After a lot of thought and research, you have decided to get a pet guinea pig. Now, all you need to know is how to select the right guinea pig for you and your family. Like most pets, just any old guinea pig won?t do. You also need to know how to select a healthy guinea pig.

The biggest problem that many people run into is not understanding how to determine the sex of a guinea pig. This can lead to problems, especially if you are getting more than one guinea pig, which is advised. The first thing to realize is that you are not alone, and you cannot depend on pet store staff members to know how to determine the sex of guinea pigs either.

In fact, if you’ve done enough research, you already know that you should avoid buying your guinea pig from a pet store altogether. Your best bet for getting a guinea pig is to work directly with a professional breeder, or with a guinea pig rescue operation. In both cases, there will be someone who can properly sex guinea pigs, so that you end up with what you expected.

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Believe it or not, guinea pigs do have their own language. They tell us a great deal with their behaviors, but if you can understand your guinea pigs actual language, you will be better able to care for him and keep him happy. Understanding exactly what he is saying ?word for word?is not theoretically possible. However, you can understand what certain sounds mean.

Your guinea pig may make murmuring sounds, gurgle, or even grunt. This means that he is comfortable and content. A grunt may also be a friendly greeting. You may have to pay close attention to the sounds, to be able to distinguish between a grunt and a growl.

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Guinea pigs are really interesting animals, but they are meant for more than just sitting in a pen. Guinea pigs, like other creatures, need adequate entertainment. Without adequate entertainment for your guinea pig, they will not only become unhappy quickly, but they will also fail to get the proper amount of exercise.

For entertainment purposes, your guinea pig needs toys both in and out of his pen. Some toys are very simple, and don’t even have a cost. For example, a paper bag makes an excellent toy for your guinea pig. He will go in and out of it, and may even ball it up and chase it around. A guinea pig can literally get hours - if not days of entertainment out of a simple paper bag.

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When you own a guinea pig, it seems that no matter how much you know about these fascinating creatures, questions will arise at some point. For this reason, guinea pig owners have greater need of each other than they may realize. While there are many clubs for guinea pig owners, this isn’t always a convenient option for everyone. Thankfully, there are online communities where you can connect with other guinea pig owners, no matter where you live.

There are numerous communities that have forums on the Internet, and you will benefit from all of them. However, it is a good idea to determine which ones are your favorites, and to visit those forums on a regular basis. Believe it or not, the people in these communities may never meet face-to-face, but they do get to know each other and each others guinea pigs very well ?and they become life long friends.

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Many people don’t realize how important it is to handle their pet guinea pig, and to do so often. When a guinea pig is not handled often, he becomes a bit wild, and the longer it has been since he has been handled by a human, the harder it is to convince him to be handled. Its much like a tame horse who goes for long periods of time without a rider - he becomes harder to saddle, and harder to handle.

Ideally, you should start out by handling your guinea pig once a day, for a short period of time. He may not like it at first, but he will gradually get used to it, and you will eventually be able to handle him for long periods of time, several times each day.

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When you decide to get a guinea pig, it is important to provide housing for him, before you bring him home. Not just any old cage or housing will work for guinea pigs. It is important that they have plenty of space, and that their space is safe and comfortable for them.

Unfortunately, most of the commercially sold cavy cages really aren’t adequate for guinea pigs. Most breeders and experts recommend designing your own cage, to ensure that the pen has plenty of room. Ideally, you will provide 10.5 square feet for two guinea pigs, and approximately 7.5 feet for one guinea pig. You should absolutely avoid the use of wire flooring in your guinea pigs pen.

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Because there are so many guinea pig lovers in the world, it only stands to reason that there are numerous organizations and associations devoted to these remarkable animals. If you are a guinea pig owner, or just a guinea pig lover, you need to know more about these associations.

American Cavy Breeders Association - http://acbaonline.com/ - The American Cavy Breeders Association is an important organization in the world of guinea pigs. The ACBA is located in all states in the United States, through chapter clubs. The ACBA exists for the purpose of breeding guinea pigs in a way that improves the breed, and they also sanction numerous shows throughout the United States each year.

Guinea Pigs Club - http://www.guineapigsclub.com/gp_site/index.asp - The Guinea Pigs Club isn’t exactly an association, but it is an online club, where you can find tons of information concerning guinea pigs. Here, you will also find numerous online friends who share your love of guinea pigs. This special online club is just as important as any organization.

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Today, guinea pigs are popular pets, and it is easy to find information concerning their care. Unfortunately, there is not a great deal of information concerning health concerns that are common to guinea pigs. For this reason, many people don’t realize that there actually are health concerns that they need to be aware of.

Guinea pigs commonly suffer from diarrhea, abscesses, scurvy, and respiratory infections. Female guinea pigs may develop ovarian cysts, if they have not been spayed. Some bedding can cause a corneal ulcer in the eye, and pneumonia is also a risk. Guinea pigs are also subject to genetic diseases, including congenital eye disorders and digestive problems, as well as waltzing disease, palsy, and tremors.

Some health problems require the services of a veterinarian, but many can be treated at home. Some health problems can be avoided completely. For example, scurvy can be avoided by making sure that your guinea pig has an adequate amount of vitamin C on a daily basis. Many infections and abscesses can be avoided by making sure that your guinea pig remains free of parasites, including lice, mites, and fungus. Ovarian cysts can be avoided by spaying your female guinea pig.

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Many parents get their kids pet guinea pigs for a multitude of reasons. But is a guinea pig really the right pet for children? Is it fair to the guinea pig or to the child? Sometimes a guinea pig makes a great pet for kids, and other times, it is a sure death sentence for the guinea pig.

The first thing to realize is that a guinea pig is not a toy. Its purpose on earth is not to ‘amuse’ your child. It is a living, breathing being, and it has certain care requirements, and it also needs love and attention. A guinea pig is also not a science project. Too many parents see guinea pigs as disposable pets - pets that can easily be disposed of when the child loses interest.

Most guinea pig rescue operations will not allow children to adopt guinea pigs. They prefer for adults who really want a guinea pig as a pet to adopt their pigs. Some operations won?t even allow households who have children to adopt guinea pigs.

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Guinea pigs are actually amazing animals, and even though they are becoming a more common choice for pets, there are many interesting facts about guinea pigs that people tend to overlook.

For example, are you aware that a guinea pig is a member of the rodent family. This is absolutely true, and in spite of this, people still want guinea pigs as pets. Another interesting fact about guinea pigs is that they do not have tails that are visible to human beings. Instead of having a tail, they have tail vertebrae.

Guinea pigs, unlike many other animals, are born with fur, and with their eyes open. They are far from helpless when they are born, and are typically eating solid food within hours of being born, although nursing is still important to them. Although the reason that they are called guinea pigs is not known, guinea pigs do actually eat a lot of food. Many people mistakenly think that this is where they get their name. However, even though we assume that the guinea pigs are eating a lot, it isn’t that they are always eating. In most cases, it is because they are gnawing. Their name is actually derived from what they used to be sold for a guinea.

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