{"id":13632,"date":"2017-01-04T09:01:25","date_gmt":"2017-01-04T15:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/?p=13632"},"modified":"2024-01-24T13:37:04","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T19:37:04","slug":"caring-pet-guinea-pig","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/caring-pet-guinea-pig\/","title":{"rendered":"Caring for Your Pet Guinea Pig"},"content":{"rendered":"

Follow these tips on caring for your guinea pig from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.<\/h2>\n\n\n

Guinea pigs are great pets for families and children because of their affectionate and gentle nature. Like any pet, guinea pigs require proper care and some basic supplies. If you’re thinking about adding a guinea pig to your family, you’ll want to read through these care tips from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n

Diet<\/h3>\n\n\n

Guinea pigs need a balanced diet of hay and fresh fruits and veggies. Timothy hay<\/a>, orchard grass, oat hay and botanical hay are all great options for guinea pigs. Alfalfa hay is a bit rich and high in calcium, but it can be fed to pregnant, nursing or young guinea pigs that are under 6 months of age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guinea pigs also enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. They can be given about a cup a day of vegetables to make sure they get enough Vitamin C and other needed nutrients. Popular vegetables for guinea pigs include carrots, tomatoes, green and red peppers, and spinach. They also like a couple fruits per day, such as grapes, strawberries, bananas, apples and watermelon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fresh, cold water should be changed daily. Use a drip bottle<\/a> for easy access and to help prevent any contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n

Grooming<\/h3>\n\n\n

The most important thing is to always have something available for guinea pigs to chew on, whether it be hay or a salt block of wood treats. If they don’t get that, then their teeth grow and curl under which makes it very hard for them to eat anything.  Trim their nails or those will also curl under, which is very painful for them to walk on. They also need a routine bath schedule–they shouldn’t fuss too much because guinea pigs actually love to swim!<\/p>\n\n\n

Toys<\/h3>\n\n\n

You’ll want a few chew toys for your guinea pig. Toys that hide food and treats are perfect for foraging guinea pigs. A wire playpen can also come in handy for when they want to scurry around your house.<\/p>\n\n\n

Bedding and Cages<\/h3>\n\n\n

Bedding<\/a> needs to be changed at least once a week, if not more. On top of the smell, bacteria can grow if the bedding isn’t changed out. Remove all the soiled bedding, and wash the cage with warm water and soap. Let it completely dry and put in new bedding. This is a great time to keep your guinea pig occupied with chew toys or have a helper give them a bath while you clean the cage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Blain’s Farm & Fleet, we understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes. That’s why you can trust the animal experts to have all the supplies<\/a> you need to give your pets, big and small, the proper care. From dogs to guinea pigs and everything in between, Blain’s Farm & Fleet has you covered. For more tips on caring for your four-legged family members, visit our Pet Care<\/a> blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re thinking about adding an affectionate and gentle guinea pig to your family, you\u2019ll want to read through these care tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":13643,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1506],"tags":[1015],"content_type":[1371,1373],"class_list":["post-13632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pets","tag-small-animals","content_type-how-to","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCaring for Your Pet Guinea Pig | Blain's Farm & Fleet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re thinking about adding an affectionate and gentle guinea pig to your family, you\u2019ll want to read through these care tips.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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