Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Guinea Pigs > More Questions

More Questions

21 14:26:24

Question
I have some more questions...

Our guinea pig is probably 7 weeks old now, she doesn't mind being handled, and when petted on our laps will make all sorts of squeaking noises.  She is definetly starting to like us.  Although, she still doesn't want us taking her out of her cage.  Why is this?

Also, she loves to eat tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh parsley and apples.  I am curious as of what else we can feed her.  She doesn't like oranges, kiwi or carrots.  How often should we feed her too?  We feed her the vegetables every day, and the apple every other day.  I want to give her more fruit but I don't know what to give.  Along with other vegetables we can try.  Oh, and she doesn't like brocolli.

I've heard guinea pigs like toys. What kind of toys should we give her?  She has some wooden block type toys, she doesn't chew on them though, I don't want her to have to long of teeth.  Will she chew on them when she needs too.  Does she just not need to right now?

... I think that's my questions for now.  Thanks for all your help!

Answer
It will just take some time for her to get settled in to the point that she will not run when being picked up, to all guinea pigs at first seeing hands coming inside the cage above them looks like something wants to eat them. I have noticed though with hand-fed babies that is not the case, that is why I hand feed all of my litters. The best thing to do is always offer her treats by hand instead of just leaving them in the cage, and until she trust you keep your hands low on the cage floor, that way she doesn't instinctly feel that something is going to attack her from above. Also if she comes up to the door of the cage for you just place a blanket on your hand and coax her up on the blanket with a treat. With time she should stop running, it just takes time so she can learn to trust. When she starts to purr on your lap that is their happiest sound, also clucking is you ever hear a cluck, that means she thinks your her mom.

I give my pigs fruits and veggies every day, but don't offer them more than twice a day, like no more than 2 types of veggies and 2 types of fruit every day. Vegetables that you can try are - green pepper (or red or orange), Kale, Collard Green, Mustard Green, leaf lettuce (green or red), romaine lettuce, Calliflower and any type of garden green (they love the organic herb mix from stores). Fruits that you can give are- any type of melon (favorites- watermelon, cantolope, honey dew), peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, mango, bannana, pear, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and any type of apple.

Toys to give her- any type of cat ball that she could throw in the air with her teeth, also any type of bird toy with a bell on the end. I have pictures on my website of good toys that I use for my pigs- http://woopets.bravehost.com . It is ok if she doesn't chew on wood blocks or anything like that, guinea pig's teeth do grow, just very slowly, nothing compared to hamsters or rats, usually with pellets, hay and veggies their teeth will never over grow at all. I have never had a guinea pig that liked to chew on the wood sticks either, just chinchillas that do. If she wants and needs to chew though she will.
Brittany