Diet
I feed my piggies Wagg guinea pig food. This is because it does not have any chemical colourants which could cause problems for piggies. Wagg Guinea Pig Crunch is widely available in supermarkets and The Range chain store.
In addition to dried food my piggies are fed a range of fresh vegetables daily. I chop the veggies into smaller chuncks. Approximately a cup full of mixed vegetables each day is sufficient. I feed my piggies a mixture of vegetables including carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, spinach, kale, baby corn, peppers, radishes, some cabbage and broccoli. They also enjoy a little bit of apple occasionally.
Some fruit and vegetables, like tomatoes, have a high acid content so I don't feed them to my piggies too often, perhaps 2 - 3 times a week.
Some vegetables have a high calcium content. I try not to feed my piggies too much of these vegetables as they can lead to illness. The high calcium vegetables include spring greens, kale, carrot tops, spinach and dandelion leaves.
I don't feed my piggies cauliflower, potato peelings due to potential toxins in the skins or iceberg lettuce which can cause upset tummies.
During fine and dry weather my piggies spend time in the garden keeping the grass under control. During the winter when the weather is cold and the piggies can't go outside they live in the shed and are fed lots of hay each day. Hay can be placed in a hay rack, off the floor for piggies to eat. Hay makes up a large proportion of a guinea pigs diet and also helps to keep their teeth from growing too long.
Vitamin C is important for guinea pigs as they cannot make their own. Whilst you can be Vitamin C drops to add to drinking water I do not use this. After a few hours these drops become ineffective.
In addition to dried food my piggies are fed a range of fresh vegetables daily. I chop the veggies into smaller chuncks. Approximately a cup full of mixed vegetables each day is sufficient. I feed my piggies a mixture of vegetables including carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, spinach, kale, baby corn, peppers, radishes, some cabbage and broccoli. They also enjoy a little bit of apple occasionally.
Some fruit and vegetables, like tomatoes, have a high acid content so I don't feed them to my piggies too often, perhaps 2 - 3 times a week.
Some vegetables have a high calcium content. I try not to feed my piggies too much of these vegetables as they can lead to illness. The high calcium vegetables include spring greens, kale, carrot tops, spinach and dandelion leaves.
I don't feed my piggies cauliflower, potato peelings due to potential toxins in the skins or iceberg lettuce which can cause upset tummies.
During fine and dry weather my piggies spend time in the garden keeping the grass under control. During the winter when the weather is cold and the piggies can't go outside they live in the shed and are fed lots of hay each day. Hay can be placed in a hay rack, off the floor for piggies to eat. Hay makes up a large proportion of a guinea pigs diet and also helps to keep their teeth from growing too long.
Vitamin C is important for guinea pigs as they cannot make their own. Whilst you can be Vitamin C drops to add to drinking water I do not use this. After a few hours these drops become ineffective.
Accommodation
My guinea pigs used to live outside in hutches in the summer months and in a shed in hutches in the winter months. I now have now taken over the garden shed and this is where the piggies live all year round. They do spend plenty of time in the garden enjoying the grassduring the day though. Providing piggies with as much space as possible helps to avoid bickering with cage mates. I line my hutches with newspaper and hay. I do not use woodshavings as this can contribute to dry skin and can affect a piggies respiratory system.
My guinea pigs have access to secure runs on grass during warm and dry weather. I always provide places to hide and shelter in these runs. I frequently use igloos but I also have a number of guinea pig houses that have a ramped access to an enclosed space that I fill with hay.
My guinea pigs have access to secure runs on grass during warm and dry weather. I always provide places to hide and shelter in these runs. I frequently use igloos but I also have a number of guinea pig houses that have a ramped access to an enclosed space that I fill with hay.
Companions
Guinea pigs are social creatures, therefore, it is best not to purchase a lone piggy. Having a number of guinea pigs will ensure your piggies have company and keep them happy.
Whilst some people do keep guinea pigs and rabbits together this is not advisable and I would not knowingly sell a baby piggy to live with a rabbit. Please see the link below to the RSPCA website that sets out the problems that can be encountered when keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together. This sets out good reasons to keep your rabbits and guinea pigs separate.
http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/rabbits/company/rabbitsandguineapigs
I do have a number of piggies that live in a hutch on their own but as there are lots of other piggies around they can still chat with their neighbours. I try to place runs next to one another so the piggies can see each other too.
Whilst some people do keep guinea pigs and rabbits together this is not advisable and I would not knowingly sell a baby piggy to live with a rabbit. Please see the link below to the RSPCA website that sets out the problems that can be encountered when keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together. This sets out good reasons to keep your rabbits and guinea pigs separate.
http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/rabbits/company/rabbitsandguineapigs
I do have a number of piggies that live in a hutch on their own but as there are lots of other piggies around they can still chat with their neighbours. I try to place runs next to one another so the piggies can see each other too.