GUINEA PIG CARE
As a fellow guinea pig owner I would like to provide some proper guinea pig care tips. To start with, I want to mention that the very first pet I owned was a yellow guinea pig named mustard. My mom bought him for me when I was in 1′st grade. Unfortunately, I don’t have any strong memories with mustard only because we did not have him around for very long. Poor mustard was the victim of a respiratory infection that we were unable to treat. From this experience, I would like to provide some simple guinea pig care tips to help keep your pet healthy and happy.
1.) CAGES:
The recommended cage these days are the”cubes and coroplast” style. These are made from a corrugated plastic which is environmentally friendly and non toxic. These are also light weight, strong, and can be easily cut and shaped with a knife. In the past, most people used cages with a wire mesh floor, however, these are no longer recommended due to the fact that they can injure your pets feet and possibly cause an infection named “bumblefoot”.
2.) BEDDING:
It is still recommended to use wood chips, however the type of wood chips have changed. In the past, softwoods such as red cedar and pine were the norm, however, today it is believed that these can cause allergic reactions due to the aromatic hydrocarbons and oils within. Now the experts recommend hardwoods such as aspen and hemp. You can also still use paper products and corn cob as comfortable bedding or mix it all together to make each type of material last longer.
3.) DIET:
Guinea pigs enjoy feeding on fresh grassy hay such as Timothy hay. They also really like alfalfa, however, experts believe they should not be fed too much alfalfa. They also require around 10mg of vitamin C daily. This can be achieved by making a medley of apples, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, celery, and spinach. It is common for guinea pigs to eat often or chew on something regularly, they due this to keep their teeth from growing too large. So don’t be worried when your guinea pig is trying to eat its cage, it is just a natural process of grinding their teeth down to size.
4.) HEALTH:
To provide proper guinea pig care you must monitor their activity. Guinea pigs, as all other pets will act differently when something is wrong. They have a few common ailments which include: respiratory infections, diarrhea, scurvy, and abscesses. Most of these ailments can be observed in one way or another. If your guinea pig begins to act very lethargic and lazy then it may have an illness. if it begins to act aggressively when touched, then it may have an abscess caused by hay that has poked through its skin. If it is tearing up and blinking often then it may have hay particles lodged in its eyes. If it is sneezing excessively then this may be another indication that you may need to bring him to a vet for some guinea pig care.
