• Guinea pigs are highly social animals and are found in groups of 5-10 in the wild. Therefore it is important for your guinea pig to have at least one companion. If males and females are kept together, we advise having the males neutered to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
• Guinea pigs require a high fibre diet mainly consisting of a good quality hay and a small amount of quality guinea pig pellets/nuts.
• They also often need vitamin C supplementation as they lack the enzymes required to synthesize vitamin C themselves. Many complete species specific diets are already supplemented with vitamin C. Fresh leafy greens such as kale or broccoli are also good sources of vitamin C. DO NOT GIVE CITRUS FRUITS.
• We do not routinely vaccinate guinea pigs. Therefore it is recommended that you have regular check ups with the vet to ensure your guinea pig is in good health. We would recommend a health checks for any new guinea pigs.
• Guinea pigs require sheltered accommodation that is warm, draught free and secure from predators. They require enough space to be able to stand on their back legs with ease and have room to run.
• Guinea pigs are very active animals. They enjoy tunnelling and adequate resources should be available to facilitate this. Examples include pipes and deep bedding/hay they can tunnel into.
• They require adequate hiding places where they feel safe and that can house more than one pig if need be.
• Gnawing is also a natural behaviour for guinea pigs. They should have access to untreated wood toys which are readily available in pet shops. Avoid giving them access to plastic toys as these can be harmful to them if swallowed.

Guinea pigs are a prey species. Therefore they often don't show overt signs of illness until they are severely unwell. Subtle changes in behaviour can indicate that your guinea pig may benefit from a health check from the vet. For example, if you notice your guinea pig is not eating as much as normal, not passing as many droppings, not as playful or active, not willing to interact with you or their companions or have a messy bottom/loose droppings then we would recommend a consultation with one of our vets.