There are several steps to be taken in order to decide if a guinea pig would be the right pet for you and basic guinea pig care tips and information to better put the pet owning in perspective. There are a few things to consider in the general care tips such as if you own other animals that may pose a threat to the guinea pig as cats and dogs can be potentially life threatening.

Lets take a look at a few in depth considerations before purchasing a small animal and alternatively if you have newly acquired a pig than this is the article for you to read to gain some basic knowledge about guinea pig care.

Aside from guinea pig general care you must also consider such things as your precious time and if you are able to dedicate enough time to the pets maintenance. They are very lovable and social creatures that thrive on interaction from the owner so it is imperative that you realize this early and are able to accommodate that into you schedule.

This is very high on the scale of guinea pig general care right next too food and habitat because they are susceptible to becoming very lonely and can ultimately get sick and well, you know the rest!

In learning the basic guinea pig general care it is imperative to understand that they naturally live in packs or families in their natural habitat. In fact, the boar or male pig actually lives with eight or nine females at any one time and this is perfectly acceptable and they get along great together.

In learning the basic guinea pig general care for your new pet it is essential to know that in order to stave off this loneliness because face it, you can't give your pet the affection and interaction that it requires so getting another one is almost a necessity and most people don't know that when they set out to purchase a pig.

There are a couple of basic guinea pig tips to be learned before running out and randomly picking out two guinea pigs that strike your fancy because certain combinations do not mix well together. For example, a guinea pig general care rule of thumb is that you should never mix two males together because when they mature between 5 - 7 months they begin to fight over who is the 'boss' of the dwelling.

On the flip side, you can house as many female pigs as you wish because it is natural to them to live together however; it is not advisable to add a male to this mix unless of course, it is neutered.