Before you Adopt; what you need to know

1.) Guinea Pigs; as pets.

Guinea Pigs make great pets! They are intelligent, curious, and funny animals.
Guinea pigs rarely bite, they may nibble on you every now and then but that is
just instinct, they love to chew on things! However some Guinea Pigs that are
not used to being handle or are handled improperly can bite, and bite hard.
Each Guinea Pig has his/her own personality. Some Guinea Pigs are very
comical, some love to cuddle, some love to run, and others are very shy. Your
Guinea Pig will develop its own personality that is unique to him/her. Guinea
Pigs can also live from 5-7 years (or even longer if kept very healthy), so your
Guinea Pig will have many happy years with you.

2.)Housing.

Guinea Pigs, as pets, are indoor animals. Why? Well simply because Guinea Pigs
are animals of prey. If they are kept outside you are exposing them to possible
threats from animals such as birds, snakes, cats, and even dogs. That's not the
only reason though, you are also exposing them to the weather such as cold
and rain. Guinea Pigs need to be kept inside, they will enjoy it more plus if one
gets sick you will notice faster, or if they want something they can sequel to
get your attention. Not only that but they will get more attention from you
over all. Okay so now that's settled what do you keep the Guinea Pig in? Well
obviously it needs to be a cage. Please be sure the cage is big enough for your
guinea pig, remember the bigger the cage the happier the Guinea Pig(s)... Also
big cages are A LOT easier to clean. More on cages in a later posting.

3.) How many Guinea Pigs should you have?

The number of Guinea Pigs you have is strictly up to you, so long as you have a
room for them. The minimum number of Guinea Pigs you should have is 2, of the
same sex of course. Why? Well Guinea Pigs are herd animals, they enjoy the
company of other Guinea Pigs. Your Guinea Pigs will grow a close bond with each
other, play together, and talk to each other.

4.)Guinea Pigs and other Pets.

Guinea Pigs can live in the same house with other pets. However Guinea Pigs should
only be kept with other Guinea Pigs. Rabbits and other animals should not live with
Guinea Pigs, nor should they even play together. If you have animals such as cats or
dogs you NEED to make sure that they can not get to the Guinea Pigs and they are
never left alone with them. Cats and dogs have natural instincts and a Guinea can
cause theses instincts to resurface.

5.)Money

Guinea Pigs can be very costly. First of all you have start-up costs; Buying the
Guinea Pig, a cage, bedding, food, food dish, water bowl,and toys. Items such as
food, bedding, hay, chew toys, vegetables, and fruits will need to be purchased on a
regular basis. Don't forget the most expensive thing of all, vet visits. If you don't
have the money to pay for a veterinary bill when your Guinea Pig gets sick, then
please do not adopt a Guinea Pig.

6.)Knowing how to take care of a Guinea Pig

If your reading this article then chances are you do not know how to fully take care
of a Guinea Pig. This is fine! Our website includes a whole guide on how to take
care of a Guinea Pig, so be sure to read all of our articles in our Guide Page

7.)Guinea Pigs and Children

Guinea Pigs can make great pets for children. However a Guinea Pig can be very shy
and timid, they are also very fragile. Children should be taught that a Guinea Pig is
not a toy and how to properly handle your Guinea Pig. Please also remember that a
Guinea Pig can get very boring to some children and they may get bored or forget
to take care of it. So be aware that the care of the Guinea Pig may rely on you.

8.)Time

Guinea Pigs require a lot of time and attention. A daily chore for keeping a Guinea
Pig would be; Making sure he/she has food and water, give them treats and 1 cup
of vegetables,and you will also need to let your piggies run around outside of the
cage to get exercise (the more time the better!). Depending on how many Guinea
Pigs you have and how big your cage is, you will need to clean the cage every one
to two weeks.

I bet you didn't think there was that much to think about BEFORE you even got a
Guinea Pig. If you still want a Guinea Pig please be sure to check out our other
articles!