15 Ways You Are Hurting Your Guinea Pig Without Realizing

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15 Ways You Are Hurting Your Guinea Pig Without Realizing

Guinea pigs are adorable and friendly animals that are commonly kept as pets. As a responsible pet owner, it's important to provide them with the care they need to stay healthy and happy.

However, despite our best intentions, we may unknowingly be harming our guinea pigs.

In this article, we will explore some common ways that pet owners may unintentionally harm their guinea pigs without realizing it.

Some of the ways that you could be hurting your guinea pig include not providing them with enough space, not giving them a balanced diet, not cleaning their living environment frequently enough, and not providing them with enough opportunities to exercise and explore.

Additionally, using inappropriate bedding or housing materials, not providing them with enough socialization or interaction, and not addressing any health issues they may have are also ways that you could be hurting your guinea pig.

It's important to be aware of these potential issues and take steps to prevent them to ensure that your guinea pig is healthy and happy.

By providing them with a clean, safe, and stimulating environment, a balanced diet, and regular veterinary care, you can help ensure that your guinea pig is thriving and enjoying a happy life as your beloved pet.

The wrong diet

The guinea pig's digestive system is very sensitive.

Guinea pigs should have a constant and unlimited supply of high-quality hay, such as Timothy and orchard hay, to graze throughout the day.

Is essential not only to help wear down the ever-growing teeth, but also to keep the digestive system healthy.

It is important to remember that guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C, so they need vitamin C-rich foods in their daily diet. Without vitamin C, guinea pigs can become seriously ill with scurvy.

A dirty or smelly space

Maintaining a clean environment is vital to the health of your guinea pig. Dirty and smelly homes will create mental and physical health problems for your pet.

Feed them lots of fruit

The fruit is also high in sugar. A diet high in sugar can lead to obesity and an imbalance of intestinal bacteria and can cause severe and life-threatening diarrhea.

Remember that some vegetables and fruits like avocado, mushrooms, rhubarb and garlic, onion are not safe for guinea pigs and should be avoided.

Fruit seeds should also be avoided. Grass clippings from your lawn are also a serious health hazard.

Poorly assembled casing

Guinea pigs need a well-ventilated space; that means no aquarium types.

Hard or wire floors can cause discomfort and damage to the feet of guinea pigs with a condition called bumblefoot, so provide a solid floor enclosure with bedding or blankets in place.

Suitable bedding options include soft grass hay, fleece fabric, and shredded paper. Sawdust can cause respiratory problems and should be avoided.

Wheels and exercise balls

Wheels and exercise balls are deadly to guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs have different anatomy and can seriously injure their backs with a wheel or exercise ball.

Also, there may not be enough ventilation in the exercise balls for your guinea pig's comfort.
bathing them

Guinea pigs are known to be very clean animals that groom themselves frequently. Therefore, they rarely need a bath.

These animals also have sensitive skin and unnecessary bathing can cause dry skin and coat.

Poor handling

Improper handling includes chasing a guinea pig across the space with your hands, not supporting the abdomen while holding it, and allowing children to play with guinea pigs unsupervised.

You can get your guinea pigs used to feeding them by hand.

Warm environment

Guinea pigs are very vulnerable to heat. Little pigs can't sweat because they don't have sweat glands.

If it's over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, your pet could get heat stroke.

With high humidity, heat stroke can occur even at lower temperatures.

It is advisable to keep your guinea pig in a ventilated environment, but do not point the fan directly at your guinea pig.

Lack of attention

Guinea pigs are prey animals, so they instinctively hide signs of pain and illness to avoid attracting the attention of predators

Unfortunately, this also means that it is very difficult for guinea pig owners to tell if their pet is sick.

Any change in your posture, eating, grooming, urination habits, or even increased aggression or lack of energy could be a sign of illness.

Not enough space to exercise

Although guinea pigs are small, they need plenty of space to exercise, explore tunnels, and play hide-and-seek.

This is because their bodies are built for running and jumping. Be sure to provide them with as large an environment as possible.

Release them in an unsafe place

An unsafe place is any space that you do not have protected.

That means any areas with toxins, accessible power cords, sharp objects, toxic plants, and rooms with other pets, such as dogs or cats.

Some rooms, such as bathrooms and garages, should be kept out of reach of your pet, as they often contain toxic chemicals and cleaning products that can be dangerous for your pet.

Keeping them out

The outdoors is full of dangers for guinea pigs.

There are predators like owls, stray cats or dogs that want to eat your pet.

And remember, outdoor guinea pigs can also experience extreme weather conditions that lead to heat stroke.

Maintain your venue in a high-traffic environment

As prey animals, guinea pigs can be prone to stress, so their enclosure should be located in an area where there is not a lot of noise or traffic.

Like where there are not many people and small children constantly walking around.

Yelling at them

Yelling is another thing you should never do with your guinea pig. Little pigs don't understand the word "no." When you yell at your pet, you are just scaring him.

Lack of socialization

Guinea pigs are very social animals and need constant company.

Ideally, guinea pigs should be kept in pairs.

We hope you enjoy this video about Guinea Pigs

Source: Jaw-Dropping Facts

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