Guinea Pigs Expected to Go a Bomb!

The latest Disney animation ‘G–Force’, about a squad of guinea pigs trained to be secret agents, is predicted to be a big summer hit with children all over the country. To tie in with the release of the film,The Blue Cross pet charity has revealed ten fascinating facts about these cute and friendly creatures. However, staff are also warning fans of the film against impulsively taking on a guinea pig without considering the time, cost and commitment required.

Nikki Smith, Blue Cross animal adoption centre manager in Burford, Oxfordshire said:"Guinea pigs can make fantastic pets but like any other pet they need lots of time and can be expensive to look after.The Blue Cross has already taken in over 100 unwanted guinea pigs this year, 49 of which are currently in our Burford centre. They are being treated for a skin condition so each one needs a special baths several times a week.When they are well enough, we’ll start looking for loving new homes."

Top guinea pig facts from the Blue Cross are

1. Guinea pigs live for a long time compared to other small pets, up to about eight–years–old
2. Guinea pigs are very vocal and make lots of different noises.Cooing gives reassurance and a squeak can mean a warning – or anticipation that food is coming!
3. But they do have extremely sensitive hearing so they need to live in a quiet environment.
4. Guinea pigs need company of their own kind and are happiest either in a neutered pair or in a same sex small group. Contrary to popular belief, you should never keep them with rabbits as they don’t ‘speak the same language’, they have different dietary needs, and there is a risk they could be bullied and injured.
5. It takes about four weeks for a male guinea pig to become sterile after being neutered, so be careful if you have a mixed pair living together!
6. Guinea pigs need to nibble food all day to keep their digestive systems working, so they need a constant supply of good quality hay as well as their food mix.
7. They don’t have the enzyme to produce vitamin C themselves so need small quantities of fruit and vegetables every day.
8. But lettuce can give guinea pigs diarrhoea – so don’t give it to them!
9. There are lots of different types of guinea pigs and several different types of coat – ‘Peruvians’ have long–hair and ‘Abyssinians’ a swirly coat. All types need regular grooming and long–haired guinea pigs need daily brushing to prevent their coats from getting matted.
10. Male guinea pigs are called boars and females are called sows.

Find out more about adopting a Blue Cross pet here.

Visit this site for more fascinating facts and to meet other guinea pig fans.