A guinea pig shouldn’t be pulled by the fur or by way of a leg. Maybe not clipping nails. This should be achieved frequently, at least once per month, because the nails develop and get in the manner of the guinea pig. If your extended fingernail pauses, it may lead to attacks and abscesses.
Utilizing a wire mesh base cage. This isn’t a good idea with guinea pigs, because their small feet slip through the mesh and get annoyed by the steel, producing foot lesions and an disease named bumblefoot. A good ground crate with a soft bedding like pelleted report is significantly better. Putting a boar and a plant together without having to be organized for the results – a lot of little guinea pigs. Or even neutered, male and girl guinea pigs put together will in all likelihood mate and cause offspring. Breeding guinea pigs is generally not encouraged if you’re perhaps not completely aware of the consequences.
Maybe not creating your house guinea-pig-proof. You’ll find so many chance in an average family for a guinea pig on the loose. Probably the most obvious types contain anything that techniques – be it people, doors, things that may fall down, or anything that can fit a guinea pig. Another is cables – guinea pigs chew everything in view, and electrical cords are not very good food! Natural plants are another potential threat to guinea pig health – plenty of them (such as ficus or azalea) trigger food poisoning if chewed on.
Perhaps not washing the cage often and frequently enough. Guinea pigs are clean creatures and sense unhappy in a filthy cage. Poor hygiene can be frequently the reason for infections and different critical diseases. A guinea pig cage should really be extensively washed at least once a week (better twice), with the whole
bedding renewed. Food containers and the water pipe should be washed daily.
Maybe not giving enough space and exercise. A view seen frequently is really a guinea pig hunched in the corner of a small cage, hardly moving from that place all day. Coupled with unrestricted dry food entry, this can be a positive way to create a guinea pig over weight and thus somewhat reduce its lifespan. For guinea pigs, the exact same basic principle applies for people – thinner is better. A healthy guinea pig should feel company to the touch, maybe not smooth and wobbly. Methods to ensure that your guinea pig is who is fit and perhaps not heavy include room enough (at least 3-4 sq.ft for an adult guinea pig), games to perform with, regular exploration forays outside the cage, and confined food entry (for instance, eating twice a day).
Incorrect bedding. Wood particles particularly, though very commonly used, are not a great bedding for guinea pigs. They are able to trigger base lesions, injuries to the cavies’fine eyes, and timber dust which often characterizes particles triggers respiratory (lung) problems. Some forms of wood, such as cedar or redwood, also include greasy parts that can also cause allergies and illnesses with guinea pigs.
Incorrect food. This is essentially the most regular reason behind ailments and deaths among pet guinea pigs. Specifically, feeding a lot of wet veggies such as for instance lettuce can cause diarrhoea, which is often deadly for a guinea pig within a couple of days. Insufficient use of water (for example, failure to recognize that the seriousness water bottle’s ball was stuck and the guinea pig cannot drink enough) contributes to dehydration and is also quite dangerous. Providing water in start plates rather than a jar may lead to contamination with droppings and bedding substance and various attacks as a result.