A Guide To Guinea Pig Safety

     Are you or another one of your family members kind of scared or worried about getting guinea pigs because they might not be the safest option? Like, can guinea pig transmit diseases? Do they bite? And how do YOU keep your piggie safe? Is there anything you can do to make sure your piggie stays happy and healthy? You'll learn all about these things and more, in this post.

    Guinea pigs have been known to transmit certain diseases such as Salmonella, but that is a risk for all rodents anyways. To prevent this, make sure you always wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after touching your guinea pig and cleaning their cage. This is very important to make sure you don't spread any diseases to your guinea pigs, and vice versa. 

    Do guinea pigs bite? A very common question. Guinea pigs will not bite you ever. However, your guinea pig may nip you if you: 1. Hurt your guinea pig in some way. 2. Hold your guinea pig for too long and it needs to go to the bathroom. And there can be many other reasons. 

    If your guinea pig nips you, put it down or stop touching it right away. You may notice that you feel fine right away! Make sure to wash the place where your guinea pig nipped you with soap and water. Check closely and see if the bite has broken the skin. If necessary, apply ointment. If the situation seems dire, call your doctor. Both my guinea pigs have each nipped me once before, but I was fine right after. 

    

    Guinea pigs are delicate creatures. Make sure to always touch your guinea pig with ease. Know the sounds that can tell you if your guinea pig is hurt. If your guinea pig is sick you should look for the following symptoms: 

• Liquid around the eyes, nose, mouth, or ears
• Odd or abnormal behavior
• Not eating
• Not moving or moving less than usual
• Diarrhea
• Gaining weight or losing weight
• Anything else that seems odd or abnormal.

    Any of these symptoms could mean your guinea pig is severely sick! At the first sign of any of these symptoms, bring your piggie to the vet as soon as possible! It could be a sign of a serious disease that needs to be treated right away! 

    To prevent any of this ever happening, make sure to always do these things:

• Feed your guinea pig all the right vegetables and fruits. 
• Feed them the right amount of food (one bowlful).
• Clean your guinea pig's cage at least once a day (we do it twice a day).
• Always touch and hold your guinea pig with ease
• Remember that hay always helps!
• Spend some time with your piggie 
• Read my blog for tips ;)

    I hope you enjoyed this post, and that you found it helpful! Make sure to subscribe! This post took a long time to make so I hope you like it! Comment on what you thought! Bye and see you next time on Trisha's Guinea Pig Adventures!