The East Midlands Open Rescue guide to

caring for guinea pigs

Bringing your guinea pigs home

The move to a new home can be very stressful for a guinea pig, so make them comfortable in their pet

carrier by providing a comfortable bed of hay and some veggies for them to munch on and covering

their carrier with a towel to block out light and movement. Keep noise to a minimum by not playing any

music and only talking quietly.

When you get home quietly introduce the guinea pigs to their new hutch or cage and let them have a

chance to properly explore it.

Leave them within their enclosure for 24 hours. This will allow them to get used to their new

surroundings and feel more secure.

Getting to know your guinea pigs

Initially just sit on the floor by their enclosure and allow them to check you out. Try to

avoid touching them at first and just allow them to become acquainted with your scent

and presence. Staying at their level will make you seem less intimidating. By appearing

to ignore them to start with (not looking directly at them and doing something else, e.g.

sitting reading) they will learn to relax around you and will not see you as a threat.

Once they are happy with you there, you can offer them your hand to sniff and offer

them some treats to gradually build up their trust before you start to stroke them. Gain

their trust stroking the top of their head before you start to stroke their body.

Health checks

To ensure that your guinea pigs stay in good health, it is important to perform a quick visual health

check every day so that you can spot any signs of illness early on. When performing a visual health

check, always look for the following:

Coat condition – their coats should be clean, smooth and glossy. They

should be keeping themselves well groomed and be keeping the fur

around their bottoms and faces particularly clean.

Eyes – should be fully open, bright and clear. Cloudy or discoloured

eyes or the presence of discharge are causes for concern.

Nose – should be clean with no discharge.

Ears – should be clean and free from wax, mites, dead hair and dead skin. Check for signs of scratching

which may indicate irritation.

Front paws – should be clean and the fur should not be damp, matted or discoloured, caused by rubbing

their face with their paws, as this can indicate a problem with the teeth or the nose.

Teeth – should be straight, meet evenly in the middle and not be too long.

Claws – should be clean and free from chips, cracks or any other damage and should not be too long.

Anus – Should be clean and free from faeces, staining or redness.

Behaviour – Guinea pigs are prey animals and one of their main defence mechanisms is to hide any

visual signs of illness to ensure that they are not singled out as an easy target by predators. Because of

this, when a guinea pig begins to look unwell, an illness is often quite progressed so it is important to

spot any changes in your pets behaviour as early on as possible. If your guinea goes off their food, is

hiding or sleeping more than usual, or if they generally seem out of sorts, it is very important to get

them to a vet experienced with cavy as soon as possible.

We recommend taking your guinea pigs to your local vet for a health check at least once a year. And of

course, be sure to take your piggies to the vets straight away if you find anything of concern when doing

your daily health check.

Diet

Prepared food

There are many different types of guinea pig food available, so it can be quite a difficult

decision choosing what to feed your pet. A healthy choice, recommended by vets and

cavy rescues across the country, is a pelleted food that has been specially formulated

for guinea pigs. These are readily available from most pet shops, supermarkets and

vets practices. Pelleted feeds have a higher vitamin and mineral content than a muesli

feed and they provide a more balanced diet. Choosing to feed pellets prevents

selective feeding, as many piggies will only pick their

favourite bits out of a muesli mix, meaning that their diet is

not as nourishing as it should be. Because pellets are so high

in nutrients, you should only feed around three tablespoons per guinea pig

each day, making a bag last much longer and providing better value for

money.

Muesli feeds are best avoided as they often contain artificial colourings and they

have a tendency to be dusty. Muesli mixes are also lower in nutrients, meaning that

you have to feed a very high quantity in order for your guinea pig to get everything

that he needs. This in turn discourages piggies from eating hay, which is extremely

important for maintaining short, healthy teeth.

It is very important not to feed guinea pigs a diet intended for rabbits, as these two

species have very different nutritional needs.

Pellets should be fed at a consistent time every day and it is a good idea to use them to enrich your

piggies day. Instead of providing pellets in a bowl, make your piggies work for their food and encourage

them to think and search for them. Fun feeding ideas include:

• Scatter feeding – scatter pellets around your piggies enclosure and encourage them to search

them out.

• Mix pellets into their hay – this will get them digging and burrowing to search for their food.

• Put a few pellets into a toilet roll tube – they will have to roll, push and gnaw on the tube to get

the pellets out. Be sure to cut a strip length ways from the tube so that there is no chance they

could get their heads stuck.

• Use a guinea pig food dispenser toy. These work really well as they have to roll and push them in

order to get the pellets to tumble out.

Pregnant and nursing females and young guinea pigs have very specific nutritional needs and so we

would recommend consulting your vet if you are caring for these, so as to ensure that they are on the

correct diet and receiving all of the nutrients they need.

Hay

Good quality hay is the central component of any healthy piggies

diet and should make up around 70% of what guinea pigs eat every

day. Hay should always be provided in abundance – give as much

hay as your piggies can possibly eat, and then lots more! Hay is full

of nutrients and the fibre that it contains ensures a healthy

digestive system.

Hay should always be available as guinea pigs have a fast metabolism and require constant access to

food in order to keep their digestive system functioning smoothly. Hay is also important as guinea pigs

have constantly growing teeth and the gnawing and grinding motions employed when eating hay keeps

them in good condition and prevents dental problems from occurring. This is crucial as dental issues are

not only very painful but they can also be difficult to treat.

It is necessary to purchase good quality hay from a pet shop and not in bulk direct from a farm. Although

this is more expensive, the hay will have been heat treated and dust extracted so it will not irritate your

guinea pigs delicate skin and lungs and it will be free from mites, other bugs and debris. Piggies love to

rummage through their hay and will use it as a comfy bed, so always make sure that you provide a big,

tasty pile of it! Timothy hay and Readigrass can also be given as a healthy and tasty treat.

Fresh food

Guinea pigs are not able to make their own vitamin C, so fresh food is very

important for their health.

Piggies love: apple (but only in small amounts as it is very acidic), broccoli,

brussell sprouts, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chives, coriander, cucumber, green

beans, kale, parsley, pear, rocket, spinach, baby sweetcorn, thyme and freshly

picked dandelions, grass and clover, but they are adventurous and will love to

try new things.

Kale, parsley and spinach are are high in oxalates which inhibit the uptake of calcium, so these should

only be fed in a maximum of three meals a week.

Veggies to avoid – lettuce, cabbage, parsnips, frozen or wet vegetables, evergreens, carrot tops/leaves,

mowed grass, and any grass, dandelions, clover etc. that has grown near a road.

Treats

There is a huge variety of commercial treats available, however many shop bought treats

contain colourings and cows milk, things which guinea pigs are not equipped to digest and

often leave them with upset stomachs. Timothy hay, meadow grass, sunflower seeds,

pumpkin seeds, dried echinacea (cone flower) and dandelion are all natural treats that will

be thoroughly enjoyed.

And always remember that guinea pigs shouldn't eat food meant for humans!

Housing

Choosing an enclosure

There is a huge amount of choice available when it comes to picking accommodation for your piggies –

you can buy premade cages and hutches, or you can create an enclosure of your own design. It can be

difficult to decide what type of environment would be best to house your piggies, especially when you

begin to look at measurements.

Many pet shop bought cages and hutches are not adequate housing for guinea pigs or rabbits as they

are simply not big enough. Space is hugely important for the long-term health and happiness of your

guinea pigs and they need more of it than you may imagine. Below you can see a table showing the

minimum and the ideal amount of space that should be provided per number of piggies. It is important

that upper levels are not counted in the minimum square footage as ramps used to provide access to

the upper deck usually take away from downstairs exercise space.

Cage Size Standards

# of Pigs Minimum PREFERRED generally

7.5 sq ft more is better 30" x 36"

7.5 sq ft 10.5 sq feet 30" x 50"

10.5 sq ft 13 sq feet 30" x 62"

13 sq ft more is better 30" x 76"

http://guineapigcages.com

• Piggies with large enclosures tend to be fitter due to the increased exercise they get, meaning

that they lead longer and healthier lives.

• Larger enclosures can be more easily enriched, keeping your piggies mentally active and

entertained.

• Piggies body clocks are very different to our own, so a large enclosure enables them to play and

exercise whenever they want to, rather than limiting this to when they are allowed out.

• In order for them to live happily together, two or more piggies require plenty of space in order to

play together and to accommodate time apart.

• Happy, healthy pigs that have plenty of space and enrichment available to them are far more fun

to own. Content piggies display a far wider range of behaviours and are so entertaining to watch,

making them a wonderful pet to share your home with.

Depending on the number of piggies you have, you may be

able to get a large rabbit cage or hutch of the right size

from a pet shop, however the more piggies you have, the

trickier it can be to find the right accommodation for them

and you may have to start being creative.

For indoor piggies, C&C cages may be the way to go. Made out of connectable panels with a plastic base,

you can create any size or shape of enclosure you please and these are a very cost effective alternative

to expensive shop bought cages.

For outdoor piggies, the sky may indeed be the limit. You can look at bespoke hutches built to your

design, or adapting Wendy houses or sheds.

Setting up an enclosure

As guinea pigs are prey animals, they should be provided with

several hiding places as this will help them to feel more secure

in their surroundings and settle into their new home quickly –

an upside down cardboard box with a door cut out and filled

with hay does the job well and will keep them busy by giving

them something to nibble on. A wooden arch or large

cardboard tubes, make good secondary hides.

Hutches should be positioned in a quiet, but not isolated, part of the garden, out of direct sunlight and

wind and away from dogs and cats, the presence of which can be very stressful for small animals like

guinea pigs. Indoor cages should be placed in a quiet but active room of the house, out of drafts and

direct sunlight and out of reach of young children and other pets.

An outdoor run can be used in good weather but remember to provide lots of hidey

holes to make them feel safe and secure - tubes, plant pots, drain pipes and boxes will

all make exciting hides for them. They would also appreciate having ‘piggy-friendly’

plants planted in there for them to munch on. Patches of dandelions, parsley and

clover would all be much appreciated. A run should always have a sheltered, shaded

area available to keep them comfortable in warm weather. A tarpaulin securely

attached or a large piece of wood placed across the top of the run will do the job

nicely.

In colder weather it will be necessary to provide guinea pigs with more nesting

materials in order to keep them nice and warm, and for outdoor piggies insulated

hutch covers will keep them protected from the elements. In winter it is a good

idea to increase their food as they will be expending more energy keeping warm.

Guinea pigs are very sensitive to extremes of temperature, so if it gets too cold,

outdoor piggies must be brought indoors. Insulated hides and cavy cosies can be

used to provide extra warmth and guinea pig safe heat pads are available online

and at many pet shops.

In hot weather clean floor tiles, with smooth edges can be placed in their enclosures to give them a cool

place to lay.

Choosing a substrate

Your guinea pigs enclosure can be lined with wood shavings (never use sawdust as it is

damaging to their delicate lungs), cross-shredded paper, straw, hay, shredded

cardboard, carefresh, vet bedding, fleece or unfrayed towels. Your choice of bedding

will be influenced by where your guinea pig lives – outdoor piggies will require thick

layers of substrate and large amounts of bedding to keep them warm in cold weather

and at night, while indoor piggies can be housed on a towel or a blanket. All guinea

pigs should have access to a sheltered bed area, filled with a very generous amount of hay to keep them

warm throughout the night. Cotton wool type bedding and shredded paper beddings made of long

strands should not be used, as it is easy for these to become tangled around a guinea pigs leg. Some

people house guinea pigs on newspaper, however we do not recommend this as walking on the print

can burn the skin and the paper is not absorbent, so animals housed on newspaper frequently develop

urine scald.

Guinea pigs can be quite messy and so it will be necessary to clean out your guinea pigs hutch or cage

every 2-4 days if on wood shavings or cross-shredded paper and daily if on fleece or towels.

Please note that some vets and cavy rescues advise against the use of wood

shavings for housing guinea pigs. At EMOR we recommend that only dust

extracted shavings should be used and that the following guinea pigs should not

be housed on shavings at all:

• Guinea pigs less than six weeks old.

• Ill or injured guinea pigs.

• Guinea pigs with a history of eye, nose or respiratory infections.

• Guinea pigs with skin conditions.

Indoor guinea pigs

Indoor guinea pigs need to come out of their cage for an extended period at least once a day. You can

begin by allowing them access to a play pen connected to their cage before building up to allow them

free run of a room. The first few times that they come out, leave them to explore at their own pace and

just sit still on the floor so that they can come up and have a sniff of

you. Do not stroke them if they come to you to begin with, but instead

try offering them some tasty treats to gain their trust.

Because of guinea pigs small size they can be difficult to catch and

guinea pigs find being chased around very scary. We would recommend

not trying to catch your guinea pigs in order to return them to their

cage but instead allow them to return of their own accord. If you need

to hurry up the process, try blocking off part of the room and slowly

herding them back towards the cage by gradually reducing the area accessible to them. A rabbit play

pen is very useful when doing this at it can easily be used to separate the room. If you offer them praise

and a treat when they hop back into their cage, they will soon learn to go back to their home when they

want something tasty to eat!

It will be necessary to ‘piggy-proof’ any room that your guinea pigs will have

access to. Blocking off any small spaces that they could squeeze into and

keeping an eye out for any hazards they could reach, such as cables, pot

plants etc. and anything else that might get them into mischief will all help

to keep them safe. Be sure to keep doors closed, so that they can not

wander in to an unsecure room and keep any cats and dogs safely shut away

while the piggies are out.

If you have difficulty keeping your piggies out of mischief while they are roaming around, try providing

lots of toys for them to play with. Cardboard boxes stuffed with bedding can be used to block holes and

tunnels can be positioned over cables, to keep them safe and entertained at the same time.

Toys

Providing your guinea pigs with wooden blocks will give them

something to gnaw on, keeping their teeth in good condition

and discouraging them from chewing on their hutch by giving

them something nicer to chomp on instead! Toys made out of

willow or hay, such as woven balls will keep them occupied for

hours.

Cardboard boxes and tubes (toilet roll tubes etc.) are also a good idea and they'll have great fun

shredding them!

Avoid toys with small or moving parts and always choose natural materials over plastic as they are

bound to try chewing everything and wood, willow, hay etc. will be far better for their teeth and for

their belly if they swallow anything.

You can get a variety of beds, cosies, hides and tunnels designed especially with guinea pigs in mind.

These are fun toys that come in a range of designs and can be thrown in the washing machine whenever

they need cleaning.

These designs and many more are available at www.cavycouture.co.uk

Hay trays, literally cheap litter trays or the base from an old hamster cage,

filled with hay are hugely popular with guinea pigs and are a very cheap

way to keep them entertained. These act as a comfy, cosy bed but also

provide the opportunity to burrow and snuffle around, searching out the

tastiest pieces of hay and taking in all of the interesting smells. You can

even sprinkle their food or some treats in with the hay and watch as they

work to try and find them.

Wooden arches make great hides, as do large cardboard tubes. You can

usually get tubes for free from your local carpet shop. Pick a tube that is

a suitable width for your piggies and cut into pieces to make fantastic

free tunnels. Tunnels positioned to lead into hidey holes, such as boxes

filled with hay, are very popular as it provides a safe ‘burrow-like’ space.

Making your own toys.

You can make some of the best guinea pig toys yourself at home. This is

also a great way to get children involved in caring for a pet - we have

found toy making sessions to be a huge success with our junior

volunteers and the toys are all so easy to make. All you need are some

toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes and a little imagination!

We cut kitchen roll tubes width ways into thirds. Then pierce through

the centre of each of the sections of tube using a biro.

Make small cuts around the top and the bottom of each section of

tube. Fold these outwards to create something that looks a bit like a

cog.

Thread these together using string and hang from the top of the

cage.

Alternatively, you can repeat using more kitchen rolls and hang as a

banner across the top of the cage.

Cut toilet roll tubes into swirls, stuff these with hay and hang from the roof of the cage.

Cut random sections out of a tube, stuff with hay and hang from the roof of the cage or leave on the

floor.

Keeping groups of guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are naturally very sociable animals and although you

may meet the occasional piggy who prefers to be on their own,

the vast majority of guinea pigs are happiest in pairs or groups.

Guinea pigs will live quite happily in all male or female groups,

however if you intend to mix sexes you should seek advice from

your vet on neutering.

While all piggies will fall out a little from time to time, you can

keep groups of guinea pigs in harmony by following these simple

rules:

• Space and lots of it. There needs to be enough room for each piggy to be able to get away from the

others whenever they want to. Animals living in cramped conditions are more likely to bicker simply

because they have no space to themselves and are unable to move away from the group.

• Lots of exercise. They need to be physically active on a daily basis. If piggies are shut away and not

getting enough exercise all that excess energy will end up being directed through aggression.

• Leave the edges of the enclosure clear. This will allow the piggies to run around and make a full lap

of their space. If they have a sudden burst of energy, you want them to be able to burn in off.

• Provide a hide for each piggy and at least one extra. This ensures that each piggy has their own

space and that the least dominant of the group still has some control over their environment and is

able to choose where they want to hide, rest or sleep. If you have three pigs and only two hides,

someone is going to miss out and become unhappy.

• All hides should have at least two entrances/exits, so that if one piggy runs into an already

occupied area, there is no need to squabble as the less dominant piggy can easily leave.

• Provide one of each desirable toy for every piggy. There should be enough of every resource for

each piggy to be able to gain simultaneous access, otherwise you will end up with squabbles over

what one piggy has and another piggy wants.

• Do not use food bowls. These are the main source of contention among groups of pigs. If you have

two pigs, then two bowls can be provided but for a group, scatter feeding is a better option as then

everyone can feed at once. If you feed with a bowl there is likely to be bickering among the more

confident pigs over who gets to feed first, while any shyer piggies will only get what is left when

they are done. By scatter feeding everyone gets equal access to the food.

• Hand feed veggies. Don’t just put big chunks of veg in the enclosure, as again this will lead to

squabbles and quieter pigs missing out. Instead, cut

veggies into slightly smaller pieces and hand feed each

piggy one piece. Then scatter the rest of the veg evenly

around the enclosure. This way if one piggy has their

veggies taken off them, they do not have to go very far

to find another piece.

• Lots of hay. Hay should be provided in a large enough

quantity and enough different locations for all piggies

to gain access at the same time.

Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together

Not so very long ago it was thought to be good practice to house rabbits and guinea pigs together. It

was generally accepted that these social species would coexist happily, providing much needed

company for each other without the risk of accidental pregnancies. Even up until the late 1990’s,

most books published on the care of rabbits and piggies recommended this as safe practice. As such

there is still a wide-spread misconception regarding the well being of animals house this way. If you

speak to your local vet or animal rescue, they will strongly advise that rabbits and guinea pigs

should not be kept together under any circumstances. If you have always believed that these

animals can live together this may seem a little odd, however keeping piggies and rabbits together

is not recommended for these reasons:

• Rabbits can be carriers of Bordetella, a bacteria which causes pneumonia in guinea pigs.

• Rabbits are larger and more confident animals and will dominate any food source. Piggies housed

with rabbits have limited access to food, as they are only left with what the rabbit does not want

to eat.

• Rabbits and guinea pigs have very different dietary needs – you cannot feed them on the same

diet. Rabbits require a diet higher in vitamin D, while piggies need a diet higher in vitamin C.

• Rabbits are much stronger than guinea pigs and the most placid of rabbits can inflict serious and

even fatal injuries on a guinea pig by simply kicking out at the wrong moment.

• Amorous and frustrated rabbits will frequently bully guinea pigs, leading to both physical injuries

and stress.

• Guinea pigs communicate in a very different way to rabbits. They need the company of their own

kind to stay happy and healthy.

If you currently house rabbits and guinea pigs together and have never had any problems, please

consider yourself to have been very lucky so far and think about separating them. They may appear

to get along ok, but prey animals naturally behave differently when we are around – can you be

certain that they are still happy when you are not around? Rabbits and guinea pigs are left to their

own devices for the majority of the day, so would you recognise signs of bullying and stress in your

guinea pig?

Although rabbits and guinea pigs are both social species, they are far better kept in pairs or groups

of their own kind, than they are kept together.

Handling

Lifting - To pick up your guinea pig put your right hand over their

shoulders to keep them still, then slip your left hand underneath their

chest. Your thumb should be on the outside of their left leg, your first

finger in between their legs and then your third, fourth and fifth fingers

outside their right leg. Gently lift their front up from the floor and then

put your left hand under their bum to scoop them up. Hold them with

their head slightly higher than their bum and slightly tuck their bum in to

help prevent them from kicking out. Guinea pigs have a delicate spine

and so it is important to hold them firmly but gently so as to keep them

from struggling when handled.

Carrying - Hold your guinea pig facing you with all four feet against your chest.

Place one hand to support their bum, holding them against your body to stop

them kicking out and put your other hand across their shoulders. If you put

your thumb in front of their front leg it helps prevent attempted escapes over

your shoulder.

Hold them sideways with their feet resting at your hip and their head

facing your right shoulder. Wrap you left arm across their body and

support their chest with your hand, thumb over their shoulders,

fingers underneath. Use your other hand to support their bum and

firmly press their feet against you so that they can't lift them to kick

out.

Transporting your guinea pig

Guinea pigs have a naturally timid nature and transporting them even a short distance can be very scary

for them, however there are several things that you can do to keep your pet happy on a journey:

Transport your piggies in a suitably sized pet carrier that provides them with enough room to

comfortably move around and stretch their legs.

Line the base of the pet carrier with a clean old towel and then cover this

with a thick layer of fresh hay. The towel will stop your pets from slipping on

the smooth base of the carrier and will catch any accidents, keeping them

clean and dry. The hay will keep them warm and comfortable, as well as

giving them something tasty to eat on their trip and helping to insulate them

from any scary noises.

Cover your pets carrier with an old clean towel. This will keep them warm

in winter and keep them out of the sun in the summer months. The dark

inside of the carrier will help your pet to feel safe and secure as the towel

will block out bright lights and sudden movements that may startle them.

Covering with a towel will also help to muffle the sounds of traffic and

people voices.

Avoid public transport if at all possible. The new smells and loud noises of buses, trains and their

passengers are very scary for small animals, so public transport should only be used for transporting

your pets as a last resort.

Keep noise to a minimum. Don’t play loud music and talk only in hushed tones as unnecessary noise

combined with the sound and movement of your car will add to the stress experienced by your pet.

For more information on caring for guinea pigs, or any other animal you can visit us online at

www.openrescue.weebly.com you can email us at openrescue@live.co.uk or call us on 07988 724 773

All written content is the intellectual property of East Midlands Open Rescue. Ref.: EMOR:GP-0410