea pig needs to be handled gently, and with two hands, it is best if only older children and adults pick up a guinea pig. Young children can play with guinea pigs on the ground, or pet a guinea pig while it's being held by an adult.
Yes, it is very normal for guinea pigs to poop a lot, in fact, if you see your guinea popping less, then it might be a problem. Check to see if their poop is a different color, shape, or is more smelly than normal. Normal guinea pig poop should be oval-shaped with a medium brown color.
Guinea pigs only need to be bathed once a month in the summer, and every two months in the winter. This is unless your pet needs of an anti-parasite bath, or if you've been told by a vet to bathe them more frequently. In general, too much bathing puts the animals at risk of skin infections and chills.
The best bedding for guinea pigs
- Fleece cage liner. Originally, I was using fleece liners for Muffy and Lilly's cage.
- Aspen bedding.
- Unscented, large granule/strand paper pellets.
- Natural paper bedding.
- White, unbleached paper bedding.
- Crumble paper bedding.
- Soft paper granules.
- Confetti paper bedding.
Re: How often do you hold your pigs? At least once a day. Sometimes only to take them to their floor pen and back to the cage, but I try to at least spend 10 minutes a day with them.
You shouldn't leave them alone for a week. Guinea pigs need constant attention and get bored easily. Also, they need abundant amounts of hay and someone needs to make sure they have enough food and water. Their cages also need to be cleaned at least 2 - 3 times a week.
Ideally, a guinea pig will enjoy 3-4 hours of free range play time each day, especially if their cage habitat is small. Even with a big cage, however, it is important to provide adequate exercise out of the cage, and guinea pigs that can get these good workouts will be happier, healthier and better adjusted.
Guinea pigs are typically considered adults from 6 months to about 5 years of age. Adults are no longer growing but still require macro-nutrients like fiber and protein, as well as micro-nutrients like the vitamins and minerals that are found in a timothy hay-based, uniform fortified food.
Yes, as your cavy's nighttime antics would suggest, guinea pigs do like the dark. However, that doesn't mean they're nocturnal animals. In fact, guinea pigs are crepuscular, which means they're most active at twilight.
Guinea pigs are known for being a bit messy with food and water. However, guinea pigs might drink more from a water bowl because it's less work than a bottle. If you opt for water bowls, choose a style that won't tip, because some guinea pigs like to lean against bowls or walk over them.
If your cavy is in good cheer, you might notice him running in circles, constantly shifting his course, whether inside of his enclosure or in a bigger designated play section of your home. Running in happy guinea pigs is often accompanied by leaping. If your guinea pig is popcorning, he's probably feeling jovial.
