There are a wide variety of commercial Guinea Pig food mixes available. My Guinea Pigs prefer a mix of Bonanza, Fiesta, and Vita-Gold. I also add a little bit of dried fruits and vegetables. You can purchase this mix from your pet store in the bird supply area (make sure that the mix does not contain any hot dried red peppers). Guinea Pigs also need a handful of hay, alfalfa, or timothy each day. My Guinea Pigs prefer alfalfa over the others, but remember all Guinea Pigs are different. Twice a day I give my pigs an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. They like any leafy green vegetables, but only give them small amounts of iceburg lettuce, carrots, cabbage (don't give them too much it will give them tummy upsets), broccolli (including the leaves), tomatoes, parsley, apple, kale, a small amount of orange or graprefruit, and grapes, just to name a few. The most important thing is to make sure that your piggies have a supply of fresh water every day. I recommend using a ball bearing water bottle to dispense their water. These bottles keep the water free from contamination. On a regular basis you will have to thoroughly clean the bottles with a mild solution of soap and water; some people use mild bleach dilluted with water. Always make sure that you rinse the bottles out to remove any of the residue left after the bottle cleaning.
There are different ways for grooming different types of pigs. The smooth-coated piggy requires you to remove their dead hair. You can do this by dampening your thumb and running it down your pigs back. You can also use a soft brush to remove the dead hairs. The Peruvian Guinea pig requires a lot more attention. Use a brush and a comb to groom your cavy. The Peruvian pigs hair grows an inch a month, so it requires you to keep it brushed or else it will become matted. People that show their piggies often put their hair into wrappers, so that it does not drag on their cage botom. I personally trim my Peruvian Guineas hair as needed. If i do not do this her hair grows in front of her eyes and her back fur gets tangled very easily. The Abyssinian's coat needs to be brushed with a soft brush to remove dead fur and dust particles. Some piggies need to be bathed from time to time. Place your Guinea pig in a sink filled with only a few inches of warm water in it. You can use a mild shampoo; I often just use water to wash my piggy. After the bath is done make sure to dry your pig off very well. I have used a hair dryer on some of my piggies, but you have to use it on it's lowest settings and keep it far from your piggy. This may not be a good answer for all pigs. I am sure it would scare a lot of them very much and would not be worth upsetting them over. Keep them in a warm area until they are completely dry, so they don't get a draft and get sick.
Piggy Housing
There are many types of Guinea pig houses. I have my piggies in either a twenty gallon aquarium or a large wire commercial cage. They should be kept in an area that is draft free because they are prone to getting respiratory infections. These cages need cleaned on a regular basis. Daily you should remove and uneaten food and treats from their homes. Depending on the habits of your specific pig the cages may need to be cleaned out every few days up to a little under once a week. I have one piggy, Brownie, that requires a complete cage changing once every three days. Once you have had your piggy for a week you will learn what routine works best for them. I recommend using white pine bedding or any of the recycled paper bedding products that are avaiable in the pet store.
Teeth and toe nail trimming
Pigs need their nails trimmed from time to time. When trimming them you can use fingernail cutters or any commercial cutters sold to cut small animal's nails. When you cut the nails be very careful not to cut close to the blood vessel because they will bleed. If you should happen to cut to low apply iodine to the area that is bleeding or you can purchase a styptic stick. These are sold in the grooming area of the pet store.
Make sure that you check the length of your piggies teeth to make sure that they are not to long. If you notice they are to long you should take your piggy to the vet to let him clip them. The only time that you should trim their teeth is if you are experienced or have been properly shown how to by your veterinarian.
Pig Attention
Guinea pigs are not very high maintenance companion animals. They do however require a lot of love and attention. My Guinea pigs have adopted a routine. They like to be visited in the mornings when I am feeding them. Each morning when I wake up I am greeted by the sound of sqeaking piggies. this is their way of letting me know that they would like their morning snacks. During the day it is nice to pet them and talk to them. In the evenings is their time to run about. I have converted my spare bedroom into the Guinea Pig room. I have a puppy so I have invested in a puppy gate that I leave in front of my piggies door to avoid any problems that may occur with the puppy and the pigs. I only allow same sex piggies to run together. Through slowly introducing my piggies to one and other I have been able to determine which pigs get along and can run together. I allow each of my males to run seperate since most males do not get along when their are females present in the same area. My piggies are quite house trained and seem to let me know when it is time to put them back into their houses. I am not quite sure how this happened it is through no training that I have done. After letting them run for a bit it is time for their nightly snack. This schedule works best for me I am sure through time and patience you and your piggies will figure out what is best for you.
