Adopt a guinea pig from the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center today

If you're thinking of adding a pet to your family but don't want the responsibility of a cat or dog, consider adopting a guinea pig. The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center has six adorable and friendly guinea pigs ready for adoption.

For families considering a pet for the first time, guinea pigs are a great option. They have their own personalities, enjoy a long lifespan, and are extremely vocal. They are entertaining and fun.

Seven reasons why guinea pigs make great pets:

1. Guinea pigs are hardy. They are typically healthy animals as long as they are cared for and fed appropriately. Just like other pets, they are susceptible to diseases such as dental problems and bladder stones; however, with the right diet and routine checkups, these conditions could be avoided.

2. Guinea pigs are easy to care for. They require hay, fresh water, vegetables and a small amount of pelleted food formulated for guinea pigs and a vitamin C supplement each day. They also need a fairly large cage lined with paper-based bedding. Daily spot cleaning and weekly thorough cleaning are required for the cage. Add some daily attention, and they are good to go. Keep in mind males and females should be separated as soon as they are a month old; otherwise, you could end up with extra guinea pigs.

3. Guinea pigs are great pets for children. Not as fragile as rabbits and generally less skittish than smaller rodents like hamsters and gerbils, guinea pigs are wonderful pets for elementary-school-age kids and older. But remember, younger children should always be supervised around guinea pigs, just as with any other pet. 

4. Guinea pigs live long lives. While most hamsters, gerbils and rats only live two to three years on average, most guinea pigs live five to seven years and some even live into their teens.

5. Guinea pigs are unique. Many people don't realize that guinea pigs have tons of personality. Some are shy while others are bold and dominant. Just because two guinea pigs look the same doesn't mean they'll act the same. Before selecting a guinea pig, be sure to interact with it to ensure its personality meets your expectations.

6. Guinea pigs purr. Like cats, guinea pigs make a quiet yet audible vibrating sound when they are happy. In addition to purring, guinea pigs make a number of other sounds including "wheeking" (squealing), "rumbling" (a sound made by a male courting a female), and teeth chattering (when they are angry or aggressive).

7. Guinea pigs like to pop. "Popcorning" is a unique behavior more commonly seen in young guinea pigs when they are happy or excited: They repeatedly jump up straight into the air. Some guinea pigs run forward and backward quickly, while others alternately kick out their front and back legs. Many pigs also squeal simultaneously. Popcorning is unique to guinea pigs and is a fun behavior to watch.

An important thing to know is that guinea pigs are from cool climates and don't do well in hot, humid conditions. Keeping them inside lessens the likelihood that they'll overheat or dehydrate.

The adoption fee for approved applicants is $20.

Check out our available guinea pigs here or visit our guinea pigs today at 28095 Hillcrest.