A day in the life – guinea pigs at Farmer Palmer’s

Everyone loves the guinea pigs at Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park!

Guinea pig handling is one of our most popular hands-on animal experiences at the farm. The children love to meet our furry little friends and the guinea pigs get to enjoy lots of stroking and cuddles. Each day, a team of courageous cavies enter the handling area to take part in the meet and hold sessions.

A Day in the Life of Guinea Pigs at Farmer Palmer’s

In between sitting on the children’s laps, they nap in the wood shavings. Or munch on the delicious fresh hay that our Animal Barn team scatter around their pen. The hay provides them with essential fiber. They also get treated to a lunchtime delivery of special guinea pig food and the occasional hazel branch to help keep their teeth healthy!

At the end of the day, they line up to ‘clock-out’ and head home in their super cute ‘follow the leader’ style to join their friends in the main enclosure. A tasty dinner of fresh-cut grass and vegetables is served for them, followed by another top-up of hay! Have you ever seen a guinea pig ‘popcorn’?

Is a Guinea Pig the right pet for my child?

The experience of handling a guinea pig at Farmer Palmer’s is a great way to introduce young children to animals. They quickly learn how to be gentle with the cute little creature sat on their lap. You can really see their confidence growing as they learn from the team how to handle them.

Owning a guinea pig offers children the opportunity to re-create their Farmer Palmer’s experience at home. It teaches them responsibility, animal husbandry, welfare, and a lot about the circle of life. A guinea pig’s lifespan is generally 2-6 years and you will need to consider all of these points when choosing any pet for a child. The baby guinea pigs we sometimes sell at Farmer Palmer’s are usually pure breed and will have had some handling by the team. This can make them more suitable for young children than those from other pet sellers. Because they may not have had the chance to handle them as pups.

Buying Guinea Pigs at Farmer Palmer’s

Baby guinea pigs are available to buy from our Animal Barn at various times throughout the year. Please ask one of the team on your next visit or alternatively, call 01202 622 022. We usually offer a discount if you buy a pair. Because guinea pigs are super social and they like to live with a friend. If you have any concerns about introducing a new individual to your existing piggies just ask the team. They are very experienced in this and can advise you on the best way to introduce your new pet.

When you buy a guinea pig from Farmer Palmer’s we’ll provide you with a temporary box to take him/her home in. We also provide a small bag of food for the first few days. You will need to mix this food in with the food you buy, in gentle ratios. This is to ensure the change over in diet doesn’t upset their little tummies. We also supply you with a care guide and offer an after-care service. You can get in touch with any concerns or questions you have about your guinea pig and our Animal Barn team will advise you with the best of their knowledge.

Shopping list if you were considering a new Guinea Pig

• A reference book on guinea pig care.
• Cage with suitable sleeping quarters.
• Grazing ark (optional)
• Cleaning equipment – dustpan & brush, scraper, suitable pet disinfectant.
• Feeding bowl – heavy earthenware or non-tip bowl.
• Water bowl non-tip or gravity feed on-demand-type water bottle.
• Wood shavings.
• Hay for feeding and bedding.
• Guinea pig mix (concentrates) e.g. Gerty guinea pig.
• Vitamin C tablets or feed fresh veg, greens, fruit, freshly picked grass.

Housing: –

For 2 guinea pigs – minimum cage size approx 36” x 24” x 18” (91x61x46cm) with a dry, draft-free private sleeping or hiding area. Guinea pigs cannot jump so provide ramps if floor levels vary inside the cage.

Indoor living: –

Place the cage in a cool, quiet area. Never place it in drafts, direct sunlight, or near radiators, also, position the cage away from the threatening gaze of cats, dogs, and other predators, and away from loud or constant noises (for example television, computers, fridges, etc).

Outdoor living: –

The cage must be weatherproof, draft-free, and raised off the ground. It must also be sturdy enough to be fox/cat predator-proof. During winter it’s best to move the cage to a shed or garage but remember car exhaust fumes will kill your guinea pig.

Bedding. 

Cover the floor of your cage with a thick layer of wood shavings (not sawdust or newspaper) and provide plenty of fresh hay for bedding (and munching) in the sleeping area. (Don’t use a straw, as this may irritate eyes).

Guinea pigs make great first pets – thanks for reading our blog. If you’d like to visit the farm park so your children can meet and hold our guinea pigs, book your tickets here. 

Or, if you haven’t got space at home for guinea pigs but you’d like to adopt our Guinea Pigs, please visit our Adoption Page.