Whether you are obtaining a guinea pig, or just checking your little pigs over each day, you need to understand what a healthy guinea pig looks like. This is not as detailed as a veterinary examination, but it should alert you to a potential problem that requires further investigation. The…
It is always important to remember that guinea pigs are a prey species (i.e., they are eaten by other animals). They are gentle animals but nervous by nature and will try to escape if they feel threatened. Being picked up and carried is not a natural situation for these small…
Guinea pigs can be kept indoors, outdoors, or both. Companion guinea pigs are often kept in indoor hutches and enclosures, although some are housed in either temporary or permanent outdoor enclosures. Outdoor enclosures offer a wider range of stimulation, but this comes with greater threats – you must take care…
In general, guinea pigs do not need to be regularly wormed unless your guinea pigs’ vet confirms they have worms, as intestinal parasites are uncommon in guinea pigs. This is despite common advice that they should be wormed every three months. What intestinal parasites can guinea pigs carry? Coccidia is…
Guinea pigs are incredibly gentle animals and can be a great animal companion for families, but they are a social species and need to be kept with other guinea pigs. In their natural habitat, they live in herds and communicate frequently with each other with sounds and body movements. Your…
Guinea pigs are very clever; they can comprehend and learn things, they have excellent memory, and they have many appealing qualities. They’re small, gentle, and personable, and constantly entertaining as they go about their day. They make great pets for responsible children, as they rarely bite or scratch unless scared…
Guinea pigs (and rabbits) are very different from many other companion animals in that their teeth continuously grow throughout their lives. They have two slender incisors on both the upper and lower jaws at the front of their mouth. Behind these, usually out of sight, are their ‘cheek’ teeth (premolars…
Yes, you should have your guinea pigs desexed! Read on to find out why. Did you know that: Female guinea pigs can breed at the age of 4 weeks (although 8 weeks is more common)? Guinea pigs usually have from 2 to 4 pups per litter and can have up…
Once you have decided what kind of reptile you want to keep, have a home set up for them, and have received your licence, you can start your quest to locate a suitable animal. Remember, reptile keeping in Australia is a privilege, not a right. The keeping of reptiles as…
So, you’ve decided that a reptile is the right animal for you. But which reptile? There are some species that are not suitable as pets (especially for beginners) and others that will not be ready to breed for years. Do these characteristics fit in with your plans? The key to…