Guinea pigs are the most misunderstood of the animals that are adopted out to family homes. Cage size and diet are very important. About Pigs Guinea pigs are very social and very intelligent creatures. They come in different colours and sizes, both smooth and abyssinian (hair with lots of swirls in it) varieties. Like dogs and cats, they can become depressed, and the best way to send them into depression is to ignore them. Pigs are also very routine-oriented. They know they get their veggies after dinner every day, so when the sun goes down, they’ll start calling you. They learn and live by their routines. They learn and respond to their names. They know your voice, your smell, the sound of your footfalls, and they know when strangers are around. Social Requirements Pigs have much more in common with dogs and cats than hamsters and gerbils. As is mentioned above, they know their people and live by their routines. They need daily social interaction--sitting on your lap, petting time, run time on the floor (in a pig-safe area), etc. Some pigs are more active and adventurous than others. Active and adventurous pigs need time on the floor to run around and play. Less active, less adventurous pigs need more lap time. That’s what’s great about adopting from a rescue. They can tell you which type your pig is and match you with the type you want. But even shy pigs who prefer lap time to floor time will learn to run around. Pigs can become overweight easily, so exercise is important. If the pig won’t play, set up a play pen every day and put them in it anyway. Always put them in the same place so they get used to it. Leave them there by themselves for 20 or 30 minutes everyday. They will most likely be more comfortable on their own during floor time than with you there--pigs are naturally shy. Eventually, they will become confident with “their” territory and will learn to run and play. Regardless of their confidence during floor time, lap time is important for both adventurous and shy pigs, as they need to be social to be happy. Rules for Guinea Pig Owners These rules summarise everything above. # Pigs must be housed in appropriate cages. # Like dogs, pigs must be fed every day. Unlike hamsters, they do not hoard or save food. # Pigs cannot be put in balls, despite the fact that pet stores sell balls labelled for pigs. The play balls that people use for hamsters and such, curve in the opposite direction of their backs. It’s painful for them and can easily result in accidental broken backs if someone kicks it or the pig rams something too hard. Pigs use playpens, not balls. You can get those at the pet shop too or you can make them yourself. # Pigs must have time out of their cages every day. They are social creatures. They get distressed and depressed without social contact from their people. With a pair of pigs, this is somewhat less likely, but they will forget their people skills if they’re not handled daily, which can result in biting and such. In addition, it can be distressing to leave pigs alone longer than they’re used to--they live by their routine, more so than many other animals # Pigs cannot be allowed to wander in an area that is not pig-proofed unless they are in a play pen. Pigs are very good at chewing and will chew electrical wires if they can get at them. Some will also chew wood--especially rough wood, so set up the play pen If the room they are in is pig-proofed, you can put their cage on the floor and leave the door open during play time—they will come and go as they please and most likely only pee in their cage. # Their cage must be cleaned at least once per week. For a messy pig, a pair of pigs, or pigs using fabric as bedding, you will need to clean at least twice a week. Frankly, the more often you clean, the better. How many nights would you want to spend in your own old urine and poop? # Keep your pig’s nails trimmed, and bathe her when necessary. crawleyguineapigrescue.org
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 11:26:53 +0000