Everyone loves to watch videos of cute little guinea pigs jumping around in their cages or just adorably munching on their greens.
But when it comes to keeping one as a pet, there are several questions and myths that circle around our heads.
‘Small pets don’t mean lesser work.’
‘Guinea pigs are dirty.’
‘Is it the same as a hamster?’
All these are common discussion topics found on animal forums.
Read ahead and discover the truth about guinea pigs and what makes them such good pets.
Why Guinea Pigs Make Good Pets?
Guinea pigs are cute, playful, and affectionate. They’re easy to care for.
These are just some of the reasons which make them ideal pets. If you want to keep a pet guinea pig, go ahead!
We completely support your decision. Here’s a list of reasons why keeping a guinea pig is a great idea.
They Are Friendly and Social
What’s a better reason to keep a pet than to have a companion that loves you unconditionally? Guinea pigs are super-friendly.
While dogs and cats are considered to be two of the friendliest pets, guinea pigs are not far behind.
They are small yet equally friendly. In fact, they also know how to maintain their friendliness even when they grow old, unlike bunnies.
Rabbits are considered to be friendly pets but once they go through puberty, they can get nasty and aggressive.
A guinea pig remains your unconditional friend and companion throughout their lives – and they do have a long life.
They Are Easy to Care For
You cannot own any pet unless you are sure you can care for it.
This is the best part about keeping these tiny little creatures – they are relatively easier to care for and maintain than many other domestic animals.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that they don’t require any care at all. Every animal requires your care and attention to feel loved.
Guinea pigs are just low-maintenance and are certainly easier to manage and care for.
They don’t require long walks like dogs do, or ask for plenty of your time to pet them like cats. This is what they need:
- Essentials: The essential items they require are fresh water to stay hydrated, timothy hay, dry pellets, and some fresh vegetables to munch on.
- Cage: Guinea pigs do require a fairly large cage, where they can run around and play. The best cage is one made from grids and coroplast. You can use fleece bedding for them.
- Hygiene: Guinea pigs require a clean cage so you need to clean the cage every day, depending upon how dirty it is.
- Bathing: Guinea pigs don’t need a lot of bathing. Actually, they might not need to be bathed at all. Many guinea pig owners say once a year is enough. However, they do need to be groomed as they have long hair. They also need their nails clipped every three weeks.
They Are Great With Children
Guinea pigs make the best first pets for children. They are great with children as they are neither too fragile nor too skittish.
Even though they are the perfect pets for all ages as they are playful and friendly, they prove to be wonderful first pets for elementary school-going children and even younger.
Children just enjoy watching them play in their cage.
If you want to get the first pet for your child to teach them how to take responsibility and care for another living being, the guinea pig is the perfect pet.
They require less care and maintenance, and they aren’t destructive or dangerous. In fact, they don’t even bite.
Thus, it’s the perfect way to give your child a loving bond with a pet without being too worried.
Children also don’t require constant supervision when playing with guinea pigs as with dogs or other animals.
They Live Longer (Compared to Other Small Pets)
We all know the worst part of keeping pets – watching them die. Animals generally don’t live as long as humans.
So eventually, pet owners have to watch their pets die, which is extremely painful.
This is another reason why guinea pigs are great pets: you don’t have to say goodbye to them very soon!
Guinea pigs live relatively long lives than rabbits, rats, hamsters, or gerbils.
Some guinea pigs can live till their teens, which is a great time span to nurture them and watch them grow old.
The average life span of a guinea pig is 6-8 years, which is pretty decent for a pet.
So if you are looking for a pet that will stick around, a guinea pig is a good idea.
They Are Not Territorial
Some animals are territorial. They like to stay in their own space. While this is not a quality of a bad pet, it just makes them distant.
Guinea pigs are not territorial they are rather friendly and social. They allow other animals to live in their territory.
These tiny little creatures are gentle and affectionate, with all other beings until their little ones are protected.
For instance, rats are smart and make great pets, but they are territorial. They are not welcoming and get difficult to tame once they grow older.
Guinea pigs don’t give any such trouble. They simply don’t care about their surroundings as long as they feel safe.
They Are Playful and Entertaining
One of the most important reasons why guinea pigs make great pets is because of their playfulness and entertaining nature.
Guinea pig owners often report that watching or playing with their guinea pigs is therapeutic and brings joy to them.
These adorable creatures have a cuddly and loving personalities that all age groups can enjoy.
Guinea pigs love to quirk, jump around, and play with little toys. You can watch them all day just munching on their veggies with their cute little teeth.
Watching them play, eat, or jump provides mental stimulation and enriches life experiences.
It certainly is mood-lifting. You can also train them to play games such as hide and seek. It’s their natural instinct to run and hide – and it’s adorable!
Guinea pigs are happy. They are very playful, from purring to popcorning (a unique behavior of jumping like corns of popcorn that have just popped), they do it all to keep you entertained.
They purr like cats and make adorable sounds when petted such as wheeking, squealing, rumbling, or teeth chattering.
They Are Unique
Guinea pigs are the perfect pets for your child to take to school on ‘Pet’s Day’. They are unique and adorable and are loved by everyone.
They also have unique personalities. They adopt diverse behaviors, hence making them different from one another.
They also have various breeds so they come in different colors and patterns. You can pick the one you like the most.
There are as many as 10 basic colors of guinea pigs and 13 breeds including short-haired, long-haired, hairless, and others.
Before adopting or buying a guinea pig, you can pick one that matches your personality.
They Are Not Destructive
A very prominent and important characteristic of guinea pigs is that they are not destructive at all.
This is what makes them ideal to keep in homes and around children. They are not destructive to the beings, environment, and humans around them.
They don’t bite or scratch either. Doesn’t this make them the best?
The most they do that can be termed as ‘destruction’ is pee or poop anywhere around the house.
However, they can be litter trained, which solves this problem as well.
So you can allow them to play around your house, but since they are tiny and sneaky, it’s always better to supervise them or give them a confined space to play in.
It’s safe to keep them on your bed or carpets as they won’t chew them up. They are well-behaved.
They Are Hardy
Guinea pigs are healthy animals that do not easily catch diseases. Guinea pig owners have rarely reported any common diseases or medical conditions to be aware of.
They are prone to common diseases such as dental issues or bladder stones.
But with the right medical checkup and proper nutritive care, they can easily be prevented.
Guinea pigs stay longest and healthiest in cool climates. They are not comfortable in dry, humid conditions as they get dehydrated easily.
Caring for Them Is Not Expensive
The last and probably the most important reason why guinea pigs are good – no great – pets are that they don’t ask for a lot of money to be able to maintain them.
You don’t even have to buy one you can simply adopt one from a rescue shelter.
Their cage, food, and maintenance are cheaper to manage than what other animals require. They don’t even need any shots or neutering spray.
Are you still confused about whether you want to keep a guinea pig or not? Think no more!
Buy or adopt one today to build an affectionate bond that you will absolutely not regret!
Other articles you may also like:
- Do Guinea Pigs Like Music? Important Things to Know!
- Can Guinea Pigs and Rabbits Live Together?
- How Do Guinea Pigs Play With Each Other?
- Do Cats and Guinea Pigs Get Along?
- Do Guinea Pigs and Hamsters Get Along?
- How Do Guinea Pigs Communicate? Sounds + Body Language
- How to Clean Your Guinea Pig?
- Are Guinea Pigs Smart? Guinea Pig Intelligence!
- Male vs. Female Guinea Pig – Which Ones Make Better Pet?
- Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone?