Guinea pigs are popular pets with complex social and behavioral needs that are frequently misunderstood, leading to preventable suffering in millions of kept animals.
The pet trade regularly sells guinea pigs with inadequate housing, inappropriate diets, and without companions. Single housing causes chronic psychological distress in these obligate social animals. Vitamin C deficiency from vegetable-poor diets causes painful scurvy. Undersized cages prevent natural behaviors including running, exploring, and social interaction. Welfare improvements require consumer education, better retail standards, and adoption of pair or group housing as the default.