Taking care of guinea pigs can feel overwhelming for new pet parents, but with a good routine in place, it’s actually pretty simple! To help you out, we’ve created a Wheekly Care Chart that covers every essential task, making it easy to keep track of your guinea pig’s needs. You can even download this chart for free by joining our herd (our email list), where you’ll receive monthly tips and guides. Let’s break down what you need to do to ensure your piggies are happy and healthy! Get the care chart here.
Daily Tasks
Every day, you’ll need to do a few basic things to keep your guinea pigs healthy and their environment clean:
- Scoop Poop: Guinea pigs poop a lot! Scoop their cage daily to remove waste and keep it sanitary.
- Feed Pellets & Veggies: Provide fresh pellets and a cup of veggies daily. Find out what pellets we recommend here. Be mindful of high-calcium veggies like spinach, which should be limited to avoid health issues. Read our guide to feeding veggies here.
- Check/Fill Water: Always make sure your piggies have fresh water. Clean their water bottle at least once a week to prevent bacteria buildup.
- Check/Fill Hay: Hay should always be available. It’s crucial for their digestive system and helps wear down their teeth. Find out what hay we recommend here.
- Floor Time: Guinea pigs need at least 30 minutes of floor time daily for exercise and mental stimulation.
- Give Vitamin C: Guinea pigs can’t produce Vitamin C so you MUST feed it to them daily! We recommend both feeding a daily Oxbow Vitamin C treat and also dropping a few drops of Vitamin C Drops on their veggies (but never put the vitamin C in their water!) Read our article on 5 Other Ways to Feed More Vitamin C.
You can grab our care chart here to keep track of all these daily tasks and make sure nothing is forgotten!
Weekly Tasks
Once a week, it’s time for a deeper clean and more thorough checkups:
- Clean Bedding: Replace fleece liners or other bedding to keep their cage clean and fresh.
- Cage Clean-Up: Clean out food bowls, water bottles, hideys, and toys.
- Weight Check: Weigh your guinea pigs weekly. A sudden weight change could indicate a health problem.
- Body Check: Inspect their skin, fur, teeth, nails, and feet for any irregularities.
Monthly & Yearly Tasks
In addition to daily and weekly chores, there are some monthly and yearly tasks that keep your guinea pig in top shape:
- Monthly Tasks: Deep clean the cage, trim nails, and for male guinea pigs, check their grease glands and anal sack for buildup.
- Yearly Tasks: Your guinea pig will need a vet visit and bath at least once a year. Healthy piggies can get by with fewer baths, but a checkup is important to catch any potential health issues.
Join Our Herd!
Becoming part of our herd (email list) means you’ll get access to our free Wheekly Care Chart, along with other helpful tips, guides, and fun guinea pig info every month! It’s the easiest way to stay organized and ensure your piggies get the best care possible.
