N
Glam Monitor

Can you tell how old a guinea pig is?

Author

David Perry

Updated on July 06, 2026

With proper care, guinea pigs can live to be 5 to 7 years old. Young pigs are usually sold in pet stores, but their ages are not usually documented. While there are no ways to determine an exact age of a guinea pig short of a medical exam, a few factors that come into play can give you a rough idea.

How do you know how old my guinea pig is?

1 Year to 5 Years

For instance, a guinea pig's teeth will become duller as they age. The duller the teeth are, the closer they likely are to 5 years of age. The teeth of a guinea pig nearing their senior years may start to chip or break. Also, their nails will get more yellow and brittle with every passing year.

How old are guinea pigs in pet shops?

Adult Guinea Pig

We receive Guinea pigs into our stores no younger than 8 weeks old, generally when they are sold they are between 8-10 weeks.

How old is my guinea pig years?

1-month-old guinea pig is 4 years old in human years. 6-month-old guinea pig is 26 years old in human years. 1-year-old guinea pig is 50 years old in human years. 5-year-old guinea pig is 90 years old in human years.

Is 5 years old for a guinea pig?

The average life span of a guinea pig is 5 to 7 years, give or take. Guinea pigs will start to develop these old-age related challenges in the later years of its life, and older guinea pigs don't recover from illness as quickly as young guinea pigs.

41 related questions found

How old is 4 in guinea pig years?

4 years = 40 years old. 5 years = 50 years old. 6 years = 60 years old. 7 years = 80 years old.

Do guinea pigs go GREY with age?

Aging guinea pigs may develop some of the same ailments or characteristics as aging humans. These include cataracts, stroke, heart attacks, arthritis, dementia and graying (guinea pigs may develop gray fur around the nose and mouth).

How big will my guinea pig get?

In fact, your cavies will continue to grow until they are about 14 months old, by which time they will have reached around 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) long. At this point they are considered to be fully grown, and will not get any bigger. A fully grown guinea pig can be up to 30 cm long.

What do guinea pigs do when happy?

A good appetite and enthusiasm for food. Plenty of activity (not at all lethargic) “Popcorning” (when a guinea pig leaps into the air with happiness) Lots of communication in the form of their various vocalizations, including “wheeking” and other squeaks, whistles, and purring sounds.

What does a guinea pigs vision look like?

Guinea Pig's Eyes

Guinea pigs have yet another advantage -- they can see 33 images per second. Compared to human vision, which is 22 images per second, this feature prevents blurred vision when a guinea pig turns his head. Guinea pigs can also see color, which allows them to differentiate from red, green and blue.

What color should guinea pig pee be?

Guinea pig urine is normally thick, cloudy and white in color due to the presence of calcium carbonate and ammonium phosphate crystals.

What do 3 week old guinea pigs eat?

Your baby guinea pigs will start to nibble solid food from only a few days old. You can start introducing them to timothy and oaten hay, pellets, as well as small amounts of green vegetables and water in a shallow dish from when they are born, but this does not mean they are ready to be weaned.

Do guinea pigs like to be held?

Most guinea pigs like to be held when they trust the person who's doing the holding and the environment that they're being held in. There are guinea pigs that will seek out their owners to be picked up. But, some guinea pigs prefer to not be held, even if they have bonded with you.

How many pounds do guinea pigs weigh?

An average guinea pig is 1.5-2.6 pounds. Your guinea pig's weight depends mostly on maturity.

Which guinea pig gets the biggest?

The Rex is by far the largest breed of all the guinea pigs out there, measuring in at a rather impressive 43 cm or 17 inches long as an adult. Keeping in mind that the average breed is between 10 and 12 inches, this means the Rex is almost one and a half times bigger than other guinea pig breeds.

What is the heaviest guinea pig?

According to the study, the researchers determined the large guinea pig fossil's weight came in at 1,500 pounds and the estimation for its body size was approximately nine feet long. That made the guinea pig about the size of a cow or buffalo.

Do guinea pigs get white hair?

Some piggies discolour as adults. Dark ones can go lighter, light ones can go darker or duller; ginger piggies can go dun. Black or white hairs can appear. It doesn't happen to every piggy, but generally their colours tend to fade somewhat with age.

Why does my guinea pig's hair stand up?

One of the many behaviors guinea pigs will display out of territoriality or dominance is puffing up their coats, so if your piggies are puffing up during mealtimes, it could be that they are trying to show each other up!

What is a lilac guinea pig?

Lilac Guinea Pig

Lilac is one of the more unique colors you may notice. While the color may look gray at first, you can see streaks of violet or purple on closer inspection. Lilac guinea pig. Of course, white is also a tone you will commonly see on your guinea pig.

What are the signs of a guinea pig dying?

  • Lack of Appetite. Guinea pigs that are very ill will refuse to eat, and may show signs of weight loss if the appetite loss has persisted for some time. ...
  • Bad Urine and Feces. ...
  • Fever. ...
  • Respiratory Problems. ...
  • Eye Condition. ...
  • Poor Coat Condition. ...
  • Mobility Issues. ...
  • Lethargy.

Is 6 years old for a guinea pig?

The average lifespan for a guinea pig is about five to seven years. Many vets consider four-year-old guinea pigs approaching their golden years, but there is no hard and fast rule.

Why is my guinea pig shaking his head?

Please have your little one checked if the head shaking is repeated and also happens outside the popcorning. It could be a sign of a build-up of wax, ear mites or ear infection.

Can I touch newborn guinea pigs?

They will be feeling a bit tender and very protective of their babies after the birth, so it's best to leave them alone for a month afterwards too. Baby guinea pigs should not be held at all for at least one week after birth, and must always be handled very gently.

What age can baby guinea pigs leave their mother?

Although they should still stay with the mother until they are around 4-5 weeks old to avoid distress at being separated too young. But no later than this, (especially for boars). They can then be considered for their new homes when they are ideally around 6 weeks old.