Guinea Pig Care

Housing/Bedding

Here at Posh Pigs Brisbane, we use colourful igloos as hideaways for our guinea pigs. Cages should be (at minimum) 70cm x 70 cm per 1 guinea pig. Also, cages should not have a wire bottom as this can cause 'bumblefoot'-a bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction to wire flooring.

We recommend using wood shavings as bedding as it is highly absorbent, environmentally friendly and inexpensive. However, the wood shavings should be free of aromatic oils and should not contain dust as this can cause respiratory illness. 

Indoor/Outdoor

Indoor housing is highly recommended as guinea pigs are social creatures who crave attention. 

Outdoor housing can pose many risks including: temperature fluctuations, predators, drafts, increased exposure to insects, less social interaction and the inability to detect illnesses quickly.

However, if indoor housing is not an option, outdoor housing can be issued with the implementation of increased monitoring.

Health

At any time, guinea pigs can suffer from many health concerns including scurvy, dental disease, diahorrea & paralysis. If your guinea pig is suffering from any of the above, please contact a small animal surgery immediately.

Below are the details of a Brisbane small animal veterinary.

Dr Vanessa Gray-Brighton Veterinary Surgery
32692223

Pairing/Companionship

Guinea pigs are herd animals and are very sociable so it is recommended to keep them in pairs or more.

Male & Male-When pairing males, it is best to pair an adult male with a baby male as this combination allows the adult male to assume the position of alpha male. Introducing two adult males will have an unknown 50/50 result when it comes to fights.

Female & Female-This is the best combination for families who want to have 2 or more guinea pigs. Females usually always get along with each other in large groups.

Male & Female-Unless the male is desexed, this is not a recommended option.