Care guide
Caring for guinea pigs
This guide covers American guinea pig and the other breeds and species that need the same care. Ask the seller about anything particular to American guinea pig.
- Kind
- Guinea pig
- Adult weight
- 700 g–1.2 kg
- Typical lifespan
- 5–7 years
- Lives
- In groups of its own kind
- Most active
- Daytime
- Handling
- Usually easy
- Goes home from
- 4 weeks old
Guinea pigs live 5 to 7 years, must live with at least one other guinea pig, and need vitamin C every day because they can't make their own. They're gentle, chatty and great for families.
Never alone
Keep at least two guinea pigs together: two sows, or a neutered boar with sows. Boars can also live in pairs if introduced young.
Give them a large cage, ideally at least 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) for two, with hides, hay racks and floor time.
Diet and vitamin C
Unlimited grass hay, a cup of fresh vegetables a day, and plain guinea pig pellets. Bell peppers, parsley and leafy greens are good sources of vitamin C; without it they get scurvy.
Their teeth grow all their lives; hay keeps them worn down.
Breeding safely
A sow's pelvis can fuse if she isn't bred before about 7 months old, making birth dangerous. Responsible breeders plan around this, and boars are separated from their sisters and mother by 3 weeks.
Health
Watch for weight loss (weigh them weekly), crusty eyes, sneezing or hair loss, and see your vet promptly. Long-haired breeds need regular grooming.
Satin breeds can inherit a painful bone disease; ask the breeder about their lines.
Further reading
General information to help you prepare, not veterinary advice. Every animal is different: ask an experienced vet about yours. Reviewed by PerfectPal on November 2, 2026.