Food

• Grass hay (timothy, orchard) should be available at ALL TIMES
• Commercial pelleted diets made for guinea pigs should be offered (1/8-1/4 cup per day)
• Fresh fruits and veggies that are rich in vitamin C should be offered daily:
  • Bell peppers
  • Parsley
  • Kale
  • Beet greens
  • Cilantro
  • Mustard Greens
  • Guava
  • Strawberry
  • Kiwi  * Fruits should be given in small amounts due to high sugar content (1 tbsp/day)
• Commercial treats should only make up a very small amount of the diet (1-2 tsp/day)

Vitamin C

• Guinea pigs require vitamin C in their daily diet for optimal health
• Guinea pig pellets are fortified with vitamin C, but the expiration date on the bag is important!
• Fresh fruits and veggies that are high in vitamin C are vital
• We recommend a daily vitamin C tablet for all guinea pigs (Oxbow makes a great supplement)
• We DO NOT recommend vitamin C drops for the water- they break down quickly and taste bad

Water

• Use a hanging water bottle or multiple open bowls
• Change water daily and check that water sippers don't become clogged

Behavior

• Guinea pigs make a huge variety of sounds (chutt, tweet, purr, etc)
• Guinea pigs are social, but prefer minimal handling

Medical

• We recommend neutering if kept in mixed gender groups or having aggression issues
• Female guinea pigs should not be bred if over 1 year of age
• Guinea pigs are prey species and they will hide their illnesses, so bring them in promptly
• A guinea pig that does not eat or pass droppings for >12 hours needs emergency care!
• Other common signs of illness include: heavy breathing, sneezing, eye/nose discharge, small/hard droppings, tight abdomen, tooth grinding, drooling, bald patches, flaky skin, dribbling urine, bald sores on feet, unusual aggression

Housing

• Guinea pigs require a room or a pen that is at least 2 x 3 ft wide
• They are not great jumpers so 10 inch high walls should be sufficient to keep them in
• Solid flooring (no grates) is necessary for all living spaces
• The floor should be lined with paper pulp bedding (carefresh), newspaper or similar
• Avoid cat litter and wood chips/wood shavings
• Cover all cords in the guinea pig's environment with thick plastic tubing
• Generally, do not allow dogs and cats or rabbits to have contact with guinea pigs

Grooming

• Regular nail trims are needed for all guinea pigs
• Long-haired breeds (Pervian/Silkie) require careful attention and brushing to prevent matting
• Some male guinea pigs require regular cleaning of their rectal/scrotal region