Is a guinea pig the right pet for you?
Guinea pigs are wonderful pets! They are very cute and cuddly, and their faces just make you smile. They are sociable and very entertaining. They are much smarter than most people think, and they are trainable. They are very active and curious and they love to explore. Once they get to know you, they love to be petted and to sit in your lap. As long as they are well cared for, they rarely get sick. They have the ability to sooth nerves, keep you from feeling lonely, and make you laugh.
They are easy to care for, especially compared to other pets. Unlike dogs, they don’t have to go for walks every day (no matter how wet or cold the weather is outside!) and they don’t need baths. They don’t need obedience training, and they don’t need to go to an expensive kennel when you go on vacation. They won’t tear up your yard or run into the neighbor’s yard and cause a great deal of damage.
Cavies can use a litter box, but unlike cats, they don’t need to scratch on a scratching post, curtains, wood trim, etc, and they don’t need a big litter box.
Unlike hamsters, they rarely bite and they are not fast enough or small enough to escape from a tiny crack in the bottom of the cage. They are diurnal, so they are awake when you are.
Compared to ferrets, rabbits and rats, they have very little odor. They don’t need a dust bath like chinchillas, and they don’t need to be fed insects or baby mice like snakes, lizards, toads and other reptiles and amphibians. They are also very quiet, unlike most birds.
I have had all of the other kinds of pets listed above except ferrets. All of the other kinds of pets have their good qualities, but I think guinea pigs are the best!
Although they are easy to take care of, they are not maintenance free. They cannot be placed in a cage and forgotten. They need a lot of love, attention, and quality care.
When you are deciding whether a guinea pig is right for you, there are several things you need to think about:
How much time do you have to spend with a pet each day?
How much space do you have in your home?
How old are the children in the house and how responsible are they?
What about your children’s friends who visit your house? Are you willing to supervise them when they want to play with the guinea pig?
Is the house a loud, active place or a quiet, calm place?
Does anyone in the household have allergies?
Does anyone smoke in the home?
Are there other pets in the house?
Are you willing to make changes in your home (moving valuable rugs, items that have cords, etc)?
Are you allowed to have guinea pigs where you live?
Do you have the money to properly take care of the guinea pig?
Are you willing to be committed to your guinea pig for the next 10 years, love it, and treat it as a member of the family?
Guinea pigs need daily attention. They are social animals and need to have contact with their “pack” or family. You must spend hours with them every day or else they will have behavioral problems. In a way, they go crazy from being so lonely. If you must leave them alone most of the day, you can adopt more than one guinea pig so they can keep each other company. Of course they should be of the same sex, and preferably from the same litter or cage so they are used to each other. Otherwise, you need to introduce them slowly (see the chapter on Choosing a Guinea Pig).
Guinea pigs also need to exercise every day, just like people. You must make sure you have enough time to let your guinea pig get out and play with you.
The guinea pig cage should be cleaned out every day, especially their toilet area. It should be thoroughly scrubbed clean at least once a week to remove all of the bacteria.
Guinea pigs can be kept outside, but they usually don’t live very long in those conditions. They really should be kept inside. They can get a number of diseases and attract a lot of predators if they are outside. They also tend to get too hot (and die of heatstroke, even in the shade), too cold (and freeze to death), and too lonely (die of undetected illness or neglect). When they are outside, it is easier for the owners to forget about them or forget to clean out the cage. To keep your guinea pig healthy, keep him or her in the house with you and keep the cage spotless!
If you have young children, make sure you are the person who handles the guinea pig, not the children. Young children sometimes hold the guinea pig too tight and cause internal damage, or they drop the guinea pig because they are not holding it properly. If the children want to pet the guinea pig, you can hold the guinea pig for them, or place the guinea pig on the floor for the children to pet. Older children should be able to understand how to handle a guinea pig properly, but there are times, especially when they have friends around, that kids forget how they are supposed to act. I’ve seen that a lot. It’s better if they don’t handle the guinea pig when the friends are in the house. I’ve also noticed that kids sometimes get bored with their pets after they have had them for a while. They get interested in other things and they kind of forget about the pet. Parents should always make certain the guinea pig gets the attention it needs, so the parents should decide if the children are ready to take care of a pet properly for the next 7 years.
Some people are allergic to animals, including guinea pigs. If you are concerned about allergies, spend some time with a guinea pig at the humane society or with a guinea pig owned by someone you know to see if you have an allergy. You could also get tested by a doctor for allergies.
If you have a dog or a cat, getting a guinea pig might not be the best idea. Some dogs and cats can be trained to leave the guinea pig alone, but some cannot. I have seen a lot of guinea pigs at the humane society that were severely injured by dogs or cats that were in the house with them. Dogs and cats are the natural predators of rodents, so you will be fighting the dog’s or cat’s natural instincts when you try to train them to leave the guinea pig alone. Even if you think you have the dog or cat trained, never, ever leave the dog or cat alone with the guinea pig. The instincts might come back when you aren’t watching!
There are many dangers to guinea pigs in the house, and you have to be willing to eliminate them if you want a cavy. One danger is electrical cords. Never have an electrical cord hanging near the cage. The guinea pig can reach a lot farther than you think! Never have an electrical cord in the cavy’s play area. Just one bite on that cord, and your guinea pig will probably not survive!
Be sure to put away other valuable things, like your dress shoes, expensive rugs, and homework, and keep an eye on your piggy when she is exercising near your furniture and wood trim (she might take a little nibble and those things can be toxic). You also need to block off little holes that a guinea pig can hide in (and get stuck in!), like behind the cabinets, and put away any chemicals. There are also a lot of house plants that are poisonous to cavies (and other animals and people). They are very pretty and popular, but they can be deadly. I have a list of some of them later in this book. You have to be willing to give the plants away before you adopt a cavy.
Some places, like apartments, will not allow you to have pets, including guinea pigs. Some places won’t let you have certain types of pets. Make sure you check to see if you are allowed to have guinea pigs before you adopt one.
Money is always something to think about before you get a pet. Guinea pigs can be adopted at the humane society inexpensively. You can even pick up cages inexpensively. (However, you should make sure you have cleaned the cage thoroughly if it is a used cage.) The biggest cost is keeping your cavy happy and healthy. Make sure you buy the best food, hay and vitamin supplements you can afford, and make sure you have plenty of bedding so you can change out the cage a lot. You might need to take the guinea pig to the vet, so be sure you have the money to do that, too.
Now that you know what it takes to be a good parent to a guinea pig, look at the list of questions at the beginning of this chapter again. Think carefully. Did you pass the test? If not, don’t feel bad. There are lots of different kinds of pets that will fit your needs better. Or maybe you can volunteer to help out at the humane society rather than keep a pet yourself. But if you passed the test, congratulations! Now you have to find out where and how to choose a piggy.
Guinea pigs are wonderful pets! They are very cute and cuddly, and their faces just make you smile. They are sociable and very entertaining. They are much smarter than most people think, and they are trainable. They are very active and curious and they love to explore. Once they get to know you, they love to be petted and to sit in your lap. As long as they are well cared for, they rarely get sick. They have the ability to sooth nerves, keep you from feeling lonely, and make you laugh.
They are easy to care for, especially compared to other pets. Unlike dogs, they don’t have to go for walks every day (no matter how wet or cold the weather is outside!) and they don’t need baths. They don’t need obedience training, and they don’t need to go to an expensive kennel when you go on vacation. They won’t tear up your yard or run into the neighbor’s yard and cause a great deal of damage.
Cavies can use a litter box, but unlike cats, they don’t need to scratch on a scratching post, curtains, wood trim, etc, and they don’t need a big litter box.
Unlike hamsters, they rarely bite and they are not fast enough or small enough to escape from a tiny crack in the bottom of the cage. They are diurnal, so they are awake when you are.
Compared to ferrets, rabbits and rats, they have very little odor. They don’t need a dust bath like chinchillas, and they don’t need to be fed insects or baby mice like snakes, lizards, toads and other reptiles and amphibians. They are also very quiet, unlike most birds.
I have had all of the other kinds of pets listed above except ferrets. All of the other kinds of pets have their good qualities, but I think guinea pigs are the best!
Although they are easy to take care of, they are not maintenance free. They cannot be placed in a cage and forgotten. They need a lot of love, attention, and quality care.
When you are deciding whether a guinea pig is right for you, there are several things you need to think about:
How much time do you have to spend with a pet each day?
How much space do you have in your home?
How old are the children in the house and how responsible are they?
What about your children’s friends who visit your house? Are you willing to supervise them when they want to play with the guinea pig?
Is the house a loud, active place or a quiet, calm place?
Does anyone in the household have allergies?
Does anyone smoke in the home?
Are there other pets in the house?
Are you willing to make changes in your home (moving valuable rugs, items that have cords, etc)?
Are you allowed to have guinea pigs where you live?
Do you have the money to properly take care of the guinea pig?
Are you willing to be committed to your guinea pig for the next 10 years, love it, and treat it as a member of the family?
Guinea pigs need daily attention. They are social animals and need to have contact with their “pack” or family. You must spend hours with them every day or else they will have behavioral problems. In a way, they go crazy from being so lonely. If you must leave them alone most of the day, you can adopt more than one guinea pig so they can keep each other company. Of course they should be of the same sex, and preferably from the same litter or cage so they are used to each other. Otherwise, you need to introduce them slowly (see the chapter on Choosing a Guinea Pig).
Guinea pigs also need to exercise every day, just like people. You must make sure you have enough time to let your guinea pig get out and play with you.
The guinea pig cage should be cleaned out every day, especially their toilet area. It should be thoroughly scrubbed clean at least once a week to remove all of the bacteria.
Guinea pigs can be kept outside, but they usually don’t live very long in those conditions. They really should be kept inside. They can get a number of diseases and attract a lot of predators if they are outside. They also tend to get too hot (and die of heatstroke, even in the shade), too cold (and freeze to death), and too lonely (die of undetected illness or neglect). When they are outside, it is easier for the owners to forget about them or forget to clean out the cage. To keep your guinea pig healthy, keep him or her in the house with you and keep the cage spotless!
If you have young children, make sure you are the person who handles the guinea pig, not the children. Young children sometimes hold the guinea pig too tight and cause internal damage, or they drop the guinea pig because they are not holding it properly. If the children want to pet the guinea pig, you can hold the guinea pig for them, or place the guinea pig on the floor for the children to pet. Older children should be able to understand how to handle a guinea pig properly, but there are times, especially when they have friends around, that kids forget how they are supposed to act. I’ve seen that a lot. It’s better if they don’t handle the guinea pig when the friends are in the house. I’ve also noticed that kids sometimes get bored with their pets after they have had them for a while. They get interested in other things and they kind of forget about the pet. Parents should always make certain the guinea pig gets the attention it needs, so the parents should decide if the children are ready to take care of a pet properly for the next 7 years.
Some people are allergic to animals, including guinea pigs. If you are concerned about allergies, spend some time with a guinea pig at the humane society or with a guinea pig owned by someone you know to see if you have an allergy. You could also get tested by a doctor for allergies.
If you have a dog or a cat, getting a guinea pig might not be the best idea. Some dogs and cats can be trained to leave the guinea pig alone, but some cannot. I have seen a lot of guinea pigs at the humane society that were severely injured by dogs or cats that were in the house with them. Dogs and cats are the natural predators of rodents, so you will be fighting the dog’s or cat’s natural instincts when you try to train them to leave the guinea pig alone. Even if you think you have the dog or cat trained, never, ever leave the dog or cat alone with the guinea pig. The instincts might come back when you aren’t watching!
There are many dangers to guinea pigs in the house, and you have to be willing to eliminate them if you want a cavy. One danger is electrical cords. Never have an electrical cord hanging near the cage. The guinea pig can reach a lot farther than you think! Never have an electrical cord in the cavy’s play area. Just one bite on that cord, and your guinea pig will probably not survive!
Be sure to put away other valuable things, like your dress shoes, expensive rugs, and homework, and keep an eye on your piggy when she is exercising near your furniture and wood trim (she might take a little nibble and those things can be toxic). You also need to block off little holes that a guinea pig can hide in (and get stuck in!), like behind the cabinets, and put away any chemicals. There are also a lot of house plants that are poisonous to cavies (and other animals and people). They are very pretty and popular, but they can be deadly. I have a list of some of them later in this book. You have to be willing to give the plants away before you adopt a cavy.
Some places, like apartments, will not allow you to have pets, including guinea pigs. Some places won’t let you have certain types of pets. Make sure you check to see if you are allowed to have guinea pigs before you adopt one.
Money is always something to think about before you get a pet. Guinea pigs can be adopted at the humane society inexpensively. You can even pick up cages inexpensively. (However, you should make sure you have cleaned the cage thoroughly if it is a used cage.) The biggest cost is keeping your cavy happy and healthy. Make sure you buy the best food, hay and vitamin supplements you can afford, and make sure you have plenty of bedding so you can change out the cage a lot. You might need to take the guinea pig to the vet, so be sure you have the money to do that, too.
Now that you know what it takes to be a good parent to a guinea pig, look at the list of questions at the beginning of this chapter again. Think carefully. Did you pass the test? If not, don’t feel bad. There are lots of different kinds of pets that will fit your needs better. Or maybe you can volunteer to help out at the humane society rather than keep a pet yourself. But if you passed the test, congratulations! Now you have to find out where and how to choose a piggy.
