Is a guinea pig right for me?

Guinea pigs can make wonderful pets, for both adults and in a family home with children, but it is important to understand their needs and do your research before acquiring them.

©Jess Death

Guinea pigs, or cavies to give them their proper name, belong to the rodent family and suborder Hystricomorpha, which also include chinchillas. They originate from Peru in South America.

The males are called boars, females are called sows, and the babies are known as pups. The pups are born fully furred and with their eyes open and when fully grown weigh between 800g to 1.4kg. There are many different breeds, including short and long-haired, wirehaired with patterns and even skinny pigs, which are hairless.

Yes and no. They make delightful family pets, but often do not like being picked up as it scares them. Children can be involved in their care, feeding them, watching them and cleaning them out, but the adults must be responsible for their overall care.

They have similar needs to rabbits and are strict herbivores, so do not consume any meat.

Their diet should be high in fibre (grass and hay), plus a small amount of good quality guinea pig pellets and a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. Guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C, so must have a diet that is high in this, so they do not become deficient.

Guinea pigs are eating machines and will consume large amounts of food – the bulk of their diet should be hay and grazing on fresh grass – never feed them grass clippings as these will ferment and cause a potentially fatal build-up of gas in the digestive system.

Guinea pigs should never be kept on their own. They are often shy and nervous and rely upon the company and support of their own kind. You should always have at least two guinea pigs or even a group. If you have two, often two females are a better combination, or a female and male with the male neutered. A group tends to work best with several females and one neutered male.

Although guinea pigs are small, they do require a large and safe environment. They should have a large hutch which they can freely retreat into if they feel scared, or to sleep in, as well as a large run to graze on grass and play in. This can be kitted out with tunnels, ramps, boxes and toys to play with. Make sure it has a secure lid on it so nothing can get in and injure the guinea pigs, and ensure you remove the droppings (of which there will be lots!), and urine each day and perform a thorough clean each week.

Often rescue centers will have guinea pigs looking for homes. These will vary from young to older guinea pigs, but the rescue center will be able to discuss each guinea pig’s personality and offer advice.

Otherwise, pet shops usually have them for sale.

No, guinea pigs do not require any vaccinations.

Yes! Guinea pigs make various squeaks and squeals depending upon their mood. Often if food is around, or they know to expect it, they squeak in excitement!

If they are fed an appropriate diet, kept with another guinea pig, in a clean and large environment, then they are likely to remain healthy. But guinea pigs can suffer from a variety of health conditions, with dental disease and skin problems being the most common.

The average lifespan is between 5-8 years.