Guinea Pigs prefer a climate similar to one where you would feel comfortable wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Like humans, pigs need to eat right, exercise daily and have a clean home to stay healthy. They do not like: drafts, extreme heat or cold, direct sunlight, dampness, or loud noise.
A healthy Guinea Pig should have clear, bright eyes, a clean, thick glossy coat, a dry nose, and a steady appetite. Ears and feet should be clean, and feces will be hard and odorless. The body is firm, you should be able to feel the ribs, and the stomach will be round and plump yet should not drag on the ground while walking.
Find a veterinarian that specializes in Guinea Pigs, or an expert breeder before your pet develops a problem because this will save time in an emergency. Many veterinarians know little or nothing about Guinea Pigs and may cause more problems with incorrect procedures. Ask around, most vets will know someone in which to refer you. Most Guinea Pigs will have very few ailments, however, a neglected animal or one suffering from too much in-breeding will be more fragile.
CLEANING
A Guinea Pig will clean itself, like a squirrel or a cat, several times a day. Most pigs will make a sneezing sound while they clean, this is normal; however, persistent wiping of the nose with the back of the paw may indicate a cold or dust allergies. For short haired pigs if their home is kept clean and you brush them once a day you will never have to wash them. For long haired pigs, hair over 1 inch long, in addition to brushing you may need to give your friend a bath and haircut about every six weeks. Trim the fur in the rump and anal area to avoid soiled and tangled fur. This works best with one person holding and one cutting. Don't cut piggy! Our pig Emma would trim her own fur by "eating" it off (she also liked to eat my hair!) giving herself a feathered look. Her friend Sam would help get the places she could not reach.
BATHS
Some pigs don't mind baths and some hate them. If you have determined that your pig needs a bath please read this section carefully before attempting to wash your friend! You will need: two large towels, a basket, a hand-held hair dryer, kitchen or bathroom sink, one helper. 1. Get a consistent temperature of water flowing from the faucet. It should be warm and comfortable to the underside of your wrist. 2. Keep the drain open this will help reduce fright from the running water. 3. Wet the pig from the rump to about the middle of the body. Do not get the pigs head, ears or eyes wet! 4. Talk to and hold your pig throughout this procedure. Most pigs will panic if left to stand alone in the sink. 5. Use shampoo for cats or kittens and massage in gently. Since pigs lick themselves clean it is important not to use a shampoo with harmful chemicals. 6. Rinse thoroughly from mid-body to rump, remember to get the belly. 7. Wrap the animal in a towel. Let the towel soak up the water. Do not rub your pig dry they don't like it. 8. Place the pig in second dry towel in the basket. The pig may shake itself dry like a dog so watch out. 9. Use the hair dryer carefully! Always point the hot air at your hand while you pet your pig so they don't get too hot. You will need to pull the hair up gently to dry the animal completely. The hair dryer will scare your pig, so be sure that they can not jump off anything or get away. 10. Dry your pig as completely as possible because it will get sick if left wet. You may want to hold your friend in a third dry towel for awhile to calm them down and be certain that they are dry.
FEET AND CLAWS
Guinea Pigs claws and teeth grow throughout their lives so it is important that the animals have something to wear their nails and teeth with. The world is a chew toy to a Guinea Pig, so make sure there is nothing harmful or valuable around that they can chew on. Clean cardboard boxes, fresh pine cones and wicker baskets make great chew toys for pigs. I have never had a pig that would chew the ready-made toys in the pet stores.
Claws that grow too long will need to be trimmed by an adult or a skilled Veterinarian. It is very painful for the animal if the blood vessel, which contains nerves, is cut. The best clippers to use are those made for cats and kittens available at a pet supply store. Check claws carefully every two weeks for excess growth. It is better to cut the nails a little bit every week or two instead of allowing them to grow too long. Long nails curl making it difficult for Guinea Pigs to walk (and more difficult to cut) since they walk on their toes.
CUTTING CLAWS: 1. Get a friend to hold the animal in a towel. 2. You may want to give your pet a small treat to reward him during the procedure. 3. Support the animal while allowing one front paw to be exposed and repeat for the other front paw. Cut about 1/16" to 3/32" below the blood vessel. 4. Now hold the pig against your chest in a vertical position supporting the pigs rump. Their hind feet will stick out allowing for easy trimming.
TEETH
Once you have gained your pigs trust it is good to check the animals teeth for excessive growth or objects that may have gotten caught between them. Hold the animal on your chest and gently push up with your thumbs near their whiskers to view their front teeth. Objects caught between the teeth can usually be removed with a toothpick or a dental tool.
Excessive growth can be the result of not having enough to chew on to wear them down, or a rare case of jaw misalignment where the teeth do not touch each other and wear themselves down. You can recognize this by a curling of the teeth. Take your friend to to the vet or Guinea Pig specialist to have the teeth filed or trimmed or piggy will not be able to eat.
Chipped teeth happen even to healthy pigs, they grow back fast, so don't become alarmed. If your pig seems to chip its teeth often it may not be getting enough calcium. Try feeding it room temperature kitten milk from an eye dropper and feed it more grass or alfalfa.
DRAFTS
Guinea Pigs thrive between 60 degrees and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They are hearty animals when exercised and fed well, however, drafts and especially damp drafts can give a pig pneumonia which is usually fatal. Make sure they have an area available to them at all times that is clean, dry and protected from drafts. Indoors, near windows, doors and refrigerators are common areas for drafts.
COMMON SYMPTOMS
A Guinea Pig will normally scratch a few times in an hour to clean and "comb" their fur. Constant scratching and/or fur loss may indicate skin mites or a skin fungus. Check inside the ears for white spots. Take your animal to your veterinarian for expert advice. Your pig may need a series of shots that will rid the animal of these mites or may just need a bath in a special shampoo. Mites are painful to your friend and will cause it to scratch until it bleeds.
COUGHS or WHEEZING
Coughing or wheezing indicates a cold or flu in your pig that may result from drafts, excess cold exposure, or infection from humans. (Transferring diseases from pigs to humans or vice-versa is not common, but can happen.) If your pig has a cold make sure to change their home and food is changed daily, and move their house to a warmer place. A towel or blanket is nice to hold your pig in and keep it warm.
A drop or two of children's cough medicine on a piece of bread (or use an eye-dropper) can can be given to the animal two or three times a day to help relieve cold symptoms. This should be done for a maximum of two days, if the symptoms have not gone away see your veterinarian for stronger medicine. Do not give your pig human antibiotics! They can kill your friend.
Guinea Pigs do not smoke. Please do not smoke around your pig as it is very harmful to their health. Keep your friend in a place or room where the air is fresh and clean.
DIARRHEA
Diarrhea is a serious ailment for Guinea Pigs. Remove the affected animal from the others and place in a cage that you can easily clean several times a day. Get medicine from a veterinarian or specialist immediately! Do not use remedies designed for other animals unless directed by a specialist.
SOFT FECES
Guinea Pig feces is usually a hard, uniform size and odorless pellet. Sometimes too much fresh food, a change in diet, or old food not cleaned out of their home will cause your pigs to have soft and/or smelly feces. If this occurs feed them only Guinea Pig pellets, alfalfa, bread and fresh water until the problem clears up. Guinea Pig experts only: Used or wetted herbal tea bags containing peppermint leaves and/or chamomile flowers as a main ingredient can can help relieve your pigs stomach discomfort. Remember to remove any string or staples from the bag! Never give your pet caffeine.
RUNNY EYES or NOSE
Guinea Pigs do not "blink" like humans so you will often notice their eyes look a little wet. If the eyes are clear and bright and the animal seems healthy this is a good base to note any changes. If you notice that your pig's eyes or nose are discharging more fluid than normal, or your pig is wiping its nose with its paw more often, this is usually caused by dust, chemical fumes, or smoke in the area. Keep your friends environment clean! This means both its home and air. Pine chips used in bedding (do not use cedar chips) can cause a dusty environment for your pig so the animal should away from its home for at least a half hour after you change the cage.
VITAMIN DEFICIENCY
Guinea Pigs have specific daily nutritional requirements which are easily met. (See food chapter) However, some animals may not be getting enough of the necessary vitamins it needs to stay healthy. If your pigs coat is dull, or for some reason does not eat certain foods you may want to feed your animal special liquid vitamins available at your pet store.
PARALYSIS
Paralysis in the hind legs of a Guinea Pig resulting from falling, mishandling (squeezing), or being stepped on usually means the backbone has been broken. The animal is in a great deal of pain and will soon go into "shock". The most humane thing to do is to take the animal to a veterinarian and have it "put to sleep". Remember that even a large Guinea Pig is quite small in relation to a human, and pigs seldom complain, so be very gentile when you play with your friend.
Paralysis may also indicate internal problems near or on the spine such as a virus or tumor. A veterinarian will need to determine the best solution.
ELECTRIC SHOCK
Guinea Pigs love to chew on electrical cords which is usually fatal to your little friend. Always make sure that all electrical cords are out of reach!
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