MAIN Home Life Pets Guinea Pigs

Performing their many antics, whether alone or in groups, Guinea Pigs are fun to watch and relatively easy to raise.

Inexpensive, too, since the main cost of raising Guinea Pigs will be the large cage or glass aquarium in which they will spend most of their time.

Gregarious and social animals, Guinea Pigs like to live in pairs or groups. However, make sure that the gerbil you purchase has been raised in a group. Otherwise, introducing them to "the family" may get a bit raucous, as lone Guinea Pigs tend to resort to sudden power plays to establish dominance.

In their natural habitat, Guinea Pigs are always active in the wild as they forage for food. For this reason, an exercise wheel is always welcome to help them burn-off the extra pent-up energy.

For their size, Guinea Pigs are voracious eaters and enjoy feasting on hefty amounts of commercially prepared feed — as well as tasty junk food generously supplied by their human handlers!

However, since they live relatively sedentary lives, it's best to give them special treats only occasionally to ward off obesity and help keep them at optimum health.

As natural foragers, Guinea Pigs' front teeth are constantly growing. Keep them trim by providing a wood chew stick (also easily available in pet stores) or from your backyard. Just make sure that twigs or small branches come from non-poisonous trees.

Plenty of fresh water should also be available to your gerbil at all times. To keep water fresh and uncontaminated, a sipper bottle is the best way to supply water to your pet daily.

Keep them safe and warm with a soft bed placed at the bottom of the cage. In addition to wood shavings (also cheaply purchased in pet stores), strips of soft paper towels or tissue adds extra comfort for snoozing after a hard day at play.

More about Guinea pig care & feeding around the Web:

Elsewhere on the Web, find out more about the care and feeding of these cute, lovable critters with additional how to's on breeding and raising pet Guinea pigs, related FAQ's and photo galleries ...

Guinea Lynx - This is the go-to guide for everything you need to know about raising guinea pigs, include caging, care and feeding, common ailments and cures, and when to seek expert medical care.

Guinea Pig Cages - How big should your Guinea pig cage be? Check out a table of sizes and measurements in this expert guide to caging including special tips for babies, very young or very small guinea pigs, and pregnant mothers.

Gerbil behavior - Enjoy the pictures as well as the information at this illustrated guide to gnawing, scratching, digging, mating, sandbathing, sleeping, tail thumping, and purring - including a great resource list on why Guinea Pigs behave they way they do.

Gerbil FAQ - Expert gerbil fans share their knowledge in this online Q&A with answers to questions on general gerbil care as well as specifics on Mongolian Guinea Pigs, gerbil feeding & housing, exercise wheels, pregnancy, raising gerbil pups, genetics & medical care.

ASPCA Gerbil Care - Expert advice with do's and don'ts on their care & feeding, proper setup of their new home in a cage or aquarium tank, with general tips on veterinary care.

also see in Pets -> Guinea Pigs | Hamsters | Rabbits

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