Download guinea pig

Pet City Mt Gravatt
use and recommend
GUINEA PIG
CARE SHEET
Guinea Pig
Checklist
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Oxbow Pellets
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Oxbow Hay (75% of a Guinea Pigs Diet)
Fresh Fruit & Vegetables
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guinea pig.indd 1
(20% of a Guinea Pigs Diet)
(5% of a Guinea Pigs diet when
feeding Oxbow)
Cage
Bedding (soft bedding to soak up
An essential staple of any Herbivore diet
High-quality hay is essential to the health of rabbits,
guinea pigs and other small herbivores.
High-quality hay provides a long-strand fibre source
that is needed to improve the digestive and intestinal
function by stimulating the digestive system.
urine + gentle on feet)
Igloo (to hide in and feel safe)
Wood Chews
Salt Lick Stone
Daily C Tablets (perfect treat
Served by:
and also essential Vitamin C)
Flat Food Dish
Water bottle with dripper
Worming Solution
Fido’s Rinse
Concentrate Shampoo
Tunnel (to hide and play in)
Cage Cleaner Spray
(safe for use around Guinea Pigs)
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14/05/2012 4:46:37 PM
General Care
Guinea Pigs need to have a secure cage to ensure they are
safe from predators at all times. If they feel threatened or
scared they may go off their food and become ill. Igloos
are a great way to help your Guinea Pig feel safe and
secure especially if they feel threatened.
Their cage should be checked daily and any soiled bedding
or left over fruit and vegetables should be removed. We
suggest regular cleaning of the cage should be at least
once a week depending on how many Guinea Pigs you
have, perhaps even twice a week.
Choosing the right size cage is extremely important, so
it is a good idea for you to know how many Guinea Pigs
you wish to keep. Don’t forget Guinea Pigs will breed
continually so it is very important to make sure you buy
the same sex.
Guinea Pigs can be housed outdoors or indoors however,
if they are housed indoors it is important that they be
allowed access to natural sunlight for about 5-10 minutes
each day. But always make sure they can retreat to a
shady area if they become too hot or stressed.
Guinea Pigs are extremely sensitive to the heat and to the
cold, so never leave a Guinea Pig in direct sunlight with no
shade and always remember in winter it is best to have a
night cage inside the house.
Guinea Pigs also have sensitive eyes so it is important to
keep them away from bright lights especially if they have
red eyes.
If you have a cage with wire on the bottom we recommend
you cover the wire with a layer of newspaper and then a
layer of soft bedding or remove wire if possible. The reason
for this is because wire
can cause ma jor health
problems to your Guinea
Pig such as sores, infection
and joint problems.
Don’t forget if your cage
has an open base it is
not completely predator
proof so you may need
to purchase camping
pegs to help prevent
predators from digging
or squeezing underneath.
guinea pig.indd 2
Guinea Pigs make wonderful pets for both children and adults alike. Just
because they are small doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to consider before adding
them to your family.
Responsible pet ownership always involves a certain amount of planning,
commitment, time and expense. So in all fairness to you and your pet, always do
your homework first and learn as much as possible about the animal, including
all of its’ requirements.
Guinea Pigs are extremely social animals and should be kept in small groups of
two or more depending on cage space. It is important to realize that Guinea
Pigs can grow up to 20-25cm long and can generally live between 4-8yrs if
properly taken care of.
At Pet City Mt Gravatt we do our best to ensure that your new pet is as healthy and
happy as possible. This care sheet has been created to give you some helpful
tips and practical information for keeping Guinea Pigs.
Diet
Guinea Pigs require a well balanced diet that does
not vary from day to day as they have sensitive
stomachs. Pet City Mt Gravatt recommendation of the
perfect diet is 75% Oxbow Hay with 20% Oxbow
Pellets (roughly 2 tablespoons per day for adults but
baby Guinea Pigs can eat as much as they desire)
and 5% fresh fruit and vegetables every day. High
fibre is definitely the key to a healthy gastrointestinal
system for a Guinea Pig.
Problems for Guinea Pigs
Mites and Lice are nasty pests that can cause itchy and
painful skin problems for Guinea Pigs. If you notice your
Guinea Pig scratching a lot, it might be lice so treatment
with the Fido’s Rinse Concentrate will give your Guinea
Pig some relief. However if your Guinea Pig is scratching
and is losing hair you may have a mite problem so you will
need to visit your local vet.
Dental Disease is also a very common problem for
Guinea Pigs, this is due to the fact that Guinea Pigs
have continuously growing teeth. Their teeth need to be
chewing on fibrous and abrasive foods to help prevent
their teeth from over growing. This is why getting a Guinea
Pigs diet right is so important. Another way you can help
is by ensuring your Guinea Pig always has Oxbow hay
and wood chews available.
Worming is also a must with Guinea Pigs just like it is for
dogs and cats. This is easily given by drops directly into
the mouth or into the water bottle.
Pet City Mt Gravatt recommends this be done every 3 months.
Herbs and Plants / Fruit and Vegetables:
High in Vitamin C:
Super Tasty:
 Strawberries
 Basil
 Paw Paw
 Clover
 Brussel Sprouts
 Wombok
 Capsicum
 Tomato
 Kiwi Fruit
(feed Sparingly)
 Spinach
 Rocket
 Kale
 Cucumber
 Cabbage leaves
 Corn(feed Sparingly)
 Raspberries
 Celery
 Cauliflower
 Carrots
 Pak Choy
(feed Sparingly
 Coriander
 Capsicum
 Dandelion
 Cabbage
 Dill
(feed Sparingly)
 Mint
 Apples
 Parsley
 Mulberries
and leaves
 Watermelon
DO NOT FEED:
Raspberry leaves, unripe fruits or veg, potatoes,
seeds, nuts, thyme, bulbs of plants, avocado, onion,
rosehips, buds or dairy products.
14/05/2012 4:46:40 PM