Are Guinea Pigs Hard to Take Care Of?
How Easy are Guinea Pigs to Care For?
As far as domestic animals go, guinea pigs are one of the easier pets to take care of. Their welfare needs are rather minimal in comparison to other common pets. When it comes to the daily husbandry tasks for guinea pigs, there isn’t much to do at all. In many ways, guinea pigs are quite independent and can go about their day with little interaction from you or other people.
Food
Of course, the main requirement for guinea pigs is their food. All guinea pigs should have a balanced diet of vegetables, pellets, and hay. Guinea pigs need all their vitamins and minerals, particularly fibre and vitamin C. At first, the food prep may seem a little overwhelming, but once you have a good idea of what they need and how much, it should be straightforward. To make life a little easier, you should keep their food and hay in an area that’s easily accessible to you, and prep any fresh veggies all at once, so when it comes to mealtimes, you can just grab and go!
Cleaning
Cleaning a guinea pig cage will most likely be your most time-consuming task. While cleaning may not be an overly arduous task, it’s extremely important for the health of your piggies. Their enclosures need to be spot cleaned every day, removing any damp or poop. On top of this, you should be doing a deep clean of their enclosure every week. Deep cleans should involve removing and replacing their bedding with something clean and disinfecting all surfaces with a non-toxic cleaner. At first, this may take a little longer than expected as you get used to the routine, but as you keep on top of the mess, it will help speed up the process immensely.
A guinea pig being brushed
Grooming
A big factor of guinea pig maintenance that is often overlooked is their grooming needs. A general rule of thumb is that if an animal has fur, then it will need brushing. For the most part, guinea pigs are self-sufficient at keeping themselves clean. However, they will need some brushing assistance at removing loose fur they’ve shed. Another task that’s necessary for you to do is nail trimming, which should be done every 2-3 weeks.
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost?
When thinking about the ease of guinea pig care, cost should always be considered. Animals may not always have the most complex needs, but what they do need can sometimes rack up a bill. Luckily for piggy owners, that’s typically not the case. The usual guinea pig price is tied to their food and hay, as these are the items you will need to consistently buy.
The most significant amount you will spend at once is their setup costs, usually related to their enclosure. Guinea pigs will need a significant amount of space, with lots of toys, hides and enrichment items, and of course buying the guinea pig themselves! Most of these will be a one-time purchase, or an infrequent one at least.
Are Guinea Pigs Good Starter Pets?
There is often a lot of debate about what the best starter pet is, and while the true answer to that really depends on the person. Guinea pigs always rank high on peoples’ lists and for good reason too. Due to their fewer husbandry needs, their independence and friendliness, guinea pigs are definitely a good choice for someone with little experience in caring for animals.
However, it is important to remember that just because guinea pigs can be easy pets, it does not mean you can be completely hands off with them! They will still need you to help meet their welfare needs to ensure they can live happy and healthy lives.
A guinea pig eating some strawberries
Can Children Take Care of Guinea Pigs?
While guinea pigs are good starter pets for adults, they tend not to be ideal for children. Children may love and appreciate their piggies; they are usually not responsible enough to effectively carry out the guinea pig maintenance.
Children, especially young kids, can be quite rough with animals. Certainly not in a malicious way, but sometimes they don’t recognise their own strength or understand the type of softness some animals may need. Guinea pigs are small animals and can be easily spooked or hurt by excited children.
What is the Best Guinea Pig to Have as a Pet?
There are many different breeds of guinea pigs, and each one is a little bit different, making them better suited for one type of person or another. Guinea pigs’ welfare doesn’t differ much from breed to breed, the only significant change is their grooming needs.
There are both long-haired and short-haired breeds of piggies. Long-haired breeds will need a bit more attention when it comes to grooming, as their long fur has the potential to mat and cause the skin to become irritated. Short-haired breeds are much less likely to develop mats from unbrushed fur.
Would a Guinea Pig Fit My Lifestyle?
It’s hard to say from an outside perspective whether a guinea pig is a good choice or not for your lifestyle. It’s down to you to decide if you are able to make the necessary adjustments to fit in a new furry friend. As guinea pigs are primarily simple to care for, they can fit into many different households and lifestyles.
If you’re a busy person, going in and out throughout the day, they may not be ideal, but if you’re able to set the time aside to feed them, clean them and bond with them, then you should go for it.
If you’re someone who spends their time at home, then guinea pigs may be the ideal pet for you. Guinea pigs may love to play by themselves or with their piggy friends, but they can truly thrive when given the opportunity to bond with their human friends. Spending more time around your piggies will help them to build trust with you, resulting in an unbreakable friendship.
