Guinea pig sitting: what to arrange before your holiday

Before your holiday, find someone who can follow your guinea pigs’ usual care routine. Do more than leave food ready: discuss their enclosure, cleaning, handling and what the sitter should do if anything changes. A clear handover helps maintain their daily routine.

Guinea pigs are social animals and need the company of other guinea pigs. Their diet also needs attention: they cannot make their own vitamin C. This is explained by LICG in its guinea pig care sheet. Ask the sitter to follow the existing care routine and not change the feeding plan on their own initiative.

Introduce the group

Show how to recognise each guinea pig and explain what is normal for that animal. Who comes straight to the food? Who prefers to watch from a hiding place first? Are there arrangements for separate feeding or additional care?

Describe the group as it currently lives together. The sitter should not introduce new guinea pigs or change the group without an agreed plan. Discuss any exceptions already agreed with a specialist.

Explain the daily care

Show the sitter your usual care routine during a meet and greet. Show where you keep hay, drinking water and their usual guinea pig food. Write down the fresh foods your guinea pigs are used to and how much you give them.

Do you use a supplement on professional advice, or does an animal need medication? Pass on the existing written instructions and check that the sitter can provide this care. This guide gives no dosages; follow the arrangements made with your vet.

Also show how you clean wet or dirty areas, where fresh materials are kept and how supplies are topped up. Plan the tasks to leave time to observe the animals as well as feed them.

Check the enclosure together

Point out hiding places, water sources and feeding areas. Show how the doors and any run close, and where cleaning products are stored safely. Do not move the enclosure or animals simply for convenience during the sitting period.

Discuss the temperature and shelter where your guinea pigs normally live. Explain the measures you have prepared for hot or cold weather and who to call if conditions change.

Long-haired guinea pigs may need different care arrangements from smooth-coated animals. Demonstrate your guinea pig’s usual grooming routine and check that the sitter can follow it. LICG describes the differences between coat types and the care they require.

Make updates useful

Ask for updates on each guinea pig as well as photos. Agree that the sitter will check each animal's usual eating and behaviour. Ask them to report changes promptly, even if they are unsure whether something matters.

If a guinea pig is not eating or is eating noticeably less than usual, contact the vet immediately. LICG advises against waiting long. Leave your practice's phone number and an available alternative, and agree transport arrangements. A sitter should not devise treatment from an internet article.

Holiday checklist

Combine these points with the general pet sitter checklist. You can also record keys, house arrangements and contact details there.

Find a sitter with guinea pig experience

State in your request that you have guinea pigs, how many animals there are and what care they need. Ask about specific experience. A sitter who cares for other small pets does not automatically have experience with guinea pigs.

Sources and further reading

• LICG: guinea pig — group living, feeding, care and health signs.
• LICG: holidays when your pet stays at home — preparation and written arrangements.