Information for the new (or prespective) Cavy Owner!

A Guinea Pig is also known as a Cavy. The term "Cavy" derives from its scientific name, Cavia porcellus. Guinea Pigs are rodents but unlike all other rodents, their young are born fully developed with a full coat of hair and eyes open. They will start wandering around an hour after birth and can take solid food a day or two later.

 

So...you've decided on a Cavy...now what?

If you are purchasing a cavy from a breeder, ask as many questions as possible! If you'd like to see the parents, ask to see them if possible. Ask the breeder about their stock, and make sure the cavies are purebred. By purchasing a purebred cavy you have more assurance that the adult rabbit will be the size and type you want.

I do not personally recommend purchasing a guinea pig from a pet store. Quite often, animals in pet stores are not taken care of properly, store personel are not educated in the proper care of so many different species of animals, and their environment sometimes is not the cleanest. Not to mention their prices can be outrageous! Try to locate a breeder in your area, or even a rescue organization! Petfinder.org often times has lots of guinea pigs listed for adoption.

Check the cavy for any sign of illness, which can include discharge from the eyes or nose. A HEALTHY CAVY NEVER HAS ANY SIGN OF A COLD. Check the bottom of the animal for signs of loose stools. Any odor or dirty fur should warn you to look at a different cavy. If you see signs of illness in more than one animal - find a different place to get your cavy!!! Any pet store that allows free access to any of their animals by customers, or does not restrict people from handling the animals, would not be a healthy environment.

Check the cavies teeth!! This is VERY important! A common problem seen in cavies is misalignment of the teeth. This not only is a disqualification in showing, but is a major problem for the pet owner. Their teeth will grow all of it's life, and if they are misaligned they must be cut off weekly by the owner. Your cavy should have top teeth that extend over the bottom).

Cavies need no shots and are not prone to many diseases. Breeders should stand behind their stock and will be happy to help you choose the perfect critter for your needs.

Housing

First of all, get the biggest cage you possibly can for your cavies. They will live longer and be happier that way. You should also keep them with at least one buddy, as they are social creatures. Guinea pigs love to run and jump, I call it "popcorning" because they look like kernels of corn popping around in a popper. The minimum size for a pair should be 16" wide by 32" long and at least 12" tall. I have several boars that will shimmy right over a 14" tall slick wall though so it is really up to the individual pig. I also have some that will just sit there with 6" sides! I do not recommend aquariums (yes, I have tried this) because not only are they heavy, but they build up odors very quickly and most are too narrow. You can find plastic storage containers that work wonderfully at places like Wal-Mart and they are cheap too. I really love the super tubs from Lowe’s hardware. Add several inches of wire to the tops and they make great pens for pairs or even trios since they are 2’ X 3’ in size.

We use kiln dried pine shavings for bedding. If you can find wood pellets, they are far superior to shavings. Try a Tractor Supply if you can’t find them at your feed store. Never use cedar shavings or corncob, as they are harmful to your pig. Also never use clay cat litter. Cavies eat the bedding and cat litter can kill them. Also, do not keep guinea pigs on wire-bottomed cages, no matter what anyone tells you!! It's not worth the pain it can cause. Take it from one who knows. I’ve had too many little broken legs to ever use wire bottoms again. I change my bedding once a week. With the wood pellets you can either remove wet spots or stir them into the rest of the bedding and it will last up to two weeks. If it begins to look dusty, give it a good misting with water.

 

Other essentials

Guinea pig feeds are generally well-balanced and will work for your pet. I use a 17% protein rabbit feed. Try to buy only enough to last between 1 and 2 months at a time. If you get these fresh pellets and give them treats, they will not require Vitamin C supplements in the water.  However, if you choose to purchase food at a major chain, it is most likely already too old to have any Vitamin C left.  Use ¼ tsp. of the C crystals per gallon of water.

Give fresh foods every day!! A baby carrot, a sprig of parsley or cilantro, a slice of apple, almost anything fit for human consumption is good for pigs. Not only is this great for your pig’s health, but it also strengthens your bond with him. The first sign of illness in cavies is usually the lowered food intake. Watch for this and catch problems before they become serious. If one day he doesn’t run up for his favorite treat he needs to be checked out thoroughly. He may just have decided that he doesn’t like that food anymore but more than likely he is not feeling well. If he is sitting with his nose in the corner then you definitely have a problem.

Most of the time cavies are healthy robust little creatures. Keep them out of drafts and extreme heat, don’t feed spoiled or dirty food, keep other pets away from him, and do not let a sick human close to your pet. Do not overdo it with the treats and I recommend not feeding iceberg lettuce at all since it has almost no nutritional value and can cause diarrhea if over fed. All fresh foods can cause diarrhea when over fed though so keep those quantities small and watch for soft mushy poops.

Warning: do not feed potatoes or potato skins!!! If they are even the slightest bit green they can kill your pig. Also be sure there are no pits or seeds left in the fruit that you give him. Did you know apple seeds and peach pits are poisonous? Watch out for gas when feeding "gassy" foods. No avocados or bulbs like onions either. Watch out for your houseplants when he is out playing too, he will eat them and many houseplants are also poisonous.

A food dish made of a heavy plastic or stoneware is recommended. Wash the dish out weekly and wipe dry. Some breeders recommend using a metal drop feeders ("J" feeders), with a screen in the bottom that attaches to the cage. This is so the cavies can be fed from the outside of the cage and has no way to sit in it's feed. These drop feeders works well and will not hold moisture.

I must stress how important a decent water bottle is!!! Over the years of having many different critters, I have found that the Edstrom water bottle is the absolute BEST all around bottle. This is the only water bottle that I have found that absolutely, 100% WILL NOT LEAK! I use it for all of my rabbits, chinchillas and cavies. They are a bit pricey, (about $12 for a 16oz size), but well worth the money. I have bought all of mine through Bunnyrabbit.com, If you find this too pricey, you may use a standard water bottle with a ball bearing.

If you intend to travel with your pet or go to shows, you might should invest in a carrier. These small all wire cages are available from various dealers, such as Bunnyrabbit.com. It makes traveling so much easier! I have a few cages from them, and I recommend them - very high quality, and you can pick up locally.

You want your pig to have fun and enjoy cage time. Simple toys often work the best. I like to use empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls, most of the time stuffed with hay. I also use toys made from sisal rope and wood blocks, generally marketed for birds. Chew sticks sold for hamsters can also be used. Avoid plastics or latex, as they can chew off pieces.

Cavies enjoy "hidey huts" or areas to retreat to sleep/hide. Most of these can be made at home relatively easy. A box made of wood can be placed in the cage for them to snuggle in, or little mini pet beds for ferrets are fun too!

Playtime!!!

I let mine get out of the pens to have floor time as often as possible. They love to really get out and run, run, run!!!! You can build all kinds of toys and houses for your pet, just make sure it is nontoxic since he will chew it! Don’t let them out unsupervised either, electric cords look just as tasty to them as a tree branch. Your cavies will appreciate toys to play with. Cat toys with bells in them are favorites around here as are wind chimes that you hang from the top of their pen. Just make sure the plastic is hard enough that they can’t eat it, those soft plastic toys will not last and are a choking hazard.

 

Does my Pig need grooming?

Grooming is relatively easy. They only need bathing when they get dirty or smelly which isn’t very often. Mine generally only get baths before shows. I clip the nails almost every time I clean the pens, just taking the tips off with fingernail clippers or cat nail clippers for those large back nails. Keep ears clean with Q-tips and mineral oil. Just use common sense about keeping him clean. If you feel a bath is needed, any shampoo safe for cats will do just fine. Always get him completely dry with towels and a blow dryer. A damp pig can easily get sick. Always remember, HEAT KILLS. But then again, so do chills. Don’t roast your pig with the highest setting on the hair dryer and keep the nozzle moving so it does not burn one area. Now that I’ve scared you to death about bathing let’s continue… Seriously, it’s not as hard as it sounds. You just want to get the pig clean, and get the pig dry without him getting chilled or burned by the hair dryer.

If you ever suspect lice (looks like light colored specs of dust that move) put one drop of Advantage or Revolution behind each ear on the bald spot you will find there. Shampoos are less than adequate and must be repeated several times until the parasites are finally gone. I highly recommend the use of Revolution. It not only takes care of lice, but also all types of mites and internal parasites as well and generally with only one dose. Advantage may take a second dose two weeks later and is only effective against lice.

Boars have an anal gland that needs to be checked once a month when they reach adult size and start that male strutting behavior. I have made a separate sheet on impactions. 

Breeding

There are a lot of excellent books on breeding caviess and the subject is much to complicated (and overwhelming!) to be covered on this website. If you wish to breed your cavy, feel free to EMAIL me and I'll do all I can to help you out!

Special note for pregnant sows: You should always keep liquid calcium on hand. We put liquid calcium in the water along with Karo syrup for big as a barn sows or sows that seem, "just not right". The Karo helps prevent toxemia and the calcium puts back in the calcium taken from the sow by the growing young. Signs of an immediate need for calcium are stiffness in limbs, crying when you try to pick her up, sometimes slobbering, wet chin, and seizures. I purchase Neo-Calglucon or Calcionate syrup at the pharmacy and use one capful per 32 ounces of water. When administering orally, one cc every 30 minutes until symptoms subside. ALSO, for large pregnant sows and lactating moms with their litters, especially, large litters, CALF MANNA is a wonderful supplement for them, high in calcium and protein for growing babies. I give them approximately a tsp. each per day. (this is just a few pellets, don’t overdo it) Calf Manna can be purchased at your local feed store.

If you're in Texas, you may also check out the Lone Star Cavy Club to help locate a breeder near you!

Breeder Recommendations

Please feel free to visit some of my breeder friend's websites, for more information and other available cavies for sale.

Cavy Caboodle - Lisa

Cowgirl Caviary - Pam

Blazin K's - Amy

Pedigrees and Showing?!

When you thought about a pet cavy you may not have even realized that they can have pedigrees or cavy shows even existed. Showing can be fun, some children as well as adults, get hours of recreation from our hobby! If you plan to show you almost HAVE to get your bunny from a breeder. The breeder will help you select an animal that is free from faults, and has a nice pedigree behind it. Anyone interested in showing should join their local club. You will then meet fellow breeders and receive newsletters and information on most shows held in your area.

Pedigrees on cavies are different then papers on a cat or a dog. A pedigree is only a family tree that goes back at least three generations behind the animal. (A pedigree must contain cavies of only one breed on it).

The most important thing of all to remember is to love your piggy! They thrive on attention and the more you give them the more they will return. Don’t let a day go by without a cuddle or a scratch on top of the head. If your pig runs from you, especially at first, don’t worry; he will eventually come to trust you. Cavies are prey animals so their natural instincts are to run when something comes at them. If you’ve been to visit my caviary, I know you noticed that most of my adults (and many of the babies) just sit there and let me pick them up, but realize that they have been here their entire lives and they are accustomed to me!

*Portions of the above recommendations provided by Lisa at Cavy Caboodle! Thank you Lisa!!

 

Club Affiliations

Lone Star Cavy Club (soon to be a member)

American Rabbit Breeders Association

North American Lionhead Rabbit Club