Keeping a Guinea Pig: Vitamin C Diet, Enclosure, and Socialisation
A guide to keeping a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) for new owners in Indonesia, what it is (a social herbivorous rodent from the Andes, adults 700-1200 g, living 5-7 years), its unique vitamin C requirement (they cannot synthesise it themselves like humans, needing 10-30 mg/kg/day from diet, deficiency causes scurvy), enclosure setup (minimum 0.75 m² per animal, solid floor not wire, hiding spots, multi-level OK), diet (timothy hay ad libitum + fresh high-vit-C vegetables + commercial vit-C-fortified pellets, avoid iceberg lettuce/alfalfa for adults), socialisation (highly social, better in same-sex pairs), signs of illness (dental malocclusion, respiratory infection, calcium urolithiasis, scurvy), when you need an exotic vet, plus an FAQ for new owners.
