Guinea Pig Lifespan: How Long Do Guinea Pigs Live?

Guinea pigs are among the most beloved pets in the entire world. They’re curious, gentle, cuddly, and comical animals that need frequent social interaction and care. While their lifespan isn’t as long as a cat’s or a dog’s, they’re generally quite hardy and resistant to disease. But how long do guinea pigs live? Many factors influence a guinea pig’s longevity, including breeding, diet, housing, and healthcare. However, some factors that can affect their lifespan are beyond anyone’s control. This article will cover what you need to know about how to maximize your pet’s lifespan, so you can enjoy its company for many years to come. Continue reading to discover how long guinea pigs live.

The Lifespan of a Guinea Pig

The modern domesticated guinea pig has a typical lifespan of five to eight years. If it avoids complications from age-related diseases, a guinea pig can live a few years longer, though there is a natural limit to its lifespan. Based on the evidence of the longest-living guinea pig, the natural limit is around 14 years.

From the time it reaches adulthood at around six months of age, your guinea pig will be in the prime of its life. However, with any animal, it will eventually begin to show signs of aging. By the age of four or five, its energy level will start to decline dramatically. You may notice your guinea pig becoming less likely to engage in exercise and play. The fur will start to turn gray or white, especially around the nose and mouth. Its toes will curl up, starting with the outside toe and progressing toward the innermost, largest toe. The toes may eventually appear thick and twisted.

As your guinea pig ages, it becomes more prone to all kinds of age-related ailments. These can include cataracts, arthritis, heart disease, strokes, cancer, and even dementia, all of which can start to affect its behavior.

The Guinea Pig That Set the Record

The Guinness World Record for the oldest known caged guinea pig belongs to an animal named Snowball from Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom. He died on February 14th, 1979, at the age of 14 years and 10.5 months.

Other guinea pigs have come close to this record, including a guinea pig named Bear that was supposedly 13 years old as of 2019. Yet, no guinea pig has managed to exceed it. This is made more complicated by the difficulty of actually confirming a guinea pig’s age, of course. Its birth must be documented in order to qualify for the record.

What Affects the Lifespan of Your Guinea Pig?

One of the biggest factors contributing to the health and general well-being of your guinea pig is genetics. The breed of guinea pig you choose plays a significant role in its lifespan. Peruvians and Silkies are thought to live the longest, while hairless breeds like the Baldwin and the Skinny Pig tend to have shorter lifespans.

As with any other animal, including humans, many health conditions — or at least an increased risk of certain conditions — can be passed down from parent to offspring. This is where breeders play an important role in your pet’s health. Reputable breeders select only the healthiest animals and avoid breeding guinea pigs with serious inheritable health problems. They also conduct frequent tests to ensure their guinea pigs are healthy and disease-free.

However, breeding is only part of the equation. Once you’ve acquired a guinea pig, its diet and general care also play a significant role in its health and longevity. Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, a guinea pig may not live as long as you hope. Its life could be cut short by a hidden genetic risk or an unforeseen illness. However, barring these unforeseen factors, owners can exercise a lot of control over their pet’s health.

Tips for Improving Your Guinea Pig’s Lifespan

Here are a few of the things you can do to ensure that your guinea pig remains healthy.

Diet

All guinea pigs need a well-balanced diet consisting of pellets, hay, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Owners should provide unlimited water and hay, preferably timothy hay. Each day, this should be supplemented with 1/8 cup of pellets that are fortified with vitamin C and fiber. Guinea pigs also need about a cup of fresh produce per day and a few slices of seedless fruit once or twice a week. Avoid feeding grains, cereals, seeds, nuts, dairy products, and overly sweet foods with empty calories. Guinea pigs are herbivores, so they do not eat meat.

Housing

In order to prevent sickness, owners need to frequently clean out the guinea pig’s bedding, remove uneaten food every day, and keep the food separate from the waste. The room temperature should be maintained at 65 to 79 degrees without any drafts.

Exercise

Exercise is good for the mental and physical well-being of your guinea pig. They need an appropriately sized cage to run around in, along with daily playtime to ensure they get enough exercise. Exercise wheels and balls are not recommended, as they may cause injury to guinea pigs.

Veterinary Care

Your guinea pig should receive a routine checkup with the vet at least once a year. If your guinea pig begins to experience signs of illness or distress, then you should contact the vet as soon as possible. Pet insurance can help protect against unexpected veterinary bills, but it may not be suitable for everyone.

Common Guinea Pig Health Problems

Young guinea pigs with undeveloped immune systems are particularly prone to respiratory or urinary tract infections. However, even adults can be at risk. Psychological stress, poor nutrition, inadequate ventilation, and overcrowded habitats could all potentially contribute to an infection.

Gastrointestinal problems are also common in guinea pigs, as their carbohydrate-heavy diet requires extra effort to digest properly. If your guinea pig has trouble absorbing nutrients or passes food quickly through its system, it could be a sign of a more serious digestive problem, such as inflammation, bacterial infections, or parasites. Symptoms can include weakness, diarrhea, and unexpected weight loss or changes in appetite.

Another related problem is nutrient deficiency. Like humans, guinea pigs are unable to manufacture their own vitamin C and must obtain all of it from their diet. So, they are also prone to scurvy. The symptoms of this disease include rough hair, diarrhea, swollen joints, lethargy, and ulcers or hemorrhaging of the gums. Fortunately, if you’re feeding the guinea pig a well-balanced diet, then this shouldn’t be a concern.

In addition to these specific issues, owners should watch for general signs of illness or disease, such as lethargy, depression, unsocial behavior, difficulty breathing, skin sores, ear discharge or irritation, excessive sleeping, and pain or swelling. If you notice any of these symptoms, talk with your vet immediately to ensure your guinea pig gets the care they need for a long, happy life.