Pets – breeding, nutrition, health

With a hamster, you can just toss a wheel in its cage and it’ll hop right on it and chug away – going nowhere – and he’ll be perfectly happy. It reminds me of the people you see at the health club – chugging away on their elliptical trainers – going nowhere – but getting healthier. Toss a wheel into your guinea pig’s cage and see what happens. Chances are she’ll chew on it – that is until she gets bored and ignores it.



You also know what to do with a dog. Put it on a leash and take it for a walk. When was the last time you saw anyone outside walking their guinea pig? What’s good for dogs is not necessarily good for guinea pigs.



So how do you give your pig exercise to make sure he stays healthy and happy?



Simple – you let him run free. Find a safe area in your home that is confined and free of hazards like electrical cords. Guinea pigs are notorious chewers and, given the chance, can easily chew through the insulation on an electrical cord and electrocute themselves.



Cavies spend most of their lives in their cage. If your pig is confined in an area too small to exercise (such as a standard size manufactured cage), she will need to get at least 25 minutes of free-running exercise every day. If your pig is being kept in a larger C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cage, then she may be already getting a fair amount of exercise.



If your cavies live in a large cage, watch them when they are in their home. Do they scurry around a lot? Do they run “laps” around the cage? Do you see a lot of popcorning? Do your pigs generally walk and move around much of the time?



If so, then you can be sure they are getting at least some exercise. My recommendation is that if your pig is generally active in its cage, then it should still get out to really stretch its legs and run free at least 25 minutes every other day. If you have a sedentary pig who generally just eats and sleeps, then – even though it may live in a large cage – I still recommend that it get out to explore and exercise daily for at least 25 minutes.



Even if your pig is “hyperactive” in his cage I still recommend that he get out at least every other day for nothing other than mental stimulation. Changing your pig’s environment and exposing him to new and exciting situations will stimulate his brain and cause new neural connections to form. Pigs are curious little creatures who love to wander and explore – sniffing and nibbling on new objects as they discover new things.



Guinea pigs spend most of their lives confined in their living quarters. If you have provided them with a large cage such as a C&C cage, then they will have a greater opportunity for exercise in their own home. Regardless, your pigs should still get out and explore daily, if possible, to insure that they get adequate exercise and mental stimulation. It is your responsibility as a caring pet owner.

read more informations:

1. Guinea Pigs – How to Care For Your Cavy

   The guinea pig – also known as a cavy – is one of the more popular pets in North America. This is largely because they are friendly, docile and amiable creatures. And with few special needs, they are also relatively easy to care for. There are many varieties of guinea pigs varying in color, size, [...]...

2. Guinea Pigs As Pets – What You Should Know About Them

   After months of insistent begging, you finally decided to relent and get your child a pet. Why not try a guinea pig? Guinea pigs span the gap between an easy to care for goldfish with a fleeting lifespan and a labor intensive dog with a long lifespan. Guinea pigs typically live five to seven [...]...

3. Guinea Pigs – The History and Origins of the Guinea Pig

   Guinea pigs and humans share a history of more than 10,000 years. The cavy originated in Central and South America. In the wild, their domain extended throughout Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The cavy was domesticated by the Inca Indians somewhere around 7,000 or 8,000 years ago. They were used as not only a [...]...

4. Guinea Pigs – a Cavy QandA

   The guinea pig is one of the most popular pets in North America. In spite of this, there are many facts about this little creature that are not commonly known by most people. Please join me as I attempt to explore (sometimes successfully) some facts regarding the history and characteristics of our friend the guinea [...]...

5. Guinea Pig Cages – is Your Guinea Pig Cage Large Enough?

   Your choice of cage is one of the most important considerations in determining the quality of life that your guinea pig will enjoy while living under your care. One must keep in mind that the cage is much more than just a container or enclosure to contain the cavy; it is the most major and [...]...

6. Guinea Pig Cages – Building Your Own

   Guinea pigs are lovable little creatures. They make great pets, are relatively easy to care for and can be very friendly if they are brought up with care and kindness. One very important step in bringing a new guinea pig into the home is providing adequate housing. Pet store cages are an option that many people [...]...

7. Guinea Pig Cages – The Most Important Element in Guinea Pig Cage Cleaning

   One of the most important factors in insuring that your guinea pig cage is easy to clean is ironically also one of the most overlooked criteria in cage selection. If you want to be assured that the next cage you purchase will be easy to clean and maintain, be sure to read on. When we purchase [...]...

8. Guinea Pig Cages How to Build a CandC Cage

   C&C cages are becoming increasingly popular. Their usage has increased dramatically over the past few years. This is largely because pet owners are beginning to realize that while standard mass-produced pet store cages may be economically feasible to house racks of laboratory guinea pig test subjects, they fail to provide a comfortable and healthy living [...]...

9. Guinea Pig Cages – The Most Commonly Overlooked Factor in Choosing a Cage

   When you go shopping for a guinea pig cage, what are the things you consider? Color? Price? An attractive design? People choose their cages based upon many different criteria. However, there is one extremely important factor that often gets overlooked or ignored. The most commonly overlooked factor in choosing a guinea pig cage appears to be [...]...

10. How Much Exercise Does Your Pet Really Need?

    Exercise is one of the fundamental components of having a healthy pet. Obesity and diet issues are a major cause of the early death of pets. Behavioral issues can also be caused by lack of exercise- a dog who is bored is liable to be destructive around the home or find things to do to [...]...