We have always cared for guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, rabbits and more, however, since COVID, there has been a significant increase in demand for small pet, pet care. And with these clients, we are finding more and more custom enclosures. Many have moved away from the typical/common cage enclosures to glass tanks or custom wood/plastic raised tables. We are seeing a variety of bedding from shavings, to felt mats or towels.
As we work with our current clients, and welcome new ones, we have developed a best practice to care for these loveys. Guinea pigs are fragile. They require a constant supply of hay, vegetables and vitamin C or their complex digestive systems will stop working. They eat and they poop and for these tiny ones, that is not only a good thing, but critical. Not pooping can be a sign of a blockage or illness so we must note the average output daily. Some people are known as bean counters. We are poop counters.
G-Pigs are also very sensitive to temperature change. Anything warmer than 80 degrees can cause serious harm to death. It’s important you don’t adjust your home temperature.
Guinea pigs can indeed get smelly, and a build-up of urine/feces/ammonia can cause respiratory problems among a host of other illnesses. There are plenty of ways to reduce and improve their smell. Their odor is usually caused by poor health, insufficient cage maintenance and improper care. In fact, more often than not, the cage rather than the guinea pig is responsible for the smell. This is where OGPS steps up. If you are using shavings, we will clean the tank or cage every other day or more as needed. This includes removing old shavings and wiping down the enclosure with a rag and water. If you use mats or towels, we will sweep up the “poop” daily. Every third day at a minimum, we will pull up the soiled towels, sweep and wipe down their enclosure, and replace them with clean towels/mats. We can bag up the soiled towels or provide an off-site laundry service for a small fee. Whatever your guinea pig bedding, we require a pre-phone consultation to ensure we have enough materials to keep your pet’s environment clean and healthy while you are away.
