It is very important to be clear about the longevity of an animal before adopting it since we must be responsible for it throughout its life, if it is not going to be like that, it is better not to have a pet, don't you think?
Rodents, as is the case of the guinea pig, are generally animals that can become very long-lived if we offer them good care, social stimulation and enrichment of all kinds.
Do you want to know how long a guinea pig lives? Keep reading this article on our site to find out and learn some tricks to maximize your company.
The guinea pig, a long-lived animal
The duration of a guinea pig's life is directly related to several factors such as the care it receives, its diet or he alth problems. These are usually animals that live between 4 and 9 years.
Determining exactly how long a guinea pig lives is complicated and practically impossible to be sure, for this reason we have put a margin of about 5 years since many guinea pigs have lived up to 9 while others have barely reached 3.
Factors that can improve your longevity
The guinea pig is a 100% herbivorous animal for this reason one of our tools is going to be precisely food. We must know recommended fruits and vegetables for guinea pigs as well as the foods that we must avoid.
We found in vitamin C a special and super beneficial enrichment for guinea pigs. It will also be essential that they have fresh water and hay at all times.
We must also pay attention to the care that a guinea pig needs, beyond its diet. Among them we find the need for a large space as well as different tunnels and toys to enrich their life.
Finally we will add that the guinea pig is a social animal so if it does not have a companion (which would be ideal) we must make an effort to dedicate time and attention to itIn this way our guinea pig will be stimulated and receptive to interacting with people.
Diseases we should know about
To finish our article on How long does a guinea pig live? we must know the typical diseases that can affect it during its life. Only in this way will we be prevented and know how to act quickly before the appearance of each of them.
Diarrhea is a more serious problem than it seems since in the face of strong diarrhea our guinea pig can become dehydrated and die quite easily. If this happens we must eliminate all kinds of green content from his diet and provide him with quality hay in abundance as well as a treatment recommended by the veterinarian
Pneumonia is another of the most common diseases that our guinea pig can suffer from. It is usually caused by stress, poor hygiene or a sudden change in temperature. The vet will probably recommend antibiotics
Guinea pigs are not capable of producing vitamin C by themselves, for this reason, in the event of a deficiency, our small rodent will be susceptible to scurvy
The appearance of tumors usually occurs in older specimens, even so, we must know that a guinea pig with a tumor can live quite a long time
Guinea pigs may be susceptible to contracting intestinal-type or external parasites if they come in contact with infected animals, droppings, or feed. We must try not to expose our guinea pig to these situations and maintain an optimal level of hygiene
Finally, another important factor to highlight is the possible presence of fungi, the most serious being ringworm, we must immediately go to the vet if we detect the presence of fungi, it can be contagious
So far the most common diseases of the guinea pig, remember that if you have any suspicion you should take your little friend to the vet since speed can help us overcome a problem that over time can be fatal.
