Handling

Guinea pigs need to be handled calmly and with care to prevent distress and injury to the animal and the handler. Well-designed refuges such as tubes or pipes assist in catching. If guinea pigs hide in these, they can easily be caught without struggling. Guinea pigs sometimes freeze when being transported and provision should be made for somewhere for them to hide. They will recover well if left undisturbed for approximately one hour. Unlike mice and rats, they usually do not chew through transport containers. Ensure good ventilation, no overcrowding, and a small amount of hay to help protect the animal in the transport box. Any handler, whether teacher or student, must maintain a high level of hygiene both before and after handling animals. Hands should be washed with warm soapy water.