A real favourite amongst small pets, guinea pigs are little doubt distinctive, candy little creatures. However do you actually perceive what it takes to look after these fluffy pals? Questioning if you’ll be able to decide to being a accountable pet guardian to those cute little rodents? Then take a look at these 15 issues to know earlier than adopting guinea pigs to achieve perception and data of their care necessities.
1. Time Dedication
Though your guinea pig companions is not going to require as a lot time as a new child child, they may certainly want your care and a focus for a lot of issues. Subsequently, it’s important to think about how a lot of a time dedication these pets can be. Will you be capable to bond with them, play with them, and care for his or her wants?
As social creatures, despite the fact that they could be paired with a buddy, your cavies can expertise adversarial results on their well being resulting from boredom, loneliness or melancholy, so it’s important to maintain this in thoughts earlier than adopting them.
2. Spectacular Lifespan
Smaller rodents like mice and hamsters have lifespans of about 2-3 years. Cavies, nevertheless, can stay to the ripe outdated age of 6 or 7 – even perhaps 10 years like our Abyssinian, Muffy, who continues to be going sturdy! As such, think about this substantial dedication, particularly earlier than getting them as pets for kids. Bear in mind, even when curiosity in them wanes, because the grownup pet guardian you can be required to look after them for fairly a while.
3. Continued Funding
Though the charges for adoption and habitat set-up are actually extra inexpensive than many different pets, welcoming cavies into your property is nonetheless a continued funding. Whereas meals prices will all the time stay low since they eat little or no (although repeatedly), prices do add up.
Recent greens, greens, hay, and dry pellets are essential every single day, together with a supply of contemporary water and the occasional fruit. Other than meals, medical care is one other issue to think about, notably when it could value a big amount of cash to repeatedly go to an unique pet specialist.
4. Potential for Allergy symptoms
Ensure that allergic reactions is not going to be an issue beforehand by spending time with cavies on a couple of event. Though chances are you’ll not react to the guinea pigs themselves, are you conscious of any allergic reactions with hay?
Hay is a vital a part of the cavy food regimen, a lot in order that they can not stay with out it. Thus, keep away from all of the heartache that comes with having to surrender pets your children have already bonded with by testing for allergic reactions earlier than adoption.
5. Youngsters’s Age and Their Understanding
Guinea pigs are sometimes bought as items for younger youngsters. Nonetheless, gifting guineas – or any pet for that matter – is rarely a good suggestion. The youthful the kid the extra probably they’re to view their cavies as precise toys. In fact, as adults, we all know that isn’t the case, however this will really pose an enormous drawback throughout interactions between children and cavies. If left unattended, the scenario can flip disastrous – so by no means depart pets and youngsters collectively unattended. Guinea pigs are small and fragile, with delicate little legs that want light care. Earlier than adoption, train your youngsters what it means to be a accountable proprietor of a pet.
6. By no means Go Solo
Whether or not they’re within the wild or in a habitat in the lounge, cavies shouldn’t be adopted in singles. They’re extraordinarily social creatures and generally stay in massive teams. So, in case you are contemplating adopting a guinea pig, guarantee they arrive with a minimum of one companion. That is exceptionally essential as guineas are identified to turn out to be depressed when alone and, in some instances, may even die of loneliness.
The nice factor is that caring for a duo (or a trio) is just about simply as straightforward as caring for a solo piggy. Nonetheless, do take note of their sexes when pairing them up, as some pairs don’t get alongside in addition to others.
7. Male + Feminine = Numerous Infants!
As early as three weeks of age, feminine cavies can get pregnant. So in case you’ve obtained your self a pair of unfixed guineas, you might be certain to finish up with litter after litter of infants! Ascertaining the gender of guinea pigs will not be that simple and even pet retailer employees have been identified to inaccurately decide sexes, which may actually end in some sudden pregnancies. As such, in case you do undertake, make sure that to go to a dependable, well-known adoption middle, breeder or vet who can certifiably decide gender.
8. Habitat Measurement Issues (a Lot)
Usually, guinea pigs develop to about the identical dimension as adults, although males are typically barely bigger. The habitat you present for them have to be large enough to comfortably accommodate your cavies. The extra pets you might have, the bigger the cage have to be.
Whereas there are tons of options on-line as to what dimensions to get, chances are you’ll wish to take a look at our detailed submit on correct sizing. One rule of thumb to stay to nevertheless is all the time go for the utmost dimensions to make sure your guineas are relaxed, joyful, and every have their very own little areas.
9. Free-range Time Is a Should
Though their habitat can be their major protected area, cavies ought to by no means be caught 100% of the time inside a cage. Even if you are going to buy an impressively massive C&C cage with a second-floor hayloft, your pets will nonetheless want some free-range time.
Set-up a security zone play space with an enclosure to your cavies and allow them to roam wild and free. This may simply be finished in your front room or perhaps a bed room. Going outdoors within the yard on a pleasant, heat day for some grassy nibbles can be a good way to let your piggies stretch out their tiny legs, however by no means depart them unattended in case you accomplish that.
10. Cute Bottomless Vegan Pits
Don’t be fooled by their candy methods, light eyes, and charming demeanor – these cavies are true pigs! Since they’re vegans, it could appear to be they’re ravenous, bottomless pits of adorableness, with a starvation that by no means disappears. Meals is continually stepping into (and out), particularly greens, greens, and hay. Relying on their age and gender, they may have completely different dietary necessities. Regardless, all of them want a vast quantity of hay of their habitat for digestion and to curb extreme tooth progress.
11. Grooming Is Important
The longer the coat, the extra grooming your pet would require. Some cavies have such lengthy hair, just like the silkies, that you’ll want to brush them day by day. Abyssinians, like our cavy Muffy, even have a considerable coat, and as such, will want weekly brushings.
Other than their hair, their nails want common clipping and ears want common cleansing. Since their enamel are ever-growing, you will have to keep watch over them to ensure they don’t get out of hand and have to be filed down by a vet.
12. Be Cautious With Different Pets
Cavies, within the wild, are prey to an excellent many creatures. At dwelling, they could appear to be a pleasant little toy or snack to bigger pets. If you have already got different animals in the home, then chances are you’ll wish to think about the brand new dynamic guinea pigs would create. Cats usually are not usually identified to assault cavies, however they aren’t notably pleasant with them both. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be prudent (or type) to introduce guinea pigs into an area with different pets if it’s simply going to emphasize them out.
13. Surprisingly Noisy (Even In a single day!)
One of many issues folks don’t understand till they really undertake guineas is simply how noisy they’re, particularly in a single day. Other than the frequent vocalizations that sound like squeaking – what’s truly known as wheeking – additionally they make a number of different noises, relying on their feelings. These sounds vary from:
- whistling at you to achieve consideration,
- making purring-like noises once you pet them,
- to clicking their enamel to point out annoyance.
There are sometimes numerous rustling noises as nicely from their on a regular basis actions.
Additionally, cavies are typically very lively in a single day, so when you’ve got their cage set-up in a bed room, chances are you’ll get up all through the evening.
14. Cages Want Common Cleansing
After studying how a lot guinea pigs eat, it might come as no shock at this level that each one that meals turns into an entire lot of waste. In fact, which means their habitat wants common cleansing.
On a day by day foundation, you’ll must take away bits of uneaten meals or meals which have been knocked over.
And on a weekly foundation, their cage will should be utterly cleaned out, and bedding changed. In the event you skip these particulars, then you can be taking a look at a number of mildew progress, bugs within the hotter months, and even sick guineas.
15. Vet Visits Are Obligatory
Many individuals are below the misperception that small pets like rodents don’t require common vet visits. Nonetheless, that is utterly false. Any dwelling pet requires medical follow-ups to make sure they’re match and fantastic. Similar to every other animal, they will have well being points which will go below the radar till it’s too late. What’s extra, cavies are unique animals, which implies they will’t simply go to any veterinarian for a check-up. Subsequently, be sure you have room in your funds to get the care your pet wants when it wants it.
There isn’t a doubt about it, guinea pigs are superior little creatures. Whereas adopting them comes with a wealthy listing of rewards, they do nonetheless want the right care they deserve. No pet, regardless of how low upkeep or low value they had been up-front, deserves a “feed it and overlook it” perspective from their proprietor. Guineas usually are not much less time-consuming or a neater various to a cat or canine. So, earlier than you exit and undertake an cute pair of cavies, please take into consideration what it really takes to be their pet guardian.
