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Eye disease in guinea pigs is something commonly noticed  by guinea pig parents, and is often a cause for concern. Veterinary care should be sought ASAP as ocular disease can result in permanent damage, blindness, or loss of the eye without prompt treatment. Normal Guinea Pig Eyes Colouration of guinea pig eyes vary considerably, and can range from a pink/red colour to dark black or brown naturally. Guinea pigs do not blink frequently like other mammals, and often you may even find them sleeping with their eyes open! Unfortunately this can put them at an increased risk of ocular disease and injury. Guinea pigs are believed to have Dichromatic colour vision, meaning they do have the ability to see certain colour ranges, however is not as vivid as our colour vision as humans. Signs of Ocular Disease If you notice any of these signs in your guinea pigs, it is important to seek veterinary advice straight away. Eye disease often requires urgent treatment and care. Cloudiness of the eye Redness or inflammation of the eye or surrounding soft tissue Frequent pawing or scratching at the eyes Keeping an eye closed, or squinting Discharge or crusts from the eye Constant tearing Bulges or masses Discolouration (cataracts) Common causes of eye disease in guinea pigs Corneal Ulceration Defined as any form of damage to the surface of the eye, including scratches, abrasions or irritation. This can be caused by a number of reasons, but is commonly due to traumatic injury such as hay poke, course bedding, or fighting with other guinea pigs. Infection Guinea pigs can be prone to ocular infections resulting in conjunctivitis. These can be due to contagious viral or bacterial infections, or excessive amounts of bacteria or fungal spores in the environment. Dental disease Dental disease is extremely common in guinea pigs, and can result in tooth root abscessation which often results in swelling under the eyes where the roots of the upper cheek teeth are located. Neoplasia Guinea pigs can develop tumours behind or around the eyes, which may result in a buldgy appearance of the eye or other issues. Cataracts Is a blue discolouration of the eyes, and can affect either one or both eyes. Cataracts can occur due to a range of reasons, including congenital or hereditary conditions, old age or diabetes. Blocked nasolacrimal duct Guinea pigs, like most other mammals, have a duct that runs between their eyes and nose. Occasionally, this duct can become blocked for a variety of reasons, including infection, or obstruction from growths. When this duct is blocked, tears are not able to continue down the passage and begin to ‘overflow’, resulting in increased clear ocular discharge. Microphthalmia Refers to having smaller than normal, or absent eyes. It is generally a hereditary condition diagnosed at birth, and very common in lethal guinea pigs. Pea eye Is a non-life threatening condition, and refers to a permanent protrusion of the conjunctival sac with a fatty deposit.  Photo credit: Guinea lynx Treatment of Ocular Disease If you notice any signs of ocular disease in your guinea pigs, it is important to book a consultation with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Eye disease can be very serious and result in permanent damage to the eye, blindness, or even loss of the eye itself. Whilst waiting for your vet appointment, you can clean any discharge from your guinea pigs eye with a warm, damp cloth. This will avoid hardening discharge to your guinea pigs hair, and may help to reduce some inflammation and pain. It is also recommended to ensure your guinea pigs bedding is clean and free of dust or irritants, including ammonia from soiled, urine soaked bedding.   When guinea pigs are in pain, they may stop eating, which in turn can result in a condition called ileus where the intestines stop moving. This can be life threatening. Your vet will provide pain relief, however if your guinea pig has stopped eating or a reduced appetite, you should supplement their diet with syringe fed Oxbow Critical Care or Burgess Dual Care. Your vet will perform a physical examination on your guinea pig to help with a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. This may include further diagnostic tests such as using a special stain to assess any damage or injury to the surface of the eye, taking a swab of any discharge to assess microscopically or send away for culture and sensitivity testing to establish the most effective antibiotics required. They may also recommend imaging such as radiographs or an MRI to assess for dental disease or tumours. Your vet will likely prescribe some eye drops and medications for your guinea pigs, depending on what condition is diagnosed. It is very important to NOT USE ANY SELF-PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS as some eye drops can be detrimental if instilled when a corneal ulcer is present.

The team at Guinea Pigs Australia have been working super hard behind the scenes for over 6 months now...designing, creating, testing, revising, and repeating the process, to bring to you one of our favourite piggy accessories yet! We are SO EXCITED to announce that our brand new, exclusive, extra-ordinary OZZY CAGE FLEECE LINERS are now officially available on our online store!  As guinea pig owners ourselves, we take pride in providing only the best for our furry little companions, as well as convenience for the piggy slaves like ourselves that are in charge of cleaning and laundering their piggy palace👑🏰.  It all started mid 2023, where our very own Aussie artist Katy Harris from Potato Portraits created some beautiful designs for our piggy themed liners. We then put it to a public vote to find out which designs were YOUR FAVOURITE 😍 And thus, the creating process began. We have been testing and fine tuning these liners in our own homes on real piggies, to finally make what we believe, to be one of the most superior fleece liners available on the market today. Here are a few key features that make our Ozzy Cage Liners EXTRA-ORDINARY! 3 LAYER DESIGN 🐹 Our 3 layer design is one of the key features that puts our liners a step above the rest, and other traditional 2 layer liners. The top layer is made from a soft absorbent fleece that actively and quickly absorbs and wicks away moisture from our piggies, keeping them clean and dry. It also keeps them cosy, comfortable, and prevents illness such as bumblefoot with the plush, padded surface.  🐹 The internal layer is made from an eco-friendly bamboo blend. This layer does all the hard work by wicking the moisture from the surface and containing it within the super absorbent bamboo centre.  🐹 The bottom layer consists of our waterproof backing - a key feature that sets Ozzy Liners above the rest. Not only does the waterproof backing keep urine off your floor and cage bases (winning!), it also helps to keep the moisture, urine and bacteria locked in the internal bamboo layer. Traditionally, fleece liners were made to wick moisture away from the surface and your guinea pigs, or even made in a reversible design to allow usage of both sides. This however allows both sides of the liner to permeate moisture, and results in leakage of moisture and bacteria of a soiled liner through to the bottom of the cage. Our waterproof backing creates a much more healthy and sanitary environment for your guinea pigs, eliminates the need for puppy pads or other absorbent underlayers, and makes cleaning much easier! HEALTH BENEFITS  🐹 Ozzy liners are both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, with a dry top layer, highly absorbent internal bamboo blend, and waterproof backing, keeping microbes away from our furry critters. This is particularly important for guinea pigs more prone to developing bumblefoot and other infections.  🐹 The soft, plush and padded surface keeps our piggies comfortable, particularly those with pre-existing bumblefoot or older piggies with arthritis, supporting sore feet and joints.  🐹 The 3 layer design of the Ozzy Liner significantly minimises urine smells, which is not only beneficial for the humans in our home, but also promoting good respiratory health for our guinea pigs, which can often become life threatening.  🍃 ECO-FRIENDLY 🍃 🐹 Ozzy Liners are made from eco-friendly materials, so not only are you choosing to help your guinea pigs, you are also choosing to help the environment. The bamboo blend used in the internal layer is an eco-friendly material. The cultivation of bamboo fibre is a quick process, that yields fewer greenhouse gases than other fabric processes. The bamboo plant's ability to grow in a diverse range of climates also makes it a sustainable clothing resource.  🐹 Ozzy liners are re-usable, and made from high quality materials that with the correct care, should last for many years to come, making them a very cost-effective choice. Re-usable bedding also eliminates the use of a large amount of waste and disposable bedding products, which would usually end up in landfill.  EASY TO CLEAN 🐹 Ozzy Liners are easy to clean, saving piggy parents a lot of time maintaining their habitat, and allowing more time for bonding and play. The liners are machine washable, and easy to spot clean with a quick shake, vacuum or sweep.  🐹 Find more hints and tips for easy liner cleaning here:  - Spot cleaning -Machine washing 

Whether by colour theming everything, having cute accessories or having extra space to zoom, there are lots of ways you can make your pets' cage X-traordinary!

Hay is by far the most important aspect of a guinea pigs diet, and should make up approximately 80% of their total daily intake, with pellets, fresh vegetables and the occasional treat making up the remaining 20%. Hay should be made available to your guinea pigs 24/7 as they are hindgut fermenters and should be eating regularly throughout the day, keeping their digestive tract moving.  Hay is an excellent source of fibre which is important for good gut health and digestion. Hay also plays a vital role in maintaining dental health and keeping their back teeth worn down and at an appropriate length. Guinea pigs that do not have enough hay in their diet are more prone to developing dental disease. If you've ever gone to the pet shop and looked at the wide variety of hay options available and felt very overwhelmed at what type of hay is the best option for your guinea pigs? Well you are not alone! There are many different varieties on the market, each with their own pro's and con's, which varies between different life stages.  Read on below as we go through a few of the most common types of commercially available hay in Australia.  Types of Hay available in Australia  TIMOTHY HAY / ORCHARD HAY Timothy and Orchard hay are a fantastic option - one of the best hay varieties on the market today. Timothy and Orchard hay are nutritionally balanced, packed with essential nutrients for your guinea pigs and are also low in sugars and fats - making it a perfect hay for everyday feeding. In Australia this type of hay is not as readily available as others, meaning those manufacturers such as OXBOW that do stock it have a quality control, ensuring you are consistently getting a good quality hay, and for these reasons can be more expensive to purchase.  MEADOW HAY / PASTURE HAY Meadow hay is another great option for daily feeding. Generally 'meadow' hay is not a singular type of hay, but a variety of different grasses mixed together. Any type of grassy hay is a great option for guinea pigs as they are also full of nutritional benefits with a low sugar content.  Guinea Pigs Australia Grass Hay consists of TOP-GRADE rhodes grass hay, grown by Australian farmers.  OATEN HAY / WHEATEN HAY / BARLEY HAY These types of hay are not a grass based hay, but made from cereal plants such as oat, wheat and barley, harvested prior to seed growth. This hay is a good option for guinea pigs, however is often higher in sugars and fats, and can promote weight gain and obesity when fed regularly.  FRESH GRASS Fresh grass is a fantastic option for your guinea pigs, is nutritionally beneficial, and they will love it! It is important however if you are picking your own grass and forage to ensure you know what type of plant you are feeding, and to avoid any plants or parts of the plant that are toxic to guinea pigs. It is also important to avoid any plants that may have had any poisons or chemicals applied, which can be unknown in public places.  LUCERNE / ALFALFA HAY Lucerne or alfalfa hay is not actually a grass, but part of the legume plant family - often used by farmers to improve pasture and soil quality due to their abundance of nutrients. This type of hay is very high in nutrients including calcium, which can be beneficial for certain life stages such as young or growing guinea pigs, but should not be fed to adults due to the increased risk of developing urinary stones due to the high calcium content. Young guinea pigs require additional calcium for bone growth and development, as do pregnant or nursing guinea pigs for foetal development and milk production. We recommend reserving this type of hay ONLY for guinea pigs under 6 months old or those who are pregnant or nursing.   STRAW We do not recommend using this type of hay in your guinea pigs diet as it has a very low nutritional content. Straw can be a great addition for bedding, burrowing and enrichment, but a good quality grass hay should also be provided.  Why is long strand hay important for guinea pigs?  Shortly chopped hay or chaff is not defined by a specific type of hay, but a dry forage chopped into small pieces. Chaff is generally NOT recommended for guinea pigs as it does not have the same benefits for dentition as longer strands of hay.  Guinea pigs teeth are continuously growing and require constant chewing and wear to maintain them at an appropriate length and avoid overgrowth.  The longer the strand of hay the more they have to use their teeth to chew it into an appropriate length to eat.     

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Have you recently purchased an Ozzy Cage or looking at delving into the world of Ozzy Cage add-ons?? Get ready to turn your piggy paradise into something ✨Extraordinary✨. __________________________________________________________________ You can find all of our HOW TO GUIDES and more on our YOUTUBE and TIK TOK accounts. 

When preparing for an adverse weather event, whether it be floods, cyclones, bushfires or severe storms, it is important to ensure your guinea pigs and pets are also safe and prepared. We have compiled a list of all the necessities to have in the immediate event of an emergency. 1. Bring your piggies indoors. 2. Ensure you have enough food including hay and pellets to last at least several days. Be prepared incase shops or roads are closed or cut off. There may also be delays of stock transport due to road closures, so it is always best to have a small supply ready.  3. Fill a large bottle with clean drinking water that you can use to refill water sippers. Electricity and water supply may be lost for several days, or contaminated such as in the case of flooding. 4. Have a small cage or pet carrier on hand in case you need to evacuate your home at short notice.  5. Fill your piggies cage with lots of hideys to help them feel safe and secure. It can be a scary time for everyone, and guinea pigs being prey animals will often hide or feel threatened in the event of loud noises and adverse weather. 

Vegetables play an important part of a critter's diet.    While grassy hay is the MOST important, a cup of veggies for your pet once or twice a day helps keep your pet's health and gut in check.   Offer your floofs a nice variety!Some veggies can be fed daily, while others are best in moderation due to their higher calcium, acidity or 'bloat' content (we've marked these for you on our "Veggie" Table 👇). Remember to also load up on veggies high in Vitamin C - as piggies can't produce this vitamin by themselves (just like us hoomans!). We recommend capsicums everyday to make sure your pets get their daily dose - they just LOVE them (seeds and all!)!And of course, along with veggies, fruit and pellets, always ensure your pets have constant access to grassy hay, all day!Which vegetable is your piggy's favourite? Bon Appétit!

Whether you already have guinea pigs as pets or you are looking at adding some furry companions into your family, finding them a good and safe home that provides all the basic necessities is one of the most important aspects to consider. It can be very confusing and overwhelming when researching or shopping for cages to find the most suitable and safe one for your piggies, however we are here to help to make choosing the right piggy palace that little bit easier.  SAFETY  The first, and most important aspect we consider when choosing the right home is SAFETY. There are a few different styles of cages available on the market, some much more safe than others, but here are a few points to consider for the more popular options:  - Wooden hutches: particularly if you are DIY making your own, should be made from untreated wood that is NOT TOXIC to guinea pigs when they will inevitably chew on the edges. It is also important to consider the type of wood and if it is prone to splintering and causing injury to your guinea pigs.  - C&C style cages: Grid size is one of the most important aspects as guinea pigs have been known to become stuck in inappropriate sized grid holes, especially those that are not made specifically for guinea pigs (for example, shelving or storage units). We strongly recommend Ozzy Cages as they have been tried, tested and researched to be one of the safest grids on todays market for guinea pigs, with their specialised 35cm, 9x9 design. If you have young or baby guinea pigs, we recommend having even smaller grids such as the Ozzy Cage baby proof grids to ensure their safety from becoming stuck or escaping.  SIZE Once you have chosen your style of cage, you need to consider if it is an adequate size to house your guinea pigs. This will primarily depend on how many guinea pigs you have, and if you are housing multiple males together (males require more space to reduce fighting over territory). Unfortunately, a large portion of housing advertised and marketed as suitable for guinea pigs in pet shops is not large enough for them to live comfortably and express their natural behaviours.  -As a general rule, guinea pigs require a MINIMUM of 70cm square EACH, and males more than 1m square each - so keep this ratio in mind when choosing your housing.  Below is a size guide for Ozzy Cages:  For more information on the benefits of adequate sized housing, read here.  FLOORING Flooring or what your guinea pigs are generally walking on is another consideration that impacts both their health and safety.  We generally recommend a nice soft, dry, moisture wicking bedding for our guinea pigs, which can be in the form of vetbed, fleece liners, or bath mats.  Cages with wire bottoms are NOT suitable for guinea pigs, as this can cause pressure sores, trauma, and conditions such as pododermatitis (bumblefoot).  Any form of hard flooring without a soft cushion support for your guinea pigs little paws (such as thin material, newspaper, plastic etc) can also predispose to bumblefoot.  Flooring that does not wick moisture, remains damp, allows for urine pooling or is easily soiled is also not recommended as this can predispose to many health issues and infections.  PREDATOR PROOF  In general, we recommend housing your guinea pigs indoors to keep them safe and protect them from the elements, with supervised outdoor grass time. If you are however keeping your guinea pigs outdoors full time, there are a few extra aspects you need to consider when deciding on the most suitable housing.  Dogs, cats, birds of prey, and snakes, just to name a few, are some of the biggest threats to our guinea pigs. When choosing a home for our guinea pigs, we need to ensure they are safe from the above, if they were to come into contact. - If you have other pets at home such as cats or dogs, you may consider adding a LID to your Ozzy cage to protect your piggies. Adding a stand may also help to keep them off the ground and away from other pets.  - If housing your guinea pigs outdoors, as mentioned above, wire bottom cages are not suitable for guinea pigs, however cages without bottoms can also be risky as they can be easily tipped over by larger animals. We recommend finding a cage that can be secured to the ground to avoid any accidents. Wire size is another consideration as to reduce the chance of snakes such as pythons entering the enclosure.  WEATHER PROOF  It is also extremely important to protect your guinea pigs from the elements, as both heat stress and cold stress can be detrimental. Indoor housing can help to control these factors compared to the outdoors, however if you are  housing your guinea pigs outdoors, you will need to ensure they have shelter from the sun, wind and rain. It is important to remember, what is in the shade in the morning may not be shady all day!  We hope this has cleared up a few questions and made choosing the right cage an easier process for you and your family. 

So lately in my herd of guinea pigs, there has been some drama - some squeaking, some rumble strutting, and even some teeth action - which is really not ideal. I have tried numerous different methods of trying to keep the peace (including all the bribery and piggy snacks you can think of), but there was always that niggle that my piggies just weren't content in their home. But today I am here because I think I have finally nailed it - and would like to share the secret with you all, trialed and tested by yours truly.   So to put things into a bit of context, my herd consists of 1 neutered boar, Fuzz, 1 entire young boar Snickers (who is awaiting his neutering surgery next year), and entire female, Beccy. So in this herd, Snickers is the problematic pig with testosterone emanating from every floofy little hair on his body. Now as a responsible guinea pig slave, Snickers and Beccy are kept separated at the moment, until Snickers is neutered and they can live together happily ever after without the addition of baby squeakers.  So in the meantime, how do you separate guinea pigs, but still fulfil their social needs? I have considered keeping them in completely separate cages, however I feel bad to have one piggy on their own as we know they are very social animals, and should always be kept in a pair or more! (Did you know, in Switzerland it is now illegal to only own 1 guinea pig, and they must be kept with a friend?!). So that rules out that option.  So lets move on to option number 2. Keeping them in the same cage, but separating them with the OG Ozzy cage panels. I did try this, and for the most part it worked well, as they could still see each other and interact, however there was still a little bit of cage chewing going on.  Earlier in 2023, Guinea Pigs Australia brought out their NEW Ozzy cage clear panels - and this was a game changer for us! Moving on to Option 3. This is by far the best option thus far - all of my piggies are still able to see each other clearly and interact at all times, but there is no dances of love, or bickering allowed. Everyone seems very happy and content with this set up, and everyone is much less stressed. Having the clear panels has also prevented negative behavior's such as cage chewing. I also often feed them together at the same ends, so they still eat dinner together as normal, but there is no fighting over the juiciest piece of lettuce or capsicum.  And what made it even better, is adding in the clear panels was so easy to do! My current set up is a 2x7 Ozzy cage (so everyone has plenty of room to move around and create their own eating, sleeping and pooping space). Fuzz and Beccy have a 4x2 section, and Snickers a 3x2 section. They each have their own individual corflute bases that we purchased off the Guinea Pigs Australia website, to fit perfectly into the cage stand.  I'll link below everything that I have used in my cage set up, but regardless of the reasons for having to separate your guinea pigs, whether it be males and females, piggies that don't get along, young and old, or any other reasons, I highly urge you to try the clear panels as a divider option - It has worked well for us, but as always, we would love your feedback too!  Merry Pigmas!  To get a set up like the above, you will need: 1 x 6pack clear panels: Shop here 1 x 2x4 corflute base: Shop here 1x 2x3 corflute base: Shop here 14 x Ozzy cage panels for the main cage (comes in packs of 6 or individually). I have used a combination of Aqua and Purple designer Ozzy panels in my set up 6 x 6pack Ozzy panels for the stand: Shop here Ozzy cage connectors: Shop here Corflute nibble guards Ozzy Kitchenette (featured in Snicker's section, but will definitely be adding one to the larger section too!): Shop here Storage boxes - mine are from Bunnings, however are only a 1x1 box. Guinea pigs Australia now has 1x2 storage boxes available that gives you double the storage space of what I have, and minimises the wasted space along the back row of the cage: Shop here    

Trimming your guinea pigs nails can be very intimidating for us all, especially if you are new to guinea pigs, have a wriggly little critter, and not to mention those black nails! At Guinea Pigs Australia we are all guinea pig owners ourselves and understand the hesitations that come with nail trimming, so this is why we have compiled a number of tips and tricks to help make nail trimming a breeze at home!  Watch our easy to follow nail trimming video with Veterinarian Dr Sam:   Follow @guineapigsaustralia on Youtube for more fun piggy content!  WHAT YOU WILL NEED:  A small pair of nail clippers - cat nail clippers work great Lots of treats and rewards A towel or blanket to keep your piggy comfortable  Some paper towel, cornstarch or potassium permanganate in case of bleeds STEP 1:  Choose a quiet and well-lit room where you and your guinea pig can both feel relaxed and comfortable during the nail trimming process. It may help to wrap them in a towel, or you may want to have a helper assist you in keeping your guinea pig calm and secure.  STEP 2:  Examine your guinea pigs nails and identify the part that needs trimming. Be careful not to cut into the quick, which is the pinkish area inside the nail containing blood vessels and nerves. If your guinea pig has clear or light coloured nails it's easier to see the quick. However, if they have dark coloured nails it may be more challenging to see, so proceed with caution. Sometimes shining a light through the dark nail makes visualising the quick easier.  STEP 3:  It's time to begin trimming. Hold your guinea pigs paw gently but firmly, and carefully trim a small tip off at a time, remembering to work slowly and carefully. Check the nail after each trim to avoid cutting into the quick. If you are unsure, it is always best to trim less initially, and gradually trim more over time, or trim small amounts frequently.  STEP 4:   It's important to praise and reward your guinea pig for their good behaviour and co-operation, making nail trimming a positive experience for them. Both verbal praise and lots of treats works well! It is also important to take breaks if needed. If your guinea pig becomes stressed or anxious, take breaks between each nail trim to ensure their comfort and well-being. WHAT TO DO IF YOU CUT A NAIL TOO SHORT?  If you cut a nail too short, it is important not to panic. It will likely bleed, and pressure should be applied with some paper towel to stem the bleeding. Products like cornstarch or potassium permanganate can also be applied to the tip to help stem the bleeding. If bleeding persists, please give your local veterinarian a call.  STEP 5: Always ask for help if you are unsure or uncomfortable trimming your guinea pigs nails. Most veterinary clinics, guinea pig rescues, or professional groomers experienced in pocket pets will be more than happy to provide assistance. 

As guinea pig owners there are many responsibilities involved with keeping them happy and healthy - and one of those things is performing regular health checks. Guinea pigs are prey animals, and therefore notorious for trying to hide any signs of illness, so it's important to take the time each day to have a close look and make sure everything is normal and healthy. If you do notice any abnormalities or concerns, it is highly recommended to visit your veterinarian asap as some conditions can become quite serious, quite quickly, hence early detection is key to a positive prognosis.  Complete 'nose to tail' Health Check Guide Nose - Should be clear, with no signs of crusting or discharge. Excessive sneezing or 'breathing sounds' can be a sign of respiratory disease.  Ears - Should be clean, with no crusting or discharge. It is NORMAL for guinea pigs to have a small hairless patch behind each ear.  Eyes - Both eyes should be clear and fully opened. If your guinea pig is holding an eye shut or squinting, please consult your veterinarian - hay poke injuries and corneal ulceration is a common and serious condition. Guinea pig eye colour can vary between red, brown and black. BLUE discoloration is abnormal, and should be checked by a veterinarian immediately.   Mouth - Guinea pigs have many teeth, but the easiest to examine are the 4 incisors easily visible at the front of the mouth - these incisors should be even in length, and the top and bottom should meet together. Overgrown incisors can be a sign of more serious and complicated dental disease, and should be investigated further. The mouth and chin should also be dry, with no signs of drooling or panting. Skin and coat - Should be clean and free of dirt, matts and knots. Check for signs of wounds, hairloss, crusting or excess scratching. As mentioned above, it is normal to have a small bald patch behind each ear. Hair loss can be an indication of trauma, parasites or endocrine related disease.  Feet and nails - Check each paw for any signs of redness, swelling or sores. Guinea pigs require nail trimming about every 4-6 weeks and ideally should be kept nice and short. Nail trimming can be intimidating, so check out our video on nail trimming here for some tips and tricks to help you at home.  Toileting - Poops should be solid, brown, oval in shape and passed frequently. Soft, small, stringy, or abnormal faeces can be a sign of many serious underlying medical conditions.  The colour of urine can vary between clear to a light red colour, however signs of blood or straining to urinate is abnormal. You can read more about normal and abnormal urine here.  Weight - The normal weight for adult guinea pigs is between 800 - 1200grams, with males being slightly heavier than females. Weekly weigh in's are important to detect early signs of weight loss and various medical conditions.  Behaviour - Check daily to make sure your guinea pig is eating and drinking normally. A healthy guinea pig should appear bright, alert and active. Any changes in their behaviour can be a sign of underlying illness.

Guinea Pigs Cages Black Friday is here and there is no better time to upgrade your piggy mansion or spoil your herd with something new! There are currently so many great deals on the Guinea Pigs Australia website, so why not make the most of it! Here are a few things that our piggies (and hooman slaves) are absolutely loving at the moment!  Ozzy cage - Designer colours  Who doesn’t love a designer cage upgrade? This year Ozzy cages has gone above and beyond, introducing so many new colours to their range, including pink, purple and aqua grids, as well as my personal favourite - transparent panels! It’s so much fun creating new colour themes, and the clear panels are so aesthetically pleasing in our home. If you've been considering expanding your set-up or adding a loft, ramp or extra space, now is the perfect time!   SHOP HERE Designer panels Clear panels  Ozzy Kitchenette and Kitchen Liners  Ozzy kitchenettes have been a game changer and probably my favourite new addition this year. It keeps the piggies mess so much more contained, and makes cleaning a breeze! Guinea pigs are known to poop where they eat (Gross, I know!) but I have noticed a significant reduction in poops throughout the rest of their cage allowing for easy spot cleaning, and simply lifting the kitchen liner out and replacing it with a fresh one - or if not too soiled giving it a quick shake works well too!  The kitchen liners come in so many adorable patterns, absorbs the urine keeping the piggies clean and dry, and best of all are machine washable.   SHOP KITCHENETTES HERE Hay pigs range  Who can resist an adorable circus tent, with a cannon tunnel and vegetable barbell?! The hay pigs range has been on my bucket list for ages and it’s great to see Guinea Pigs Australia now stocking the full range! My piggies favourites are definitely the circus tent for resting and the hay cart for eating (bonus points for keeping the hay tidy and contained)! I was a little apprehensive at first if my furry family would use the cannon tunnel, but it has quickly become a favourite with the herd! It’s so fun watching them zoom through, but also 80% of the time someone is using it as a good resting spot.  SHOP HAYPIGS HERE  Burgess pellets and fresh Australian grown grass hay Food. We can’t go past our guinea pigs most favourite thing ever! Every morning I wake up to a chorus of squeals and chirps, in anticipation for their morning serving of Burgess mint nuggets - they go crazyyyy for them! I also love that they are recommended by veterinarians across the world and are a balanced diet containing Vitamin C and all the other nutrients and goodies to keep our herd healthy. We have also tried the new rhodes grass hay available on the Guinea Pigs Australia website, and was pleasantly surprised with how green and delicious it was. It also contains long strands which is great for dental health and keeping the back molar teeth worn and in check.  SHOP BURGESS PELLETS HERE SHOP HAY HERE Nibble guards My final recommendation that has been yet another game changer this year is the corflute nibble guards! I don’t know about you, but there’s always one member of the piggy herd that can’t help but to sit and chew the edges of the corflute! The nibble guards are sleek and stylish providing a nice smooth edge to the corflute base, as well as serving a functional purpose!  SHOP NIBBLE GUARDS HERE:  I can’t wait to stock up on more delicious, fun, and stylish accessories for the herd this Black Friday! What are you eyeing off???!!! 

Have you noticed some pink or red coloured wee in your guinea pig cage? Is it blood? Is the guinea pig ok? Does this warrant a vet visit? Let’s go into a deep dive to learn more! The normal colour and consistency of guinea pig urine is extremely variable, ranging from a clear to pale yellow colour, to orange, pink, and even light red. The reason why all of these colours can be considered ‘normal’ is due to the wide variety of pigmented fruits and vegetables that guinea pigs love, where the pigments are then excreted out of the body through the urine. Sometimes however, guinea pigs can have blood in their urine which creates concern for a more serious underlying issue – so how do we tell the difference between pigment and blood? And what can this mean for our furry friends? PIGMENTED URINE There are several different fruits and vegetables that contain dark pigments, which pass through the guinea pigs body system and are excreted through the urine. Some common plant pigments that can cause red urine include beetroot, tomatoes, capsicum, dandelion, carrots, and red cabbage. You can trial eliminating dark pigmented foods from your guinea pigs diet for 2-3 days to see if the red discolouration resolves, however if your piggy appears unwell, seems painful, is urinating small droplets, has a hunched posture, is losing weight, teeth grinding or is not eating appropriately, veterinary care should be sought. If your guinea pig is straining with no urine production, this is an emergency and should be assessed by a vet ASAP!   BLOOD IN THE URINE (haematuria) There are several reasons why your guinea pig may have blood in their urine, some of which are very painful and can be life threatening. If blood is present, further testing should be performed by your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause and identify where the bleeding is coming from. It is also important to note, female guinea pigs do not ‘menstruate’ or go into ‘heat’ like many other mammals, so any sign of blood is a concern.   Some common causes include: Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) Urinary tract infections Uroliths (urinary stones) Reproductive or urinary tract tumours Polyps Trauma I SUSPECT MY GUINEA PIG HAS BLOOD IN THEIR URINE – WHAT TO DO NEXT? Book a consultation with your cavy savvy veterinarian Collect a urine sample to take with you to your appointment. See our video here for tips on collecting urine samples at home. Please note a sample collected via voiding will not be a sterile sample, and may contain bacteria from the environment, not necessarily indicating a true UTI. Your veterinarian however will still be able to perform numerous other tests with this sample to figure out what is going on, and if a UTI is suspected, a sterile sample can be collected using alternate collection methods. 3. Photos and videos! It may not be the most flattering picture to have on your phone camera role, but veterinarians love photos and videos of any abnormalities your pets are displaying at home to get a better understanding of what could be going on. Guinea pigs will often be quite fearful out of their normal environment, and therefore try to hide any signs of illness at the vet, so having video or photographic footage of these behaviours will help provide a more accurate assessment. WHAT TO EXPECT AT MY VET APPOINTMENT Your veterinarian will likely start the consult by gathering a comprehensive history of your pet, including their age, desexing status, housing situation, diet and any recent changes in your pets environment, as well as what the issue is that has brought you in today. Your vet will then perform a physical exam on your pet, gathering information on their physical health condition and vital signs. If you brought a urine sample with you, your vet will be able to perform a urinalysis, which provides a lot of information about your pets urinary health. The first thing to determine is whether the red colour of the urine is from plant pigments or blood, which can be determined by spinning down the urine in a special machine that separates any red blood cells. They will also assess the urine for signs of crystals which may indicate the presence of urinary stones, bacteria indicating a UTI, different types of cells indicating the presence of tumours or inflammation, the concentration indicating kidney function, and more! Your vet may recommend additional diagnostic tests to gather more information, including blood tests, radiographs or ultrasound. MONITORING URINATION It's important to monitor your guinea pigs urine for red or pink urine - if  you see any and your piggy appears unwell, seems painful, is urinating small droplets, has a hunched posture, is losing weight, teeth grinding or is not eating appropriately - please seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

It ain't easy eating greens.... unless of course you're a piggy or rabbit!  Sometimes it can be hard to know what is safe for your small furry to eat, or what plants, fruits and vegetables are potentially toxic to them. See our list below of our favourite leafy greens, as well as some of our No-Go's!

Kids & Critters - is this combo a match made in heaven or recipe for disaster? If you have children and are looking at adding a new furry member to your family, with a little education, patience and supervision, owning these animals with children can be a wonderful experience. 

Weight loss in guinea pigs can be one of the first signs that something more serious is going on, and should definitely be further investigated to find the underlying cause. Some of the more common reasons for weight loss in guinea pigs include dental disease, reduced appetite and food intake, stress and environmental factors, and other types of illness.  It is really important to have a consultation with your cavy-savvy vet to investigate why the weight loss is occurring, as guinea pigs can become critically ill very quickly. We always recommend to weigh your guinea pig weekly on a small set of scales to monitor their weight, and also allows you to pick up on any changes early.  If your guinea pig is not eating, you will need to supplement their diet with OXBOW CRITICAL CARE formula. This not only keeps nutrition up to your guinea pig, but provides a high fibre content, and promotes gut motility. Critical care is sold as a powdered product that is mixed with water, allowing syringe feeding. It is important to NEVER FORCE any food product down the back of your guinea pigs mouth and stop immediately if any coughing occurs as it is possible to aspirate, resulting in potentially life threatening pneumonia. Dilution and feeding guides are found on the product packaging, and is available to purchase at most pet shops or vet clinics. WE RECOMMEND ALWAYS HAVING A PACKET OF CRITICAL CARE ON HAND FOR EMERGENCIES.  If your guinea pig is having difficulty eating due to dental disease but still has a good appetite, grating vegetables such as carrot, celery, zuccini and capsicum can allow for easier chewing.  It is also a good idea to take the opportunity and review the overall health of your guinea pig and the husbandry you provide. Are they receiving a balanced and adequate diet? Do they have an unlimited supply of hay and fibre? Are they losing weight due to not being offered enough food or not eating the food being offered? Is their vitamin C content adequate? Is there any stressors in the environment such as other guinea pigs or animals? Are there other signs of illness such as drooling, reduced motility, lethargy or wounds? *please note the above advice does not substitute a consultation with your veterinarian, and we strongly encourage veterinary care for any signs of weight loss or illness. *

Have you just adopted a new guinea pig or think your guinea pig may be pregnant? Then this is the article for you! Here we will go through everything you need to know about Guinea pig pregnancy.  FOLLOW OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE PIGGY CONTENT! HELP! How do I know if my guinea pig is pregnant?  Firstly, guinea pigs are very prolific breeders, so if your sow has come into contact with an entire boar, then chances are she is most likely pregnant. Unfortunately many pet shops accidentally house male and female guinea pigs together so sometimes sows can already be pregnant before you bring them home.  The gestation of guinea pigs (the time between mating and giving birth), is 63 to 70 days. Generally the smaller the litter, the longer the gestation period. From about mid-way through gestation, you will start to notice weight gain, and a larger, more distended abdomen. Towards the later stages of pregnancy you will often be able to feel the foetus' moving around inside.   Confirming pregnancy:   Your cavy-savvy vet will be able to perform an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. Depending on the stage of pregnancy, they will normally see the embryonic vesicle, the heartbeat, or formation of the skeleton.                                      Confirming numbers of babies (and why this is important): It is super useful to know how many babies you are expecting in case there are any complications during the birthing process. For example if you know your sow is expecting 4 babies, however has only given birth to 3, you know there is still another one to come, which may be in distress or require assistance. It is best to get this done at your vet about 1 week prior to the expected birthing date as by this time the skeletons will be formed enough to clearly see on the radiograph.    Diet during Pregnancy:  During gestation and lactation, sows have much higher energy needs when compared to normal adult guinea pigs. She will be using a lot of her energy and nutrient stores to go towards growing the babies and producing milk, and therefore needs a higher caloric content in her diet. Vitamin C and calcium are two of the most important nutrients that are required at increased levels during pregnancy.   It is recommended to feed your sow an unlimited supply of hay. Generally alfalfa or lucerne hay is not recommended for adult guinea pigs, however is a great addition to the diet of pregnant sows and young guinea pigs due to the high calcium content.  It is also recommended to feed a good quality pellet rich in Vitamin C, such as Burgess, Oxbow or Bunny Nature. Guinea pigs also get a large portion of their daily vitamin C requirements through a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Some vegetables that have a high vitamin C content include red capsicum, broccoli, parsley and kale. You can learn more about Vitamin C and guinea pigs here.  The Birth Parturition usually takes between 10 and 30 minutes in total, and the average time between pups is between 1 and 15 minutes. The average number of pups per litter varies, but most commonly between 2 and 6 pups. The sow will also pass a placenta for each pup, which will resemble a small, red, squishy circle (sometimes the sow will eat the placentas, which is completely normal).  When to be concerned Due to guinea pig pups being quite large and well developed compared to other rodents and small mammals, there is an increased risk of problems occurring during the birth which puts both mum and pups at risk.  It is always a good idea to be prepared and have a cavy-savvy vet on standby in case emergency treatment or a caesarean is needed. If you notice your sow unproductively straining, or it has been more than 15 minutes between pups,  you should contact your local veterinarian for further advice.  There is an increased risk of dystocia with single pup litters, first time litters, and particularly first time litters if the sow is over 1 year old due to the fusion of the pelvic synthesis.  The Pups   Guinea pigs are born fully furred, with their eyes open, and resemble a miniature version of their parents - weighing only 80grams! They are also born with teeth, and are able to eat just hours after birth. They will also suckle from the sow until weaning.  We recommend weighing your pups regularly to ensure they are gaining weight appropriately. Pups are able to be weaned from 3 weeks old - it is at this time the male pups should be separated from his mother and sisters to prevent any unwanted pregnancies.