everything

Question
QUESTION: hi jenny
i just got a gp and was wondering what is a good and simple way for it to have exercise?my mum doesnt like it in the house
how much is a 4mnth male supposed to eat?
can guinea pigs eat rice or bread?cauliflower?
are mixed or plain pellets better?
if i let a gp outside will it run away?
what is good name for a light brown with a white stripe guinea pig?
what does a high pitched squeak mean?

thank you
viviena

ANSWER: Hi Viviena,

I'm going to give you a list of veggies that most guinea pigs enjoy, and an idea of portion size for a fully-grown piggy. Your boy won't need that munch until he's about 6 months old, but it varies from piggy to piggy how much they eat whilst growing up! The portion size is for if that's the only veg you're giving your piggy; if you mix two veggies together you'll need half-portions of each, if you mix three then third-portions, etc.  Always give veggies raw; guinea pigs like crunchy food, and cooking them will remove most of the vitamins that your piggy needs.

Favourite veggies:
* Carrot - half an average sized one (remove the ends).
* Red Pepper (some also like orange or yellow, not many like green) - half a large one, with seeds and stalk removed.
* Celery - one stick (ALWAYS cut this up small or your piggy will choke on the threads).
* Dark cabbage - one medium-sized leaf.
* Cucumber - a quarter of a large-ish one.
* Brocolli - three florets.

Guinea pigs also like fruit, but stick to one or two portions a week, as too much fruit will give your piggy mouth ulcers due to the acidity:
* Apple - half a large apple (core and stalk removed).
* Pear - the round bit (hard bit at the bottom removed).
* Grapes - eight seedless green ones.

Fresh parsley is happily munched on by most guinea pigs, and is a natural conditioner; so feed in moderation, but do feed! Dandelion leaves are loved by piggies too; feed this is moderation as well, as they are a diuretic and a laxative, but little and often is good. Spinach is also a favourite of many guinea pigs and is very high in vitamin c, but you should only feed about 2-3 leaves per week.

There are other foods that guinea pigs will eat - and you can try them on most fruit and vegetables. They don't tend to like mushy foods though as they make them messy! To be on the safe side though, it's probably best you stick to this list until you've done some reading.

Don't cut the food up small (other than celery). Guinea pigs' teeth (like rabits') grow constantly, so they need to keep them filed down, or a trip to the vet is necessary; teeth-trimming is painful for a piggy, and can be very dangerous. To avoid your girls ever needing this make sure they have things to gnaw their teeth down on in their cage. You can buy stuff for guinea pigs to chew on at pet shops, like natural safe-treated wooden blocks, tubes made of vegetable parchment (also fun to play in), salt licks, and mineral stones.

Here's a daily food diary for your piggy:
- One portion of fresh veggies for "breakfast" and re-fill the water bottle.
- One portion of fresh veggies for "tea".
- A piggy-sized portion of hay, and a sprinkling of dried mix (such as Gerty Guinea Pig) at bedtime.

Hay is an essential part of a guinea pig's diet. Without it, your piggy will not be able to digest his food properly. Some owners advise that you give a guinea pig a constant supply of hay, but I find that when I try this my piggies get very fat, so I make sure they have plenty at the end of each day. The dried mix is also important, as it contains vitamins to make sure your piggy has a balanced diet, and piggies love crunching on it. I sometimes give my piggies one of the brightly-coloured bits as a treat during the day!

Guinea pigs can't eat rice. They can eat bread, but this should only be used in milk as a remedy for fresh mothers. Guinea pig milk is very low in lactose so the cow's milk you drink won't be suitable for your piggy.

A mix or pellets is fine. It depends on what you can get, and what your piggy likes. I used Gerty Guinea Pig food for my boys.

A high-pitched squeak means a piggy is trying to get your attention. This is usually because he's hungry, but could also be because he wants a fuss or something has occured that you need to sort out. My boys make a lot of noise when they're hungry but also squeak if they knock their water bottle off and it has fallen to the floor.

The best way for a guinea pig to exercise is in a run; if your Mum won't let him in the house you'll have to do this in your garden. Make sure it's a warm day, and that the ground isn't cold or damp. Put your guinea pig in the run (make sure it's one with a roof) and watch him play and eat! Guinea pigs love to eat grass, but many garden plants are poisonous to them, so make sure there's only grass and dandelion leaves in your piggy's run. Pick all daisies and clover flowers as piggies can't eat these, and remove any dried leaves or anything else from the area inside the run. Don't put the run on a patch of grass where a dog wees or where pesticides are used. Never ever let a guinea pig eat grass mowings, just fresh grass. Don't leave your piggy outside for too long and always keep an eye on him. Put something in the run for him to hide in, as he will be scared of loud noises and movement in the garden.

If you just let him outside (like a dog) he will run away and you'll never see him again! He won't be able to survive in the wild, either, so always make sure he's safely inside his run and can't escape. If he lives outside, always be careful to close his hutch and make sure he's protected from cats and foxes who are very good at getting into hutches to eat guinea pigs!

You can name your guinea pig anything you want. It's a bit like naming a child; try out some names and see what suits him! My male guinea pigs have been called Meeko, Cocoa, Flit, Oreo, Almeida, and Simba. And my females have been called Truffle, Honey, and Daisy. Try to think of cute things that are brown-and-white or pick an unusual boy's name that you like. Meeko, Flit, and Simba were/are named after Disney characters! Truffle, Honey, Cocoa, and Oreo were named after food! Daisy was just a cute name, and Almeida is named after a character from a TV programme. For a light brown guinea pig, if you'd like to name him by colour, some suggestions would be Fudge, Buttons, or Cheerio.

Enjoy your new pet, I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions ... just ask!

Jenny.






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi jenny,Meeko, Cocoa, Flit, Oreo, Almeida,Simba, Truffle, Honey, and Daisy

thank you so much

i was wondering what are some easy ways for a gp to be entertained?
are there things i can make?
what other noises do gps make and what do they mean?

thanks again
You've been so much help
viviena

ANSWER: Hi again Viviena,

Guinea pigs are most happy when they've got food! However, if you feed them to keep them happy as well as fed, they will start to get fat. There's a variety of ways to amuse your guinea pig and to keep them enriched. You could get a "bite and roll" for them - this is basically a wooden ball that slots together, and has holes in for you to squish veggies into. I give my boys their dinner in this most evenings as it keeps their brains working as well as their tummies full. Guinea pigs also love tubes; they like to hide in them, stand on them, jump over them, and chew them - for this reason make sure they're made from vegetable parchment (available from pet shops) and is safe for your piggy to eat. Try to get a salt lick and a mineral stone for your piggy's cage; he or she will gnaw on it when bored, and these extras are an important part of their diet. You can also try getting an indoor pen for your piggies, or placing an old towel on the floor and letting them run around. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they don't eat anything they shouldn't! I'm not sure if there's any toys you can make for your piggies as they eat everything ... but slotting the "bite n roll" together and filling it with food can be quite fun. Some guinea pigs also enjoy jumping on and off breeze blocks (often used for the inner walls in houses) but make sure they haven't been treated with anything.

Guinea pigs make all kinds of noises, but you will probably not hear that many of them if you have just one guinea pig, as he/she will only make a noise when communicating with you. This will usually be the high-pitched hungry squeak! You should also hear your guinea pig rumble/purr sometimes; often when greeting another piggy but also if you stroke them in a way they like; tickling their backs often does the trick. He or she may also squeak whilst jumping erratically; this is known as popping corn and means your piggy is super-happy. You may also hear your piggy squeak/yelp in pain, but hopefully not!

Good luck and if you have any other questions ... just ask!

From Jenny, Almeida, and Simba.
(The other guinea pigs are pets that are no longer with me).


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey jenny, almeida and simba!!!
you have all been great help!

sometimes fudge makes a sort of sneezing sound
is this ok?

how do i give him a bath?
is it necessary?

where can i get a bite and roll?

thanks heaps again!!!

fudge and viviena


Answer
Hi Viviena (and Fudge),

Guinea pigs sneeze quite often, as you might expect from animals that shove their noses in wood shavings all day long! So sneezing is usually completely normal. If you notice any fluid coming from Fudge's nose or eyes, or that he is sneezing more often than normal, then he could have a cold. If his skin looks sore and his breathing is laboured, then he could be allergic to his bedding.

Bathing a guinea pig is a tricky process and one I wouldn't recommend unless it's necessary. You should bath your piggy twice a year, and may need to do it more often if he suffers from mites. If you need to give him a bath, and want to know the best way to do it, just ask me, or browse my past answers as I include the instructions in all my answers to questions about mites!

I got Almeida and Simba's bite and roll from my local Wyevale garden centre. They're made by a company called "happy pet" and are available at most pet shops, though I'm sure other brands make similar things. Make sure you don't use the glue supplied to stick it together; it's possible just to slot it together, and glue is not good for piggies to injest! Not using the glue also makes the bite n roll much easier to clean!

I hope Fudge is settling in well.

Best wishes,
Jenny.