Can You Have Just One Guinea Pig: 8 Essential Care Tips

DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS, AT NO COST TO YOU. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Although it is normally new owners that ask if you can have one guinea pig by itself, the question does still get asked by experienced owners. There are various reasons why someone would want only one guinea pig, but can you have just one guinea pig?

The answer – No. You should not keep just one guinea pig by itself. Guinea pigs should be kept in pairs or more because they require social interaction with other guinea pigs, in order for them to live happy and healthy lives.

Is it Okay to Have Just One Guinea Pig?

I have seen some debate on this topic and some people will argue that it is acceptable to have just one guinea pig, but only on the grounds that there is a valid reason. Though generally, guinea pigs should not be kept secluded from other guinea pigs.

In fact, it’s even illegal in some countries, such as Switzerland, to keep just one guinea pig by itself. If you are thinking of getting guinea pigs but not prepared to look after two or more, wait until you can, or perhaps consider another pet.

However, I understand there are some cases where it is unavoidable to have a single guinea pig, so I have put this guide together to help you care for just one guinea pig.

But first, let us take a quick look at the typical reasons for having just one guinea pig:

Bad-tempered

If a guinea pig frequently fights with others to the point of causing injury, it’s probably best to isolate the attacker. Though efforts can be made to stop this behaviour and isolation shouldn’t be a permanent solution.

When we first reintroduced our two piggies, they didn’t take to each other straight away and there was a fair bit of teeth chattering and nudging going on. All we did was supply them with plenty of toys, gave them more time in the large run we set up in the kitchen (not the most hygienic place), and monitored them closely. Now they are the best of pals. 

Health Problems

There are numerous health problems that could force you to isolate a guinea pig, yet most of these conditions are short term and isolation is merely to allow your guinea pig to recover.

It can be quite upsetting to have to do this, but from my own experience I know it was the right thing to do.

The first guinea pig we adopted was completely unable to use his back legs when we got him. We found it necessary to place him in his own smaller cage whilst we treated him, and to give him time to recover.

Don’t worry, he has now regained full use of his legs.

Cage Mate Passes Away

It is deeply sad for an owner when their beloved guinea pig passes away, and guinea pigs will grieve just as much, if not more than their owner.

People commonly have guinea pigs in pairs so it can be especially tough to witness your guinea pig dealing with the loss of their sole cage friend, who they may have been with for years.

You could, of course, adopt a new guinea pig to keep them company. Though if the remaining pig is quite old or you no longer wish to keep guinea pigs in the future, this won’t be a viable option. 

How To Care For Just One Guinea Pig

I want to again emphasize that unless you absolutely cannot get another guinea pig, and that you have a real reason for not doing so, you should always keep guinea pigs in at least pairs.

So, you’ve now come to the hard decision that you can only have the one. What can you do to make sure your guinea pig is as happy as possible?

1. Get Them a Guinea Pig Teddy

This is actually quite an intriguing way to make your guinea pig feel less alone. It’s debatable how much a teddy will convince and soothe a lonely pig, but at the very least it will be a source of entertainment and distraction.

A quick disclaimer here – I haven’t actually tried this myself. I have however read claims from other owners that their guinea pig reacted positively to having a pretend cage mate. There are also videos people have recorded that seem to back this up, such as this one:

Guinea pigs aren’t stupid by any means, so they won’t necessarily be completely convinced by an unmoving, silent guinea pig teddy. However, as you can see by the reaction in the above video, it can certainly go a long way to helping your guinea pig feel just that little bit less lonely.

You can get plush guinea pigs here on Amazon, and there are lots to choose from so you can get the style you think your guinea pig will prefer.

Just remember that as you have to with all soft guinea pig toys and bedding, you will need to wash a teddy regularly to prevent a build-up of bacteria.

2. Talk to your Guinea Pig

I always talk to our guinea pigs. It’s just become something my partner and I do now. We greet them when we get home from work, say goodnight to them, and we even ask how they are doing whenever we pass them.

It might sound odd and make you feel silly, but there is a very good reason why you should talk to your guinea pig often, especially if you have just the one.

Talking to your guinea pig in a calm tone is a great way to make them feel more comfortable with your presence.

If you speak to them often and when you are doing something positive for them, such as cleaning their cage or feeding them, they will start to relate your voice with things it likes.

This is a great way to bond with your guinea pig and will make it so that your presence is something your guinea pig appreciates, and in turn, will make them feel a little less lonely.

3. Handle Your Guinea Pig Often

This tip goes hand-in-hand (sorry about the pun) with the previous one. Handling your guinea pig often will create a bond with them over time.

Guinea pigs are deeply social creatures, so if you are taking care of just one guinea pig, making this bond is absolutely vital for their health and wellbeing.

If your guinea pig isn’t used to being handled, it will take time and regular sessions before they will get used to it and start to enjoy it.

You can make this handling session one of your guinea pigs favourite activities over time. You can do this by talking to them in that same calm tone they are used to, but an even more effective way is to:

4. Feed Them Their Favourite Food

If you’ve had your guinea pig for a while, you will probably already know what their favourite food is. You can easily find this out by giving them a selection of fruits and vegetable and taking note of what they seem to go for first. If they always tend to go for a certain food at feeding time, you’ve likely found their favourite.

I just asked my partner as I write this what she thought our guinea pigs favourite food is, and we both agreed on what they are. One of them goes mad for red peppers, whilst the other is definitely carrots. We can tell by how they ignore every other vegetable until they have finished off their favourites.

We always try to have their favourite foods ready for them whenever we get them out to handle them, or if we need to bath them. This makes it so they associate these activities with enjoyment and pleasure.

Doing this will help you bond with your guinea pig, developing trust and friendship in the process, and will help your guinea pig stay happy.

Take care not to overfeed your guinea pig their favourite food though, as they need a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables and hay.

5. Get An Outside Run

An outside run is a great way to keep your guinea pig happy, as they love to be outside. They will appreciate the space to run around, different smells and plenty of grass to nibble on.

I would recommend that you stay outside with them to ensure they’re safe. So if you have any gardening to do, or if you want to read a book in the sun, take your guinea pig with you. They will love you for it!

6. Provide Toys and Distractions

Guinea pigs will get bored and depressed easily if their environment is unchanging and lacking things to explore. This is especially true if you have just one guinea pig on its own, as they won’t have a friend to keep them socially engaged.

You can combat this by providing plenty of toys to keep your curious guinea pig busy. You should also make sure to regularly swap out and mix up their toys so they always have something new to explore.

Tunnels are something that seems to go down really well with our boys. Anything they can nibble on is also a good idea.

Something we’ve had great reactions from is a treat ball. This is a ball you fill up with small treats and your guinea pig has to roll it around so the food drops out of the hole. This toy is great for both boredom busting and exercise.

To avoid cramping up their cage with toys, you should also:

7. Give Them Plenty of Cage Space

Even if you have just the one guinea pig, you still need to provide them with plenty of living space. Cramped living conditions can dramatically affect a guinea pigs mental and physical health, so the more space you can provide, the better.

As a minimum, you should provide a cage space of no less than 120cm x 60cm or an area of 7200 cm², which is roughly 7.7 square feet.

A bigger cage allows you to add more toys, gives your guinea pig more room to exercise, and helps prevent the build-up bacteria from faeces and urine. All of this goes a long way to the overall happiness of your guinea pig.

8. Have A Routine

Guinea pigs are creatures of habit and are not a fan of big change. If you only have one guinea pig then it is especially important to set steady routine, as their only interaction is with you; the owner.

Here are some things you should consider making part of a consistent routine:

• Spot clean their cage at roughly the same time each day.
• Take them out of the cage for floor/play time at the same time. The evening is usually the best time for this. Guinea pigs are most active early morning and in the evening, and you’ll likely be home from work to monitor them.
• Do a full cage clean on the same day/days of the week.
• Feed them at the same time every day. Provide guinea pig pellets in the morning, then hay and vegetables in the evening.
• Set a grooming routine. How often depends largely on their breed. Longhaired guinea pigs will require weekly or even daily grooming, whilst shorthaired guinea pigs can be groomed monthly.

Setting a routine may seem small, but your guinea pig will be thankful for it as it will reduce their stress levels.

Monitor Your Guinea Pigs Health

If you absolutely have no choice but to keep one guinea pig on its own, you need to monitor their health with vigilance. The isolation and loneliness they will experience alone will impact them greatly and without a pal to play with, they may put on weight due to inactivity.

Below I will detail things you should look out for:

Weight Loss/Gain, Depression and Stress

You should routinely weigh your guinea pig every week and monitor their behaviour. A healthy and happy guinea pig will maintain their weight and be active, so be on alert for fluctuations.

What you should watch out for:

• Weight Loss – If your guinea pig is losing too much weight, it could be a sign that they are stressed or depressed. An unhappy guinea pig will not show much or any interest in food.
• Weight Gain – On the other side of the same coin, a guinea pig that is putting on weight could also be a sign of depression or stress. They are likely still eating but because they have become sedentary, they are not burning off what they eat.
• Fidgeting – This is not particularly easy to spot, but can be another sign of stress. The easiest way to spot this is by looking out for any rapid head movement.
• Listless – A happy guinea pig will be running around, making “wheek” noises, playing with toys and eating. If you notice your guinea pig stops doing one or more of these and seems to be inactive, it’s a strong sign that they are depressed.

If you notice any of these signs, consult with a guinea pig specialized veterinarian immediately.

Quick Tip – Set up a webcam or other recording device overlooking your guinea pig so you can monitor their behaviour when you are not there.

Conclusion

Having just one guinea pig is going to require you take extra steps to keep them happy and you will need to monitor their health diligently. If you find yourself in a position where you can only have just one guinea pig, you’re going to have a lot of work to do.

Now over to you. Have you had to take care of one guinea pig and what did you do to keep them happy and healthy? Let me know in the comments.