By Erin Jones, vet nurse

Guinea Pigs make great pets, especially for children. They can be taught tricks and be your best friend. It is best to start handling them from a young age. Here are a few facts that you might not have known about these interesting pets…

• Guinea pigs cannot synthesise Vitamin C and need it added to their diet by ways of Vegetables and Greens e.g. Silver beet and spinach. You can do this also by ensuring they are fed the right pellets specially formulated for Guinea Pigs.
• They LOVE to eat hay (not the stuff they sleep and poop on!) You can get special hay racks for the side of their cage- very handy. The hay keeps their teeth worn down.
• In summer time it is important that you check them for fly strike and ensure they always have clean dry bedding.
• Baby Guinea pigs are born furry, running, teeth and all!
• Guinea pigs love to climb up ramps and play with toys, they're very smart!
• It can be dangerous to feed fruits and vegetables high in water content for example, water melon and lettuce as this can cause gut upsets.
• Long haired Guinea Pigs require daily grooming.
• Some species of wild guinea pigs can be as long as a metre.
• If female Guinea pigs are not bred before they are 7- 10 months old they can have serious complications giving birth.
• It is not uncommon for people to get their Guinea pigs neutered.
• Their teeth grow continuously- if you notice you Guinea finding it difficult to eat he/she may need their teeth trimming- we can do that at the clinic for you.
• Guinea pigs are eaten in South America where they originated from and are a delicacy over there - but we don't recommend it for your pets!

Enjoy your little furry friends and if you have any questions about them please don't hesitate to give us a call at the clinic.