Guinea Pig Care Guide - Birdsville Bird Shop, Sydney

Guinea pigs are incredibly social, playful little personalities that truly shine when they have a friend by their side. We recommend keeping two of the same sex, as pairs thrive together and provide each other with companionship and confidence. Whether you choose boys or girls, both make fantastic, affectionate pets, and when raised together, two boys or two girls can live happily side by side. Watching them interact, popcorn with excitement, and chat to each other is part of the fun! For more tips, care advice and to see our adorable guinea pigs, check out our website, Facebook and Instagram for more information about guinea pigs.

Basic Information

Guinea pigs are friendly, social little companions that make wonderful family pets. With a lifespan of 4 to 6 years, they are a rewarding long-term addition to the home. Adults typically weigh between 500g and 800g, making them easy to handle and suitable for gentle interaction. Guinea pigs require a secure enclosure that is a minimum of 3 feet long, though larger is always recommended to give them room to move and explore. They thrive with plenty of fresh hay, quality pellets, daily vegetables rich in vitamin C, and constant access to clean water. As highly social animals, they do best in pairs or small groups and enjoy a calm environment where they can feel safe and comfortable.

Essential Supplies

Carry Enclosure –

Enclosure: Enclosure needs to be large enough to move around

Pellets –

Hay –

hay feeder

food bowl

drink bottle

Treats –

Hide x 1

treats

litter tray

Toys: also known as enrichment It’s important that your piggy is left with toys while you are away and while they are in their enclosure. It also helps prevent behavioural issue down the track, such as chewing and boredom. It will help creates a tamer, friendlier and happier guinea pig. Toys can be rotated regularly so guinea pig doesn’t get bored and if the guinea pig destroys the toy, it means they like it and should be replaced Toys are essential, Guinea pigs love to play with and chew toys, hanging toys, ball toys. We have such a large part of our store designated for Guinea pigs for a reason, Guinea pigs just want to have fun. Toys also help to keep their teeth trim, which is very important, without toys it’s a matter of time before the teeth over grow and result in very expensive vet bills. Barbering is a problem associated with boredom in which a guinea pig chews its own hair or the hair of its cage mate, this happens when they are bored, and toys will re direct the guinea pig’s attention into the toys instead

Substrate & Bedding: Straw, hemp or wood shavings is the most commonly used bedding for Guinea Pigs, however, it is important to not get straw confused with hay or to use hay as bedding as it can potentially lead to health problems. Straw is not a food item and doesn’t have nutritional content where hay a guinea pig can live on. Customers also mix substrate types within the enclosure or use different types of bedding in different sections of the enclosure.

Hutch Cleaner – an animal friendly disinfectant to clean the enclosure and area the animal lives.

You may also like to consider; shampoo, harness and lead, tunnels or beds, vitamin c tablets, a play pen and first aid.

Diet & Feeding

Diet: Guinea Pigs need a well-balanced diet consisting of 80% hay, 15% pellet and 5% treat – including fruit and veg. Hay should be available for you Guinea Pig 24/7, a handful of high-quality pellets given every day, and fresh fruit/veggies or treats during or after some time together. It’s important to have a hay feeder for your hay and a bowl for the pellets.

Hay

Pellets

Water: Drink bottles are the most popular because they do not take up space on the floor and sit nicely on the side of the enclosure. The bigger the water bottle the less you need to fill it up.

Treats: Offering treats is a great way to get your new pet guinea pig silly tame as they will associate you with a good experience and we offer a whole range of healthy treats that we know will do the trick.

Supplements: Salt licks, mineral licks and liquid supplements are great for guinea pigs, it keeps up their vitamin and mineral levels and is important for their health and wellbeing; your Piggy will need this depending on their diet. Salt and minerals are necessary for a Piggy’s diet, but it must be consumed in moderation which luckily your Piggy will instinctively know when its body needs additional salt. A salt lick is important as it will aid in digestion, muscles, nerves and fluid regulation. Guinea pigs need vitamin C in their diet, some guinea pig specific pellets will have added vitamin C, but if yours does not, you should add a vitamin supplement to their water.

Fruits & Veggie Guide
Examples, not limited to:

Do’s
Fruits– pears, apples, citrus, watermelon, stone fruit, kiwi fruit, strawberries, rockmelon, banana, star fruit, pomegranate and grapes in moderation.

Vegetables and greens– Silver beet, sweet potato, carrot, green beans, peas, corn, capsicum, endive, broccoli, spinach, pumpkin

Don’t’s
Chocolate, Salt, Avocado, Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Iceberg Lettuce, Processed foods, Caffeine, Dairy products, tea, coffee, and alcohol.

Behaviour & Handling

Handling: You and your piggy will benefit greatly handling guinea pigs regularly, but remember they are only babies now and will need plenty of time to eat and rest. Handling and hand feeding your guinea pigs gently and regularly will ensure it bonds to you quickly.

Health Care & Maintenance

Substrate Maintenance: Because Guinea pigs live in such close contact with their litter and bedding these must be kept clean and free from toxins. Cleaning your Piggy’s cage regularly, with the right cage clean is essential to avoiding unnecessary health problems. Ammonia in the fumes of urine causes irritation in the nasal passage which makes them more susceptible to infection.

Worming: Your guinea pigs will need to be wormed at approx. 20 days after taking them home and every 3 months moving forward. It is important to do this regardless of whether they are housed inside or outside. The dosage depends on what brand you use so it is important to read the label.

Mite, Mange & Flea: Guinea Pigs are very susceptible to mites & mange. Spray your animal with preventative treatment every 6 weeks, as it can be easily transmitted, even if you do not have any other pets. We always have this in stock in store. Guinea Pigs can sometimes contract fleas, if this happens come see us for a shampoo specific for your guinea pig, as other shampoos can harm their sensitive skin.

Teeth Health: Guinea Pigs teeth will constantly grow throughout their lives, so having hard wooden toys is very important to wear their teeth down. Overgrown teeth in guinea pigs are not only extremely painful for them, but extremely expensive for you if it is left too long. Guinea pigs need toys to chew and the proper high fiber diet and chew toys to stop their teeth from over growing in the first place.

Grooming: Depending on your Guinea Pigs coat their grooming needs may be different, long-haired guinea pigs need their coats brushed or trimmed to stop their coats from getting tangled, whilst short-haired guinea pigs need a lot less grooming.

Nails: Guinea pigs nails will grow and need to be trimmed, we sell nail clippers or offer a nail trimming service in store, you are welcome to bring them in at anytime. Guinea pig nails also need attention, usually every 5 months – here at BIRDSVILLE we provide grooming services for your furry friends, no bookings required.

Vaccination/de-sexing: Guinea pigs do not require vaccinations. De-sexing is something you may consider, especially if you have both genders. There are less complications de-sexing males over females, however please talk to your vet about de-sexing.

Common Health Concerns

Teeth Health: Guinea Pigs teeth will constantly grow throughout their lives, so having hard wooden toys is very important to wear their teeth down. Overgrown teeth in guinea pigs are not only extremely painful for them, but extremely expensive for you if it is left too long. Guinea pigs need toys to chew and the proper high fiber diet and chew toys to stop their teeth from over growing in the first place.

Visual Health Checks:

Holiday Care

Going on holidays? Boarding is available at Petsville Hotel to book your stay. Come see us in-store if you have any concerns, or questions and feel free to bring your guinea pig for us to see!

Transportation

Carries are an important item to have for all pet owners and is essential with the purchase of your new furry friend. We offer a variety of carry enclosures for guinea pigs or you can bring your own. When transporting guinea pigs, always use a secure, well-ventilated carrier lined with soft bedding or a towel for comfort and stability. Keep the carrier out of direct sunlight and away from cold drafts, maintaining a stable, moderate temperature during travel. Adding a small amount of hay inside provides both comfort and a familiar snack to reduce stress. Travel should be kept as calm and quiet as possible, as guinea pigs can be sensitive to loud noises and sudden movement. With the right preparation, transporting your guinea pig can be safe and stress-free.

Compatibility with Other Animals

Guinea pigs are gentle, social animals that thrive best with other guinea pigs, ideally in same-sex pairs or small groups. They form strong bonds and love having companions to eat, rest and explore with. While they can live in homes with other pets, they should always have their own secure enclosure and supervised time outside of it. Due to their timid nature, they are not compatible for direct interaction with predator species such as dogs or cats. With the right introductions and a safe setup, guinea pigs make wonderful additions to multi-pet households while enjoying the company of their own kind most of all. Guinea pigs are very friendly but as a prey item can be killed by cats and dogs if they are able to get hold of them. Dogs if allowed out together should be trained to be used to the guinea pig.

Please Note: Please be aware these animals are not DNA sexed. Whilst we may give an opinion and are skilled on sexing, this is not a guarantee, as young guinea pigs can be hard to sex. No refund, credit or exchanges will be given if an animal is not your desired sex.