Where to Buy a Guinea Pig: Trusted Sources & Top Purchase Locations

Guinea pigs are adorable, easy-to-care-for animals that make great pets for kids and adults alike. As any guinea owner will tell you, these little animals have unique personalities, and despite their small size, they can be wonderful companions. If you want to bring a guinea pig home, it can be confusing to find the right breeder and place to purchase one.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we look at what to look for when purchasing a guinea pig and the best places to buy one. Let’s get started!

What To Know Before Buying A Guinea Pig

First, it’s important to understand that buying a guinea pig is a long-term commitment. While guineas don’t live as long as cats or dogs, they live far longer than other small pets like rats. On average, they can live for 7 years or even longer. Also, guinea pigs are social animals, and they need to have other guineas around them to be happy — a guinea pig alone in a cage will not be happy.

You also need to get a suitable cage, one that is large enough for multiple guinea pigs to have plenty of space. Many cages sold as guinea cages nowadays are far too small for guineas. You’ll need a cage of 8 square feet as a minimum, but the bigger, the better.

Depending on the breed, guinea pigs cost between $10 and $40, and you’ll need to buy at least two. Factoring in the price of the cage and accessories, it can be a fairly substantial initial cost for such a small pet.

Where To Buy A Guinea Pig

When it comes to bringing home a guinea pig, you can either buy one online or from a pet store. Adoption is also an option if you want to give a guinea pig in need a loving home, and it is usually a bit more affordable.

Guinea Pigs Online

There are several places to buy guinea pigs online, but most still require you to go and pick your guinea up yourself.

Petco is one of the most well-known and popular online stores for buying small pets and supplies, although they require in-store pick-up of their guineas. Petco has great reviews from customers, and the staff will give you a detailed care sheet on how to care for your new pet.