Alaric

Before you bring your small animal home, make sure you have:

• A cage large enough for your pet to move around and exercise in
• Food
• Water bottle
• Access to shade
• Bedding
• Toys for enrichment
• Cleaning products
• Worming products

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Yes, you can! Guinea pigs are naturally herd animals and need company of their own kind to effectively communicate, feel safe and express themselves. This is why guinea pigs are adopted out in same sex pairs, so they always have company. If you already have guinea pigs at home, you can adopt a single guinea pig, since they will have plenty of company.

Start by keeping your new guinea pig separate to your existing companion to allow them time to settle into their new surroundings. It’s also good to monitor their health before introducing them to your existing piggy.

In the first few days of bringing your new guinea pig home, let both of your guinea pigs (or multiple) smell each other from a distance. You can swap bedding and toys to familiarise them with each other’s scent.

After a few days, allow your existing guinea pig and your new companion to see each other through barriers such as a crate or separate enclosure. Observe their reactions and provide treats to create positive associations. Look for signs such as squeaking, sniffing, and spending time together. You may notice them sitting right next to each other while still being in separate enclosures – this is a great sign!

Once your existing and new guinea pig seem comfortable around each other, introduce them in a neutral space like a room or open enclosed area.

If all goes well, they can move into a shared space. Ensure your enclosure is spacious with ample resources for all guinea pigs.

Read the steps of guinea pig introduction

Guinea pigs can be housed indoors or outdoors in an enclosure, or both. They’re often kept in hutches, some with temporary or permanent outdoor enclosures.

Outdoor enclosures are a good option for your guinea pig’s enrichment, but you need to keep them in a place away from extreme temperatures, ensure their housing is safe and secure from predators like snakes and birds of prey, and consider a quiet spot as noise can stress your companion.

Female guinea pigs need at least 70 square centimetres of cage space each to be happy and healthy. Male guinea pigs need even more room - at least 1 square metre of cage space each.

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Guinea pigs need foraging, physical, sensory, social and occupational enrichment to ensure they’re happy and healthy.

Guinea pigs can spend up to 80% of their day foraging and feeding, most actively in the morning and the evening. It’s important to give them active options throughout the day to search for their food through toys, tunnels and more. This will prevent boredom of feeding in a bowl every day and be beneficial to your guinea pig both mentally and physically. You should show your guinea pig how to forage for food in their environment.

Guinea pigs need ample hiding places, and they love to tunnel, so providing these options will help them feel safe and secure.

Guinea pigs are social creatures, so you’ll need to provide opportunities for them to interact with yourself and other guinea pigs, even if in nearby hutches.

Read more tips and how to tell if your guinea pig is bored

Every guinea pig is an individual, some may not be used to a lot of handling. They are gentle animals but nervous by nature and will try to escape if they feel threatened. Approach your guinea pig from the front, talk to them reassuringly and gently stroke them on the head. Offering them a favourite food will also help build trust.

When you lift a guinea pig, you need to support their whole body. When they’re relaxed, place one hand under their chest (just behind the front feet) and, with your other hand supporting the hindquarters, gently lift the guinea pig up to your chest or cradle them in your arms. Remember to go slow with your guinea pigs!

Read more handling tips

Guinea pigs only eat plant material. Your guinea pigs should have unlimited access to a variety of good quality grass hays. Hay stimulates normal chewing and dental wear patterns which decrease the risk of dental disease. Grass hays include Timothy hay, oat hay, orchard grass and lucerne (alfalfa) hay. Lucerne hay is higher in calcium than other hays (which can lead to kidney and bladder stones) and should be limited (or avoided) unless your guinea pigs are growing or pregnant.

Guinea pigs can also eat grass but use caution to ensure the grass is safe from pesticides and only a little at a time if your guinea pig isn’t used to it in their diet. Feed only grass that has been hand-pulled or cut by hand.

You can also feed your guinea pig vegetables, fruit and good quality pellets. View a full list in the link below and which foods to avoid feeding your guinea pig.

Read more about guinea pig nutrition

Before bringing your new mouse or rat home, it’s important to have everything prepared so they can settle in safely and comfortably:

• Companionship: Mice and rats are highly social animals. Consider housing at least two together, ideally of the same sex to prevent unwanted litters.
• Housing: Choose a spacious cage that is easy to clean, well-ventilated, and escape and predator proof. Provide bedding such as shredded paper or pelleted recycled paper, and clean it regularly.
• Temperature: Protect your pets from extreme heat, as rats and mice are prone to heat stress. Keep their cage in a cool, stable environment.
• Diet: Offer a balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables along with small amounts of high-quality rat or mouse pellets. Avoid seeds and grains, which are too high in fat and sugar. Fresh, clean water should always be available.
• Treats: Treats like cereals, breads, biscuits, cooked pasta, or rice should only be given sparingly and in very small amounts.