Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Other animals

How to extend your precious guinea pig’s lifespan

Rebekkah Adams
By

Rodents make good pets for several reasons: They’re relatively easy to take care of, social and engaging, and extremely cute. The downside is you won’t have your sweetie for very long, as their lifespans don’t come near those of dogs or cats. As far as guinea pigs’ lifespans go, you’re looking at about five years, though they can live up to eight. That’s a tad longer than hamsters or gerbils, and guinea pigs might suit you better in other ways too. Once you’ve selected your animal, you will need to work to keep it healthy and prolong its life. Do these five things to keep your pig (or pigs) in good shape and living its best life. 

Boy holds guinea pig in his hands
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Clean their cage

One of the most important things for prolonging a guinea pig’s life is keeping their home environment clean and cozy. Specifically, make sure you maintain an even temperature of about 72 degrees (you can both stay comfortable at this thermostat setting). Additionally, providing a sparkling cage will go a long way to improving health and increasing lifespan. Spot clean daily after feeding, then replace bedding and do a full deep scrub every week. Stay on top of this and adjust as needed — you may find yourself changing out the bedding twice every seven days.

Recommended Videos

Feed them a variety of healthy foods

A healthy diet works toward a healthy life. Your pet will love timothy hay and you should provide copious amounts of it. You likely don’t have to worry too much about your guinea pig overeating, so just replace the hay regularly. On top of this grass, they need fresh fruits and veggies (especially those containing vitamin C). Mix it up daily and include lettuce, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, apples, and berries. Lastly, offer small amounts of fortified commercial pellets to supplement their diet.

Find a good veterinarian

Don’t settle for a veterinarian who specializes in dogs and cats. Instead, research vets who work with rodents and know how to handle them. Get your critter checked out when you first bring them home and then take them for checkups once a year thereafter. A trip to the veterinarian is also warranted any time you notice something off. Monitor them closely, especially their food intake and other digestive routines, so you are able to react quickly if anything changes. Diarrhea can be a sign of scurvy (which these little guys are prone to), and you’ll need your vet to confirm or figure out what else may be wrong.

Keep in mind some guinea pigs get tumors which can shorten their life. Feel for any unusual lumps while petting them and take them to the vet as quickly as possible if you notice anything curious.

Guinea pigs cuddling in the grass
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Get them a friend

Here’s where piggies differ from hamsters: They want companionship. While most hamsters prefer solitary lives, guinea pigs love socializing and will spend time interacting with one another. Try to get a same-sex pair, and take the time to carefully introduce them to each other. You should also play with your pets and gift them lots of toys for physical and mental stimulation.

Pamper them consistently

Some breeds have long beautiful hair that gets matted very easily and will need lots of brushing. Set aside time every week to do a grooming session including hairdressing, teeth cleaning, and a pedicure. If you have trouble checking their mouth or feet, ask your veterinarian to walk you through it the first time. You should always take them in if their teeth or nails get too long as that can lead to problems.

With the right combination of a good diet, plenty of playtime, and lots of spoiling, your guinea pig can live a wonderful, healthy life. If you don’t feel up to managing a pet for five to eight years, look into adopting an older animal and giving it wonderful twilight years.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Rebekkah Adams
Rebekkah Adams
Contributor
Rebekkah’s been a writer and editor for more than 10 years, both in print and digital. In addition to writing about pets…
Bunny care 101: If Easter inspires you to adopt a rabbit, read this first
These are the things you need to think about before you bring a rabbit home
Brown bunny sits in the grass

Around this time of year, you'll spot bunnies everywhere — in the yard, the grocery candy aisle, and on TV. You may suddenly find yourself thinking about owning one of these cute small pets, and before you know it, you've adopted and brought home a hoppy and floppy pet.

We generally don't recommend impulse purchases when it comes to animals, but if you find yourself walking away from a shelter or pet store with Peter Rabbit in hand, you'll need to brush up quickly. It takes a lot: housing, food, cleaning, playtime, grooming, and vet bills. Understanding each piece of the puzzle will allow you to flourish as a pet parent and help your four-legger to live their best life, too. Keep reading to learn more about owning a bunny.

Read more
Looking to add corydoras to your aquarium? Here’s what you need to know first
Read this before bringing home a cory catfish to add to your tank
Two cory catfish hang out on the bottom of the tank

One thing you might not know about aquariums until you get one: Every tank needs a janitor, which may wind up just being you. When you first dive into this hobby, it can take a while to realize how much maintenance is really involved — don't think that the filter will do all the work. But if you want a little a help in that department, you can add a catfish to the fray. If you don't have a ton of experience with these bottom feeders, we recommend one of the corydoras since they're generally best for beginners.

What are corydoras?
This is a type of catfish, but there are actually more than 170 species to choose from. These are a well-known group of swimmers who get their name from their barbels, which look a bit like whiskers. While you'll find dozens of options in the pet store, you will likely narrow it down quickly based on the size of your tank, temperature, habitat you've chosen, and the other fish that they'll live with eventually.
Are corydoras friendly?
Yes, corydoras are sweet and gentle fish. They particularly like spending time together, but get along with many others as well. In some cases, you should not buy just one as they'll get lonely. Instead grab a pair of the same type and watch them become best friends. You'll often see them as bottom feeders, well, at the base of the tank, but cory cats also come up to the surface for air or food from time to time.

Read more
Why do guinea pigs chatter their teeth? It’s not a good thing
Sounds guinea pigs make with their teeth and what each means
Guinea pig bares her teeth

Anyone who adopts a rodent should know they'll be overwhelmed by the teeth. Guinea pigs in particular have lots of dental needs and often use their chompers to communicate as well. Sadly, you won't see a happy piggy smile, so instead, you'll have to spend some time studying your piggy to decipher the mouth movements.

Oral health can also indicate bigger issues, which means you should keep a close eye on those pearly whites when you hear your pet grind, chatter, bare, or click them. So why do guinea pigs chatter their teeth? There are a few reasons, but none of them are particularly good.

Read more