Choosing an Exotic Pet - Care of Exotic Pets

Guinea pigs don't talk, but that doesn't mean they don't communicate. Though we may not understand all the noises and actions guinea pigs make, there are some things they do that seem to have a fairly clear meaning and that help with understanding guinea pigs.
Vocalizations
Guinea pigs make a variety of noises, some of which most guinea pig owners will recognize. Contented guinea pigs just going about their day often make a variety of squeaks, chortles, and quiet grunts. As well, squeaks and chortles seem to accompany casual guinea pig interactions. Along with these frequent squeaks and chortles, there are a variety of other quite distinctive noises you might hear from your guinea pig:

• Wheeking: this is a distinctive (and common) vocalization, and it most often is used to communicate anticipation or excitement, particularly about being fed. It sounds like a long, loud squeal or whistle. Sometimes wheeking may simply serve as a call for attention. Many guinea pigs will make a very loud wheeking noise when their owners open the fridge or get out the food container, in anticipation of getting some tasty treats!

- This breed is also known as the English Cavy. The coat is smooth and short and lies flat to the body. This is the most popular and commonly seen breed.

The Satin American is also recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association (ACBA). Satin refers to the sheen of the coat; the satin breeds have very shiny, sleek coats.

American Guinea Pig Photo Courtesy of Kathy

- The Abyssinian has a very distinctive appearance. The coat is made up of multiple swirls of hair referred to as rosettes. Their hair is quite dense and coarse, and it radiates in circles from multiple points on the body to make up a series of whirls and ridges. For show purposes, Abyssinian must have a minimum of 8 rosettes, in a symmetrical pattern. These guinea pigs always look somewhat dishevelled.
The Satin Abyssinian is also recognized by the ACBA; again the satin simply means the coat has a deep shine.
The above Abyssinian photo is courtesy of Odd Fellows Caviary.

There are actually two varieties of hairless guinea pigs. The Skinny pig, which does actually have a bit of hair, and the Baldwin guinea pig. While some people find their unique appearance unappealing, others find them quite irresistible.
There is some controversy about the introduction of these guinea pigs to the pet industry. They were originally bred for laboratory research, and concerns about their immune system function and overall hardiness have been raised, though this appears to depend more upon their line and breeding rather than the fact that they are hairless. Through careful breeding, it is thought to be possible to produce hairless guinea pigs that are hardier than their ancestors (e.g. see Skinny Pig Origins by SphynxnCavies Caviary). As far as I can tell, there are/have been some lab strains of hairless guinea pigs with reduced immune function, it seems that it shouldn't be assumed that hairless strains should be any less hardy than their hairy counterparts.

Their care is much like that of other guinea pigs. However, lacking a coat they are a bit more sensitive to temperature extremes and must be protected from drafts as well as direct sunlight. They also tend to eat more to maintain their metabolism and body heat (an excellent quality diet is a necessity, but should be provided to all guinea pigs, hairless or not).

Size
Guinea pigs, being social creatures, do best kept in groups of two or more, but most readily available commercial cages are not large enough to house a pair of pigs. The "old" guideline of 2 square feet per guinea pig is considered out-of-date and cramped by many owners. Cavycages.com recommends 7.5 square feet for a single guinea pig and 10.5 feet for a pair. Even at that, if you can provide a bigger cage, your guinea pigs will benefit from the extra space. In many cases, a home made cage provides ample space inexpensively and you can make quite creative cages easily. These are usually a better choice than a cramped commercial guinea pig cage (more on home made cage ideas below).

Cage Style
Cages with wire floors or wire ramps must be avoided, but otherwise guinea pigs are not too demanding in what sort of cage they need. Cages with ramps and low plastic shelves or ledges provide some added interest for the guinea pig, but be careful they do not take away needed floor space for running laps. The spacing between the bars can be up to one inch for adults. Some owners have come up with very creative solutions to the problem of providing large enough housing. The good thing about guinea pigs is that they are fairly large and not all that big on climbing or chewing, and are not likely to climb or jump over a wall that is reasonable height (18 inches should contain most pigs). Several examples of clever cage solutions can be found on on the sites listed on "Top Sites with Home Made Guinea Pig Cage Ideas." The photos illustrate how a little creativity can go a long way to providing great guinea pig enclosures, especially for groups of guinea pigs if you have enough room. The "Cubes and Coroplast" style of cage has become very popular. Stay away from most of the cages marketed for guinea pigs as they are terribly small. There are really only a few commercial cages that approach a good cage size for guinea pigs; see "Top Guinea Pig Cages" for a selection of larger cages you can purchase online.