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There are dozens of websites with good information on
Cavy Care and some with questionable info.
The following
information
is my recipe for a
healthy, happy cavy. I hope it will answer questions
like the ones I had when I began in the cavy fancy.
Some answers I learned through experience, some were the result
of a lot of reading and working with wonderful people that have
many more years of cavy knowledge than I.
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| Housing
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The larger the cage, the
better. An adult cavy should have at
least 4 sq, feet of cage space. Remember, the little one you
bring home is going to grow. It's less expensive to purchase a large cage
when you get your cavy, then to buy a small one and replace
it.
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Cavies love clean, low dust,
pine bedding chips to roll in and munch on. I've tried every brand
of alternative bedding and always go back to high quality
pine. Never use cedar bedding.
The aromatic oils in cedar cause respiratory problems. Ammonia build
up will cause the same problem, so the cage bedding should be
changed twice a week. Wash the cage thoroughly, at least once a
month, with a simple green type cleaner. Disinfect with a bleach
dilution. Use one part bleach to nine parts water, let sit a few
minutes, then rinse very well. To remove any crystal urine build up
in the corners, use white vinegar diluted 50-50 with water and let
it soak. Rinse
well with hot water.
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Cavies are very sensitive to
overheating and high humidity. I use a dehumidifier, air
conditioner, and fan to control the temp and humidity in the
caviary. You have to position every thing carefully, pigs get sick
quickly if they are in a draft.
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Cage
Furniture
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Along
with the cavy, you'll have the water bottle, it's food bowl, toys, and
a hide out if you choose to use one.
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Food
bowls come in a zillion shapes and sizes. I use a heavy straight sided
crock that is
actually a small dog dish. Dish Pic.
Cavies like
to stand on the edge of their dish and look around while eating. If
the dish tips, it can smack them in the mouth and it also scatters the
food everywhere. A dish that mounts to the side of the cage isn't very
practical. The height of the cage pan prevents easy mounting, you have
to cut a hole into it to get the dish low enough.
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| Nutrition
Basics
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Food is a cavy's favorite
thing! Cavies are herbivores, nibblers, and grazers. If they're not
eating, they're sleeping! This can lead to a chubby bubby if they
don't get any exercise, are fed too much, or are fed the wrong food.
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A cavy only needs 3 basic
things: good quality pellets, lots of timothy hay, and lots of fresh
water with vitamin C in it. Crystal
Aqua C, sold by Klubertanz, is perfect. www.klubertanz.com/
page 41 of their online catalog.
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Rabbit pellets don't contain
the proper nutrients for cavies.
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I use
Oxbow & Mazuri Cavy food. www.oxbowhay.com/
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My recipe
for cavies uses 2 parts
Oxbow Cavy Cuisine,
(main ingredient in this food is timothy grass) & 1 part Mazuri Guinea Pig Pellets,
this is for adults over 6 months of age. Each adult animal gets one quarter
to one half cup per day.
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For pigs from birth to 6
months, I start with 50-50 Oxbow Cavy Performance
(main ingredient in this food is alfalfa) & Mazuri Guinea Pig pellets.
The nursing moms
and babies get as much as they want. (Once weaned, they don't need
milk or other dairy products).
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At about 4 months of age, I
start to gradually reduce the amount they receive and begin to mix
in Cavy Cuisine . This starts the change
over to adult food.
WATER!
Cavies can't eat unless they
have plenty of water to flush their mouths with!
I use bottled spring water.
Chlorine and fluoride in tap water can be toxic to cavies.
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| Fruits
and Veggies
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Most of
mine don't care for fruits, except for apples and grapes. Grapes need
to be cut in half and should be seedless.
Although they love them, don't give bananas to
cavies. They contain
too much potassium which can lead to urinary tract problems.
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Tried
and truly loved veggies are: Romaine or Red Leaf lettuce, Parsley,
Kale, Green Beans, Carrots, Eggplant, Dandelion Greens, Chicory, Green
Sweet Peppers, and Tomatoes.
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Small
amounts of one or two of these can be fed daily. Wash the veggies
before feeding. Rotate through the list for variety.
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Avoid:
Spinach, Onions, Scallions, Potatoes, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and
Iceberg lettuce!!!! They will either give your pig diarrhea
and bloat or are toxic.
Snacks
"Pet"
Peeves!
As
unbelievable as it sounds, commercial pet store Guinea Pig food usually
contains many items that can be a choking hazard for your cavy.
These items include:
Ice-cream,
candy, chocolate, and potato chips are not part of their food
pyramid!
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General
Grooming
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All
cavies, long and short hair, need grooming and maintenance.
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- Feet
The nails generally get
the most attention because long sharp toenails can do a wicked scratch
job on your tender skin! They can also harm the cavy, by curling back
and growing into their paws. About once a month you'll want to trim
the nails. Cavies have 4 toes on their front feet and 3 on the back. I
use a kitten, scissor style nail trimmer.
You also need to check the pads. Abyssinians are very prone to pad
calluses or spurs,
but other varieties can get them too.
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- Use ferret ear cleaner and
cotton balls to gently remove the build-up.
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- Look for broken, misaligned,
or missing teeth.
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- Brush long haired
varieties daily. Short haired ones at least twice a month.
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Click
on grooming hints for more info on each section above. Grooming Hints
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