Guinea Pig Care: Guinea Pigs as Pets

Hi everyone! I am starting a new pet care series on guinea pigs. Today's post is going to be a little bit about the guinea pig and what they are like as pets.

First thing you need to know is that guinea pigs are not actually pigs, and they are not from Guinea.

Guinea pigs are also called "cavies" and are related to the Capybara and the Pantagonian Cavy. Guinea pigs came from the area of Peru in South America. Another name for guinea pig is "whistle pig" because of the sound they make. They live for 5 to 8 years and they are about 7 to 10 inches long.

So here is what the Guinea Pig is like as a pet:

Guinea pigs make excellent pets. Once they get used to their owners they are very sweet and loving. Guinea pigs in general are rather nervous a lot of the time. However, most guinea pigs won't bite even when they are extremely frightened. This is one of the main reasons that guinea pigs are popular pets for children. Guinea pigs are cute and fun to watch and listen to. They make a lot of interesting noises from chattering to squeaking to the signature guinea pig "Wheeeeek!".

So here are some things that one should know when they are thinking about getting a guinea pig:

They can be noisy,
They are pretty messy,
You should never have only one guinea pig. You need to have at least two because guinea pigs are social animals and they need to be able to hear and socialize with other guinea pigs. Without another guinea pig or two, a lonely guinea pig can become very stressed. In fact, guinea pigs are much friendlier with their owners if they are kept in pairs. A guinea pig kept alone tends to be unfriendly.

Next time: Cage requirements for guinea pigs