Guinea pigs are one of the most common pets that parents get for their children. They are considerably less demanding to take care of than cats or dogs. They stand out among rodents because of their sociable nature, willingness to snuggle and they are hassle-free. The great advantage is also that unlike other rodents, the guinea-pigs sleep at night and do not make any noise by its spree.
Guinea pigs are one of the most common pets that parents get for their children. They are considerably less demanding to take care of than cats or dogs. They stand out among rodents because of their sociable nature, willingness to snuggle and they are hassle-free. The great advantage is also that unlike other rodents, the guinea-pigs sleep at night and do not make any noise by its spree.
There are printed manuals where you can learn a lot of useful and necessary information that a good keeper should know before buying a new guinea pig. This article will inform you about the most important rules that will make a guinea pig feel good at your home.
The size matters
When choosing a cage for the guinea pig, get one that provides a lot of space. After all, this is a larger rodent which is highly sociable, so I warmly recommend getting two instead of one new member of your household. Trust me, they will be much happier like this!
The perfect size for one guinea pig is approximately 100 x 55 x 45 cm, for two it is 120 x 56 x 50 cm. But when you get a larger cage, your guinea pigs will certainly thank you! The animal needs physical activity and space, it spends most of its life in the cage so there should be enough space to move.
Pay attention to a proper diet
In addition to granules designed specifically for guinea pigs (avoid those with a high proportion of cereals), give your pet enough hay. It should be a large part of his diet. Another part of the diet is vegetables, give it to your pet regularly. Instead of treats bought in the pet shot, you can dry dandelions and carrots for your guinea pig. It will be certainly happy for it.
Instead of one larger bowl for all the food, get two smaller ones. Put granules in the first one and vegetable in the second one. Put hay on a separate place, too. For more, there also has to be a drinking spout with water.
What you need for the bedding
Wood shavings are better for the bedding of a guinea pig than sawdust. If you care about the environment, there is also ecological bedding called Asan on the market and you can choose from more types. And by the way, you can get these beddings for cats, too.
An extra thing you may appreciate when cleaning the cage are plastic toilets for rodents. They are usually placed in the corner of the cage. Some even have "coverage” so they provide the animal more privacy. This special toilet is perfect in the corner where the guinea pig started doing that itself. In the beginning, you can try to reward it for going to the toilet with a treat. But expect that even though the guinea will go to its toilet in most cases, it can sometimes happen that you find faeces in other places.
How did you arrange the cage for your guinea pig? How big is it?
Allegedly, fast is instinctively practised by both wolfs and wild dogs. This has led many people to that assumption, that our dog on the couch should, once in a while, be fasting as well. A wild animal surely knows what it is doing, nature is wise, you...
In this cycle, we will get to know interesting dog personalities. Dogs play an important role in our life, so let us take a look what they have already achieved during our life together. We should find Hachiko in the dictionary next to the phrase...
Markéta is my long-time friend. We got to know each other through a shelter, from which I took my first dog and where I then started to help out. Under this association, Markéta runs a depository for cats in Prague, where I like to go when I have a bit...
Have you ever wondered how much movement is healthy for your dog and when it can be harmful? Or that not every movement is beneficial? Most dog owners never think about this. It’s said that the more you move, the better. But this is not always true.
As I mentioned in previous articles, I occasionally help out my friend Markéta, who runs a cat shelter. I had the opportunity to take part in several humane trappings for stray cats and would like to share the experience with you today.
Did you know that even your pet dog can suffer from depression? As with people, we shouldn’t underestimate the mental state of our dogs. How to recognize it and what to do about it?
In this cycle, we shall take a look at how cats and dogs are getting along in the world. Where people nurture and spoil them, or on the contrary they suffer and their situation is critical. Today I would like to introduce you to the cats of Greece,...
The approach of warm sunny days will surely entice many people to go for long walks. Many of us take our four-legged companions on vacation. It’s during these times that we should be careful about sunstroke, both for us and our dogs. How can we prevent...
Just like with people, being overweight can have a negative impact on a dog’s health. Preparing the right diet and amount of food to give them can sometimes be, however, like pure alchemy, and so your dog can start to become obese. If this is the case...
There seems to be more and more ticks year after year. Fortunately, the ways to protect our furry friends, whether dogs or cats, against these parasites are growing. Everyone can choose what product fits best for them and their four-legged companions.
Until recently skinny guinea pigs were relatively rare in our country. Word about them is quickly spreading, however, and they have become a sudden hit among breeders. What’s it like having these guinea pigs and what do they like to eat?
The kidneys perform one of the most important functions in the body - cleaning the blood. Due to their small intake of water, cats are more burdened than other animals and therefore suffer quite often from kidney problems the older they get.
