Overview
1 Guinea pig species needs and human ownership
- Guinea pigs as a species and social needs
- Family and classroom guinea pigs
- Naming considerations and finding out the breed
2 Arrival, settling in and interacting with new guinea pigs; pitfalls and customer rights
- What to check for in newly bought guinea pigs (most common health/mis-sexing issues and your customer rights)
- Settling in and interacting with your guinea pigs
- Interactive problems
3 Behaviour and guinea pig bonds
- Understanding guinea pig behaviours and social interaction
- Pairings and getting more piggies
- Bonds in trouble: problems, fall-outs and bereavement
4 Housing and enrichment
- Starter checklist
- Cages and hutches
- Bedding
- Safe and unsafe enrichment and irritants in the home
5 Weather extremes and the outdoors
- Extreme weather care
- Preparing for safe lawn time
6 Diet: Water, hay, veg, pellets and healthy treats
- Recommended general and special needs diets
- Food groups in detail with further resources and sourcing tips
7 Weekly health checks and regular grooming care (including learning what is normal and what not)
- Life-long weekly health checks
- Regular grooming care
8 Ilness: Preparing for illness, vet care and emergencies
- Preparing for illness
- Early signs of illness, how quickly to see a vet
- Covid-19 information and other cross-species transmission concerns
- Vet care provision: The need to save up, insurance and accessing payment support
- Emergency: Accessing resources and practical emergency care advice
9 Resources
- Recommended vets in several countries
- Recommended rescues in several countries
1 Guinea pigs and ownership
Guinea pigs as a species and social needs
Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
Companionship
Guinea Pigs And Rabbits - Why Not
Family and classroom guinea pigs
Children And Guinea Pigs - A Guide For Parents
Children And Guinea Pigs - Age Appropriate Interaction And Responsibilities.
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Guinea Pigs as Classroom Pets - Why Not
Naming considerations and finding out the breed
Guinea Pig Names: considerations, solutions, inspiration and resources
What breed is my guinea pig? - Picture guide to common pet breeds (only visible to registered members)
Picture guide to guinea pig coat colours, agouti shadings and roaning (only visible to registered members)
2 Checking, settling in and interacting with new guinea pigs
What to check for in newly bought guinea pigs
Here is a helpful list of the most common problems that buyers of pet shop or for sale breeder piggies come across, including advice on customer rights and how they are handled in the UK and US.
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites
We encourage our members to acquire the life skill of being able to sex their guinea pig on their own with a hands-on examination of the areas where the gender differs considerably with the help of our guide, However, you are always welcome to double-check by posting a clear and day-lit picture in our sexing section, which is specially monitored by experienced members.
Illustrated Sexing Guide
Unplanned pregnancies and surprise babies are sadly not all that uncommon due to mis-sexing or not separating from boars soon enough or not at all. Please be aware that sows can be already pregnant but not showing when you buy them from a shop or breeder.
Please start a specially monitored support thread in our Pregnancy and Baby Section (only accessible to registered members who have signed our strict no intentional breeding policy during registration) and carefully read our step-by-step guides, which have been specially written for inexperienced owners.
Pregnancy & Baby Care Guide's (only visible to registered members who have accepted our non-breeding forum policy)
Settling in and interacting with your guinea pigs
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Interactive problems
Who is the boss - Your guinea pig or you?
" Biting" And What You Can Do
3 Behaviour and guinea pig bonds
Understanding guinea pig behaviours and social interaction
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
'Popcorning' and 'zooming' - joy and exuberance (videos)
Chirping
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Pairings and getting more piggies
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonds in trouble: Problems, fall-outs and bereavement
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Bonds In Trouble
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
1 Guinea pig species needs and human ownership
- Guinea pigs as a species and social needs
- Family and classroom guinea pigs
- Naming considerations and finding out the breed
2 Arrival, settling in and interacting with new guinea pigs; pitfalls and customer rights
- What to check for in newly bought guinea pigs (most common health/mis-sexing issues and your customer rights)
- Settling in and interacting with your guinea pigs
- Interactive problems
3 Behaviour and guinea pig bonds
- Understanding guinea pig behaviours and social interaction
- Pairings and getting more piggies
- Bonds in trouble: problems, fall-outs and bereavement
4 Housing and enrichment
- Starter checklist
- Cages and hutches
- Bedding
- Safe and unsafe enrichment and irritants in the home
5 Weather extremes and the outdoors
- Extreme weather care
- Preparing for safe lawn time
6 Diet: Water, hay, veg, pellets and healthy treats
- Recommended general and special needs diets
- Food groups in detail with further resources and sourcing tips
7 Weekly health checks and regular grooming care (including learning what is normal and what not)
- Life-long weekly health checks
- Regular grooming care
8 Ilness: Preparing for illness, vet care and emergencies
- Preparing for illness
- Early signs of illness, how quickly to see a vet
- Covid-19 information and other cross-species transmission concerns
- Vet care provision: The need to save up, insurance and accessing payment support
- Emergency: Accessing resources and practical emergency care advice
9 Resources
- Recommended vets in several countries
- Recommended rescues in several countries
1 Guinea pigs and ownership
Guinea pigs as a species and social needs
Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
Companionship
Guinea Pigs And Rabbits - Why Not
Family and classroom guinea pigs
Children And Guinea Pigs - A Guide For Parents
Children And Guinea Pigs - Age Appropriate Interaction And Responsibilities.
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Guinea Pigs as Classroom Pets - Why Not
Naming considerations and finding out the breed
Guinea Pig Names: considerations, solutions, inspiration and resources
What breed is my guinea pig? - Picture guide to common pet breeds (only visible to registered members)
Picture guide to guinea pig coat colours, agouti shadings and roaning (only visible to registered members)
2 Checking, settling in and interacting with new guinea pigs
What to check for in newly bought guinea pigs
Here is a helpful list of the most common problems that buyers of pet shop or for sale breeder piggies come across, including advice on customer rights and how they are handled in the UK and US.
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites
We encourage our members to acquire the life skill of being able to sex their guinea pig on their own with a hands-on examination of the areas where the gender differs considerably with the help of our guide, However, you are always welcome to double-check by posting a clear and day-lit picture in our sexing section, which is specially monitored by experienced members.
Illustrated Sexing Guide
Unplanned pregnancies and surprise babies are sadly not all that uncommon due to mis-sexing or not separating from boars soon enough or not at all. Please be aware that sows can be already pregnant but not showing when you buy them from a shop or breeder.
Please start a specially monitored support thread in our Pregnancy and Baby Section (only accessible to registered members who have signed our strict no intentional breeding policy during registration) and carefully read our step-by-step guides, which have been specially written for inexperienced owners.
Pregnancy & Baby Care Guide's (only visible to registered members who have accepted our non-breeding forum policy)
Settling in and interacting with your guinea pigs
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Interactive problems
Who is the boss - Your guinea pig or you?
" Biting" And What You Can Do
3 Behaviour and guinea pig bonds
Understanding guinea pig behaviours and social interaction
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
'Popcorning' and 'zooming' - joy and exuberance (videos)
Chirping
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Pairings and getting more piggies
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
A Closer Look At Pairs (Boars - Sows - Mixed)
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonds in trouble: Problems, fall-outs and bereavement
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Bonds In Trouble
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
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