Pet GUINEA PIG behavior problems & counseling

"I have two Iceland horses, a very hairy dog called Looney, and a guinea pig."
Cornelia Funke

ACTIVITY LEVEL: Although guinea pigs spend most of their time awake, they are not very active. They would rather be a couch potato on your lap so you have to encourage them to exercise. They will play with toys and chase games with each other if they live in a group of guinea pigs. They like exploring outside of their cages for at least two to four hours per day. Most guinea pigs will not use a running wheel. They are active all year and do not hibernate.

PREY species. Keep guinea pigs separate from all other species except rabbits. Rabbits and guinea pigs can become friends but should be housed separately. Do not house them with other rodents because of biting problems. They are nervous in unfamiliar surroundings and with unfamiliar people.

SOCIAL PATTERNS: in the wild, Guinea pigs are communal animals that live in family groups. They become lonely if they are kept as solitary animals. They thrive on interactions with other members of their own species and will grieve the death or loss of their cage-mates. House at least two guinea pigs together. Groups of females can live compatibly but males can become territorial if housed with one more females. They are hierarchical. Females are subordinate to males and will not challenge a dominant male. However, if the male is neutered, he may be subordinate to the females. Two alpha animals will fight. You cannot train them not to fight so they cannot be housed together.

Their personalities are more determined by how much they are handled rather than their breed. Guinea pigs require lots of attention to remain emotionally healthy. They thrive on attention that they receive from their humans and respond with purrs and whistles. Usually they become very attached to their humans and are excellent lap potatoes. They are not aggressive and seldom bite. As intelligent creatures, they are capable of learning a lot including their names and game playing with their caretaker. Some can be litter box trained. Guinea pigs are frequently used as therapeutic animals because of their innate ability to charm and distress the person holding them.

NORMAL PHYSIOLOGICAL & BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Guinea pigs have a longer gestation period than most other rodents lasting from 60 to 70 days. They are considered adults at 4 months but can begin to breed as early as three months and they breed year round. They have a keen sense of smell and sensitive hearing.

Diets are specially formulated feeds with vitamin C because guinea pigs are unable to synthesize it on their own. This should be supplemented with a quarter of an orange, a small amount of kale, or cabbage. Fresh Timothy or alfalfa hay should be part of the diet. Guinea pigs are big drinkers so fresh filtered water should always be available.

Guinea pigs do not jump or climb. They have fragile skeletons so their ribs and legs can break easily. They must be handled properly. Children under the age of seven should not be allowed to handle guinea pigs on their own. Otherwise they are good pets for older children because they are gentle and affectionate by nature, are comical and cuddly, and like being petted and sitting on laps. Both males and females make good pets.

Environs should not exceed 75 degrees F because guinea pigs are susceptible to heat stoke athat temperature and above.

SPAY/NEUTER INFO: Unneutered males will spray urine to mark territory. Their urine has a strong odor which is lessened with neutering. Unspayed females have a high incidence of reproductive diseases. Females go into estrus every three to four weeks and become cranky if not spayed. Spaying and neutering should be done between three to six months of age.