Guinea pig

Today’s domestic guinea pig originally comes from the common guinea pig, which is still native to South America.
Humans began domesticating them around 5000 years ago.
At that time, however, they were still kept as farm animals for meat and fur production.
Today, guinea pigs are kept as pets, but are also frequently used in laboratories as laboratory animals.

Acquiring guinea pigs should always be carefully considered.
Everyone living in the household must be involved in this decision, as you are taking on a great responsibility when you acquire a guinea pig.

Prerequisites

There are certain requirements for keeping guinea pigs in a species-appropriate way.
The following points must be observed so that the animals can feel at home with you:

• Regulations regarding the keeping of pets by the landlord
• Sufficient space for indoor or outdoor housing
• Willingness to devote sufficient time to care and employment
• Planning the financial means to meet the needs of the guinea pig
• Regulation of vacations and emergency care
• Determine primary responsibility

If all the requirements can be met, it is just as important to familiarize yourself with the different breeds and to refrain from breeding animals that have been subjected to torture.

There are many ways to acquire guinea pigs:

• Animal shelter: Adopting a guinea pig from an animal shelter always offers relinquished animals a second chance at a great forever home.
  You are actively helping to protect animals and the shelter staff are on hand to advise you.
• Breeding: When buying, make sure that the animals are kept in a species-appropriate manner, which means, among other things, that they have sufficient space, good hygiene and good social behavior.
  This is often not obvious at first glance, especially for laypeople, so you should inform yourself well in advance.
• Pet shops: Please note that the animals in pet shops are only produced for sale and often grow up in inappropriate conditions.
• Private individuals: It is often difficult for laypeople to recognize reputable suppliers.
  When buying guinea pigs from private individuals, look out for species-appropriate husbandry and competent advice.

Keeping guinea pigs alone is prohibited by law, they must always be kept with other guinea pigs.

Outdoor keeping:

Keeping them in a species-appropriate outdoor enclosure should always be preferred to keeping them indoors.
In addition to the weather factors, it is also important to ensure that an outdoor enclosure is escape-proof and burglar-proof.

Indoor keeping:

It is more difficult to provide a guinea pig with a species-appropriate environment if it is kept indoors.
A spacious vivarium with plenty of places to hide and play is a basic requirement.
In addition to the space available, it should also be noted that more time must be spent on grooming and entertaining the animal in order to keep it physically active.

The basic equipment includes in all cases:

• Food and water bowls
• Spacious outdoor or indoor enclosure
• Employment opportunities
• Retreats (hiding places and sleeping areas)
• Transport box

Health and care

A balanced diet is extremely important for your guinea pig’s health.
Guinea pigs eat a plant-based diet.
In principle, hay and fresh water should be made available to the animals at all times.
As guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C themselves, it is extremely important to feed them vitamin-rich fresh food.
Fresh vegetables and fruit are particularly suitable for this.
Grain food should only be fed in colder months and when energy consumption is high.

In addition, a regular examination should be carried out at least once a week.
Pay particular attention to

• The length of claws and teeth
• A constant weight
• A well-groomed coat (brush regularly during the coat change)
• Outward appearance and conspicuous behavioral patterns
• Checking the consistency of feces and the color of urine

Male animals should be neutered in the interests of responsible pet ownership.
Your vet will also be able to advise you on the question of castration.