- Grass hay ( meadow hay or timothy hay): This is excellent hay feed to guinea pigs by their owners. This hay is fresh grass, which is dried out after cutting. ...
- Oat grass: This grass is made by oat grass, which is cropped before it grows. Once the oat cultivates, this hay then does not carry any nutrients for guinea pigs. ...
- Alfalfa grass: This is quite different than usual hay; it is more legume than grass. Alfalfa hay is usually offered to young guinea pigs. ...
What extra stuff should I Feed my guinea pigs?
What Should I Feed My Guinea Pig Daily?
- Vegetables. Apart from an unlimited supply of timothy hay, grown-up guinea pigs need raw and fresh vegetables and fruits, rich in fiber and vitamin C.
- Fruits. Fruits shouldn’t be given too often since they have a much higher level of sugar and acid. ...
- Pellets. ...
- Things You Should Avoid Giving Your Guinea Pig. ...
What do you do for new baby guinea pigs?
Ten tips for introducing a new guinea pig
- It is easier to introduce younger guinea pigs to one another. ...
- If you have an older piggy, it is best to add a baby. ...
- Only put one male in with females. ...
- Before introducing a male to a female, make sure they are neutered. ...
- Make sure there is enough room in their crate. ...
- Only buy hiding houses with two entrances. ...
What's the best food for pigs guinea?
Good fresh foods to feed your guinea pig include:
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Green peppers
- Parsley
- Green and red leaf lettuce
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
How do you care for a baby guinea pig?
- Let your pig get used to the harness. Leave it by their food bowl, let them sniff it.
- Put the harness on your pig for no more than an hour
- Do this daily, but extend the time they have the harness on by a few minutes a day.
- After they seem comfortable with it, take your pig on a walk. Let them lead you.
- Take them for a walk, but you lead them. ...
Do baby guinea pigs need special food?
Pups generally eat the same thing as adult guinea pigs, so you do not need to feed a specialized baby diet. One exception is that pups need additional calcium in their first few weeks of life. The extra calcium will help their bones grow properly.
How often do baby guinea pigs eat?
Be aware that people are not the best substitutes for guinea pig moms. Orphan raising can be difficult and unrewarding. Orphans should be fed from an eyedropper or pet nurser within the first 12 to 24 hours of life. Feed every 2 hours around the clock for the first 5 days.
How much should baby guinea pigs eat?
Guinea pigs should be given a pellet based food - about 1/8 cup per guinea pig per day (for pregnant, nursing, or guinea pigs 6 months or less, pellets should be available at all times even if this means feeding more than 1/8 cup per day).
When can baby guinea pigs eat food?
Baby guinea pigs start nursing in 24 hours, and eat solid foods at three days as mom shows them how.
Can you hold baby guinea pigs?
Baby guinea pigs should not be held at all for at least one week after birth, and must always be handled very gently.
What is poisonous to guinea pigs?
Make sure you do not feed your guinea pigs the following foods (this is not an exhaustive list): cereals; grains; nuts; seeds; dried beans, corn, and peas; buttercups; garden shrubs (such as hemlock or privet); lilies of any kind; sweet peas; nightshade; oak; avocado; onion grass; onions; potato tops; mushrooms; ...
What veggies can baby guinea pigs eat?
Vegetables like red or green pepper and broccoli have high levels of vitamin C in them and are great daily options. Add carrots, zucchini, tomato or sweet potato once or twice a week.
What do baby guinea pigs drink?
milkGuinea pigs are born being able to walk, see and hear, and most of them will start nibbling on solids within a few days, as well as drink milk from their mum.
Can baby guinea pigs eat lettuce?
While eating lettuce is not bad for your guinea pig, doing so doesn't provide much nutritional value and will not help your pet reach its daily requirements. Most other lettuce types will provide your pet with more vitamins and minerals that can help them develop and stay healthy.
Can baby guinea pigs eat carrots?
Carrots are safe for your guinea pig to eat, as long as you feed them as an occasional treat rather than every day. Some guinea pigs, including those that have diabetes, allergies, or bladder stones, might be better off avoiding this colorful vegetable.
Do guinea pigs like to be held?
Most guinea pigs like to be held when they trust the person who's doing the holding and the environment that they're being held in. There are guinea pigs that will seek out their owners to be picked up. But, some guinea pigs prefer to not be held, even if they have bonded with you.
Do baby guinea pigs drink water?
Guinea pigs need water! Even if they're not drinking it, you should refresh their water every few days. You never know when a thirst will take them. Like all animals, guinea pigs should always have fresh, clean water to drink.
How often do baby guinea pigs drink milk?
If the baby has been rejected, then you'll need to feed it every 1 - 1.5 hours, giving them as much as they want each sitting. If the baby has been completely rejected and is getting no maternal care, then you'll need to keep them at a good temperature with a hot water bottle wrapped in blankets (so it's not too warm).
What do 4 week old guinea pigs eat?
Your baby guinea pigs will start to nibble solid food from only a few days old. You can start introducing them to timothy and oaten hay, pellets, as well as small amounts of green vegetables and water in a shallow dish from when they are born, but this does not mean they are ready to be weaned.
Do baby guinea pigs sleep a lot?
The thing is, guinea pigs do sleep, usually between four and six hours a day, but rather than doing it all in one go, they will nap throughout the day and night.
Do baby guinea pigs drink water?
Guinea pigs need water! Even if they're not drinking it, you should refresh their water every few days. You never know when a thirst will take them. Like all animals, guinea pigs should always have fresh, clean water to drink.
What Do Baby Guinea Pigs Eat?
One of the most important things to know is that guinea pig babies need more calcium in their diets, particularly during the first few weeks. The extra calcium is required to ensure that they develop sturdy, long-lasting bones. Alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets are both rich in calcium, as is suggested by my recommendation.
How Can I Protect My Pet Baby Guinea Pigs?
Keeping your guinea pig inside is one of the most apparent and easiest methods to keep them protected. Even if you live in a tiny flat or a large home, you can always find enough space if you put your mind to it.
What Are The Natural Predators of Baby Guinea Pigs?
The most common predators for wild Guinea Pigs are weasels and birds of prey in areas where they reside near human settlements. Dogs and cats are also major foes, but they can be kept under control with training.
How Do Baby Guinea Pigs Protect Themselves From Predators?
Guinea pigs are herd animals by nature, and they will look to move around rather than stay together. They enjoy the companionship of others and will use one another to defend themselves. When in the wild, they’ll alternate turns looking for danger and calling out to each other when it approaches.
How to care for a female guinea pig?
This is important whether you are bringing home pups or caring for the ones that your female guinea pig has given birth to. Guinea pigs can be very sensitive to noise, so your pups will need to stay in a quiet area during their first few weeks of life.
How long does it take for a guinea pig to give birth?
Female guinea pigs typically give birth to an average of three pups per litter. The birthing process usually takes about 30 minutes, with about three to five minutes between pups. You will know when the process is over when all pups have been delivered and the mother has eaten the placenta and cleaned the pups.
How to keep guinea pigs from escaping?
For example, there is usually one-inch spacing between the bars on a guinea pig cage. Your pups could possibly be small enough to squeeze through this spacing. To prevent them from doing this, consider purchasing a cage that has a deeper pan at the bottom. The deeper pan would be more difficult for your pups to climb out of.
How big should a guinea pig cage be?
The cage should be at least 7.5 square feet. If you purchased pups from the pet store, make sure that the cage is large enough before you leave the store. [1]
What does a guinea pig look like?
Female guinea pigs will have what looks like a tiny grain of rice in their genital area. Male guinea pigs will have a white ring in this area. It is recommended to have your veterinarian or a guinea pig expert determine the sex of your pups, if this has not already been done at the pet store.
What diseases can guinea pigs get?
Monitor your pups for sickness. Guinea pigs are susceptible to many types of diseases, such as heat stress, foot pad infections, and pneumonia. Because pups need a lot of vitamin C in their diet, a deficiency of this vitamin can cause a disease called scurvy.
How long can a guinea pig stay with its mother?
Female pups can stay with their mother until four weeks of age. Guinea pigs are usually ready to begin leading more independent lives when they are around six weeks old, but you should still aim to separate them by three to four weeks of age if necessary. ...
What to feed guinea pigs for snacks?
For a special snack, try mixing some rolled oats into your guinea pig’s pellets or stuff a small cardboard tube with fresh hay.
How to keep guinea pigs fresh?
Keep it fresh. The steady amount of produce in your guinea pig's diet means that you need to be conscientious about removing uneaten fruits, veggies and other perishable foods before they spoil. Check for untouched or unfinished treats an hour or so after they’ve been offered to your guinea pig.
What sweetener is good for guinea pigs?
Loaded with artificial sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup, fructose or sucrose, they provide little nutritional value and lots of empty calories.
What vegetables should I feed my pig?
It’s best to provide variety by feeding different greens each day. Vegetables like red or green pepper and broccoli have high levels of vitamin C in them and are great daily options.
Do guinea pigs overeat?
How much to feed. Guinea pigs don't usually overeat, but it's important to provide the proper balance of pellets, hay and fresh vegetables. Like human beings, guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, so they require vitamin C-rich foods in their daily diet.
Can guinea pigs eat salt wheels?
But if you’re feeding your guinea pig a varied and well-balanced diet, these products shouldn't be necessary.
Can guinea pigs have bladder stones?
Note: Because guinea pigs are susceptible to developing painful bladder stones, and some bladder stones are comprised of calcium oxalate, reducing or eliminating foods high in oxalates—such as spinach, parsley and strawberries—can provide benefit in guinea pigs who develop calcium oxalate stones.
How long does it take for guinea pigs to eat their mother's food?
Guinea pigs mature quickly and will begin to nibble the hay, pellets and veggies fed to their mother within 24 hours. We noticed our guinea pig babies began to eat mama’s food within a few days of birth. As they grow, baby guinea pigs will require extra calcium to help their bones develop properly.
How soon can you handle a baby guinea pig?
It is perfectly fine to handle your new guinea pigs within the first week. Interact with baby guinea pigs early and as often as possible so that they become used to humans. At first your guinea pig baby may seem afraid when you pick him up. Watch carefully for signs of stress or discomfort.
What are baby guinea pigs called?
Baby guinea pigs are called pups just like baby dogs. When baby guinea pigs grow up the males are called boars and the females are called sows. Just like adult pigs! Even though they share similar names, guinea pigs do not belong to either the dog or pig family. Rather, they belong to a rodent species called cavies.
What happens to guinea pigs after delivery?
Following delivery, your guinea pig mama will be exhausted and hungry. She will naturally clean up the area around her: lick the babies clean, bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta. This served a purpose in the wild to prevent predators from finding the newborn baby guinea pigs.
Why do guinea pigs look so fast?
Look quickly because guinea pigs are not happy being held this way. Male guinea pigs have a donut-shaped opening. If you push gently on their lower abdomen the penis may appear. Female guinea pigs have a Y-shaped opening close to their anus.
How many pups does a guinea pig have?
The average guinea pig litter is 2 to 4 pups. The size of the pups is often relative to how many pups there are in the litter. The larger the litter, the smaller the pups will likely be.
What do guinea pig babies look like?
Guinea pig babies are born looking like mini versions of their mama.
How To Take Care of Baby Guinea Pigs?
Your guinea pig pets, with proper nutrition and care, will live for about six to seven years.
How to Baby-Proof a Guinea Pig Cage?
Whether you adopted baby guinea pigs from a shelter or your guinea pig pet gave birth, the first thing you need to do is to make the cage baby-friendly.
How Many Babies Do Guinea Pigs Have?
A guinea pig usually has between one and six babies, with an average of 3.
Do Guinea Pigs Eat Their Babies?
A guinea pig mother will nurse the pups until they’re ready to fend for themselves.
How to Clean a Guinea Pig Cage?
Cleaning the cages is an important step since the lack of them can lead to multiple health problems.
How long do guinea pigs live?
How To Take Care of Baby Guinea Pigs. In general, guinea pigs have a long life span. Since they’ll stick around for about six to seven years, it’s better to raise them right to avoid any problems later on.
Why is it important to socialize guinea pigs?
This is where proper handling of baby guinea pigs becomes crucial. Picking up the pups and keeping them away from the litter, even for a couple of minutes, could be damaging for the guinea pig family.
