Guinea Pig Tip Sheet Flashcards
Guinea Pig knowledge
originated in South America, principally Peru.
Live 8-10 years
Males are called boars and females, sows.
They have an extremely long gestation period of 68 days, which is longer than dogs or cats!
The piglets, when born, are duplicates of their parents.
While most rodent babies are born pink, naked and blind, guinea pigs are fully furred, wide-eyed and ready to run!
Guinea pigs weigh on average 0.9 kg (2 Ibs) full grown.
Their endearing habit of whistling is very appealing and they rarely bite, making them an ideal pet for children.
many different breeds
Most common is the Smooth Hair, which has short, smooth and evenly flat fur.
The English and American Crested, have a hair whorl, or rosette on the forehead.
The Abyssinian has a long fancy coat made up of swirling rosettes and cowlicks, (looks like a bad hair dayl).
The Peruvian has long, dense, shiny hair that grows in whorls all over his body.
The Peruvian Silky has an elegant coat that grows all the way to the floor giving them the look of a miniature Shih Tzu puppy and making it difficult to tell one end from the other.
The Teddy Bear’s coat is the texture of a short bristle brush, while the Rex has short, fine hair that is wavy or curly.
The Texel guinea pig (a cross between the Rex and Peruvian), has short, fizzy hair around the head, and long hair all over the body, which curls in corkscrews.
One Piggy or Two?
Guinea pigs are social animals that live in family groups in their natural setting.
This should be sufficient reason to keep more than one guinea pig.
We recommend neutering before sexual maturity; this will help with keeping males together.
You can house two immature males or two males that have had no contact with females, together in one cage.
Two females usually get along with each other.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Cage
will need a place of their own where they can sleep, and find security and quiet time.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Guinea Pig Exercise Pen
No matter how large the living quarters, your pigs will need physical and social stimulation, which no cage can provide.
Exercise pens come in a variety of sizes with(or without) open tops and high sides.
Never leave your guinea pigs unattended in their playpen, in particular if they are outdoors.
As well, ensure that the area you place their playpen is free from hazards, such as grass treated with pesticides.
It is recommended that you provide with a hideaway when they are in their pen which will give them a sense of security.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Hiding Place
A guinea pig’s natural response to danger or an unusual situation is to flee.
If there is nowhere to flee to, they will become very anxious and in turn will become stressed, which may lead to health problems.
NUTRITIONAL
Hay
is a herbivore
Grass hay is absolutely vital to the digestive health of your guinea pig, and will make up the majority of your pet’s daily diet.
It helps prevent obesity, dental disease, diarrhea and boredom.
The bonus is that they also love it.
Guinea pigs should have unlimited access to grass hay, and eat a pile of hay twice the size of his body every day.
In addition, guinea pigs less than six months old can benefit from eating alfalfa hay, as it has additional calcium and protein.
After six months, alfalfa hay should be used only as a treat.
All grass hays, timothy, orchard grass, oat and botanical (timothy blended with herbs) are exactly the same nutritionally; they are just different in taste and texture.
Resist offering the same type of hay, thus ensuring that your pet won’t refuse hay if the colour or texture changes, which does happen naturally.
NUTRITIONAL
Guinea Pig Pellets- Vitamin C Supplementation
is vital to the health of your guinea pig.
Just like you, they cannot produce their own vitamin C, so it must be supplemented in their diet. Select a guinea pig pellet that is made from hay and fortified with vitamin C.
Alfalfa hay pellets (legume hay), are used for young guinea pigs because of their specific growing needs and must be offered free choice until your guinea pig is approximately six month of age.
Mature guinea pigs, over six months, require 1/8 cup daily of timothy hay pellets (grass hay), which are high in fibre and lower in protein and calcium in addition to unlimited grass hay.
NUTRITIONAL
Other
Provide mixes with nuts, corn, seeds and fruits as a treat only.
Guinea pigs have a habit of selecting these tempting morsels and leaving the healthy pellets.
Many small animals are susceptible to diarrhea, especially when new foods are introduced too quickly or they encounter a stressful situation i.e. being adopted).
By providing food that is familiar to them, their digestive systems will prevent this type of health problem.
NUTRITIONAL
Fresh Foods
Guinea pigs are herbivores, and as such need fresh greens and foods rich in cellulose.
The total amount of fresh foods daily is about 1 cup.
Carrot and beet tops, dandelion greens and flowers (that have not been subjected to spraying), kale, collard greens, romaine and leaf lettuce (not iceberg lettuce), parsley, carrots and pea pods are some good choices.
As with any new food, be sure to introduce new vegetables slowly to avoid upsetting your pet’s stomach and causing diarrhea.
NUTRITIONAL
Moss Hollow Adapt
Using Moss Hollow Adapt, while minimizing stress, can help your new pet adapt to their new home by promoting relaxation from stress caused by the
environment (Echinacea), offering a prebiotic for building gut flora (Burdock Root), easing diarrhea (Psyllium Husk), increasing palatability (Wheatgrass), providing a natural dewormer (Diatomaceous Earth), and nutrient rich clay (Bentonite).
This veterinary health product uses natural ingredients which can aid all small animals before symptoms emerge.
NUTRITIONAL
Vitamin and Mineral Supplement
Your guinea pigs may not accept the extra foods you offer, nor eat enough of them.
To make sure your guinea pigs are getting the vitamins their body requires, we recommend adding a vitamin supplement made for guinea pigs, which has added vitamin C.
Provide daily according to bottle directions.
NUTRITIONAL
Mineral and Salt Stone
Your guinea pigs need a salt and mineral stone available at all times.
Salt will encourage them to drink enough water and the water aids in digestion.
NUTRITIONAL
Treat Foods
Treat foods are relished, but offer only small amounts, about 1 Tbsp daily.
Offer treats to encourage interaction between you and your pet, and only after your pet eats his basic diet.
Boxed crunchies, mixed seeds without shells, treat sticks and fresh fruits, such as strawberries, pineapple and apples are all treats, and should be offered as such.
Oats/oatmeal should be avoided, as they are high in carbohydrates.
MAINTENANCE
Water bottle
Use a large water bottle, not a dish, to keep their water clean and to conserve the liquid vitamins.
Fresh de-chlorinated water must be available at all times and replaced daily.
Water bottles need to be kept clean of not only any bacterial growth, but also of sediment that may be caused by using nutritional supplements.
Use a bottle brush set to clean both the inside of the bottle and the inner surface of the stainless steel drinking tube.
Brushes may be used with dish soap.
Be sure to rinse bottles and tubes well and to wash and rinse brushes themselves following use.
MAINTENANCE
Crock Dishes and Hoppers/Mangers
Crock dishes are easy to clean, cannot be chewed and are difficult to tip over.
Food hoppers allow your guinea pigs easy access to their food and prevent them from dumping dishes and soiling their food.
Either way, you will need three feeding stations, one for food, one for hay and one for fruits and vegetables.
