Baby Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are not pigs at all and are related to rats and mice that belong to the cavy family. They dwell in family groups and their natural habitat is in the grassland areas of South America. They are extremely small animals and are excellent pets. Male guinea pigs are called boars, while the females are called sows. Guinea pigs live for 5-7 years and may even extend to 8 years, if proper care and diet is provided.

Characteristics

If you want to keep baby guinea pigs as pets, ensure that they are not taken away from their mother for about 6 weeks after they are born. These cuddly babies are born with hair and teeth and their eyes wide open. After 3 weeks, they start to eat vegetarian food just like their mother. It is best to keep on touching them till they get accustomed to your touch. They are the cutest pets you could ever have, and it is sometimes hard to believe that they once existed in the wild. These animals love company, so it is advisable to keep two of them instead of one. Their social attributes, good temperament and low maintenance makes these animals excellent pocket pets. To improve their quality of life, it is important to provide them with good care and food.

Care

Choose the Right Pig: Make sure that you choose a pig that is 6 weeks old. It should be plump which is an indication that it is well-fed. The eyes should be bright and it should have clean nose, eyes and ears clear from any crusts, redness and discharges.

Housing: They are extremely small, hence care has to be taken to ensure that they are safe and secure. They should not be left free to roam as this will eventually lead to trouble. It is advisable to keep them restricted in the confines of a pen or a cage. Most of the cages available in the market are designed to accommodate two guinea pigs. The American Federal Law recommends a cage size of 10''x10''x7''. Place a cardboard box in the cage, so when the baby guinea pig feels shy or frightened, it can jump into the box. A layer of shredded cardboard covered with hay can be used as bedding for them. Large flakes of pine wood shavings can also be used to make comfortable bedding for the babies. Shredded newspaper with soy inks is another good bedding option. Check to ascertain that the bedding doesn't become damp or dirty. Hence it is necessary to change the bedding twice a week. Ensure that the cage is cleaned at least once a week.

It is good to track the growth and monitor the weight of baby guinea pigs. Insufficient mother's milk could be one of the reasons for their slow growth. If the growth is not satisfactory, it is time for you to intervene and provide necessary growth-stimulating care and food. Try to keep them alone with the mother so that it suckles on sufficient amount of milk from the mother. If the condition of the baby doesn't improve, it is best to see a vet. Alfalfa rich pellets containing adequate levels of vitamin C, meets their growing requirements. These pellets of food can be bought from your regular pet shop. Deficiency of vitamin C can cause a disease called scurvy. The need of vitamin C is about 25-35 mg a day. As guinea pigs are vegetarians, it is best to avoid foods that contain animal products, sugars, seeds/nuts and fats. Fresh fruits like apples, pears, peaches, strawberries and vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and cauliflower should be fed to them. Their front teeth grow continuously, hence providing them with food such as dry pellets ensure that their teeth are kept to a good size. Feed them with timothy hay and supply fresh water too.

Baby guinea pigs are one of the world's most gentle creatures. They are sweet-natured, lovable and adorable, and make fabulous pets. Provide them with all the security and safety they need and they are sure to reciprocate your love and reward you with their enjoyable company.