More and more people decide to have a guinea pig as a pet because, in addition to being irresistibly adorable, they are very easy to maintain and do not need a very large space to live. If you don't have a lot of time to take out and keep a dog company, a guinea pig can be an ideal choice for a pet, although this does not mean that it can be alone all day.
However, before adopting one of these rodents, we must carefully consider which one suits us best, choose the sex, age, breed, etc. Don't know how to choose a guinea pig? In this article on our site we give you the keys to adopt the ideal guinea pig for you.
Sex
If we are only going to have a guinea pig, the sex is irrelevant, since both males and females are excellent companions and there are no large behavioral differences. However, if we are going to adopt more than one, we must ask ourselves if we want them to have babies. If not, it is better that both be of the same sex, otherwise they will start reproducing quickly. The males among them can be aggressive and territorial, so is it is better that we only have females, who are calmer and get along well with each other.
Space
How much space do you have? Guinea pigs don't need a lot of space to live, but they still can't be cooped up in a shoebox. Make sure you have the right place for your new companion to grow up happily.
Are you going to adopt more than one? It is the most recommended since they are social animals and live better in company, but you must bear in mind that the space has to be twice as big, you cannot put several animals at the same time in a place where they cannot run and move freely.
The breed of the guinea pig is also important. For example, rex guinea pigs are bigger than others, so if you want to adopt one you'll need to have even more space for it. Here you can find tips to prepare a guinea pig cage step by step.
Hair
Although caring for a guinea pig is easy, you will need to spend some of your time with it. That is why you must choose well the breed of guinea pig that you are going to adopt. The guinea pigs with long hair need more attention and care since you will have to comb them more often to untangle their hair and keep it clean, while a short-haired one doesn't need that done as often.
He alth
Of course we recommend that when you go to adopt a guinea pig you go to a specialized site or adopt it in an exotic animal shelter. When we don't know how to choose a guinea pig we can be a bit lost, but the most important thing to consider is its he alth Before taking it home, check its eyes, its snout and ears to make sure it's he althy.
- Eyes: the eyes should be wide open and free of rheum.
- Nose: must be free of wounds and skin, and free of mucus. In addition, it is important that you do not beep when breathing, as it may mean that you have respiratory problems or have a cold.
- Mouth: the teeth must be white, not protruding from the mouth and not broken.
- Ears: make sure they are clean inside and that there are no wounds or redness on the back.
- Fur: must have hair all over its body (unless it's a hairless guinea pig), make sure it doesn't have any bald spots, redness, wounds or scabs anywhere.
Age
When you go to adopt a guinea pig it must be at least six to ten weeks old, that is, they must be weaned and have the ability to live without their mother. A smaller guinea pig will need to be bottle fed and is more likely to not grow up as he althy as one that has been raised with its mother.
