Your first guinea pigs: a care guide for Indian homes

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018 list the guinea pig in their definition of a pet animal. Any shop, market stall or website that sells guinea pigs must hold a certificate of registration from the State Animal Welfare Board and display it. The Rules forbid selling un-weaned or underage animals, require a receipt for every sale, and say guinea pigs in a shop must be on a solid floor, never wire mesh, steel or shavings, and kept away from cats and dogs.

The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that the domestic guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, does not exist in the wild; its wild relatives live in South America. When we read the schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act as amended in 2022, we did not find the guinea pig in any of them, so wildlife registration does not apply. Owners still have the duty of care in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and neglecting an animal in your charge can be an offence.

PDSA says hay and grass should make up 80 to 90% of a guinea pig's diet, available without limit. Like rabbits, guinea pigs have teeth that grow all their lives and a gut that needs constant fibre; too little can lead to overgrown teeth and to gut stasis, where the digestive system slows or stops. Scatter hay in large piles around the enclosure so they forage the way they would in the wild.

Guinea pigs cannot make vitamin C and can only store it for a short time, the RSPCA explains, so a lack of it causes scurvy. Fresh vegetables give vitamin C, and so do pellets made for guinea pigs, but the RSPCA warns that vitamin C breaks down over time and faster once exposed to air, so give a fresh portion of pellets each day rather than topping up the bowl, and use them before the best before date. PDSA says vitamin C supplements in drinking water are not recommended. If you are unsure whether your guinea pigs get enough, ask your vet before adding any supplement.

Offer a variety of washed vegetables, greens and herbs every day, some of them high in vitamin C, and rotate them. PDSA warns that large amounts of cabbage or broccoli can cause gas. Fruit is high in sugar and only a tiny occasional treat, and if you give a treat, PDSA suggests reducing the rest of that day's food to match. Weigh your guinea pigs regularly: weight loss can be a sign of illness, and weight gain may mean too many pellets or too much fruit.

PDSA says anything above 24°C can make a guinea pig uncomfortable and above 27°C can lead to heatstroke; the RSPCA puts the heatstroke line at 26°C and suggests 17 to 20°C indoors. Indian summers pass those figures in most cities for weeks, and the India Meteorological Department notes that heat waves come mainly between March and June. So from spring onwards, keep guinea pigs indoors in the coolest room, curtains closed, away from windows and the kitchen. AWBI's 2026 heat advisory asks owners to give animals shade throughout the day and fresh water, refilled often.

For hot afternoons and power cuts, PDSA suggests a frozen water bottle placed just outside the cage so they can lie near it without touching the ice, which can cause ice burns, and ceramic or stone tiles kept out of the sun as cool spots. Swap plastic hides for wooden houses, tunnels and hay. Never put a guinea pig in cold water to cool it; bathing is stressful and can send it into shock. Brush long-haired guinea pigs daily when they moult, because a thick coat of loose fur holds heat.

Water matters as much as shade. PDSA suggests several bottles and bowls in different places so each guinea pig can choose where to drink, changing the water several times a day so it does not turn warm, and offering greens drenched in water for extra fluid. Keep the enclosure where the sun cannot reach it as it moves across the sky during the day.

Watch for the signs PDSA lists: short, quick breaths, drooling, struggling to breathe, sleepiness, collapse and fits. If you see them, give first aid by moving the guinea pig somewhere cool and call your vet immediately.

The Merck Veterinary Manual advises a check by a vet experienced with guinea pigs at least once a year, and says guinea pigs do not need vaccinations. Petym's dog and cat vaccine guides do not apply to them. Merck warns that many common antibiotics are dangerous for guinea pigs because they upset the gut bacteria they rely on, so never give one a medicine meant for another animal or a person, and call the vet at once if a prescribed antibiotic causes diarrhoea.

Neutering is mainly a question for mixed groups. The RSPCA says male guinea pigs should always be neutered if they live with females, while spaying females is less common because the operation is more complicated. Merck explains that pregnancy is risky for guinea pigs, because the pelvis can stiffen with age and make birth difficult, so it is best prevented by keeping the sexes apart or neutering.

To pick a guinea pig up, PDSA advises one hand under or around the chest and the other under the hind legs, held close to the ground because their spines are delicate. Children should stroke and feed them on the floor with an adult watching. Long or thick coats need daily brushing, short coats once or twice a week, and Merck advises trimming nails regularly and bathing only when a guinea pig is soiled. In the monsoon and summer, check bottoms daily for dirt that attracts flies.

PDSA suggests a quick health check every day and a fuller one each week. Look for bright, open eyes with no weeping, a clean nose and closed mouth with no teeth poking out, clean ears, a coat with no bald patches or lumps, a clean and dry back end, and nails that are not curling under. Learn what is normal for each of your guinea pigs, because small changes in behaviour are often the first sign that something is wrong.