The Guinea Pig Site

My 'Piggie' Page

An Introduction to Guinea Pigs by Sharon Tatton

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Welcome to my web page all about these cute little animals commonly known as guinea pigs. This page is just an introduction to why I think that guinea pigs are the ideal family pet.
Myself and my family have owned numerous pets. These being 2 dogs, 2 Hamsters,2 Mice, 2 Lovebirds, 1 Gerbil, 2 Chipmunks (that gave birth each year at Easter),Fish - both tropical and coldwater, 3 Rabbits and at the last count we had owned at least 10 Guinea Pigs! Having recently been blessed with one giving birth to 3 babies, I've just had to keep one of them! Tonto, and he's very loud at squeaking when he wants either food or a cuddle.
The most interesting pets were the chipmunks as they were never still, and right up to 'Wilma' giving birth, she was racing round the cage and flipping upside down without hesitation. She would then give birth to 7 babies! All that to one side, our favourite pets are the guinea pigs. We currently have 3 in a purpose built run outside. Blondie who gave birth to the 3 babies, Pikachu, owned and named by our son Daniel and Smudge, owned by my friend Jenny. Daniel has the father in his bedroom and he's called Scooby. Tonto is kept inside the house too because I can't resist cuddling him.

Isn't this just a cute picture? Click on it to view another guinea pig piccy.

So why choose a guinea pig as a pet?

Although they need a little exercise, they don't have to be taken for daily walks like a dog.

Unlike hamsters or mice they do not sleep all day and 'play' all night, making them more 'child friendly' so your child can play with them after school for example.

Unlike rabbits, guinea pigs can 'talk' to you, giving a whistling sound when you go near them, especially at feeding time!

Basically the guinea pig makes a great pet for young and old alike, they are low cost to buy and to keep, they don't demand constant attention & they are a lot more cuddlier than tropical fish!

* * Hover the mouse over the image of 'Tonto' and see it change into an image of one of his sisters! * *

PIGGIE QUESTIONS
How long do they live?	Approx. 4 to 7 years
How often do they breed?	Up to 5 times a year, with a litter of 1 - 4 (maybe more!)
What do they eat?	Guinea pig food from a good pet shop, but it must include Vitamin C as piggies cannot produce their own, Hay or fresh grass, Carrots, Cabbage, Celery, Apples & Carrot/apple sticks that are like hard biscuits and can be bought from most petshops.
How much exercise do they need?	They need a short run if they live outside in a hutch or they like a run around the floor every night if kept inside the house in a cage.
Do they bite?	I or my family have never been bitten by a piggie but there are obviously exceptions to the rule. Usually though, the answer is no they would much rather chew on a juicy carrot than a boring finger!
Can I keep just one?	Yes, but your piggie must be given plenty of attention. Preferably, guinea pigs are very sociable little animals and love each others company, so always try and avoid keeping just one. (Two females live more sociably than 2 males)

As a rule, guinea pigs like to be kept in clean sanitary conditions with others. If they are to be kept outside, then the hutch must be sturdy and weatherproof and cleaned out regularly. A short run either attached to the hutch via a ramp (as piggies cannot climb) or a separate run that the piggies can be put into & have a little exercise.

If they are to be kept inside the house, the cage must not be kept too close to a radiator (as your guinea pig will overheat). This must be kept clean, as the cage will start to smell if not cleaned regularly. Fresh straw for bedding & hay for munching must be available at all times.

Guinea pigs, are lovely little pets and will give you hours of fun watching their antics, 'talking' to you when it's teatime and snuggling up to you when you're stroking them, so even though this webpage is just an introduction to them, I hope that should you decide to go for it, then more than anything else.... HAVE FUN ! Enjoy your guinea pigs as much as I enjoy mine.

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