Do you have a guinea pig..here some tips how to take care of him!
By oly2006
@oly2006 (948)
Romania
December 1, 2006 2:56am CST
Rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters are grazing animals are need similar food. One of the most important elements of feeding them all is water. All these animals often get a large portion of their water from fruits and vegetables, but should always have fresh water available. Water bottles are easily emptied by leaking out and if left standing can become contaminated. You should change water for your small pets daily.
Preparing and feeding hay: Hay is a foundation of rabbit and guinea pig diets. They should have a fresh supply of hay every day to keep their digestive system regular. Both
animals are natural grazers and should be allowed to
eat as much as they like. If possible,
feed Timothy hay, although any grass hay will do. Hay that is from legumes, like alfalfa can be fed, but are high in calcium which can cause bladder stones and so should be fed in moderation.
Prepare fresh hay. Purchase from a feed store or a farmer. Hay in grocery stores and pet stores may sit for months before purchase. Always check you hay before feeding it to your pet.
Preparing Pellets: Pellets should be stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Feed only high quality pellets formulated specifically for your kind of pet. Avoid fancy mixes that include seeds, dried fruit and colored cereal. These are not a natural part of rabbit and guinea pig's diets. These pellets should be fed in a limited amount. Feed pellets at the same time every day and remove any uneaten pellets after an hour
6 responses
@rhinoboy (2129)
•
1 Dec 06
I keep a rabbit in the house, it has supermarket packaged hay, guinea pig pellets (proper dwarf pellets give her the runs) and gets fresh water whenever the bottle runs low.
she gets fed whenever the bowl is empty and eats cookies, biscuits, pizza crusts and every oter treat imaginable.
Funny, with such an un-healthy lifestyle how a dwarf rabbit has lived 7 years and still going strong?!!!
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
2 Dec 06
Probably just some good genetics. Although, 7 isn't really very old at all for a rabbit.
Guinea pig pellets aren't much different from rabbit pellets. If you read the label, you'll notice the main difference is added vitamin C. This won't hurt your rabbit. The guinea pig pellets you're buying just might be a better pellet than the rabbit pellets you tried.
I've seen some good packaged hays (especially the Oxbow brand). However, for me, I have 3 piggies and 2 rabbits, it's just too expensive not to buy a bale. If I bought a bunch of little bags, I'd quickly go broke!
1 person likes this
@cavywench (69)
• United States
2 Dec 06
I am very pleased to see accurate information on the care of these lovely little guys.
I also want to stress that guinea pigs are herd animals and do best when paired with a buddy. That's when their true personalities come out!
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
2 Dec 06
I am shocked! I saw this post and on a message board not geared towards guinea pigs, I expected to see more of the usual inaccurate information generally found. I am quite impressed with your post!
I rescue guinea pigs and would agree with pretty much everything there. I'd like to also add that legume hays such as alfalfa are good for young piggies (under 6 months), but they still need a grass hay as well. I feed orchard grass since I am allergic to timothy hay.
@anonim_keloo (449)
• Romania
8 Dec 06
Guinea pigs (also called cavies) are rodents belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia, originally indigenous to the Andes.
Despite their common name, the animals are not pigs, nor do they come from Guinea.








