caring for guinea pigs

caring for my guinea pigs

Guinea Pigs (also known as cavies) are a species of rodent native to the South American Andes. They are social, inquisitive creatures and make lovely pets. Although they are commonly thought to be easy first pets for children, they require plenty of attention and time and a well-researched approach to care.
The following information is only a basic overview. It does not cover every aspect of guinea pig care and we strongly advise that you seek further information to ensure the health and welfare of the animals in your care.

Basic requirements

1.Companionship

Guinea pigs are a social species and are happiest when kept with other guinea pigs. Make sure that both animals are the same sex to avoid having any unintended litters of baby guinea pigs. Male guinea pigs are more likely to tolerate one another without fighting if they are introduced at a young age.

2.Housing

Although small, guinea pigs require plenty of space to exercise – the more the better. Provide an enclosure as large as possible (minimum dimensions for one guinea pig is about 1m x 0.5m x 0.25m high). Two guinea pigs will require double this space. Make sure that the design of your hutch allows for easy cleaning.

Enclosures should be lined with newspaper and then soft grass hay to provide cushioning and prevent foot injuries. Do not use sawdust or wood shavings as these are more likely to cause respiratory problems. Straw should also be avoided as it does not absorb urine well and the hard stalks can cause injuries.

The bedding should be changed as required (this is typically once a day). It is important to regularly change bedding and floor material and clean out the enclosures to avoid ammonia build-up from urine and also to help reduce attracting flies to the area. Guinea pigs can be susceptible to flystrike (which can be fatal). It is important to fly-proof the enclosure using fly-screen wire or mosquito netting.

Guinea pigs are very susceptible to heat stress (which can be fatal) - always ensure the area they are kept in is well-ventilated, provides adequate shade and does not become hot. Animals in hutches and cages can die from overheating easily.

Provide overturned boxes for ‘hiding’ places (at least one per guinea pig)

3.Diet

Guinea pigs are herbivores. They need to be fed the types of food they have adapted to eat.

• Offer a constant source of grass and/or grass hay such as Timothy, Oaten, Wheaten, Pasture, Paddock, Meadow or Ryegrass hays. They should not be fed Lucerne (alfalfa) or Clover hays as they are too high in protein and calcium. This is paramount in providing the ‘complete’ diet and encourages ‘chewing’ for long periods of time. This "chewing" helps to wear down their continuously growing teeth and is very important in maintaining dental and gastrointestinal health.

• Offer fresh leafy green vegetables & herbs. Some examples include vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, celery, endive, carrot tops, brussel sprouts, Bok Choy/other Asian greens, dark leafed lettuce varieties and herbs such as parsley, dandelion, coriander, basil, dill and mint.

• High quality ‘Guinea Pig’ pellets may be offered in small quantities only, and should not form the main basis of the diet.

• Guinea pigs require a dietary source of Vitamin C. This is usually supplied sufficiently by the fresh leafy green vegetables however it is safer to supplement this with small quantities of vitamin C rich foods such as citrus or kiwi fruit.

• The following foods should not be offered to guinea pigs: cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, corn, beans, peas, breads, biscuits, sweets, sugar, breakfast cereals, chocolate, buttercups, garden shrubs, lily of the valley, onion grass, onions, potato tops, raw beans; beetroot, spinach and rhubarb leaves; and any bulk plants (may cause digestive problems).

• Any dietary changes should be made gradually over a few weeks.

• Provide fresh water at all times. Enclosures must be fitted with a water bottle (and small water bowl as well).

4.Grooming

Daily grooming is essential for long-haired guinea pigs to help keep their coat in good condition. Using a suitable brush, gently remove dead hairs, tangles and pieces of twigs, dry leaves or burrs. During grooming take the opportunity to check your guinea pig's health and to ensure that it is free from external parasites. Also check the length of your guinea pigs’ toenails and, if found to be overlong, have them clipped by a veterinarian or someone experienced in clipping. Daily handling and grooming is important in building your guinea pigs’ confidence and for developing friendly and social guinea pigs.

4.Health Problems

Most of the common health problems seen in pet guinea pigs are preventable by good husbandry and feeding practices. Guinea pigs may be susceptible to respiratory infections, usually due to poor housing conditions. Inadequate cleaning can also lead to skin ailments. Guinea pigs, like most pets, are also susceptible to fleas. Ask your vet about an appropriate flea treatment if required. Guinea pigs may also suffer from mite infestation - which cause intense itchiness, hair loss and discomfort but fortunately mites are easily treatable by your vet.

How to Care for Your Pet Bird

Tips, resources for feeding, housing, enrichment, and more for parrots and other birds kept as pets

Parrots and other birds kept as pets (like canaries and finches) have very specialized needs. Studying up on those needs will help ensure you're providing the best life possible for your feathered friend.

We've pulled together general guidelines, but you'll be most successful if you grab a book or two on the subject (suggestions below) and always, always consult a board-certified avian veterinarian (see below for more on that, too), especially if you're new to birds.

Provide as much out-of-cage time as possible—this will mean bird-proofing your house »

Birds don't want to live in cages any more than we do. If you have the space, consider dedicating a room in your house as your bird's room so she has to spend as little time in her cage as possible. If a bird room isn't in your near future, commit to having the bird out of her cage, in a safe, always supervised space, whenever possible when you're at home. This is important for enrichment and the opportunity to fly.

Birds will chew anything in sight: wires, cords, the wall (most paint is hazardous), furniture, etc. To keep your bird safe, remove or adequately cover any of these materials, and ensure that all windows and doors are closed. Keep your bird away from other pets in your home if you're unsure of their dynamic (cats and dogs are obvious ones). And familiarize yourself with the list of the most hazardous household materials (air fresheners, scented candles, and Teflon cookware are the biggies).

Let your bird fly—don't clip her wings

Everything about a bird's physiology is designed for flight. They have wings, hollow bones, and specialized respiratory systems that allows them to use air differently than we do. Because they're prey species, they need flight as a means to feel safe and normal.

Find a board-certified avian veterinarian »

See her or him at least once a year; call whenever something seems off.

Most dog and cat veterinarians don't treat birds. Among those who treat/see birds, very few are board-certified in avian medicine. But finding one who is can make all the difference in supporting a long, healthy life for your bird. A board-certified avian vet. knows parrots' nutritional and behavioral needs better than most, and he or she will be your partner in providing optimal care for your pet.

Plus, birds are flock animals, so they mask their symptoms when they're sick. It's critical to know your bird so well that you can detect the most minor of shifts in his behavior, then immediately contact the vet. Often this is the only opportunity you'll get to save his life. The basic rule with birds is that you can never be too cautious. When in doubt, call the vet. You can find an avian vet at the Association of Avian Veterinarians' website.

Consider adopting more than one bird »

Parrots and other birds kept as pets are flock animals. At a minimum they need a close relationship with you, but they'll thrive if they have a good relationship with another bird with whom they live (to understand this, imagine living your life without seeing another human). Talk to your local avian rescue organization to learn about other birds who might get along with yours.

Feed your bird well

Did you know that most parrots and birds kept as pets should eat very little seed? It's fattening and not health-supporting in high quantities. Most birds should be on a diet of a high-quality, organic pellet and a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains. Talk to your avian veterinarian about diet, check out the diet resources from Phoenix Landing (for instance, the "Nourish to Flourish" book and "Feeding our Parrots Well" DVD). The two most reputable, commercial bird food companies are Harrison's Bird Foods and Roudybush.

Provide the biggest cage you can afford and design it for fun, safety, comfort »

A cage can never be too big for an animal who has wings. As your bird will likely spend a good amount of her time in her cage, you'll want to design it for comfort (vary the perch heights, make sure food and water access is easy, etc.) and stimulation (great toys!). Check out the Bird-Safe Store for cages, toys, perches, and more.

Tips to Create Your Cat's Ideal Home Environment1

5 Tips to Create Your Cat's Ideal Home Environment

Imagine you're on assignment to learn about indoor cats, with pop culture as your resource. What would you find? Well, Garfield spits out sarcastic comments while lounging around the living room eating lasagna; meanwhile, Tom chases the mouse Jerry around the house until Tom invariably crashes into a mouse hole or a mallet falls on his head.

We all know those scenarios are not real, but it is true that indoor cats often lead pampered, easy lifestyles -- toys, litter boxes, regular food and water and loving humans. Spoiled, maybe, but easy? Not always. You'd think a cozy home and regular meals indoors would be a cat's dream, but if you consider the fact that most cats were outdoor animals up until around the 1970s, the house cat is still a fairly new concept.

By nature, cats are predators and explorers, they love high places, climbing and balancing. They are self-reliant but can be social as well. We bring them in our home to give them a better life but often, we repress some of these natural instincts -- keeping them indoors full-time rather than allowing them to roam the yard, hunting for small prey; ignoring them as they lie on the living room rug, instead of engaging them in play. According to Tony Buffington, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and professor at Ohio State University, this can make for unhappy and unhealthy cats. But, with a little knowledge, you can make your indoor environment as healthy and natural for a cat as the great outdoors.

Get Creative with Food and Water

Unlike humans, cats should be encouraged to play with their food. A great way to do this is to take yogurt containers (the kind with a reusable lid) and cut out small holes. Put pellets of dry food in the covered container and let the cat play with it, rattling and batting it until he's finally able to make the food drop out.

Back in the day, cats foraged for food anywhere from five to six hours a day. A cat might have eaten 10 mice a day, so he worked hard to capture those meals. Hunting kept the cat active and his predatory instincts sharp. Portion sizes stayed small and the cat ate several times a day.

Contrast this with the bowl of food you put out for your cat. If you eliminate hunting, you also eliminate exercise, causing obesity and poor health. After all, if you could eat whenever you wanted with minimal activity, wouldn't you be overweight? That's one reason obesity levels among people are so high!

A cat's need for water is also complex. By nature, it's an either-or situation; either the cat looks for food or for water but not both. After all, if you're trapping a mouse, can you stop for a drink? A full bowl of water next to your cat's food can lead to dehydration because the cat might continually choose food over water.

So, get creative. Instead of overflowing bowls of water and food side by side, set smaller bowls throughout the house, in high and low places to encourage exploration and climbing. A good rule of thumb? For each cat, place one food bowl and one water bowl in separate areas, plus a few extras to encourage exploration and roaming. Make food contraptions using boxes, small containers or paper bags so the cat has to work or play to get the food. These simple steps encourage exercise, agility and hunting, challenges that a cat loves and needs.

Give Them Something to Scratch

When your favorite feline scratches your antique dresser, it's not because he hates you. Cats scratch because it's an instinct, satisfying several needs:

- Scratching helps a cat sharpen claws and shed the outside layer of claw. This helps a cat's defensive abilities, even if it's an indoor cat, fighting no more than his shadow. It also is good for his claws.

- By scratching, a cat marks his territory. It's not just the actual mark; the bottom of a cat's foot has scent glands allowing the cat to mark areas by smell as well.

- Scratching is also stretching, helping the cat to flex his back and leg muscles. Like humans, cats often sit or lie for long periods of time, so they need to stretch.

Now that you know why cats scratch, your job is to make it easy for them. Without scratching posts, the cat will choose his own areas, creating many headaches for the humans in the household. For this reason, you want to place posts wherever the cat goes -- sleeping areas, his route to food, and in doorways. Ideally, scratching posts should be tall to allow a cat to reach up and stretch. Of course, some cats like horizontal posts, so it's good if you can have more than one post. And don't despair if you live in a smaller home; attach the post to the wall and your cat will have a place to scratch, and also get some climbing or leaping exercise in the process.

Give Them "Me" Time

On any given day, I wish I could retreat for a bit of "me" time, be it curled up with a book, taking a little nap, or just zoning out from the stress of the day. Well, I should have been a cat. Unlike dogs who can spend most of their day playing or basking in their human's gaze, cats need to get away -- from their humans, noise and other cats and household pets. A cat refuge is anywhere the cat is comfortable or surrounded by "his" things, food or water, a litter box, toys, a scratching post or rest area. So, a household rule of thumb -- if the cat retreats, let him.

On that topic, a good refuge for a cat is a high perch or observation area. While curiosity may have never actually killed a cat, it is part of a cat's nature to observe. A high resting spot allows the cat to escape while still keeping a paw on the pulse of the household. Window sills, stairs, even the back of the sofa are great areas for the cat to have private, observation time. If you're in a one-story home, your cat may get more creative and find a spot on tops of cabinets or shelves; you can even purchase a multi-level kitty condo or play structure from a pet store. This will give your cat a play area, scratching post and area of refuge, all in one stop.

Give Them Something to Do

Pets are often like children -- if you don't give them something to do, they will find something on their own, and you may not be pleased with the outcome. Not to say you need to be with your cat 24 hours a day, but they need stimulation to keep them happy and healthy.

Toys are important. Cats like predatory games, so feathers attached to a stick, furry mice or any game where he gets to find, pounce on or retrieve items is usually a big hit. This keeps your cat active and his instincts keen. And while cats will play by themselves, it's great if you can be involved in playtime with kitty; most cats do enjoy time with their humans, and playtime is one of the most enjoyable It's a good idea to put a majority of the toys away after play so that they'll remain interesting to your cat.

Despite their reputation as being somewhat aloof, cats are social creatures when they want to be. Many houses have more than one cat so the felines have company while humans are out. Cats may also be a faithful friend to the family dog, though somewhat of a tease.

Hanging out with the humans is another important social scenario, be it cuddling, being petted or groomed. However, don't forget the "me time" factor; cats like things on their own terms so if a cat doesn't want to be petted, you won't have much luck coercing him.

Give Them Rest

This is where being a cat gets really appealing. Cats typically sleep two-thirds of the day, so even if you are providing stimulation and exciting activities, the time will come when your cat needs to slip away for some shut-eye. Let them, because there's a very good chance that your cat was up at dawn, instinctively awake and moving around during what would be hunting time for an outdoor cat. Additionally, cats tend to be very active at dusk, another typical hunting window.

Cats need multiple resting places throughout the home, so if you're someone who likes to be able to nap on the couch, your easy chair, or in your bedroom, you understand. As a cat owner, make sure that your cat has comfortable areas to sleep. Pet stores boast lovely, expensive cat beds, but often all your cat wants is the arm of the sofa, a pillow or the top of your stairs. As long as it works, let them enjoy it; often spending the money on the fancy cat bed is a waste.

Again, remember to let your cat escape when he needs alone time. However, if your cat sleeps too much, they may be sleeping out of boredom. Ensure they have the social and physical stimulation that they need.

Cats were not always domesticated animals, so when you make one a part of your home, just remember what their inner cat needs.