How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live? Average Lifespan and How To Keep Your Guinea Pig Healthy

Guinea pigs continue to grow in popularity as family pets, even though we’ve enjoyed their companionship as early as the 1800s.

Before you consider adding a guinea pig as a new family member, it’s essential to consider how their needs will work with your lifestyle. An important question you may have asked yourself is, “How long do guinea pigs live?”

Hairless guinea pigs can live on average seven to eight years. Long-haired guinea pigs live an average of four years.

The guinea pig’s lifespan can be impacted by genetics, diet, environment, and overall care.

Female guinea pigs can have a shorter lifespan if they are part of a breeding pair, so housing only females together can benefit their long-term health.

Unfortunately, diseases and poor care can cause guinea pigs to live a shorter-than-average life. However, some may live longer than the expected average, up to 14 years!

Guinea Pig Life Stages

Newborn (1 Month)

The first stage of a guinea pig’s life is one of the most vital times to help set them up for a healthy life.

Ideally, guinea pigs should stay with their mother for at least the first three weeks of life, but you may see them being sold as young as two weeks old.

Adolescent (1 to 6 Months)

During adolescence, guinea pigs will grow and their immune systems will continue to develop.

They will need more nutrition during this stage to provide them with energy to keep their bodies healthy. During this time, Vitamin C supplements approved by your veterinarian can be added to their diet. 

Adult (6 Months to 4 Years)

Typically, your guinea pig will reach full size when they are about six months old and enter adulthood.

They will not require as many calories as they did in their youth, so some guinea pigs may begin to struggle with obesity during adulthood if they lack exercise and are fed a poor diet.

Even if your guinea pig is happy and healthy, they still require a wellness check-up at least every year, like dogs and cats.

Senior (4 Years and Up)

At about 4 years of age, your guinea pig will enter the “senior stage” of life. Senior guinea pigs should be fed a senior-specific commercialized diet to ensure they have all the needed nutrients to keep their body healthy.

Wellness check-ups with your veterinarian should be more frequent to help prevent and identify diseases early. 

How To Keep Your Guinea Pig Healthy

While there are many factors that influence your guinea pig's health, poor husbandry is the most common cause of illness. It's important to provide a diet of unlimited grass hay, vegetables, and a small number of pellets.

A few things to prioritize for your pig include:

• Vitamin c supplementation is imperative because just like people, guinea pigs can't make their own.

• Supply them with appropriate housing with bedding that is cleaned daily. This is very important, along with fresh water.

• Daily enrichment, exercise, and mental stimulation for your guinea pig is also crucial to their overall health and well-being.

• Even if your guinea pig appears to be healthy, scheduling a wellness check with their veterinarian at least once a year is essential. This is to detect potential underlying diseases early, emphasizing the importance of preventive care in maintaining their health. 

Clean Their Cage Regularly

Cage maintenance and cleanliness are crucial to keeping your guinea pig healthy.

• Daily cleaning and maintenance can make it easier for pet parents to use litter boxes to train their guinea pigs to help keep waste in one area.

• Keeping all food and water off the ground can help prevent food items from being contaminated with bacteria that could harm your guinea pig.

• Their cage should be well-ventilated and include hideaways to help your guinea pig feel more comfortable.

Do not use wire-based cages, as they have been known to cause bumblefoot, an infection of a guinea pig's foot pad, which is usually a result of inappropriate habitat conditions.

Thick bedding at least an inch deep (such as a sponge-based, non-toxic children's play mat), covered with washable fleece liners, is best to keep your guinea pig’s feet from becoming inflamed and damaged.

Feed Them a Balanced Diet

Poor nutrition can place your guinea pigs at greater risk for developing illnesses and it may also cause disease.

• A high-quality commercialized diet will help ensure that it gets all the nutrients they need.

• A vitamin C deficiency is unfortunately common in guinea pigs, so a supplement should be added to their diet, under your veterinarian’s guidance.

• Clean, dry hay should also always be accessible to your guinea pig.

• Fresh vegetables and leafy greens such as mustard greens, kale, and romaine lettuce are all good sources of nutrition. Foods like iceberg lettuce have little nutritional value and should be avoided.

• Fruits—such as a whole strawberry—can be fed to your guinea pig occasionally as a treat. However, be mindful of the high amount of sugar in fruit.

• Clean, fresh water should always be accessible. Water bottles attached to the side of your guinea pigs cage can help keep the cage clean and prevent wasted water.

Keep Them Well-Groomed

Like a dog or cat, guinea pigs often need to have their nails trimmed, about every month, to help prevent orthopedic problems and infections.

• Nail trimmers for a pocket pet work best for a guinea pig's tiny nails.

• Regular brushing and grooming of your guinea pig is also required if your guinea pig has hair). Long-haired guinea pigs may need to be brushed multiple times a week, while a short-haired guinea pig may need to be brushed once or twice a week.

They may need a bath or a sanitary shave if their hair becomes soiled with feces or urine.

If your guinea pig struggles to keep their genitals clean from urine and feces, it’s essential to have them promptly evaluated by their veterinarian, as it is often a sign of an underlying illness.

Provide Enrichment and Exercise

Exercise and enrichment are a vital part of daily life for your guinea pig.

Since they have continuously growing teeth, enrichment can play a critical role in keeping them at a healthy length!

Guinea pigs should have a variety of toys to chew on and play with, which will help prevent obesity as well as behavioral issues that may be seen with a lack of mental stimulation.

If your guinea pig lacks an appetite, loses interest in chewing on toys, has redness or cuts in the mouth or gums, or has teeth that appear to be too long, have them seen by your veterinarian. 

Ways To Help Your Guinea Pig Live Longer

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to extend your guinea pig’s lifespan.

However, healthier guinea pigs tend to live longer, so the best way to help them live a long life is through daily maintenance and care.

Guinea pigs are considered a prey species, so they are very good at hiding when sick.

Yearly wellness check-ups with your veterinarian can help identify diseases early, giving them a better chance for a positive outcome, and possibly a longer life.