The Basics
Guinea pigs need four things every single day: unlimited fresh hay, about a cup of fresh vegetables each, a source of vitamin C, and clean water. They live best in pairs, in a cage of at least 120 x 60 cm for two, in a cool room. In Delhi NCR the biggest danger is heat: the RSPCA says 17 to 20°C is ideal, and above 26°C a guinea pig can get heatstroke. Do these things well and a guinea pig usually lives 5 to 6 years, sometimes longer.
A Day in the Life
- Morning: top up the hay, give half the day’s vegetables, refill the water bottle and check that both pigs are eating.
- Afternoon: they nap. In summer, check the room is still cool.
- Evening: the other half of the vegetables, a quick spot clean of wet bedding, and floor time or a cuddle on your lap.
- Every week: a full cage clean, fresh bedding, and a weigh-in on a kitchen scale. A steady weight is the best sign of good health.
- Every month: trim the nails, or ask us how.
Hay First, Always
Hay should be most of what a guinea pig eats, and it should never run out. A guinea pig should be able to eat a pile of hay about the size of its own body every day. Chewing hay all day wears down their teeth, which never stop growing, and keeps their gut moving. Adult guinea pigs do best on grass hay such as timothy; alfalfa is for babies and nursing mothers. On our farm, 1 kg of hay lasts one guinea pig about 5 days, and the more of them there are, the faster it goes. Our guide to the best hay for guinea pigs and rabbits explains how to choose and store it, and The Hay Pantry delivers it fresh.
Add a small measured portion of plain timothy pellets, such as our Timothy Hay Pellets. A veterinary manual suggests about 1 to 2 teaspoons a day for an adult; follow the pack’s feeding guide too. Skip the colourful mixes with seeds and dried fruit; they are sweets, not food.
Vitamin C Every Day
Like us, guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, and without it they get scurvy: a rough coat, sore and swollen joints, weight loss and a poor appetite. Vets quote at least 10 mg of vitamin C for every kilogram of body weight each day, which is about 10 mg for an adult guinea pig, and more when pregnant. The easiest way to get it in is fresh food, given every day, because vitamin C breaks down with time and air. Capsicum (red or green) is rich in it, so a few strips every day gives a good share, and parsley or kale adds more, says the MSD manual. Do not rely on drops in the water bottle either: vitamin C loses strength in water.
During illness, pregnancy or very hot weeks, ask your vet whether your guinea pig needs a supplement. The MSD manual says multivitamins are usually not advised for guinea pigs, because some added vitamins can be harmful, so check with your vet before you use one, including our Vita Care Multivitamin. A supplement never replaces fresh food.
Fruits and Vegetables
Give a mix of fresh vegetables every day. Capsicum, cucumber, coriander and romaine lettuce are good everyday choices, and the MSD Veterinary Manual says to rotate several kinds. Fruit is a small treat, once or twice a week. Never feed onion, garlic, potato or iceberg lettuce. Wash everything and introduce one new food at a time. The full list, with Indian names and what to serve, is in what can guinea pigs eat.
Space and Cage Size
Guinea pigs run, popcorn (a happy little jump) and explore, so floor space matters more than height. For two, aim for at least 120 x 60 cm of floor, which is the minimum the Royal Veterinary College quotes from the RSPCA. More is better: the MSD Veterinary Manual suggests about 0.9 to 1 square metre for a pair. A C&C cage (grids with a plastic base) gives the most room for the money. Of the cages we sell, the C&C Cage, 42 x 28 Inches (about 107 x 71 cm) comes closest to that minimum, and the Double Story C&C Cage adds a second floor. The 28 x 14 inch cage in our starter kit is a start, not a finish: add panels as your pigs settle. See all our cages.
Use soft bedding such as bedding hay or washable fleece liners, a hideout for each pig, a heavy food bowl they cannot tip over and a water bottle. Always use a solid base: wire floors hurt their feet, as the RSPCA and MSD both say.
Keeping Cool in Delhi Summers
Guinea pigs cannot sweat, and they hide distress until it is serious. From April to September:
- Keep the cage indoors in the coolest room, out of direct sun. Never on a balcony or terrace.
- Aim for 18 to 26°C, and closer to 17 to 20°C if you can. An AC room is ideal; a cooler works if the room stays airy.
- Give a ceramic tile to lie on and a frozen water bottle wrapped in a cloth.
- Offer extra cucumber for water, but keep hay as the main food.
- Plan power cuts: know which room stays coolest.
Signs of heatstroke are lying flat and stretched out, fast breathing, drooling and not responding. Move the pig somewhere cool, dab its ears and feet with cool (not icy) water, and call a vet immediately.
Winter needs care too: the RSPCA says guinea pigs can get chilled below 15°C, which a Delhi January night is. See guinea pig and rabbit winter care.
Two Is Better Than One
Guinea pigs are herd animals and, says the RSPCA, are happiest in pairs. Two girls are the easiest pair; two boys do well with enough room and two of everything. A boy and a girl need the boy neutered first. Introducing a new friend to a lonely adult takes a little care; WhatsApp us and we will talk you through it. See the guinea pigs we have now on our guinea pigs for sale page.
Health Signs to Watch
A healthy guinea pig is round, alert, chats when it hears the fridge door, and eats all day. See a vet who treats small pets the same day if you notice:
- not eating, or fewer droppings than usual, or none
- weight going down on your weekly weigh-in
- crusty eyes, a runny nose, sneezing or noisy breathing
- a wet chin or dropping food (often a teeth problem)
- sitting hunched and fluffed up, hiding more than usual, or crying when touched
Guinea Pig Care Questions
Can guinea pigs eat mango?
Yes, as a rare treat. Take off the skin and the stone, give about one square inch, and no more than once or twice a week. It is very sweet. See what can guinea pigs eat for the rest.
How much vitamin C does a guinea pig need?
At least 10 mg for every kilogram of body weight a day, so about 10 mg for an adult, and more when pregnant. A few strips of capsicum a day is a good start. Ask a vet if you think your pig needs more.
Can a guinea pig live alone?
It can survive alone, but it is rarely happy. Guinea pigs get lonely and are happiest in pairs, so keep at least two.
What temperature is too hot for guinea pigs?
The RSPCA says 17 to 20°C is ideal, and above 26°C a guinea pig can get heatstroke. Keep them indoors in a cool room through Delhi summers.
How often should I clean the cage?
Spot clean wet bedding and droppings every day, and do a full clean with fresh bedding once a week.
Is it legal to keep a guinea pig in India?
Yes. India’s Pet Shop Rules, 2018 name the guinea pig as a pet animal, next to dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters. Check your housing society’s pet rules before bringing them home.
Who looks after my guinea pigs when I travel?
The RSPCA’s first choice is a responsible person who cares for them in their own home. If that is not possible, they can stay at our farm: see guinea pig and rabbit boarding, up to 10 nights.
Sources
- RSPCA, guinea pigs: pairs, and a lifespan of 5 to 6 years.
- RSPCA, guinea pig housing: 17 to 20°C is ideal, above 26°C can cause heatstroke, solid floors.
- RSPCA, guinea pig diet: hay for most of the diet, fresh vitamin C every day, foods to avoid.
- RSPCA, guinea pig health: not eating or fewer droppings means a vet.
- MSD Veterinary Manual, housing and nutrition: a body-sized pile of hay, pellets at 1 to 2 teaspoons a day, space for a pair.
- MSD Veterinary Manual, nutritional problems: 10 mg of vitamin C per kg a day, scurvy, and multivitamins usually not advised.
- Royal Veterinary College, caring for your guinea pig: the RSPCA minimum of 120 x 60 cm for two.
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018: rule 2(1)(j) lists the guinea pig as a pet animal.
In the shop Guinea Pigs Bedding