Is sunlight necessary for guinea pigs? Do they get stressed outside?

I'm sorry that your brother coughs due to the presence of the guinea pigs! Depending on your location, guinea pigs can be housed outdoors. Temperature ranges for guinea pigs are relatively narrow, about 65-75F. If they are housed outside, guinea pigs should have access to shade, plenty of food/water, and shelter. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Guinea pigs can handle large doses of Vitamin C usually without issue. It is a water soluble vitamin so excess will be excreted in the urine. The only time it could cause an issue is if he has an underlying kidney problem or you are giving extreme, massive doses. What we recommend is 50mg per day of Vitamin C. Try not to go crazy with the supplementation and he will be fine.. Good question and thank you for asking. You need to be very careful where you get your information from over the internet so don't believe everything you read. Always ask a veterinary professional if you have questions about your animals.

They need approximately 10mg of Vitamin C a day. It is best to give them through fresh fruits and vegetables. Below are some suggested serving sizes of foods that are high in Vitamin C. These serving sizes provide approximately 10mg of Vitamin C. Green Bell Peppers - 1/7 of a pepper Kale - 1/8 cup Kiwis - 1/8 cup Parsley - 1/8 cup Red Bell Peppers - 1/14 of a pepper Oranges - 1/7 of a fruit (~2-5/8 inch diameter fruit) I hope this helps!

Thank you for your question about your guinea pig! In general, yes, guinea pigs are very social animals and thrive with a companion. However, there are exceptions to that general rule. To be able to tell if your guinea pig is okay without a companion, there are a few things to do. First is to ensure that your guinea pig is healthy and in a good body weight - this can be done by taking your guinea pig to a veterinarian for a wellness exam. It will provide you with a baseline for health, and then you can continue to monitor your guinea pig at home. Once you have determined that your guinea pig is healthy, then you can evaluate its behavior. If it hides a lot, or doesn't come out to see you or make noise when food is being provided, this may indicate that it needs a companion. Guinea pigs that are comfortable being alone will interact with their humans much like they do with other guinea pigs - lots of excitement! Also monitor the food intake - guinea pigs should eat lots of hay, a bit of pellets and vitamin C supplementation, and a bit of produce. If you are seeing a decrease in appetite, this may be due to a guinea pig being shy or uncomfortable (and can also be a sign of illness!). Lastly, ensure that they are producing lots of fecal pellets - they should be moist, of a decent size, and a huge quantity! I hope this gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Bathing guinea pigs regularly is not recommended. If you "need" to bathe him, use a mild shampoo approved for small animals and be sure to dry him thoroughly afterwards. A pet wipe or plain, unscented baby wipe can be used to clean feet, bottom or ears as needed. The problem with feeding Jackjack fruit as a source of vitamin C is that they are high in sugar and may cause diarrhea or predispose him to obesity. Peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and peas are vegetables that are high in Vitamin C. He can get these several times a week. For convenience though, most pet parents use Vitamin C drops. He could adjust to another guinea pig, but you would need to introduce them to one another gradually and provide a much larger cage. Typically, male siblings can be raised and housed together with very little squabbling. An unrelated male may result in bullying or aggression and injury.

Continue to give the attention and handle them daily. And offer them treats. Try to find treats that a high in vitamin c since they can't produce their own vitamin c (kiwi, bell peppers, kale, oranges, etc). It will take some time for them to get use to you as changing environments can be stressful. I hope this helps

Although vitamin c drops are a help they do not store ell and tend to reduce in efficacy over time. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a more reliable source and also provide environmental enrichment and both mental and physical stimulation to her daily routine