Index

Welcome To....

The Cavy Clubhouse

Hi! On this site, you'll find guinea pig advice, tips and lots of pictures! You will also find links to some of the best guinea pig sites on the Web and stuff you probably never knew about the common rodent known as the guinea pig.Have fun!

Guinea pigs make great family pets.

Unlike dogs, you don't have to walk them daily, and unlike dogs you can go out all day leaving them safely behind and not having to worry about letting them out for bathroom breaks.
Unlike hamsters and other small rodents they don't sleep all day so you don't have to wake them up to play with them.
Unlike rabbits, they eat little and can be handled easily.
Unlike snakes, iguanas, and other reptiles, they do not need extra heat and light.
Unlike fish, they can be handled and give affection.
Unlike birds, they do not make a lot of noise.
Unlike horses, they do not need regular vetinary attention or expensive upkeep.
Unlike cats they do not destroy the local bird population.

BASIC INFORMATION

Yes, that face shyly peeping at you from the window may look cute now, but it WILL grow. An adult guinea pig's full size is roughly 8 to 16 inches long, about the size of a large tennis shoe. Guinea pigs live from five to seven years typically. The oldest guinea pig was twelve years old! You also need to think about which breed you want to own. You'll be as surprised as I was when you learn about how many guinea pig breeds exist! Here are some examples: White Crested, Teddy Satin, Teddy, Silkie Satin, Silkie, Abyssinian (needs brushing often. Abyssinians have little rosettes all over their bodies, and are one of the oldest guinea pig breeds) ,Abyssinian Satin, American (most popular guinea pig breed) , American Satin, Coronet, Peruvian (I suggest not buying a Peruvian guinea pig unless you are a breeder and know what you are doing. Peruvian guinea pigs have a long, sweeping coat that drags on the ground and they need to be groomed daily so that their fur doesn't get tangled up. Pictured lower left) ,

Peruvian Satin, and Himalayan. Guinea pig colours include: Lilac, Red, Red- Eyed Orange, Roan, Silver Agouti, Tortoise Shell, Tortoise Shell and White, White, Golden Agouti, Dutch, Dalmation, Cream, Chocolate (Yum!) , Broken Colour, Brindle, Blue, Black, Beige, Solid Pattern, Self Pattern, Marked Pattern, and Agouti Pattern. Whew!

BUYING /ADOPTING A GUINEA PIG

There are many important things to research before you purchase your guinea pig. Here are a couple ideas:

You have to know beforehand if any of your family members are allergic to guinea pigs. It would be heartbreaking if you brought your dream guinea pig home and then found out you could not keep it because of an allergy!!

You should find out if you are allowed to have a pet rodent. Many zoning laws do not permit any animals in the home. Most apartment buildings do not allow any pets within the residence.

A very wise thing to consider is adoption. Your local animal shelter will almost surely have guinea pigs for sale, cheaper than the guinea pigs at pet stores. There is nothing wrong with guinea pigs at the animal shelters, either. Many living at the shelters have been abandoned as a result of an abrupt move, unplanned litter, or were bought impulsively, without much thought from their owner(s) . Through no fault of their own ,the helpless guinea pigs have been abandoned with no one to play with. Just like dogs, cats, birds, and many other animals, there are guinea pigs in need of a home. Each day, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of guinea pigs from around the world being put to sleep. Guinea pigs deserve a second chance. Think about it.

If, however, you decide to buy a guinea pig from a pet store, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

AGE: Overall, age is not as important as other things you need to think about. Guinea pigs live pretty long lives, so if you purchase a guinea pig who is a couple of years old, you will still have plenty of time to spend with it. If you have your heart set on getting a baby guinea pig, make sure the one you choose is at least 4 weeks old. Young guinea pigs need to be with their mother for at least one month. Taking one away too soon may be damaging both emotionally and physically. Guinea pigs taken from their mother's care too early rarely survive for long once they arrive in a new home.
BREED: If all you're looking for in a guinea pig is a companion and playmate, you do not need to worry about its breed too much. I would not, however, suggest buying a Peruvian guinea pig. Their coat is long and will tangle if not groomed for a long period of time daily. If you are seriously considering showing your pet, you may want to buy it from a breeder. Guinea pigs purchased from breeders are purebred, which is what judges at shows look for.
MALE OR FEMALE? That is also an important question on your part. Males grow to be larger and livelier than females. They also give off a strong smell. Two males alone is NOT a good idea. Males do not get along and have been known to inflict pain upon each other. Two females, on the other hand, get along very well. Females are better than males at keeping house. You will find that if you have two guinea pigs, they will pay more attention to each other than their owners. Guinea pigs are very sociable animals, and if you are to be away for a large portion of the day, you should maybe consider buying two. That means, however, you will have a bigger responsibility of caring for not only one, but two guinea pigs. You will need to clean the cage more often. If you decide to get a male and female, be prepared for a couple litters of baby guinea pigs. The average litter size is three young ones. It has been shown that females are very interested in breeding with their male partners.

ENVIRONMENT: Before buying a guinea pig, you should take notice of its surroundings. You should never buy any pet where you suspect that they are left to starve during holidays. Are its surroundings clean and relatively odour-free? Are they being well cared for? When purchasing a guinea pig, take some of the nest material from its cage. This will help it become adjusted to its new surroundings.

ATTITUDE: Pay close attention to its behaviour. If the guinea pig of your choice does nothing but sit in a corner, it may be a sign of illness. Guinea pigs, both young and old, are very lively. In fact, young guinea pigs enjoy "popcorning," which is when they jump straight in the air over and over again. You should choose a burrowing, lively guinea pig.

FOOD

If fed properly, your guinea pig will lead a long, playful, and happy life. Guinea pigs are vegetarians. Almost all the foods given to humans can be fed to guinea pigs. Avoid potato peelings, iceberg lettuce, daffodil, tulips, lily of the valley, raw beans, Autumn crocus, fool's parsley, hemlock (not the tree, an herb of the carrot family), elderberry, toadflax, foxglove, buttercup, ragwort, deadly nightshade (belladonna), black nightshade, laburnum, and yew plants.

Hay is as important to guinea pigs as bread is to humans. Guinea pigs should have fresh hay at all times: timothy hay at first and, when they're older, timothy hay. Comercially prepared pellets are recommended for guinea pigs. However, do not get rabbit pellets, as they do not supply the vitamin C, which guinea pigs need to survive. Aside from giving your guinea pig a healthy balance of fresh fruits and vegetables, pleetes, and hay, you should add a teaspoon of vitamin C liquid daily to its water. Salt licks, aside from being very inexpensive, provide guinea pigs with a balance of minerals. Not all guinea pigs like it, but you should have it available just in case.

Guinea pigs should be fed twice daily; once in the morning and once in the early evening is ideal. Take out of the cage whatever is not eaten in one hour. You should feed at the same hour because the guinea pigs get used to it.

INTERESTING FACTS

Did you know...

Hundreds of years ago, the natives kept wild guinea pigs as pets. They let them roam free and killed them for food.

In South America, the guinea pig is believed to have great powers of healing. In Indian culture, the guinea pig is used to diagnose disease in humans. It is thought that the guinea pig has the power to appease the supernatural and thus remove illness from the body.

The Incas used guinea pigs for food and in religious ceremonies.

When Spain conquered the Inca empire, Dutch people brought guinea pigs back to Europe. They became popular as pets during the 1600s. Queen Elizabeth I started the trend when she kept her own guinea pig as a pet.

In the wild, guinea pigs live in herds. They spend their days on the lookout for bigger predators, and take quite a lot of time searching for food.

In current South America, the guinea pig is still a popular item on the menu. It is still used in religious ceremonies, and is known as the "cuy." Guinea pigs are eaten because of the high protein content of the meat. In fact, some say it tastes somewhat like pork!