Cross-sectional survey of husbandry for pet guinea pigs () in New Zealand.

N Z Vet J

School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.

Published: January 2023

Aims: To describe basic husbandry (veterinary care, substrate and bedding, toys, frequency of cleaning) provided to guinea pigs () by a sample of owners in New Zealand.

Methods: Respondents were invited to complete a survey disseminated through the social media channels of animal interest and advocacy groups (3 September 2020 to 3 November 2020). Respondents who agreed to participate were asked a range of questions regarding the provision of husbandry to their oldest pet guinea pig. Descriptive statistics are reported here relating to husbandry, length of ownership, provision of substrate, bedding and toys, frequency of cleaning and veterinary care.

Results: A total of 503 responses were received, of which 329 complete responses were analysed. Of these respondents, 208/329 (63.2%) had owned guinea pigs for more than 2 years. Most owners provided a cage with a wooden base as substrate (144/321, 44.9%), bedding (308/329; 93.6%) and toys (169/329; 51.1%). Half (176/329; 53.5%) of respondents reported taking their guinea pig to a veterinarian. Just over half of the owners surveyed cleaned water (165/329; 50.1%) and food (181/329; 55.0%) bowls daily, and a third picked up droppings (109/329; 33.1%) daily.

Conclusions And Clinical Relevance: While owners provided an array of toys, and a range of bedding and substrate types to their guinea pigs, cages were cleaned out less frequently than recommended, and it was common for guinea pig cages to be cleaned out less frequently than recommended. Future research is required to provide robust and evidence-based links between husbandry and the welfare of pet guinea pigs.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2022.2129854DOI Listing

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