Guinea Pig FAQs – Your Questions Answered
ByMy guinea pigs are very fond of chewing their water bottles. They have ruined several already. How can I stop them?
To stop your guinea pigs breaking their drinking bottle by gnawing, buy a bottle with a metal spout, and fix it securely to the outside of the cage. For preference, the metal should be stainless steel, as aluminium is softer and a determined guinea pig can ultimately succeed in piercing it. Giving the animals plenty of hard things to gnaw on should switch their attention away from gnawing the spout.
Check also that the water is flowing satisfactorily through the spout. Some guinea pigs are thirsty little creatures and it could be they are having difficulty drawing enough water down through the spout.
My guinea pigs seem prone to skin infections. Is there anything I can do to prevent this?
A skin infestation by a small mite, similar to that which causes mange in other animals, is a scourge to many guinea pigs. Most carry the mite, but it usually only shows itself in animals that are less than fully fit, elderly, pregnant or nursing.
The mange causes violent itching and scratching, raw skin from the scratching, and usually a serious loss of weight. A vet can prescribe a suitable skin bath (to be used at precisely regular intervals for effectiveness). If several guinea pigs live together, all must be treated, even though only one has the problem. The whole cage and run must also be thoroughly cleaned.
Should my guinea pigs be encouraged to exercise? Compared with my very active hamster, they seem to lead a very sedentary existence. Guinea pigs are not as regularly on the move as hamsters and certainly do not need an exercise wheel, for instance. But they will be quite active at certain times of the day if they are given sufficient interesting things to do. A really spacious run, or secure part of the garden, with lots of cover, tunnels, etc will demonstrate that in a natural state guinea pigs run about a great deal – in fact their wild relatives are called restless cavies. But a guinea pig confined only to its hutch, with no toys or ‘adventure playground’, will be bored and probably not exercise much.
How often should a guinea pig’s claws be clipped?
As often as necessary, depending on how hard the surface is on which the animal exercises. Check the claws over at least once a week.
What are Dalmatian guinea pigs?
Rather like Dalmatian dogs – spotted black on a white background.
I was very disappointed when my pure-bred pair of Himalayan guinea pigs produced a litter of white youngers, with no colourpoints. What has gone wrong?
Nothing – All Himalayans are born like that. Wait two or three weeks and the points will start to darken until the guinea pigs get their full coloration at around the age of six months.
Is it safe for guinea pigs to eat runner bean leaves?
There is no evidence to suggest that runner bean leaves are poisonous to guinea pigs, so it should be quite safe to feed them this greenstuff. However, the beans themselves can be toxic if eaten raw, so the guinea pigs should not be given access to runner bean plants.
I have seen my guinea pig eating its own droppings. Should I stop it doing this, and if so, how?
Coprophagy, or eating of an animal’s own droppings, is normal for guinea pigs, and is similar to cows chewing the cud. The guinea pig is not eating the hard droppings from the floor of the hutch, but small, moist droppings which it takes directly from its anus. The protein content of these is essential for the animal’s health.
Potential owners should be told about this habit (which is also indulged in by the rabbit), otherwise many parents may worry unnecessarily or even have the guinea pigs destroyed, mistakenly thinking that the animals will transmit disease to their children.
Related posts:
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.