Information Compliments Of

GUINEA PIGS

Information Compliments of:

Dr. Vanessa Rolfe

The Bird & Exotic Hospital, Inc.

6147 Lake Worth Rd.

Greenacres, FL 33463

561.964.2121

WHY WE RECOMMEND WELLNESS VISITS

Many of the diseases of birds, reptiles, and exotic animals are preventable and are often due to a misunderstanding of proper care and feeding.

Since exotics may hide symptoms late into the course of illness, even “healthy” animals need regular physical examinations. If problems are detected early they usually are more easily treated. We have a special interest in these animals and keep up to date with new medical developments in the field.

During your wellness visit we examine your pet to detect early signs of illness. We review your questions and concerns and provide guidance on care and nutrition. We explain diagnostic and treatment options. A partnership between us to optimize your companion’s care is one of the best ways to keep your pet healthy and to minimize dangerous and costly illness.

THE BIRD & EXOTIC HOSPITAL OFFERS:

√ Wellness consultations for birds and exotic pets

√ Medical care for sick and injured birds and exotic pets

√ Grooming such as wing or nail trims

√ Boarding

√ Diagnostic, surgical, and x-ray procedures

√ Microchipping for identification

√ Vaccinations

√ Consultations for behavior problems and prevention

strategies

√ Demonstrations on handling, monitoring health, medicating,

and dealing with emergencies

√ Emergency care available

GUINEA PIG CARE

Guinea pigs, “GP’s”, or “cavies” as fanciers call them, are South American herbivorous rodents that are easy to care for and can make wonderful pets. They rarely bite or scratch, and are very vocal in response to treats and affection. Typical life expectancy is five to seven years. Here are some tips to help keep your small friends as healthy as possible.

DIET

A diet for an adult cavy should be made up of primarily grass hays with a small amount of guinea pig pellets added (do not use pellets manufactured for other types of animals.)

There are a number of formulated pellets sold for guinea pigs. As a mainstay, these are appropriate for the growing or reproducing guinea pig, but are too high in calories to make up a main part of an adult’s diet. Pellets used should be fresh and high-quality and should not contain corn/wheat/seed/nut/cereal tidbits. For up to 6-8 months of age, pellets can be given free choice with some good grass hay. For adults however, the majority of the diet should be grass hays (not alfalfa, a legume hay). Pellets should be limited to no more than 3-4 tablepoons per day. You can give small amounts of green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard, dandelion, clover, endive, carrot tops, outer cabbage leaves and alfalfa hay (a legume hay not a grass hay). Other treats in very tiny amounts include carrots, summer squash, green pepper, and high-fiber fruits such as apple, peach, strawberry, and papaya.

Guinea pigs, unlike most animals, need vitamin C in their diet and will get a very painful disease called scurvy without this nutrient. This is one of the reasons why using the fresh pellets-- vitamin C will decrease as food gets old. The dark green vegetables described above also have some vitamin C. However, most guinea pigs should have specific vitamin supplementation (use human-grade) because of the criticality of receiving this vitamin. 50 mg per day will meet most GP’s needs.

NOTE: Make changes in the diet slowly. Their systems are sensitive, and if you change the diet too fast, they can get soft stools. Slowly make your changes and watch to make sure the cavy is adapting well.

The non-soluble fiber in the hays is another one of the most important parts of the diet. Fiber is used in the digestive tract for good motility and will control soft stools and encourage proper teeth wear. Hay should be the main source. Starches/ carbohydrates on the other hand will upset the proper function of the digestive tract and cause obesity and predispose them to digestive upset and dental problems. So therefore, do not give high-starch foods such as grains, seeds, breads or crackers, and do not use the mixes of these and pellets.

Fresh water is important. Bottles help keep water clean because water bowls will fill with droppings and bedding. Cavies tend to spit chewed food up into the tube and may foul the bottle so clean the bottles daily.

Guinea pigs like all rodents have constantly growing teeth. Their instinct is to chew on things to keep the front teeth in check. Bleached bones, rawhide (discard when wet), mineral blocks sold for parrots (not salt wheels), clothespins (without springs), and clean safe tree branches are some suggestions of chewtoys to provide. However the back teeth are worn with a high fiber diet.

HOUSING

As long as it is easy to clean, the cage can be an aquarium, stainless steel, or durable plastic. Wood is a poor choice because it is not easy to clean and easily chewed. Wire bottoms and sides may can cause foot problems so make sure these are solid. The sides should be at least a foot high. Provide a hiding place like a box or a hut so your pig can have a place to hide when he or she wants some privacy.

Put bedding material in the bottom of the cage to keep your guinea pig clean. This should be hardwood chips, shredded paper, or corncob bedding. Recycled paper bedding is probably ideal. Avoid cedar and pin chips and wood chips treated with chlorophyll (green). These can be irritating to the skin and respiratory systems. Change bedding frequently because the ammonia from the urine can build up and cause respiratory problems. If you can smell the urine- it needs changing. Since cavies tend to produce waste in the corners of the cage, often you can quickly scoop out the corners daily, necessitating a full cage cleaning slightly less often.

Consider keeping more than one guinea pig. They are very social and very interactive with each other and thrive when they have the stimulation of others.

WHEN SHOULD MY G.P. SEE A VETERINARIAN?

Your guinea pig should have routine (ideally semiannual but at least annual) wellness examinations by a veterinarian familiar with rodents, to make sure he or she is healthy.

There are some biological and medical characteristics of which you must be aware. Females (“sows”) if bred at all should be bred first before 6 months of age or they will have a great deal of trouble with the birth. An older first-time mother may even need cesarean section surgery, because pelvic bones will fuse after this age and prevent her from giving birth.

Dental disease is one of the most common problems seen by guinea pig veterinarians. All teeth (both the front, and the back ones you cannot see) grow continuously and the diet (especially fiber and the vitamin C spoken of earlier) plays a great role in keeping healthy teeth.

Watch your pets very carefully for signs of illness. These pets tend to hide their symptoms of illness until they are very sick. If they show signs, contact your veterinarian immediately. Some things to look for: labored breathing, not eating, excessive salivation, swellings, hunched posture, lameness, ungroomed appearance, diarrhea, excessive urination, and anything else out of the ordinary. Do not treat with antibiotics unless prescribed by a veterinarian familiar with the needs of rodents, as some pharmaceuticals are dangerous to guinea pigs.

This handout is not to substitute for veterinary care or advice. If you have specific questions about aspects not covered in this handout, please feel free to call the number at the top of the page.