How Much Are Guinea Pigs?
Guinea pigs are one of adorable and popular creatures that you can keep as a pet. However, before bringing a guinea pig home, it is best to try and determine how much you will need to buy, house, and care for them.
Guinea pigs are not expensive pets to buy, but this does not mean they are cheap in the long run. You can buy a common guinea pig for around $10-$50, while rare morphs can cost up to $200.
Guinea pigs are social creatures, and you will need to house them in groups, which can also double their cost.
However, you will also need to consider the cost of a cage, food, bedding, and several costs which can add up quickly.
This is why we come up with this article to show you everything you need to know about how much guinea pigs cost and what you can budget as a first-time owner.
How Much Are Guinea Pigs?
The cost for buying a guinea pig is usually $10-$40 from an animal shelter, while it can cost around $25-$50 from a breeder. You can even adopt a guinea pig for free if you are helping an owner rehome a guinea pig.
However, some rare guinea pigs, like skinny guinea pigs, cost $100-$200.
Note: guinea pigs are social animals, and you will need to keep at least two piggies to make them happy and healthy. This can then double the cost of buying guinea pigs.
Guinea Pig Price on Each Breed
| Guinea Pig Breeds | Cost |
| American | $10 to $40 |
| White-Crested | $10 to $20 |
| Abyssinian | $15 to $75 |
| Peruvian | $20 to $30 |
| Silkie | $20 to $30 |
| Coronet | $25 to $30 |
| Lunkarya | $40-$60 |
| Texel | $20 to $50 |
| Merino | $30 to $70 |
| Teddy | $10 to $30 |
| Sheba | $60 to $90 |
| Baldwin | $50-$100 |
| Skinny | $100 and $200 |
Guinea pigs are not expensive pets, as you can spend around $10-$40 for a healthy guinea pig. Guinea pigs are usually low priced when you opt for a common breed.
This is because you can find common breeds at pet shelters, online, and from breeders.
However, guinea pigs can be quite costly if you want a rare guinea pig-like Abyssinian and skinny guinea pigs. This is because you may only find them from breeders and can increase the price.
Where Can You Buy a Guinea Pig?
Guinea pigs are adorable and popular pets, so they are available in several places. Some of the places where you can get a guinea pig are stated below.
Guinea Pigs Online
You can buy guinea pigs online from various sources. However, most sources you can buy online require that you go and pick the guinea pigs yourself.
Some of the popular stores where you can buy guinea pigs online are Petco, Savvy Pets, Petsmart, etc.
Guinea Pigs From Retail Stores
Apart from online, you can also buy guinea pigs from retail stores. The only drawback with buying from retail stores is that not all stores know where the guinea pig came from.
This means you cannot determine the personality of your guinea pig, health record, and so on.
Furthermore, guinea pigs found in pet stores may have been moved a lot of times which could have caused them stress and led to health issues.
Breeders
A great place where you can buy guinea pigs is right from the breeders. Most breeders take good care of their pets, and you will also get the chance to ask questions before you choose your pet.
Another thing is that you can easily determine the living condition of the guinea pigs that you choose.
Guinea Pig Adoption
A suitable way to get a guinea pig if you are a novice cavy owner is to adopt a guinea pig in need of a loving home. There are several people that are looking to rehome their guinea pigs due to several reasons.
All you have to do is use online resources like Petfinder to find suitable guinea pig owners looking to rehome their pets near you.
Factors that Affect Guinea Pig Cost
Several factors affect the cost of a guinea pig; some of them are stated below.
- Breed
- Location
- Health
Breed
The cost of guinea pigs varies from one breed to another. This means you will have to pay less if you opt for common breeds as they are always available. However, it will cost more to buy rare breeds as you can only get them from a reputable breeder.
Location
The area you want to buy your guinea pig from will determine how much you will pay for you. For instance, the cost of buying a guinea pig in pet stores close to you will be cheaper than buying from a distant location.
This is because you will need to add other costs like the cost of transportation when buying from a far location.
Health
A healthy guinea pig will cost more than an unhealthy guinea pig. This is because a seller will try to entice buyers with low prices when selling an unhealthy guinea pig.
It is best that you inspect a guinea pig thoroughly and ask questions before you opt to buy it.
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost To Take Care Of?
Before you decide to buy a guinea pig, it is best to estimate the cost of a guinea pig and the additional cost you will need to keep it happy. Some of the costs for caring for your guinea pigs are stated below.
Cage Guinea Pig Cost
The first thing that you will need to keep your guinea pig healthy is an appropriate size hutch. The best cage for guinea pigs should be at least 30×36 inches or bigger.
However, when keeping a pair of guinea pigs, you will need a cage around 30×50 inches in size.
You can get a standard guinea pig’s cage for about $80-$100 based on the size you want.
Guinea Habitat Guinea Pig Cage by Midwest
Cost of Accessories and Bedding for Guinea Pigs
Another thing that you should consider is the cost of accessories and bedding that you will add to the cage. Some of the accessories that you can add to a guinea pig’s cage are food dishes, shelters, water dispensers, toys, etc.
You can save money by buying a guinea pig starter package, and this can cost about $200.
Bedding is also important for your guinea pigs to keep them happy and healthy. There are several options when it comes to buying bedding for your guinea pig. The price of suitable bedding for your guinea pig will cost between $7-$50 per bag.
GuineaDad Liner | Guinea Pig Fleece Cage Liners | Guinea Pig Bedding
Food Guinea Pig Cost
Buying high-quality food for your guinea pig is very important for their health. The four components of a guinea pig’s diet are grass hay, vitamin c supplement, pellet food, and fresh fruit and vegetables.
The largest component of the guinea pig’s diet is grass hay. A common hay used by most owners is Timothy hay, usually around $7 per 32-ounce bag. You can buy a 5-pound bag of quality pellet food suitable for your guinea pigs for around $15.
Apart from pellet and hay, you will also need to provide fresh food for your guinea pig. This will cost you around $10 per week to buy fruits, lettuce, and vegetables based on the season and how available they are.
If the food you give your guinea pigs does not have it. C then you may need to provide it in their diet. A bottle of vitamin C can cost you around $5-$10.
However, you can avoid buying Vit C if you provide good pellet food, fruit, and vegetables with the necessary Vitamin C.
Oxbow Essentials Guinea Pig Food
Grooming and Nail Clipping Cost
Guinea pigs require a lot of grooming because their fur can get tangled and matted. You will need a brush and a bottle of shampoo to groom your guinea pigs, and they will cost you around $5 each.
Another thing is that guinea pig’s nails usually grow quickly and can make handling them unpleasant. This means you will need a quality set of nail clippers to cut their nails. You can buy a simple nail clipper for around $10.
Ware Manufacturing Small Animal Grooming Kit
How Much Money Is A Guinea Pig Neutering?
It is recommended that you neuter your guinea pig when you plan to house a male and female together. This will help to ensure your guinea pigs do not breed. You will need to budget about $60 for neutering a guinea pig.
How Much Does a Guinea Pig Cost to See A Vet?
Before bringing a guinea pig home, you will also need to have a vet care budget if your cavy gets sick. It is recommended to take your pet to a vet that specializes in exotic pets as most small animal vets cannot help out.
However, an exotic vet is not usually cheap, and you will need around $50-$100 just for them to examine your guinea pigs. Many owners recommend taking your guinea pig to the vet for a check-up at least once a year.
A vet visit can go up to around $200-$1000 if your guinea pig needs surgery, is infected by a parasite, dental, and so on.
How Much Does a Guinea Pig Cost With All The Supplies
| Guinea Pig | Cost | Type Of Cost |
| Breed | $20-$200 | One-time |
| Cage | $200 | One-time |
| Accessories | $200 | One-time |
| Food | $50-$75 | Monthly |
| Bedding | $7-$50 | Monthly |
| Grooming And Nail Clipping | $25 | One-time |
| Neutering | $60 | One-time |
| Vet Visits | $50-$100 | Annual |
In Summary
Guinea pigs are gentle and affectionate creatures to keep as a pet if treated properly. Although adopting a guinea pig is quite cheap, the cost of setting up their enclosure, food, accessories, bedding, vet bills, and so on can easily add up.
However, owning guinea pigs will cost as little as $200 a year if you have bought the one-time expenses needed by your guinea pigs.
