Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are a wonderful little addition to any homestead, whether it’s large or small. For some, guinea pigs are healthy and economical source of protein, being substituted for the rare Cuy.

 

For others, they are a great way to produce compost and make use of all the biomass that is produced in the yard. If the grass is going to be cut and left, why not allow guinea pigs to enjoy it and produce a little extra manure for composting? This added compost could help to build an entirely new vegetable bed the following year. They are also capable of eating some Garden waste, try feeding the guinea pigs spare corn husks when the shucking is completed during the growing season.

 

They are also able to be raised with rabbits which make it easier to house them, pasture them, and care for them. Guinea pigs should slowly be introduced to the rabbits so that they do not hurt one another. Rabbits can be fairly territorial and I would not recommend trying to introduce male or female guinea pigs to male rabbits. Since most homesteads only keep one or two male rabbits for the sole purpose of breeding, this should not be a big issue.

 

Guinea pigs also make wonderful pets, especially for small children. Children are absolutely delighted by the squeals and calls of the domestic guinea pig. They are also quite the curious animals, and fairly intelligent. They are very entertaining, and absolutely love to play. They add such a cheerful, bright, and fun personality to the homestead!

 

Guinea Pigs are also another great way to bring in an income source for the homestead. Guinea pigs can fetch over $40 each at a pet store. In some areas, this figure could be much higher. However, the buyers of those guinea pigs do not know where the animals are coming from. Many pet owners would much rather adopt their animals from someone who is breeding healthy animals with wonderful temperaments that are raised around children. These criteria are usually met by  many homesteads, aside from those that are producing meat animals; as many of them do not want to bond with the animals. The animals are still very well taken care of and treated with respect, but they might not be as tame as the buyers would like, because the animals were not bred for pets. Selling just 100 animals per year could net the homestead an additional $4,000.