Guinea pigs make popular pets, but they're commonly surrendered because people aren't across the care they require.
"They have a reasonable life expectancy — up to five or six years. A lot of people who surrender them don't realise that," Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) education officer Kathryn Calthorpe says.
Other common reasons include kids losing interest, male guinea pigs not getting along, and accidental breeding.
But armed with the right knowledge, she says piggies are "great little lap warmers".
"Netflix and chill is right up their alley."
Get to know the guinea pig — and why you can't just have one
Guinea pigs are a species of rodent who also go by their fancier title, Cavia porcellus.
It's estimated we own almost 300,000 in Australia.
They generally weigh around 1 kilogram and, as herd animals, need to have at least one companion, explains Ms Calthorpe.
"They would normally live in a herd with one alpha male with a number of females.
"At our shelters we desex most of our single male guinea pigs, that way they can go live in the world safety without procreating."
The ideal combination, Ms Calthorpe says, is one desexed male guinea pig with as many girls as you like, or just girls, or two boys with adequate space so they don't get on each other's nerves.
"Having pairs of boys can be difficult. Guinea pigs are capable of holding grudges — they are very complex creatures."
Housing, feeding and grooming your guinea pigs
Rachel Findlay is a medical coordinator and the Queensland Guinea Pig Refuge and says because guinea pigs are small you can keep them inside.
In locations where it can get really hot or cold, indoors is preferred because piggies' ideal environmental temperature is 24 degrees Celsius.
"It also allows the piggies to become members of the family as owners interact with them more," Ms Findlay says.
For that reason, tucking them away in the garage or laundry is not ideal. They like to socialise!
Ms Findlay says a large plastic-based cage or C&C grid cage is best, and should be a minimum size of 1.2 metres by 60 centimetres, "though bigger is better".
Ms Calthorpe says open-style cages like the C&C style are only suitable if there are no other pets in the home.
If you do have an enclosure outdoors, even if on a deck or balcony, make sure it's weather and predator proof.
And while piggies enjoy a cuddle, she warns they need to be supervised when being held by young children to ensure the animal's safety.
A snuggle sack with a puppy pad inserted in the bottom can help the piggy feel secure and the child free from droppings.
Piggies need constant access to fresh food and water, and eat 85 per cent grass and hay based food, which they constantly snack on to grind down their continually growing teeth.
They also love vitamin C-rich veggies like capsicum, and dry guinea pig food or pellets.
They need their nails trimmed every four to six weeks, and long-haired piggies should be groomed regularly.
Guinea pigs do make great pets for children, but Ms Calthorpe says it's not fair to expect they take on all the responsibility.
"Parents need to be involved."
Adopt don't shop
When you adopt a guinea pig from a rescue, you are giving a homeless animal another chance of a home, Ms Findlay says.
"Most rescues will have given the guinea pig a health check and sexed them, so that you are sure to get a same sex pair of healthy guinea pigs.
"The guinea pigs will also be bonded so that you know that they get on."
Ms Calthorpe says pet shops often don't know the sex of the piggies and people often end up with unexpected babies.
And given a female guinea pig can be impregnated by a male within 30 minutes of giving birth to a litter, that's something to be wary of.
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