How to Buy a Healthy Guinea Pig

Owning a guinea pig can be interesting and rewarding. However, it's possible to bring home a new guinea pig with an illness. When you opt to buy a guinea pig, view several guinea pigs before making a decision. This will allow you to spot differences in behaviors, which can help determine a healthy guinea pig from a sick one.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a reputable pet store, breeder or animal shelter to get a guinea pig from. If you know a friend or family member who owns a guinea pig, ask him if we would recommend buying from the place he purchased his pet.

    • 2

      Inspect the guinea pig for signs of illness. Guinea pigs will either exhibit a timid or curious response when you try to handle them, according to Cavies Galore. Sick guinea pigs will have runny noses, crusty eyes or other noticeable issues.

    • 3

      Look for signs of good health. Healthy guinea pigs will have a shiny coat. A healthy guinea pig shouldn't have any wounds or bald patches. If more than one guinea pig is housed in a cage, the animals should exhibit socialization instead of sitting off in corners by themselves.

    • 4

      Listen to the guinea pig's breathing. Audible wheezing or any other unusual sounds can indicate a respiratory illness. When possible, check for signs of diarrhea in the guinea pig's cage. This can indicate a bacterial infection.

    • 5

      Ask the person you intend to purchase your guinea pig from if males and females are housed together. It's possible to purchase a pregnant guinea pig without knowing it.