Guinea Pig Care Guide: Happy, Engaged & Vocal Cavies
🐹 SMALL PET WELLNESS

GUINEA PIG
CARE &
HAPPINESS

Vitamin C, Unlimited Hay & Floor Time Enrichment

⚡ DIRECT PET ANSWER
Cavies require 10 to 30 mg of dietary vitamin C daily per kilogram of body weight to prevent fatal scurvy, alongside 24/7 unlimited Timothy hay. Provide a minimum flat cage footprint of 7.5 to 10.5 square feet for paired bonded guinea pigs.
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DIET 01 • TIMOTHY HAY

UNLIMITED 24/7
GRASS HAY

80% OF TOTAL DAILY
DIET BY VOLUME

Guinea pig teeth grow continuously. Coarse silica in hay grinds down molars to prevent fatal dental root elongation.

💡 ACTION: Keep hay racks stuffed full of fresh green Timothy hay.
Published by Howdy Fox
DIET 02 • VITAMIN C

MANDATORY DAILY
VITAMIN C DOSING

25 MG DAILY VIT C
PREVENTS SCURVY

Like humans, cavies lack the L-gulonolactone oxidase enzyme to synthesize Vitamin C. Deficiency causes painful scurvy.

💡 ACTION: Feed fresh bell pepper slices daily or stabilized Vitamin C tablets.
Published by Howdy Fox
SOCIAL HOUSING

ALWAYS HOUSE IN
BONDED PAIRS

HERD SOLITARY CAVIES
BECOME DEPRESSED

Guinea pigs are obligate herd animals. In Switzerland, keeping a single guinea pig alone is officially illegal animal cruelty.

💡 ACTION: Adopt a bonded same-sex or neutered male/female pair.
Published by Howdy Fox
FLOOR TIME

SAFE TUNNELS &
DAILY ZOOMIES

60 MIN DAILY FLOOR TIME
ENRICHMENT

Cavies are prey animals that dread open sky. Place fleece tunnels, cardboard hideys, and willow balls across carpet floor pens.

💡 ACTION: Watch for joyful 'popcorning' high-hops during exercise.
Published by Howdy Fox
BEDDING HYGIENE

NO CEDAR OR PINE
SOFTWOOD SHAVINGS

FLEECE OR KILN-DRIED ASPEN
FOR LUNGS

Aromatic phenols in cedar and unkilned pine destroy fragile cavy respiratory linings, inducing severe pneumonia.

💡 ACTION: Switch to washable layered fleece liners with absorbent u-haul pads.
Published by Howdy Fox