I love guineapigs (Guinea Pig)

Member Name: lucylodge

Product:	Guinea Pig
Date:	17/09/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: friendly, cute, easy and cheap to look after

Disadvantages: none!

Many people may take an instant dislike to guinea pigs because they are rodents, however...they are not the equivalent to rats and I think that they make a really loving family pet. They are originally from South America and there are many different breeds of guinea pig.

I have two female short haired guinea pigs, called scrap and sooty. I got them when they were babies and they are black with ginger stripes on them. When I first got them, I brought them home in a cardboard box and I felt guilty for trying to pick them up because they were so scared. They would shake when I held them. However, I advise that you feed them when you first get them because as soon as they associate you with food, they become much more comfortable when they around you.

When I first got them, they lived inside in a cage because it was February and freezing outside...however looking back they would of been fine outside as long as they had plenty of hay and bedding to keep them warm. They are now a year and a half old and they live outside in a hutch. They are really friendly guinea pigs because they are regularly handled....which i advise if you want your guinea pig to be confident around you. They are very vocal and squeak when excited...normally when i open the patio door because they know they are going to get grass. They come up to the hutch door and allow me to stroke them and also happyily eat out of my hands.

Guinea pigs normally live 5-6 years however i have had one that lived until 7 and a half before. I would recommend that you keep them in pairs of the same sex so that they do not become lonely... the best advice is to buy them together from the same group so that they get on... if you introduce a guinea pig into and existing guinea pigs cage they may become territorial and fight. They cost very little to keep as bedding and food is cheap. They need feeding plenty of veg and regular exercise in a run. I would recommend them as a family pet as they are very loving and the more you handle them, the more loving and confident they become.

Summary: grat family pet