Four little paws, a pink nose, big black beady eyes, and the size of a big potato, these are the characteristics that all adorable guinea pigs share. Many underestimate guinea pigs because of their size and believe that they can’t provide the same love a cat or dog can, and I’m here to say that this is absolutely not true. Let me tell you all about the experience of owning them!
My journey as a guinea pig owner started in 2020, during COVID. I decided to get my pigs because I was lonely being quarantined. I adopted two cage mates, Pablo and Neil. Originally, I didn’t do much research on what proper care they would need besides basic stuff like what they eat and what cage size they will need. Going in blind was a bad decision; I came to realize this after the first few days I had them, but I was patient and willing to learn what they needed from me.
Owning a guinea pig is a commitment. Before you consider getting a guinea pig, think about if you have time to clean a cage, chop vegetables, put them in a play pen, and spend time with them. A guinea pig is not an animal you can put on a shelf and just stare at. They want to spend time with humans and connect or even with a cage mate they get lonely. Guinea pigs need to have a connection to their owners and this means taking time out of your day to hold them.
As well as this, guinea pigs need to stretch their legs everyday, just like dogs! Putting them in a play pen where they can have enrichment time is a must. A play pen is easy, you do need to let them run on the floor and be able to free roam. Getting exercise is very important for their health and happiness, it is great for their health and can also increase their lifespan!
If you do decide to adopt a guinea pig I promise that you will never regret it. Each pig has their own personality and interests. My two pigs were like the sun and moon and that’s made me appreciate them even more. Pablo liked always being held and Neil liked me being around but often preferred to do his own thing. They each had their own favorite toy, they even had differences in what they liked to eat. It’s truly amazing that such small creatures can have such big identities.
Through my journey with them I have learned about responsibility, patience, and kindness. Guinea pigs can teach you lots about yourself and I feel I have grown as a person.
