Pets Australia - 01.02.2018

(Frankie) #1
Photos: feriteglas/BigStock.com, Viorel

Sima/BigStock.com, Jagodka/BigStock.com

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PETS | Small animal special


Housing
Nikki suggests an indoor cage that has a
plastic base and a wire top as the best kind
of house for your guinea pig. “Indoors is
best because you have better control of the
temperature (guinea pigs don’t do heat at all
well) and you can interact with them much
better,” she says.
Line the plastic base with newspaper and
put either wood shavings or paper pellet litter
on top, then meadow or lucerne hay.

Hay
It’s a strange fact, but guinea pigs’ teeth never
stop growing. This means they need to be
wearing down those big chompers all the
time. That’s where hay comes in.
“They need hay to wear down their teeth
as they grow constantly. It also keeps their
gut moving,” Nikki says.
Make sure you always have enough hay in

This is a TLC (Tender Loving Care) guide
for GPs (guinea pigs) — the cutest little
squeakers you ever did hear. They’re so darn
cute with those chunky heads and silky fur
coats that of course you want to love and
protect these little critters of the cavy world.
Nikki White, a guinea pig breeder and
president of the Capital Country Cavy Club, is
one of the leading authorities on guinea pigs.
She’s got a whole family of them herself, and
reckons they make the best pets as they’re “not
as opinionated as rabbits or contrary like cats”.

http://www.petsmagazine.com.au


These little guys are social, so
why not keep two of them?

Katie Cincotta
discovers how to give
the guinea pig in your
life the very best care.

TLC TLC for for GPGPss

Free download pdf