Austin Animal Clinic

Caring for your Guinea Pig

If you and your family have chosen a guinea pig as your first family pet, there are few things that you need to be aware of when taking care of your first guinea pig.

Guinea pigs are small pets, but be aware that they like plenty of room to move around and make a home for themselves. Guinea pigs are very active creatures, so a large cage will provide ample room for them to move around and play. With them being as active as they tend to be, you also need to make sure to have good air circulation in their cages so that they have plenty of fresh air to breathe.

The next factor that you should consider is what you will use to prepare their home. These pets are rodents in that they use their cage linings as nesting material as well as a place for the bathroom. You need to make sure that you are consistent in cleaning and caring for your pet’s cage.

The next thing that you must be aware of is that these pets have teeth that are constantly growing; therefore you will need to have nontoxic items that they are able to chew on at all times in their cage. This will help your guinea pig to wear down their teeth.

Although you may want to hold and play with your guinea pig, you need to be careful when handling them. Guinea pigs can often be stressed out easily so you should be aware of the way you handle your guinea pig. If you are going to pick up your guinea pig, make sure to do so carefully and to hold them close to your body so they feel more safe and secure. This will help to ease the stress that the guinea pig might have about being moved.

For more information about your guinea pig’s care, contact the Austin Vet Clinics at www.austinveterinarianclinics.com