2023 Update!
Hey there, GuineaGang!
Do you have old guinea pigs? It happens sooner than we expect, and there are some important ways to help our guinea pigs maintain a good quality of life as they age. Here's what you need to know:
Caring for elderly guinea pigs isn’t talked about a lot, so let’s talk about it today. Guinea pigs can live from 5 - 7 years depending on their health and how they are raised! Each piggie shows signs of aging differently and at different rates. It really shows in their activity, physical appearance, and more. Many believe that piggies show their senior side after 3 years of age, some show signs way later in their lifetime. Hopefully these tips will give you an easier time understanding and caring for your guinea pig no matter what age they are. Better to be prepared!
1. Comfortable Living
As your guinea pigs get older, it's important to keep them comfortable and safe in their living environment. Older piggies sleep more, so providing plenty of plush and soft places for them to rest, such as a bed or soft fleece liner, is crucial. We recommend the Premium GuineaDad Liner for comfortable living. It's also important to clean their living space a little more frequently than when they were younger, since they will be staying in one place for longer periods of time.
To make it easier for your elderly piggy to move around, remove any toys or obstacles that are hard to climb, like ramps. Keep everything on a single floor so your piggie doesn't have to work too hard when walking around. This will also help ensure that they have easy access to their food, water, and litter box.
If you have the Piggy Condo C&C Cage with Balcony & Ramp, you can turn the balcony base into a ground floor base extension as your guinea pigs get older. This will give them more room to explore and move around, which is especially important as they age and may have difficulty climbing up and down the ramp.
Overall, providing a comfortable and safe living environment is crucial for the health and happiness of your elderly guinea pig. With a few simple adjustments, such as using the Premium GuineaDad Liner, removing any obstacles that are difficult to climb, and expanding their living space, you can help ensure that they live out their golden years in comfort and contentment.
2. Health Issues
3. Food and Water
Guinea pigs should still be loved just as much as when they were young! Just because they need a bit more care doesn’t mean they can’t give the same amount of love to you. Be sure you familiarize yourself with your guinea pig’s habits and routine so that you can spot when it changes and don't be scared to quickly reach out to a vet when problems arise.
7 comments
My piggies is almost 8 and the vet gave her some strong medication for arthritis and now she can’t walk. I am doing all I can to help her get her strength back.
Guinea pigs with soft or mishapened poo should be given a pro biotic like bene-bac. They should also be on prebiotic (bene-bac) when they’re on an antibiotic.
The food for my piggie has .35% calcium. He is about 5 to 6 years old. There are some white marks on the pad. Is he getting too much calcium and what should he be getting?
Thank you so much for your newsletter. I started with my Curly last year and rescued a companion for him. They are doing great. I rescued my Reeses and then my Milly but they prefer to just have their space between them. There is no love greater than Guinea pigs. Thanks again for all the information you give us
Thank you for the blog, our boys are now 4 and we are trying to learn what senior pigs will need. This was helpful.