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Do guinea pigs get along well with other pets, or do they need to be kept 100% on their own?
Are some similarly sized pets a better “match” for making friends with your pet cavy… or do hamsters, gerbils and rabbits have completely different personalities, temperaments and MOST importantly, living quarters?
In this short post we’re going to take a quick and easy look at a very common question that comes up quite often by prospective guinea pig parents… which is, can my pet “piggy” LIVE with another pet in close quarters. (or in the same cage.)
The TRUTH is…your cavy and other small pets should not be kept together.
Why?
Because Hamsters and gerbils have different housing and care requirements than your cavy does, they should lead separate lives. It doesn’t mean that your pets won’t get along, or can’t play together, or won’t even be really good friends! it simply means that trying to keep various types of animals in small living areas is NOT a good idea, even though you may think it’s cute… or convenient, especially in the same cages when you are NOT around to watch what is going on.
As a matter of fact… some pet owners will try to house guinea pigs and rabbits together, but this is also NOT recommended. Why? Because both have very different nutritional and dietary requirements, and keeping them in the same cage usually means that neither of them are getting all of the nutrients they need to be completely healthy! (in other words… “someone” is getting shortchanged in the deal.
And furthermore, while you may think this sounds like a long shot, your cavy is more likely to suffer a serious injury during the arrangement… and that’s NOT something you want to encourage, simply because they seem like a similar size. Not only can they be hit by the rabbit’s kicking, but aroused or excited rabbits may also try mounting the guinea pig in a sexual capacity (not cool if your a pet piggy WITHOUT a way out).
The bottom line? I think you know it already – all small pets should be kept with their own kind to ensure their health and safety needs are met. And while you should encourage your pets to play well together, and it IS very cute to watch, when it comes to housing… they do need separate “rooms”, and teaching your children this at an early age i great lesson as well!
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Source by Anna Houck
