How much are guinea pigs(and 9 additional associated costs)
Do the tiny faces of guinea pigs always get your attention? Have you been planning to buy or adopt a guinea pig but don’t know how much it will cost? Then we have got the answer for you.
It is general information that keeping any kind of pet requires extra care and attention, especially when the pets are as adorable as guinea pigs.
However, buying or adopting a guinea pig requires you to build a good home and provide a good and healthy environment to the little being.
Guinea pigs are social and curious animals that develop distinctive personalities based on the kind of environment they are provided with.
If you want to provide the best living environment and circumstances to the guinea pigs you should know how much do guinea pigs cost and other essential items so you can determine how much you can invest.
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost?
The estimated cost of buying a single guinea pig is $10 – $40. This is just the initial cost of buying one guinea pig from a breeder or a reputed store.
Keeping a guinea pig requires a few essential instruments and tools, which will certainly add to the overall cost.
Therefore, to answer this essential question, it is generally recommended to keep a margin of slightly more than $50 at best.
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost To Adopt?
There are numerous guinea pigs in shelter homes that are waiting for a loving family to adopt them. Therefore, adopting a guinea pig is a good option if you have been planning to get one.
However, you should know that adopting a guinea pig may be slightly more expensive than buying one.
The adoption fee varies according to the pet store or the breeder you choose. However, to give you an estimated guinea pig price, the average cost to keep in mind is around $25.
The adoption fee paid by each person is used to maintain the shelter home or pet store and to provide necessary facilities to the pets.
Therefore, if you are interested in getting a pet, adopting a guinea pig can be a good option.
Why you Should Consider Buying Two Guinea Pigs?
Guinea pigs are sociable animals and their personality is defined based on the kind of socializing experience they gain when young.
Therefore, remaining in groups or at least with one more of its kind is essential for nurturing a guinea pig.
Guinea pigs thrive in companionship, which is why you should opt for more than a single guinea pig to buy.
If you buy more than one guinea pig, the cost of setting up the whole system can slightly increase, which can be estimated at a minimum of $100.
What is the Starting cost for a guinea pig?
The starting cost of a single guinea pig, as mentioned earlier, is around $10 – $40. But is this all that is required to bring home one of these lovable little creatures?
Well, if you have made up your mind to buy or adopt a guinea pig then it is important to remember that the price range mentioned above is simply the starting price.
Where you buy the guinea pig from, whether you choose to adopt it and the kind of setup you build for the guinea pig are all essential factors that are likely to add to your bill.
Cost of Necessary Items Required for a guinea pig
When we said earlier that keeping or taking care of a guinea pig is easier as compared to other pets, we certainly did not mean you can keep them in a box.
Guinea pigs need a proper environment to grow and thrive in and providing such an environment might add a few digits to your bill.
Here are some additional costs you should consider for the necessary items needed for a guinea pig.
- Bedding – you will need to spend around $3 – $6 on fresh bedding every week (especially during winters).
- Cage/House – depending on where you choose to buy the cage from, the price can range from $25 – $300.
- Food bowl – the price depends on the company or store you choose to purchase it from. It costs around $7-$15 depending on the vendor you choose.
- Fruits, Vegetables and hay – two guinea pigs will cost you around $6 worth fruits and vegetables every week. Combined with hay, the total cost can be around $50 – $75 a month.
- Guinea Pig Food – you can purchase a 5-pound bag for $10 – $15, which will last a month.
- Vitamin C Supplement – this also depends on the kind of supplement you choose after consulting with the vet.
Optional Items Cost for a Guinea Pig
There are some items that you can afford to ignore, however, you can stretch your budget a bit to make your guinea pig feel even more special. Some of these optional items include:
- Chew sticks
- Toys
- Grooming supplies
Another optional item is a guinea pig playpen that is a specially designed cage, which helps the guinea pig feel protected.
A traditional low-cost playpen costs you around $15-$20.
Veterinarian visits cost
Guinea pigs generally do not need frequent veterinary visits, especially if they are kept in the best conditions.
While the cost of consulting a Veterinarian depends on the treatments or practices, it is important that you take your guinea pig for a scheduled checkup.
Serious problems can cause the Veterinarian to do a major procedure which can cost you hundreds of dollars. Talk about keeping a small pet right?
Guinea pigs are social animals and are used to being raised and live in herds. This also makes guinea pigs quite good at hiding their wounds to avoid being perceived as weak. Isn’t that adorable yet intelligent?
Anyways, if you own a guinea pig or even two, it is a suitable practice that you check the physical condition of each guinea pig and keep an eye on their health.
While we’re talking about the veterinary cost of guinea pigs, we must not forget one essential factor, which is the neutering of these chubby animals.
The cost of neutering varies from one place to another, however, the procedure normally costs approximately $60 per guinea pig.
If you are trying to avoid unexpected pregnancies then you only need to get one guinea pig neutered.
What Could be the Total Cost of Keeping a Guinea Pig?
Keeping in mind the details and factors mentioned above, it can be said that buying and keeping a guinea pig is not inexpensive.
Combining all the major and minor costs, you might have to end up spending hundreds of dollars, possibly every month.
But these amazing little animals are definitely worth the money. Therefore, if you have the budget to spend on not one but two guinea pigs, then you should definitely go for it.
Conclusion!
Buying or adopting and then taking care of pets requires proper time and attention.
Pets, as wonderful as guinea pigs, don’t just need a well-built home. They also need the proper time, food, equipment for exercise, suitable temperature and a lot more.
The essential information in this guinea pig buying guide can help you make the right decisions for buying and keeping a guinea pig according to your budget.