Is it safe to get guinea pigs if my dog chases small animals?

Attention is less of a problem with guinea pigs, they will definitely not die because of that. the main problem will be the cat though, this is usually not a great match, unless your cat will not be bothered by the guinea pig at all. at least in the beginning i recommend putting the guinea pig's cage in a room where the cat cannot access.

It can be difficult anytime you introduce a new pet to the home. I would start by having the gibes pig in a room in the house where your dog cannot go. This allows your dog to get used to the smells of the guinea pig before introduction. Then start with a few minutes of a time of interaction. You hold the guinea pig while your dog is allowed to see him. All the while reminding your dog of the training word "gentle". Increase these "play dates" each week until you are confident your dog will follow the command gentle. Reward your dog with positive reinforcement each time he is gentle. This can be treats, verbal Praise and petting. Guinea pigs are prey animals by nature so they may be frightened of dogs which are predator animals. With this in mind always try to make your Guiena pig Marino feel safe, and be ready to rescue him if he becomes overly frightened.

Guinea pigs tend to live in colonies which in itself makes them feel safer as they will disperse when a predator attacks, confusing the predator and lessening his chance to catch one for food. So giving your guinea pig a guinea pig friend will make it feel safer. Avoiding loud noises and fast movements and providing a lot of hiding places ( like an upside down cardboard box with an opening ) will make it feel safer as well.

Guinea pigs may be too large to play inside a ball, but you can still set up a safe activity area outside of their cage environment with the use of an X-pen or other foldable gates. You can then fill that area with toys to play with and chew on, hay to munch on, and other fun activities. This can help your piggies stretch and get a little exercise while still being safe and staying out of areas that may cause harm.

Thanks for reaching out about your pets. Different species of animals commonly carry bacteria that can be harmful to other species, but most commonly transmitted by bites or claws. It is not recommended that predator and prey species co-habitate. Just be careful. Good luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding a potential guinea pig. It is perfectly fine to get one pig if you can give him or her plenty of social interaction. I typically only recommend housing same sex pigs together if they have been raised together. Otherwise pigs of the opposite gender or those who have not been raised together should be housed separately. I think they make great little pets. Enjoy!

Based on the behavior you are describing I would not recommend housing these pigs together right now. The older pig is exhibiting some signs of dominance which can quickly turn to aggression. I would recommend allowing them to interact and play with each other under your supervision. If you ever notice that these behaviors stop then you can try housing them together. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.