Caring for Your Pet Guinea Pig

By Cathy Doggins

The guinea pig (also called a Cavy or Cavies) is originally from South America and has been a favorite pet for over 400 years. They can be found in natural habitats in 1 or 2 South American nations including Peru and Brazil. While there are more than 60 breeds, most domestic pet Guinea Pigs are either Peruvian, Abyssinian and English. Each breed has unique traits based on hair length (short or long), The animals may also be differentiated by coloring or rosettes, which are round swirls of hair. Many Guinea Pigs are cross-bred creating for even more color ccmbinations. They eat easy to prepare foods formulated for Guinea Pigs and are the perfect pet for every rodent lover.

Guinea Pigs as Pets

The pet lives a mean of 5 years and make glorious pets. They are delicate non-aggressive creatures that rarely bite. The animals are very social with other Guinea Pigs. They will make some noise, although not so loud as to be an issue. Cavies don't leap or jump, so no cage lids or tops are needed.

Cages and Bedding

Any enclosure must be about 4 feet x 4 feet. The animals can be untidy since they like to shred any bedding material. Bedding can be shredded newspaper or recycled paper. Cage walls should be at least 10 inches high. The cage should be cleaned everyday since the animals frequently urinate and defecate.

Supplements and Feeding

Guinea pigs are easy to care for and require an easy to prepare and maintain diet. The most basic accessory is a sipper water bottle fastened to the side of the cage. Water should be supplied each day and the bottle should be washed every 7 days. Vitamin C enriched Timothy Food pellets formulated for Cavies should be provided. Also purchase green, not brown or tan, Timothy, grass or oat hay. Avoid Alfalfa since it contains too much calcium. Also provide your Cavy a small portion of green vegetables.

As soon as you bring a Guinea Pig home, get him or her used to eating a variety of foods. The patterns you set while they're young will stay the same for the lifetime of the pet. It is difficult to introduce new foods later in life. Recommended veggies that are full of the required vitamin c incude:

- Turnip greens
- ,Mustard greens
- Dandelion greens
- Kale
- Brussell sprouts

Fruits are only to be used as treats. Fruits like grapes, apples and orange slices (one per day for vitamin c is ok) can be provided. Fruit shouldn't comprise more than 5% of a Guinea Pig's diet. Cavies require 10-30 mg of vitamin C daily. There are tablets available for sale that may be sprinkled onto fresh veggies. Don't add a vitamin c supplement to water since the value of the supplement reduces after adding it to water.

Health Care

Like cats and dogs, cavies should be examined by a Vet each year. Catching illnesses early is key to helping your pet live a long and healthy life.

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Eating Guinea Pig in Peru

By Jonny Blair

On selected Friday's, Don't Stop Living brings you a featured food. This series of Friday's Featured Foods will be chosen at random from the countless dishes, meals and snacks I have tried as a global traveller. First up, I head back to my time in Peru and the day I tried Guinea Pig, known locally as Cui.


I had just finished the epic Inca Trail, which came to a stunning climax in the lost Inca City of Machu Picchu so spirits were high and I was just in awe of the amazing Sacred Valley in Peru. After the Inca Trail came to a close in Machu Picchu, we had been invited for lunch by our tour guide. We had agreed to meet in Chaski Restaurant in Aguas Calientes, PERU at 3 pm. I was hungry and wanted something local. PLUS, it was Christmas Day!!

When I was a kid Christmas Dinner was always a special meal in our calendar. I headed to church in Aguas Calientes first as it was always a tradition to go to church at Christmas. After that I headed over to the Chaski Restaurant in Aguas Calientes for my Christmas Dinner! Peruvian style!

I had never eaten Guinea Pig in my life so I was looking immensely forward to it. Apparently Ecuador and Peru are the main places you can eat guinea pig - somewhat a delicacy. I love trying new food, but if I don't like it, to be honest I don't always finish it!


The Guinea Pig menu came with a choice of two - roasted (which came with potatoes, cheese, salad) or stewed (which came with rice, potatoes and peanut sauce). They were both the same price - 55Soles so I went for the Roasted Option. As a kid I had always had a roasted turkey meal for Christmas so it was time to try roasted Guinea Pig.
The entire Guinea Pig was on the plate, as you can see head and all! It was a cheers all round for our big group of Inca Trail survivors as we ate and drank to our hearts content!


So, what you really want to know is was the roasted Guinea Pig it any good? Is it worth trying? As a traveller and a lover of the phrase "I'll try anything once" then I have to say Yes! Go to Peru and try the Roasted Guinea Pig. It was well cooked, a bit roasted and I would say similar to chicken.


You do have to pick at the bones and search hard for genuine large lumps of meat, but definitely worth trying once, especially the effort that was put into making it and the aroma from it. Having eaten as much of it as I could, it was time for a few Christmas Day beers to toast to the success of having completed the 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. My advice - try Roasted Guinea Pig!! Known as Cuy! You might never get the chance again. Don't Stop Living!

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Tips to Bringing Your Guinea Pigs Home

By David Emery

The First Few Days

The first 3-4 days you bring your guinea pig home, it can be very tempting to pick them up and cuddle with them. However, they're in a new area - and very scary area - and they need time to get used to that.

Let the first few days they are home to be for exploring their cage in a quiet environment free from stress or loud noises, both of which will scare the guinea pig.

Important Note:

You need to ensure that when you bring one or more guinea pigs into the house that they have a good area to hide - each guinea pig needs his or her own place, too, or a fight could break out!

Don't Hover!

Notice everyone in the family hovering around the cage? Watching the guinea pigs every move? Although cute and interesting, doing this is definitely going to scare the little guys!

This makes your pet think that an eagle is swooping down to attack, and causes him to be very scared. Instead, when you want to observe your pet, kneel down to eye level with the cage. This will allow him to see you as more of a friend, and less of a foe.

Bribing Your Guinea Pig

One of the most effective ways of getting a guinea pig to trust you is with bribery. How is it possible to bribe an animal like a guinea pig you ask? With food of course!

Bribing a guinea pig, who usually have great appetites, with treats is ideal for showing them that you are there to help and not harm them.

How to Bribe Your Guinea Pig

It isn't hard to bribe your guinea pig with treats so they'll trust you.

To start, show you guinea pig what you have for them and leave it at the open door of their cage. Wait near the cage quietly with your hands sitting in your lap.

If, after a few minutes, the guinea pig hasn't taken the bait, slowly take the treat, shut the door to the cage and leave the room. By doing this several times a day they will eventually get the idea that they're supposed to come and take the treat.

Each and every time he or she comes closer to the treat, you too should move closer to the cage, allowing them enough time to get used to you being there.

Before long, your pet will eventually take the treat from you, but probably with plenty of trepidation in the beginning. However, with even more patience on your part your guinea pig will be nibbling treats right from you hand without any fear at all and even become happy and excited when they see you.

How to Pick Up a Guinea Pig

Forget using treats to pick up your guinea pig as you won't want to damage the bond of trust you've taken so long to build.

Start by slowly and gently petting and stroking the guinea pig, letting them see you aren't a predator but instead their friend and new family member.

Holding Your Guinea Pig

Always use great care when holding a guinea pig! Their bodies are delicately shaped and lung damage is a possibility if they are held too tightly.

Gently cup the torso of your guinea pig, and support the rear as you lift up. Don't hold them too hard, and instead carry them gently, ensuring that you're supporting their entire body well.

Remember to carry them with care, and small children should always hold their guinea pigs with great supervision - because of their small bone structure, they can be easily injured if dropped.

Keeping Your Guinea Pig Relaxed

Don't you just love the idea of sitting on your couch, petting your guinea pig in your lap, and reading the paper or watching the news? It's a great idea, but in practice, it takes a while.

Using a treat while sitting in a quiet room, handle your guinea pig gently, petting their fur and talking very softly to them and see if they'll sit nicely in your lap while nibbling their treat.

If you're patient, he will, and eventually he's going to love being handled by you, and actually request it by squealing when he sees you coming near.

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What To Use As Bedding Material For Your Guinea Pigs

By Tommie Bakr

Taking care of rodents like guinea pigs involves providing them with bedding. Guinea pigs scuttle all over the place, while being alert for any presence of snakes, cats and other animals that can devour them. Guinea pigs feel safe and happy with their favorite bedding made from among the three: paper, shavings, or straw.

Shredded paper is the cheapest way to create a soft place for your guinea pigs to roll around. It's not only inexpensive but it soaks up urine fast thus keeping the cage dryer and cleaner for your pets. Take note though, don't use paper that has ink such as news paper. The ink can be poisonous and cause death to your guinea pig. Also, don't forget to change the paper regularly.

Another source of bedding is shavings from a soft type of wood. This seems to be the most popular option among guinea pig owners as they come in different forms. There are larger shavings or even pellet-sized shavings.

As we all know, shavings come from wood. Since wood carries a smell with it so does its shavings. Pine tree's shaving is an example of good smell and affordable materials. The only concern is that they can make dust.

Since the wood has odor, it would help if you let the materials dry outdoors to let the wood release its odor naturally. This is important because guinea pigs are known to have allergy from the odor of the shavings. Therefore, use shavings when you have a cage that has more air circulation, not an aquarium where most of the air is trapped.

Other pet owners also like to use straw or hay as bedding. There is an added treat for the guinea pigs as they like to eat straw.

Keep the straw dry and clear of molds. When the straw gets wet, they get easily damaged.

Avoid using sawdust as it can cause pulmonary problems with the guinea pig when they inhale the small particles of dust. Neither should you use materials that are hard because it can pierce through the eyes of the guinea pig.

About the Author:

Read more of this author's advice on products like the kids closet organizer and wall shelf brackets.

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Do cavy's need additional vitamin C?

By Allan Bakier

Guinea pigs can't provide their own C-vitamin, so you've to ensure that your pets gets adequate vitamin C in their daily feed.

How come cavies need vitamin C?

You may be having vitamin and mineral pills to be sure to consume enough vitamins, but you should also make confident that your guinea pig receives adequate vitamins. Distinct from most other mammals, guinea pigs are unable to form ascorbic acid in their body system.

The ways to give your guinea pig vitamin c

The good news is, you can effortlessly give your guinea pig vitamin c and you can attempt this number of ways:

When you give food to your guinea pig with fresh greens, choose produce with extra high content of C- vitamin. Use for example, parsley (that guinea pigs love) which includes approximately. 40 times as much ascorbic acid as carrots. Also sweet peppers, broccoli, rose hips and orange contains a lot of C- vitamins but you should only give the orange along with other citrus fruits once per week, because the level of acidity that they consist of may affect your guinea pig teeth's if the get it too much.

Try to find feed pellets made especially for guinea pigs - they usually are supplied vitamin C

Ascorbic Acid droplets can be put into drinking water.

Sadly vitamin C rapidly stop working in water, so it's not the ultimate way to do it, and you can risk that your guinea pigs do not like to drink water mainly because it tastes wrong

If your guinea pig is expecting, it should have double the amount vitamin c usually!

Shit Vitamins

if you realize that your guinea pig consumes some of his own feces, do not be concerned, there is nothing amiss with your guinea pig, when it eats its own feces it reuse some minerals, vitamins and bacteria that it needs to be healthy. If you look hard if you notice, that it only consumes some waste that looks somewhat different, they are smaller and appear softer.

Indications of vitamin c deficiency

Already after 2 weeks without vitamin c, your cavy well-being is influenced.

Be on the lookout for the signals because they may be a sign of that your guinea pig doesn't get sufficient C-vitamin: diarrhea, losing weight or eating less than usual. Also a neglected coat is usually a sign of ascorbic acid insufficiency.

When you eat your own everyday vitamin think that also your cavy needs vitamins and healthy food.

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Guinea Pigs - Cavies and Kids - Are They a Good Mix?

By Bob Matthews

If kids are older and moderately responsible, they can (and should) take on a role in the custody of your family's guinea pigs. With the words: O.K, we'll get a guinea pig - but you must take care of it, many parents are almost tempted to completely abdicate their pig care responsibilities and assign them all to the child. This is almost never a smart idea. While caring for any living being is a great learning opportunity (and the parent may even tell the kid that they are fully in control of the animal's health, safety and welfare); ultimately , the final responsibility must always remain with the responsible adult.



While full accountability for your pig's welfare should never be given to a very small child, it is actually a good learning experience to allot specific tasks to the youngsters in the family. If the jobs are a life-critical - such as those concerning food, water or supplements - the responsible parent must monitor the situation to be certain these obligations have not been neglected. Your pigs' lives rely on it! The parent should give occasional praise and positive reinforcements when the job is well done and they should give reminders and negative consequences when the job is neglected, forgotten or done poorly. Owning a pet is an excellent learning opportunity for your youngsters - but those lessons shouldn't come at the expense of your pet's health, safety or well-being.

If the task is less life-critical - like cage-cleaning or giving the guinea pig daily attention and exercise - then monitoring does not need to be as rigoruous. Nonetheless this does not mean that you can simply delegate the task and walk away. Remember that in the end the accountability for your pigs ' safety and well-being falls on you - the responsible adult. Also remember the monitoring of tasks is for two absolutely different and important reasons: 1) to insure the care, comfort and safety of your pet (s) and 2) to teach your youngsters to be responsible, caring and respectful pet-owners. So whether or not the task isn't important to your pigs ' health or safety, it is still an important part of your children's transformation into a responsible adult and community member.

It does not need to be said that tasks assigned to kids should be age-appropriate. That is, life-critical jobs should be assigned to older and more responsible children. Less critical tasks can be allotted to younger and less able children. In either case, be sure to stretch your child by letting them do everything that they're capable of and by intermittently adding new and harder jobs, but also be sure to give parental aid, coaching and guidance with any portions of the job that your child cannot perform correctly.

It's a great learning experience for children to be involved in the raising of a pet. Nevertheless all tasks assigned should be based on your children's age and ability. And at no point should you as a parent relinquish full responsibility in the situation. Ultimately , the accountability for your guinea pigs ' health, safety and welfare rests on your shoulders.

About the Author:

We here at BlueStoneCommerce are guinea pig cage sellers and also have guinea pigs living in our home with us. Everybody knows what guinea pigs like and what they require in a guinea pig cage to be healthy, safe and secure. Thus if you are looking for for a lot of guinea pig cage for the money, CLICK one of the resources area LINKS to visit
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Looking After a Pregnant Guinea Pig

Guinea pig pregnancy can last up to seventy days. However, some may have shorter pregnancy depending on the number of baby guinea pigs they carry. Having more babies simply means shorter pregnancy. Usually, they have easy and healthy and easy pregnancy.

However, some of these tiny creatures may also experience severe health-related issues just when they are about to give birth.If you are dealing with pregnant one, it is important to take note of some useful information about its condition. During the initial four weeks, there isn't any obvious change in terms of the behavior or the physical attributes of these animals.

Guinea Pig Popcorning Explained

You will see the big change in the last four weeks of the pregnancy when they become huge and really plump. During guinea pig pregnancy, these animals can get large, almost double their normal size. You can also witness the movement of the tiny babies in the final two weeks.

It is highly recommended that alfalfa hay be fed to them as it has higher protein content as compared to the usual Timothy hay. To prevent the hair from thinning away, you may opt to increase their fiber intake. It is likewise advised that the Vitamin C intake be increased in order to avoid experiencing toxemia.

How to Exercise Your Guinea Pig

A caesarian birth is the best method for these a pregnant guinea pig. If the babies are becoming too active and tending to give the mother a difficult time to move, then consider those are indicators that your guinea pig is ready to give birth.

The birthing period usually lasts approximately 20 minutes and each baby is normally released between 4 to 5 minutes. The normal number of babies is 3 but there are cases when only a single baby is born. After the birth, have your pet checked by a veterinarian.

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