This guinea pig care guide offers everything you need to know before adopting this calm, gentle, and affectionate companion. Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, are loved for their low noise level and lack of odor. Unlike rabbits, they are difficult to litter train, so daily cage cleaning is recommended. They don’t jump or climb, making them easier to manage in a home environment.
General characteristics
- Sexual maturity: 2–3 months
- Lifespan: about 6 years
- Weight: 700 g to 1.2 kg
- Length: 20 to 30 cm
Proper housing
Guinea pigs require a clean, spacious, and stimulating living space:
- 🏠 Spacious cage: the bigger, the better
- 🚶♀️ Daily supervised exercise outside the cage
- ➖ Flat-bottom floor: no wire mesh to protect their feet
- 🌬️ Good ventilation: helps prevent respiratory issues
- 🧻 Recommended bedding: recycled newspaper or paper litter
❌ Avoid cedar or pine shavings — they release irritating phenols
💡 Enrichment tips:
- Cardboard boxes, tunnels, and wooden shelters for hiding
- Chew-safe objects: paper rolls, untreated wooden toys
Balanced nutrition
Guinea pigs have very specific dietary needs, especially for vitamin C:
- 💊 Vitamin C supplement (10–25 mg/kg daily) is essential
- 🌾 Timothy hay: available at all times — aids digestion and tooth wear
- 🥬 Fresh vegetables twice a day: romaine lettuce, celery, spinach, bell pepper, parsley
- 🍓 Fruits in small quantities (less than 5% of the diet): oranges, strawberries, kiwi, peaches
- 🍽️ Guinea pig pellets: about 1/8 cup daily
- 💧 Fresh water: changed daily, preferably provided in a water bottle
Preventive health care
- 🩺 Annual veterinary exam to check ears, teeth, coat, heart, and weight
- ✂️ Nail trimming: every 3 months
- 💉 Vaccination: not required for guinea pigs
Guinea pigs are gentle, interactive pets that thrive with consistency and care. By meeting the essential guinea pig care needs, you’ll help your companion stay healthy, enriched, and happy throughout their life.
