How to Care for a Guinea Pig as a Pet

Slightly larger than hamsters yet smaller than rabbits, guinea pigs, or cavies (a nickname for guinea pigs coming from the scientific name for the guinea pig, Cavia porcellus), require unique care. However, they bring exceptional joy and companionship to many households.

Wondering how to care for guinea pigs as pets? Read on to learn all about how to provide the best possible life for your furry guinea pig companion. Whether you want to understand their dietary needs, habitat requirements or social behaviors, you’ll find the information to ensure your cavies thrive in a loving and nurturing environment.

Guinea Pig Housing

For your small and furry friend’s habitat, the minimum space recommended for a single adopted guinea pig is 2’ x 2’ x 2’. More guinea pig habitat space must be provided for any additional cavies. Wire-bottom cages can be used if something is put down as flooring to keep the guinea pig’s feet from getting caught in the wire bottom. Never use a glass aquarium due to the poor ventilation that it provides. Always keep the cage indoors, away from drafts and extreme temperatures.

The bottom of the cage should be lined with wood shavings or some other form of safe bedding. Do not use cedar or pine chips – the oils they contain can be dangerous to the animal. Timothy hay is a good choice of bedding. Be sure to change the bedding often enough to keep it dry and odor-free.

Guinea pigs love to hide when they play, so be sure to place cardboard tubes and/or empty coffee cans with smoothed edges in the enclosure. Guinea pigs can be allowed to run free in one room to get some additional exercise, but the room should be carefully checked for any openings from which the guinea pigs can escape, get lost and possibly end up hurt. These animals must be supervised when they are loose because they will chew on anything in their paths – including electrical wires.

Guinea Pig Litter Training

Training a guinea pig to use a litter box is possible, but the process is slow, and much patience is required. 

 Here’s some guidance on how to litter train a guinea pig: 

1. You’ll want a small litter box with short walls stationed within their habitat. 
2. Fill the litter box with pelleted litter for guinea pigs and bedding material that’s different from the bedding material throughout other parts of the cage. The bottom layer should be litter, and the bedding material should be on top. Adding some soiled bedding may help the guinea pig use their litter box.  
3. Clean the litter box as soon as they enter it. You should clean the box each time you see your guinea pig using the litter box.  
4. If your guinea pig relieves themselves in a different spot in their cage, move the box to that spot or get a second litter box if you have the space. 
5. Your guinea pig is litter trained once they consistently use their litter box to relieve themselves.

Guinea Pig Diet

You’ll need to know how to feed your guinea pig a balanced diet, including their essential diet, what foods are safe, what foods are unsafe, how much and how often to feed them, and their hydration needs.

Grass hay is a great part of a guinea pig’s diet. Making hay always available to your pet is a good idea. Hay provides important fiber that supports their digestive and dental health, satisfying their need to gnaw. In addition to hay, give your guinea pig the package-recommended serving of pellets made specifically for guinea pigs, which you can find at most pet stores. Pellets supply essential nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, that hay does not provide. Third, make sure to include fresh, leafy greens in their daily diet.

A safe selection of guinea pig foods may include:

• Unlimited grass hay: Have grass hay, such as Timothy Hay, always available.  
• Recommended serving of guinea pig pellets: Follow the package feeding instructions (often 1/4 to 1/2 cup daily). Many owners provide the daily serving of pellets in a bowl and discard any leftovers before the next feeding. Choose uniformly nutritious pellets, and make sure the pellets are age-appropriate. 
• About a cup of leafy greens:  
  • Romaine lettuce 
  • Bib lettuce 
  • Red leaf lettuce 
  • Cilantro 
• 2% healthy treats:  
  • Fruit such as kiwi and blueberries (to a minimum, only a few times a week) 
  • Alfalfa hay 
  • Other veggies such as carrots and zucchini

It’s important to make sure you’re providing your guinea pig with enough Vitamin C. They require 10-30 milligrams of Vitamin C per day. A quarter of an orange can meet their recommended requirements, and you can also offer other high-C foods such as strawberries. Guinea pig pellets are supplemented with Vitamin C, but rabbit pellets are not. Therefore, it is best to buy only guinea pig food.

Avoid feeding your guinea pig the following: 

• Foods in the onion family (toxic to guinea pigs): 
  • Leeks 
  • Chives 
  • Onions 
• Excessive treats: Limit treats to a few times per week to ensure your guinea pig eats their essential foods. 
• Seeds and nuts: These are too high in fat and calories for adult guinea pigs and can be a choking hazard. 
• Excessive fresh greens and vegetables: Too much or too many kinds can lead to diarrhea or other digestive problems. Introduce new foods slowly, starting with small amounts to allow your guinea pig to adjust. 
• Vegetables from the cabbage family (in large quantities): While nutritious, vegetables like kale, broccoli, and cauliflower can cause bloating, which is a serious condition for guinea pigs. Offer these in moderation. 
• Unnecessary hay changes: Only replace hay when it’s soiled to avoid encouraging picky eating. Offer a variety of grass hays to further discourage picky eating. You should always provide clean hay. 

If you’re wondering what a guinea pig eats as a treat, you can give your guinea pig small amounts of fresh fruits and other veggies to complement their essential diet but always make sure to clean up any leftover fresh food before it spoils. A guinea pig’s feeding of these should be in moderation.

Some vegetables are high in calcium and should be given only occasionally. Too much calcium can cause bladder stones. These include: 

• Clover 
• Parsley 
• Turnips 
• Broccoli 
• Brussels sprouts

Always check with your veterinarian to ensure you are giving the right amount and types of food.

Keep Your Guinea Pig Hydrated

Guinea pigs need fresh, clean water every day. They’ll benefit from a water bottle that attaches to the side of their enclosure. Use an inverted bottle with a drinking tube and change the water daily.

On average, guinea pigs will drink just under half a cup of water a day. If they’re drinking more or less than they usually do, you’ll want to contact your veterinarian to be sure their health is in check.

A guinea pig might drink more water or less water due to various illnesses. On the other hand, sometimes they drink less water when the fruits and vegetables they’re consuming contain high percentages of water. Regardless, it’s crucial to monitor their water intake and reach out to your veterinarian if you notice any significant change.

Do Guinea Pigs Need a Water Bottle?

As guinea pigs need water, they would benefit from an easy-to-reach water bottle. Water bottles are also less likely to spill or get dirty compared to water dishes.

However, you should use a water dish until you are sure your guinea pig is regularly drinking from the bottle.

Guinea Pig Bonding and Socialization

Guinea pigs provide excellent companionship. They bite only when very frightened, usually from such things as mishandling or fear of a threatening animal. An adult should always supervise children caring for guinea pigs since these animals need to be treated gently. They are not toys. Primary responsibility should be with the parents. Guinea pigs have many endearing traits, but one of their traits that stands out the most is their tendency to whistle when excited by someone coming into the room or offering a special treat.

Guinea pig temperament is friendly. They are social animals who prefer to live in small groups. Two young males generally can be kept together, if necessary, but fighting tends to break out among adult males. Several females can be kept together without problems, however. Since guinea pigs, like all rodents, multiply rapidly, recommended rodent care involves keeping males and females separated.

Guinea Pig Exercise and Enrichment

A larger cage may be the key to a guinea pig environment that is best suited for exercising and playing with suitable toys. Another good choice in housing for their enrichment may be to have an open-topped enclosure, which facilitates interactions between your guinea pig and you, even without them leaving the cage.

Guinea pigs are sensitive – when it comes to guinea pig handling, always support their body with two hands when picking them up. Another essential element in guinea pig pet care is always supervising interactions between your guinea pig and other animals or children.

They do love exploring, so you should let them out of their cages to explore supervised at least once a day. You can give them gentle cuddles and pats and plenty of time and space to run around and play in a designated safe zone or playpen in your home.

Give your guinea pigs different toys to keep them active and entertained. Toys like snuffle mats, hanging chews and tunnels help your guinea pigs play, have fun and take care of their constantly growing teeth and claws. Place these toys in their cage or use them during playtime outside the cage. You can find these toys at most pet stores, but make sure they are built for guinea pig play.

Guinea Pig Common Health Concerns and Preventative Care

To keep your guinea pig healthy and prevent some of the most common illnesses, such as Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy), overgrown teeth, colds and pneumonia, bladder stones, infections and parasites, monitor your pet closely and do the following: 

• Feed a healthy diet. 
• Make sure your guinea pig is eating, drinking, urinating and defecating. 
• Wash your hands before and after handling. 
• Freeze your pet’s bedding and food before using them (to kill off any bugs/parasites potentially).  
• Keep their habitat away from drafts and direct sunlight. 
• Weigh them weekly, monitoring them for noticeable weight loss. For example, two to three ounces lost may mean an issue is growing, and four or more ounces lost warrants guinea pig care from your veterinarian as soon as possible. 

These tips will help prevent most common illnesses, but many other diseases can still affect guinea pigs. To check for any other problems, you’ll want to call your veterinarian. Guinea pigs do not need regular vaccinations, but getting an annual checkup and a parasite test is a good idea. It’s important to find an exotic veterinarian who cares for guinea pigs and is familiar with their common health issues.

Guinea Pig Grooming & Hygiene

To keep your guinea pig healthy, you’ll need to make sure you have a grooming routine for them. Grooming your guinea pig includes regular bathing, ear cleaning, toenail trimming and combing. Guinea pigs are very conscientious about grooming themselves but regularly brushing them will help keep their coat clean and remove any loose hairs. Long-haired guinea pigs should be brushed daily to prevent tangles and knots from forming.

Guinea pigs’ teeth grow continuously, just like those of all other rodents. So, another integral part of pet rodent care is giving your guinea pig a piece of wood they can gnaw on to wear their teeth down. It’s best to provide a tree branch that has not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Any small piece of unpainted wood that hasn’t been treated will do.

How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live

With proper care, guinea pigs generally live for five to seven years. 

Common Guinea Pig Illnesses and Health Concerns

If your guinea pig behaves unusually, see a veterinarian immediately. Do not use any medications meant for dogs or cats. Common guinea pig illness warning signs may include: 

• Wheezing and labored breathing 
• Watery diarrhea 
• Sneezing and crusty eyes 
• Receding or dull eyes 
• Puffed up or rough coat 
• Not eating or drinking 
• Loss of balance 
• Limping 
• Hunched posture and lethargy 
• Hair loss 
• Facing a corner 
• Excessive scratching 
• Drooling 
• Blood in urine 
• Being slow to respond 
• Any other unusual guinea pig behavior 

Purchasing or Adopting a Guinea Pig

There is a wide variety of guinea pig hair types, colors and markings. The various breeds of guinea pigs to look for include:

• American 
• American Satin 
• Abyssinian 
• Abyssinian Satin 
• Coronet  
• Peruvian 
• Peruvian Satin 
• Silkie (Sheltie) 
• Silkie Satin 
• Teddy 
• Teddy Satin 
• Texal 
• White Crested 

Are you wondering, “How much does a guinea pig cost?” It can vary depending on the breed you choose and your location. Regardless, getting your guinea pig from a responsible breeder or adopting one from a shelter or small animal rescue group may be a good idea. Call your local shelter and search on our guinea pig adoption pages for guinea pigs needing loving homes.

For more expert tips about your new pet’s health, explore our other pet care articles.