Below is a selected group of questions submitted through E-Mail that I have responded to. I figured other guinea pig lovers might have similar questions and want to read them...
Q: How do I convince my parents to let me have a guinea pig?
A: Well, I asked my mother and she thinks the best way to convince your parents would be to make up a list of responsibilities and vow to maintain them, or make up a contract and sign it. This might help to convince your parents that you do know what is involved in taking care of a guinea pig and that you do intend to care for it.
Q: Will neutering/spaying kill my guinea pig?
A: Well, unfortunatly they tend to die almost half the time. It's a very serious operation for a guinea pig, with a lot of recovery involved. There is an age window in which it needs to be done. If you don't want them to breed, I recommend getting all of one sex. Girls get a long the best.
Q: I'm thinking about purchasing a guinea pig and appreciate all the info you have in here. A pet shop owner gave me positive words towards getting one, but other people say they're "too messy". Any truth here to consider? Thanks, Sarah
A: Guinea Pigs aren't any messier than any other pet. At least you know it won't pee all over the house, like a dog, or claw at you, like a cat, etc. Every kind of pet has its ups and downs. Guinea pigs are extremely docile and very cute. :) Just clean them regularly, provide them with fresh food, water, and attention, and you will have a great pet. They live longer and are much happier with company, though. If you'll be gone a lot of the day or not able to devote much time to it, I would suggest getting two. Two girls would be ideal if you don't want them to breed. I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Q: Hi, I am in SERIOUS need of some help. I have just recently gotten my very first guinea pig. (I am 13) I was very exited to finally my 2 month search of "the perfect pig" it has been 9 days now and my g.p. is still scared to death of everything that I do. I cannot walk by her cage without her running into her little tunnel or making her scared noises. I am very worried about her. Will she ever come out of this scared stage, or is this a forever deal? I try to cuddle her as much as I can, but it almost impossible to even pick her up. I am not too sure what her happy noise is. I have heard it off the Internet, but I can't seem to tell the difference. What can I do? Is this normal? or did I just get a bad pig :( Please help me. ~Maddie~
A: Hi, Maddie!
Your pig is perfectly healthy. Guinea Pigs, when first brought home into a new environment, will remain skittish like that for months even. Especially if it's a baby. You're doing the right thing by holding her often and coaxing her, getting her used to people. Our pigs are very, very used to people and are just as relaxed as they can be when you hold them, but even they run into a box when someone walks by their cage. It is in a guinea pig's nature to run away from danger. Unfortunately, they're not smart enough to know that their loving owner (you) isn't dangerous. No, you're pig isn't bad. I do recommend a second pig. Guinea Pigs are very social creatures and they do get lonely. They live longer with companionship and they are more active. We have four. They can play with each other during all those minutes in the day when you can't hold them. Hope this helps!
Q: Porkchop,
I was wondering if guinea pigs sleep. My 'Piggy' is very energetic... I never seen it sleep before. My GP is always so hungry and it poops so much! is that unusual? -rita
A: Dear, Rita.
Oh, yes, they do sleep. But, they sleep at night or nap during the day, just like people. They most likely sleep when you are sleeping and when you are away. They are active when they know activity is around — if you're moving or cooking, etc. Our pigs produce a large amount of excrement. Four pigs create a lot of mess and we have to clean them often. We have one pig that is extremely energetic. She races around their cage, going as fast as she can. Guinea Pigs will always eat, and always eating means always expelling waste. I hope this helps you!
Q: My guinea pigs Dice and Rodney always squeak. And when you rub their hair up the wrong way they squeak and run around. Why is that?
A: Simple, they don't like it. :) None of our pigs have ever liked their hair being brushed backwards. It's a lot harder to pet Tator Tot, an abyssinian. Her hair is all over the place and you can't pet her without at least some hair going backwards. I hope this helps.
Q: I have recently purchased 2 guinea pigs one week apart from each other. Each one died one week after I got it. I kept them in a ten gallon fish tank with wood shaving bedding. I purchased them from a well known pet store. They seemed to be quite healthy when I first got them but then they seemed to have a cold. They sneezed and their eye's matted up slightly. They were never without guinea pig pellets and water. They sell guinea pig wood shavings so I was wondering if it could be the dust in the wood shavings. I talked to a local vet office, and they had no explanation. I want another one but I will not get one if I cannot found out what happened to the first two. I'm desperate and sad please help.
Sincerely, Unhappy
A: Dear Unhappy,
were the eyes cloudy when you bought them? Cloudy, sticky eyes is the key symptom to a very contagious guinea pig disease. When I worked at Petco and we got the new guinea pigs in, we had to look at them all very carefully. We had to quarantine the ones with that disease, I'm sorry I can't think of what it's called. If you are going to buy a new pig, try from a different store, just for a little while. The batch of pigs they have may all have that disease. Also, I would use pine shavings. You said wood shavings, but I didn't know if you meant aspen, cedar or pine. Use pine. Aspen is too small and sharp and they choke on it, literally. We've lost a couple that way. Cedar shavings are just harsh all around. Cedar is like a red and yellow mix. Pine shavings are softer and are a lot easier on a guinea pigs system if they were to be ingested. Also, a 10 gallon is really too small. If you have to put them in a boxed aquarium, I suggest AT LEAST 20 gallons PER PIG. Glass aquariums are so expensive too. If you have the room, I suggest a baby wading pool for a cage. It gives them so much more room, and they don't feel so caged in. They can peek over the top and see what's going on. I hope this helps you. Feel free to ask more questions.
Q: I recently got a new piggie to accompany the three year old male I already have. I was told that the new one was a boy, but every time I put them together, they are very "attracted" to each other if you know what I mean and they walk around each other purring. Other times they fight and try to bite each other. They've never actually had sex, they just try to mount each other. Any idea what could cause this? How can I tell if the new one is really a girl? Is it just a phase?
Carrie
A: Hi, Carrie! :)
Well if the new one mounts your male, then he is also a male. Mounting is characteristic behavior of males only. When you put males together that haven't grown up together and have encountered the scent of females, they will try to mate. The new one probably has a scent of female on him, attracting the older male. When females are involved, males get jealous and fight. Be sure to check them every day for wounds. They will rip through ears, and leave nasty bite marks and sores on each other's bodies sometimes. This can grow into a nasty infection and even death if not noticed in time to take to a vet or take care of it yourself. Just be careful. Try bathing the both of them. This might help to calm them down. You can use Bunny Bath, a shampoo for rabbits that can be found at your local pet store in a pink bottle. Don't bathe them more than once every other month, though. Since guinea pigs groom themselves naturally, increased bathing causes more hair to shed and then when they groom themselves, they can actually develop hairballs
and choke. They should calm down, though. After the smell of female has died out and they get used to each other. I hope this helps you! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Q: What are some things that I could do/play with my guinea pig? Things that she will like. Thanks you.
A: Just take them out of their cage and pet them. We watch tv with ours. Place them in a towel so they feel more comfortable and this will absorb 'accidents'. We also take ours out and set them on a towel when we cook or do things around the house. They like the
change of scenery and to look around. Our pigs' most fun activity is when they all get to go outside in their huge outdoor pen. It's more than 5 times the size of their indoor one. They can skip around, chase each other, eat grass, etc. They love to go outside when the weathers nice. I hope this helps.
Q: I am considering a small pet for my seven year old daughter. We have Great Danes, which she dearly loves, but would like a pet she can hold and cuddle. I am waivering between a rat or guinea pig. Both, I am hearing, should have a same sex friend. My preference would be one, but I want what is best for it's happiness. Here's my questions: For a child that will probably want to hold it alot, which do you feel would be more tolerant? Also, can either be "potty trained" so it doesn't urinate all over when out of it's cage? I will need to keep it indoors, since the weather here in CA is pretty extreme. Which would be more odorless? I appreciate any advice you have. Thanks.
A: Well, both guinea pigs and rats make great pets. Especially for kids the age of your daughter. They will both have about the same odor problem, but rats would definitly take up less space. Rats are much more intelligent and inquisitive than Guinea Pigs, but Guinea Pigs are more docile. Rats will also tolerate more 'rough' handling. I don't mean throwing or anything, but you don't have to be as gentle. Also, guinea pigs love to go outside. If you live where it's cold or somewhere where you can't build them an outdoor pen, I would definitely go with rats. I love rats. They are so smart and sweet. There isn't really a problem with either rats or guinea pigs going to the restroom outside of their cage. It will happen, but it won't be all that often. Both animals are very clean and groom themselves. I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Q: Hello I have been to every web site and I have looked at all the Q-A pages. I really need to know how long my new guinea pigs need to stay with there mother? If you can help please do. You can also just send me links that I can look through. Thanks!
A: Hi! They need to stay with mom just until they are weaned. Then they are free to leave her. Once they are fully eating solid food and no longer nursing, they are ready to go. This can be anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Usually about four weeks, though. I hope this helps.
Q: What can you tell me about "Skinny Pigs"?
A: Well, guinea pigs can be skinny because they don't get enough to eat, or from several other factors. Guinea pigs can actually get lonely if they do not have company. They live in herds in the wild and are very social animals. If a life long friend died or was taken away, or if they have been alone for so long, they can develop a loss of appetite, become lethargic, lose hair, and of course, lose weight. Also, weight loss can be connected to a medical problem other than depression, such as mites. Mites and other skin diseases are very harsh on cavies. The pig will
scratch and itch, also losing appetite and body weight. If your pig lives alone, I always recommend a friend. If you think it could be the other option, I recommend you take your pig to a vet. I hope this helps you.
Q: When do cavies reach sexual maturity?
A: Males reach sexual maturity anywhere from 6-8 weeks of age. If they are in a cage with females, you will know they have reached maturity when they begin to try to mount the females and when they walk around, moving their body side-to-side slowly, making a brrrrrrrrrrr noise. Females can get pregnant at four weeks of age, but I highly recommend they not get pregnant until they are at least 8 weeks old. Early pregnancy usually results in a still-born litter and the female usually doesn't make it through.
Q: My guinea pigs have bald spots behind their ears. Is this some sort of disease?
A: Oh, no. :) Just about all mammals have that same bald spot behind their ears. Take a look behind yours. :) It's perfectly normal.
Q: What's the best kind of hide box for my cavy?
A: Well, I highly recommend cardboard boxes. They are super cheap, and chances are they come with things you already buy. Cavies like to chew, also, and this is safer and easier for them with a cardboard box than with a piece of wood or plastic. Cardboard is essentially hard paper. When the box gets dirty, all you have to do is throw it away and put in a new one! You don't have to worry about cleaning the expensive one you bought at the pet store that can be harmful to your pig anyway.
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