Guinea Pig Health

Guinea pigs don’t sweat! No deodorant needed here! Although on a serious note, if the weather is hot, ensure you keep your guinea pigs cool in the shade to avoid heatstroke.

Guinea pigs eat their own poo! This process, known as coprophagy, is perfectly natural and really important. Guinea pigs eat these special ‘soft poos’ (cecal faeces) in order to absorb vitamins that were not digested the first time round.

Guinea pig's teeth are constantly growing! Unlike their human pig-slaves, a guinea pigs back teeth just keep growing. It is vital they have unlimited hay and forage so they can keep their teeth a good length with regular chewing and grinding.

The oldest guinea pig lived to be 14 years and 10 months old! This is an amazing age for a guinea pig to reach. As an average, guinea pigs will live for 5 - 7 years, although some can live longer if they remain in good health!

 You can find more fun guinea pig facts by checking out our 20 Fun Facts page. You never know, it could mean the difference between winning or losing that pub quiz!!

It’s really important to regularly trim guinea pig’s nails as if left to get too long, they can make it difficult for the piggy to move around, or nails can curl and cause sore feet too.

Do:

- Get a good pair of clippers. A worthwhile investment if you will be regularly trimming nails!

- Use a torch to help you see the ‘quick’ (blood supply) in dark brown or black nails.

- Trim nails regularly. This also helps to encourage the quick to recede slightly, so, less chance of you catching it if you cut their nails often.

- Be prepared in case you do accidentally cut too much and the nail bleeds.

If you have short haired guinea pigs then they should only need to be brushed now and then. If you have the long-haired variety however,they do require regular grooming to ensure their coat remains healthy and that they are able to keep clean.

Do:

- Brush long-haired guinea pigs regularly to ensure fur doesn’t become matted or dirty.

- Trim long hair around the piggy’s bottom! It’s important to keep hair short around the back end to help prevent against things like urine infections.

- Remember that guinea pigs are naturally rather clean animals! They don’t need to have regular baths. However, if you have a piggy that does get a bit grubby from time to time, then you can treat them to a wash with an appropriate guinea pig-friendly shampoo. Make sure your piggy is fully dry before putting them back in their enclosure.

Keeping an eye on the weight of your guinea pigs is certainly something to make a good habit of! Changes in weight can be the first indicator of illness and so it’s a good idea to do regular weigh-ins and make a note so that you can monitor any fluctuations.

Do:

- Make it part of your weekly ‘cleaning out’ routine, so that it becomes a regular habit.

- Use what you’ve got! Digital scales, if you have them, are probably the most accurate. Place a container on the scales, perhaps with a small towel in there to stop your piggy sliding around, and reset the scale to zero before putting your guinea pig in.

- Try to weigh at a similar time of day, as weights could fluctuate throughout the day.

- Weigh a sick piggy more regularly, as they are more at risk.