Guinea pigs are social animals with specific space and companionship requirements that most conventional small animal cages fail to meet.
Guinea pig welfare suffers from the same systematic underestimation of care requirements that affects rabbit welfare. Cages sold in pet shops are typically inadequate for either space or social needs, and information provided at point of sale often does not communicate the welfare requirements that current science supports. Guinea pigs kept alone are chronically socially deprived; those in undersized cages cannot perform normal locomotion. The welfare solution requires modern guidelines to replace outdated minimum standards: bonded pairs in appropriately sized enclosures with adequate enrichment, hay-based diets supplemented with fresh vegetables providing vitamin C, and regular health monitoring by owners trained to recognize early illness signs in a prey species that masks disease.