How to Choose the Right Guinea Pig

There are a wide variety of considerations that go into choosing the right guinea pig. Introducing an animal into your home is a huge commitment and responsibility, so it’s absolutely vital that you fully think about all the factors that can influence the guinea pig’s suitability to you. We all want to find the right animal for us, but it’s also important to make sure we are right for the animal.

While guinea pigs are an animal that requires less maintenance than a dog or other common pet, they still have plenty of specific care needs that must be met. You’ll need to consider how much space you can offer, how to maintain a balanced diet, provide them with essential veterinary care and keep on top of their grooming. There are so many other factors that can influence your and their happiness.

If you have your heart set on choosing a guinea pig, then let us run you through all the considerations you need to make, and help you decide on the best guinea pig for you.

Where to Buy a Guinea Pig

When looking for guinea pigs for sale, there are many options to choose from. Guinea pigs have consistently been a very popular pet, so there are plenty of sources to acquire them from. You may be tempted just to pop in a quick Google search of ‘guinea pigs for sale near me’ and while that easy option may be tempting, deciding on your future best friend may require a little more thought.

guinea pig outside — Guinea pig enjoying the outside

Pet Shop

The first and most common way of buying a guinea pig is from a pet shop. There’s no shame if this is your preferred choice of finding a guinea pig for sale. They’re often the cheapest choice and most accessible, especially as chain stores are usually located all throughout major cities. The majority of the time, they will offer discounts to those intending to buy more than one guinea pig, as an incentive to get your new furry friend their own furry friend. Which isn’t a bad choice at all, as guinea pigs should ideally be kept in pairs as a minimum.

However, it’s important to note that the guinea pigs from a chain pet shop may not have the greatest genetic history. There’s a small risk of you bringing home a sick animal, so if you do go with this option, registering them with a vet should be a priority.

Private Breeders

Private breeders are usually the ideal choice when choosing a guinea pig. They will be able to provide you with the piggy’s full genetic history, so you can fully understand their current and future health. Finding a reliable private breeder may pose a slight challenge and are often a more expensive option. Though, being able to have a greater understanding of your chosen piggy’s health and personality definitely makes this option worth it.

Rescues

Rehoming a guinea pig from a rescue is another great option. A guinea pig rescue often comes with a fee when trying to adopt an animal, but they usually send you away with some food and even some toys as a token of appreciation, making the price seem much more worth it. You may not have access to the animal’s behavioural or genetic history, but knowing you are providing a forever home for a sweet piggy who has had an unfortunate past makes the uncertainty worth it.

Friendliest Guinea Pig Types

Guinea pigs are incredibly friendly animals to begin with. They can be shy animals, but once they have become familiar with you and their environment, they’re the most friendly and excitable animals around! However, just like with any animal, there are specific breeds that may be a little bit friendlier than others.

An Abyssinian guinea pig is commonly agreed to be the friendliest guinea pig breed. They’re constantly full of energy and love to play with their human friends and are always ready to cuddle. Most guinea pig breeds are a little hesitant about being held, which is completely okay as it is unnatural for them, but Abyssinians tend to be a lot more favourable to being held; they thrive off the close interactions with you.

A Teddy guinea pig is another super friendly option to look into when choosing a guinea pig. Just like Abyssinians, teddy guinea pigs are full of energy and are always ready to play with you and their toys. They adore human attention, and you can guarantee they will be squeaking at your feet whenever you enter their enclosure.

Best Guinea Pig Types for Children

If you’re planning on buying or rehoming a guinea pig to keep as a family pet for you and your children, there are a few ideal breeds to look for. As we mentioned before, all guinea pig breeds are super friendly and would suit any loving home. However, there are a few breeds a little more suitable than others to be around children.

Rex guinea pigs are a perfect choice for a home with children. They’re incredibly friendly, and much calmer than an Abyssinian or Teddy guinea pig. They enjoy play time like any other piggy, but also enjoy relaxing with their human and other guinea pig friends. They overall have one of the calmest temperaments and have plenty of patience for children willing to be gentle with them.

Silkie guinea pigs, also known as Shelties, are also great for children. They’re very calm and gentle guinea pigs, with their favourite time of the day being nap time. They get along perfectly with humans and other guinea pigs and will have no issues finding their place in a home.

It’s important to note that as a long-haired breed, Silkies will need daily brushing and this responsibility shouldn’t be left solely to a child.

Best Low-Maintenance Guinea Pigs

While guinea pigs are usually pretty self-sufficient once all their needs are met, they do have some extra grooming requirements. When looking for guinea pigs for sale, this is always something important to consider. All guinea pigs will need their nails trimmed about every 3 weeks, and usually require a bath every 2-3 months, depending on how dirty they have gotten.

If you’re looking for a guinea pig that requires less grooming, then a short-haired breed will be a better option. Short-haired breeds will need to be brushed every few days, or roughly twice a week. This will help remove any loose fur, or any bits of dirt that may have gotten stuck. Some short-haired breeds include Teddy, Rex and American guinea pig.

However, the breed with the minimal grooming requirements is the Skinny pig, due to the fact that they have no fur! Skinny pigs are almost completely hairless, the only fur they tend to have is a little bit of fuzz on their face and feet. This fur is not long enough to need brushing, so besides the occasional bath and nail trim, they have no grooming requirements.

The Guinea Pig Diet

The guinea pig diet is something that stays pretty consistent for all guinea pig breeds. When choosing a guinea pig, their dietary requirements won’t have much influence as they all require the same foods.

Guinea pigs are animals that need high amounts of fibre and vitamin C. Just like humans, guinea pigs aren’t able to make their own vitamin C so they acquire it through their food. To ensure they get enough of these, you should be giving your piggies vitamin C and fibre rich foods such as romaine lettuce, bell peppers and kale! Though, they should be consuming all the needed fibre through their hay.

guinea pig eating strawberries — Guinea pigs should also be given a small handful of pellets every day to ensure they’re getting all the other essential vitamins and minerals.

How Much Does a Guinea Pig Cost?

Fortunately, guinea pigs are not the most expensive pets out there. The start-up costs will be the biggest dent in your pocket, such as finding the guinea pig for sale. You will need to first set up their enclosure including toys, bedding and hutches. You will also need to consider the amount of grooming supplies you’ll need, and find some non-toxic and animal-safe cleaning products that you can safely use in their enclosure.

Of course, over time items will need to be replaced or replenished, but these are not something you will have to worry about until the time comes.

The main and regular cost for guinea pigs is their food. Guinea pigs need a steady and unlimited supply of hay every day, with their meals containing fresh vegetables and pellets. Hay and pellets can easily be bought in bulk to reduce costs, but their veggies will need to be bought typically on a bi-weekly basis. If you’re rehoming a guinea pig through a guinea pig rescue, then don’t be surprised if they give you a little care package of the piggy’s favourite pellets and toys.

If you’re wanting a full cost-breakdown on the guinea pig necessities, feel free to give our post a read here, where we detail their cages, bedding, food and veterinary costs.

Guinea Pig Health Concerns

When deciding on any type of animal, considering potential health issues should always be a priority. Guinea pigs have their fair share of health concerns, and generally, all breeds are prone to the same issues. However, there are more gender-specific health issues that might sway you into choosing a guinea pig of a certain sex.

Ovarian Cysts

One health condition that exclusively affects female guinea pigs is ovarian cysts. Cysts can grow all throughout the reproductive system but are most commonly found within the ovaries. These often grow and have the risk of bursting, so it’s ideal to have them removed if you suspect a piggy has developed one.

Urinary Tract Infections

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common issue among female guinea pigs. They can occur in males, but this is much less likely. A UTI is a bacterial infection of the urinary tract and can be fatal if left untreated. Treatment for a UTI is a simple course of antibiotics provided by a vet.

Faecal Impaction

Faecal impaction is a condition that affects predominantly adult male guinea pigs. This is when their poop gets stuck in their rectum, mostly due to the size of their testicles. The treatment for this is fairly straightforward and can be done at home, but it does require you getting your hands dirty! To relieve the impaction, you’ll need to gently rub above the perineal sac while the piggy is in a tub of warm water. Eventually, the poop will get broken up and come out with ease.

If you’re on the fence about a male or female when choosing a guinea pig, this condition may definitely hold some influence!

Flystrike

Flystrike, otherwise known as myiasis, is a condition that is most prominent in the hot summer months. Flystrike occurs from flies laying eggs around the guinea pig’s bottom. These eggs will hatch and maggots will begin to burrow into the piggy’s skin. This will create painful open sores and wounds. Flystrike can affect all guinea pigs, but tend to be more common in long-coated guinea pigs such as the Peruvian or Sheltie, as they’re more likely to get poop stuck around their bottom in their long fur.

If you’re planning on keeping guinea pigs outside during the summer, you may want to avoid long-coated breeds, or you will need to keep an extra close eye on them. Offering more frequent baths during this time may be beneficial too.

Choosing My Guinea Pig