Guinea Pigs
Guinea Pigs usually live about 5-6 years but can live as long as 12 years in captivity. Male guinea pigs should weigh between 900-1200g with females being a little lighter at 700-900g. In captivity guinea pigs can develop dominance hierarchies and may fight to establish these.
Desexing
Vets at Springfield District Vets are happy to desex guinea pigs to reduce your breeding population. The cost is approximately half that of a cat desexing. Please phone 3288 1574 to make an appointment.
Illness
Our vets enjoy seeing guinea pigs, so please do not hesitate to make an appointment if your guinea pig is unwell. Please phone 3288 1574 to make an appointment.
Diet
Guinea pig foods and snuggle areas areas are available at the clinic.
1. Guinea Pigs, like humans, are unable to generate their own Vitamin C. This needs to be made available every day through fruit and vegetables such as capsicums, tomatoes, spinach, asparagus, oranges, kiwi fruit and strawberries. Vitamin C tablets can also be given (1/4 of a 100mg tablet per day).
2. Fibre is very important as guinea pigs are hind gut fermenters, a little like horses. It also helps wear the teeth normally.
3. Fruit and grains are considered treats and guinea pigs should not be given more than a tablespoon per day.
4. A combination of hay,fresh grass, guinea pig pellets, and lots of fresh chopped vegetables (especially leafy greens) is a good diet for your guinea pig.
5. Also make sure water is always available; a sipper bottle is a good option.
Housing
Guinea pig cages should have:
1. Very good ventilation;
2. Solid, or no floor NOT wire bottom;
3. A good hiding place;
4. Bedding that can be changed frequently (Guinea pigs can be litter box trained). When choosing bedding try to avoid those with small dust particles. Recycled paper is a better option than wood shavings;
5. The ideal temperature for guinea pigs is 18-26ºC. They are also susceptible to high humidity levels so watch out for heat stroke during Queensland’s hot summers;
6. Dog attacks occur commonly and are a devastating tragedy for guinea pigs. Please ensure you guinea pigs remain safe from dogs!
Health Tips
1. Worming should be administered every 3 months via the drinking water.
2. Mite and Mange spray can be used to control lice and Sarcoptic Mange Mite.
3. Try to keep nail tips clean as faeces can get caked on and predispose to toe infections.
4. Nails can be clipped periodically, as they can become overgrown, twisting the digits.
5. Bathing should not be necessary unless guinea pigs are kept in a dirty environment, have external parasites or an underlying medical condition.
6. Male guinea pigs can develop greasy hair along the spine and anal region from sebaceous gland secretion and may need to be cleaned to prevent infections and unpleasant smells. Desexing may assist with this problem.
All of your guinea pig’s needs are available at SDVC.
