Although they make great pets that seem to be easy to take care there are things you should be aware of that affect guinea pig health. Diet, your pet guinea pig's habitat, exercise, and other factors all determine how healthy your cavy will stay.
To start with, your cavy needs lots of vitamin C, which just like in humans, isn't produced naturally by their body. Most people choose the option of adding vitamin c drop or tables to their pet guinea pigs water. This changes the taste of their water and can actually have two detrimental effects. First, they will drink less water due to the bad taste, and secondly, they won't receive the needed vitamin c.
To fix this you should feed your guinea pigs fresh, green, leafy vegetables daily along with the regular "guinea pig food" pellets that you can purchase from a local pet supply store. Vegetable like kale and romaine lettuce have plenty of vitamin c and they will do much to maintain guinea pig health. They will love the variety of different green food and see it as a treat. This can be a little bonding ritual you do with pet that will build trust.
Since their teeth and claws grow constantly they will require a gnawing stick and frequent nail clippings. If left unchecked long claws can really affect the health of your guinea pig by picking up dirty material from their cage and digging in to their paws. You can use a fruit tree branch as a gnawing stick or buy an untreated wooden block from a pet store.
For the mental and emotional health of your pet guinea pig consider owning more than two or three. Since they are herd animals, the more guineas that live and play together the more natural of an environment they will be in. Keep in mind that males may try to compete for dominance. Unfixed cavies will most likely lead to a quick multiplying of your herd as well. Gentle handling, plenty of exercise, the proper diet, and a safe, clean habitat will keep your pet guinea pigs healthy and happy for years to come.
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