Basic And Interesting Information
The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), also known as a ‘Cavy’, is a member of the rodent family Caviidae. They generally live for an average of 6-8 years; however some can live longer, and we have seen some guinea pigs that have been twelve years of age! There are many different coat types and colour variations available in New Zealand.
Guinea pigs are social pets and loving companions that require daily attention and upkeep. They communicate by making various sounds and jumping (popcorning) in the air when happy!
A normal but somewhat unpleasant activity that guinea pigs partake in is coprophagia. This is where they will eat their own faeces, and its normal behaviour for a guinea pig to do. It helps keep the good bacteria in their digestive tract healthy.
General Keeping Recommendations
Guinea pigs are considered herd animals, and they enjoy the company of other guinea pigs. There is little difference between boars and sows as pets.
Guinea pigs can be kept in same sex pairs, or if de-sexed we recommend a male/female pairing. If de-sexed you can house multiple females with a single male, but it is not often recommended to house more than two males together - though this depends on their personalities and cage size!
