Wheek & Squeak

The Hutch

The hutch or cage for your guinea pigs should be as large as you can buy.  For two guinea pigs the minimum size should be 4 feet by 2 feet.  If the hutch is to be kept outside it should be made of loglap or tongue and groove.  Ply hutches are not warm enough for outside, they are ok for sheds or garages but they still need to be covered up well in the winter.

The Run

The run should have a secure top so that they are safe from preditors.  Make sure you get a run that has easy access to catch your guinea pig.  I have seen so many that either have no door to get at them or the door is so small you cannot reach inside the whole of the run.

There should always be shade for your pig to get under.  I do have a pet hate and that is the plastic houses that you can buy being put in runs as shelter from the sun in summer, all I can think is that it must be like an oven in them.  Also remember if you leave them out all day the sun moves around so what is the shade in the morning is probably full sun by lunch time.

Guinea Pigs should not go on wet grass in the colder months as they will get cold and become ill.     But you can put your run on a dry patio though in the warmer part of the day and I am sure he will appreciate a stretch of his legs during the long winter months.  On warmer days in the summer it is not such a problem being on damp grass as they will soon dry off as the temperature rises.

Bedding

There are various types of bedding on the market.  Never use sawdust, which is too dusty or hard straw, which can cause eye injuries.  I personally use newspaper and a good inch or so of Megazorb on top.  In the bedding area I put loads and loads of hay, where they can curl up and and keep warm and at the same time nibble away to their hearts content.

Food

Guinea Pigs need vitamin C.  This will be added to added to virtually all reputable dried guinea pig food (do not substitute it for rabbit food) as they need different diets.  They also need vegetables and fruit twice daily, this will be their main source of vitamin C.  You can also add vitamin C to their water bottles.  You cannot overdose on vitamin C what they do not need will pass through their bodies.

There is a separate page where I list some of the vegetables, fruit and wild plants that your guinea pigs can eat. 

Nail Clipping

It is very important to trim their nails regularly.  Make sure you do not trim into the quick otherwise it will bleed profusely.  If you look into the white nails you will see pink in the centre, part way down the nail this will disappear and it is safe to trim in that area.  If its a black nail Im afraid its a bit of guess work, but as long as you dont overtrim you should be fine.

If you have problems with this and are happy to travel to me I will always do a complimentary nail trim.

Bathing

Guinea Pigs need bathing regularly.  I use shampoos from Gorgeous Guineas (see separate page) who have a wide choice of products .

Be careful of the temperature of the water you use, I use just a little warmer than luke warm.  Dry them thoroughly afterwards, if you use a hair dryer make sure you dont leave it drying in one place as it will burn them, I keep the dryer moving over the body all the time.  In the summer once they are dry they can go back into their hutch but in the winter it is too cold and I keep them in overnight and return them to their hutch the next morning.

I wash them in a bowl in the sink using jugs of water to get them wet.  When I have finished bathing them I wrap them up in a towel and rub them as dry as I can.

Water Bottles and Dishes

The best food dishes to get are these

These are nice and deep to put plenty of food in, they do not tip, very easy to keep clean and also inexpensive.

The best water bottles to get are the opaque ones, there are a couple of companies that make these one is Pip and the other RotaStak.  They are by far the easiest to keep clean, alot stronger and they last forever.

Hot Weather

Guinea pigs do not cope well with extremes of weather be it hot, wet or cold.  Make sure your hutch is placed in a shaded part of the garden, remember the sun moves round so what could be the shade in the morning could well be in full sun by the afternoon.  This also applies when putting your guinea pigs in the run in the summer, make sure there is shade for them to get under, please do not use plastic houses in the run on these days as it will be like an oven in them.  NEVER LEAVE GUINEA PIGS IN THE RUN AND GO OUT FOR THE DAY.  Anything can get into your garden and get to them no matter how secure you think your run is and it may well be dry where you are but it could well be raining at home. 

If your pigs are living indoors make sure you do not put them directly in front of a window or radiator, this will be far too hot for them.

Wet Weather

Guinea pigs should never be put in a run on wet grass, their stomach is in constant contact with the ground and they can easily get a chill which can easily lead to respiratory problems which can lead to death.  So wait until the grass is completely dry and then put them out. 

Make sure the hutch is well off the ground as damp rises and again is not good for them.  Also make sure the hutch is positioned so that when it rains it does not drive straight into the hutch.

Cold Weather

In winter guinea pigs should be kept either indoors or a heated shed.  Nowadays you can buy pads that can go into a microwave for 5 minutes and then be put into their bedding area at night, it will stay warm for 10 hours.  Lots of hay should be put in their hutch particularly at night so they can snuggle into, when I say lots I mean the whole bedding area should be full.  The hutch should be covered over with a blanket, old carpet, old duvet, anything you have to keep them warm and draft free.  If you have taken on baby guinea pigs these should definately not go outside until Spring.  Ply hutches are not really warm enough this is why I always recommend they be made with tongue and groove or log lap.

TO BE CONTINUED