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How old do domestic guinea pigs live?
Guinea pigs are adorable rodents that are often kept at home as pets. Before you start this animal, you need to find out how many years domestic guinea pigs live and how to properly care for them so that they feel comfortable.
How long do guinea pigs live at home
The average life span of these rodents is 8-10 years. However, among them there are often real centenarians who live up to 15 years.
Domestic guinea pigs are adorable pets.
Many factors affect life expectancy. These include conditions of detention, literacy of care, diet. Heredity cannot be discounted, although it is, of course, difficult to trace the pedigree of a guinea pig. Sometimes these rodents get sick, which can also shorten their life. However, most diseases appear due to the wrong content.
How to care for guinea pigs
Prepare suitable living conditions for your guinea pig before buying. A cage with a deep bottom is best. The minimum cage area for one pig is 0,7 sq. m, for two pigs – 0,9 sq. m. However, the more the better. It is better for this type of rodent not to buy two-level cages. They are not very agile and can easily fall from the top floor and get injured. Place the cage where it will be warm and light enough. This should be a stable place so that someone does not inadvertently push the cage.
Here are some basic pet grooming guidelines.
- Clean out leftover food from the feeder daily.
- Change the bedding every three to four days.
- Examine the mumps’ body once a week for parasites and wounds.
- If the pig is fluffy, brush it out once a week.
- Spring-clean the cage every one to two weeks.
- Trim your pig’s claws every six months.
You do not need to feed your pet to everyone. There are only a few types of food a pig can eat: hay, grass, fresh vegetables, and small quantities of pelleted commercial food, since natural food is better. Any other food can harm your pet’s health. You need to fill the feeder two to three times a day. But the drinker should always have clean water. Replace it with a fresh one daily.
Domestic guinea pigs can be truly long-lived if properly cared for. If you decide to get yourself such a pet, you are responsible for its life, health and comfortable living.