Caring for guinea pigs

Never alone

Keep at least two guinea pigs together: two sows, or a neutered boar with sows. Boars can also live in pairs if introduced young.

Give them a large cage, ideally at least 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) for two, with hides, hay racks and floor time.

Diet and vitamin C

Unlimited grass hay, a cup of fresh vegetables a day, and plain guinea pig pellets. Bell peppers, parsley and leafy greens are good sources of vitamin C; without it they get scurvy.

Their teeth grow all their lives; hay keeps them worn down.

Breeding safely

A sow's pelvis can fuse if she isn't bred before about 7 months old, making birth dangerous. Responsible breeders plan around this, and boars are separated from their sisters and mother by 3 weeks.

Health

Watch for weight loss (weigh them weekly), crusty eyes, sneezing or hair loss, and see your vet promptly. Long-haired breeds need regular grooming.

Satin breeds can inherit a painful bone disease; ask the breeder about their lines.