Where Do I Buy A Guinea Pig?

Guinea pigs are personable, gentle, small, adorable, and have many other appealing qualities. If you’re planning to have these cute cavies, there are multiple factors that you need to consider. The very first question that pops into your mind is, “where do I buy a guinea pig?”

You can buy guinea pigs from pet stores, local animal shelters, or even from a reputable breeder. However, it's important to understand the pros and cons of buying guinea pigs from these places.  

Let’s discuss where you should and shouldn’t buy guinea pigs, along with the best available breeds. It will help you to choose a safe and healthy pet to take home. So let’s get into it.

Who Sells Guinea Pigs?

As mentioned, guinea pigs can be bought from multiple places such as:

Pet Stores

Perhaps the most convenient place to buy guinea pigs is to go to a pet store as you can choose and bring your guinea pig home on the same day. However, it’s important to personally see the piggy that you need to buy and make sure that it’s healthy and active.

Local Animal Shelter

You can contact your local animal shelter to find abandoned guinea pigs and provide them with a new home. Not only will the rescues teach you how to take care of these animals in the best possible way, but you’ll also have the satisfaction of saving a life.

However, you might not be able to bring your guinea pigs home on the same day because of the paperwork that the local animal shelter needs to complete. Each shelter has it’s protocol, so just be aware of their time frames.

Reputable Breeder

You can also buy guinea pigs from a reputable breeder who has expertise and experience. 

A knowledgeable breeder breeds guinea pigs with healthy genes and bloodlines. This is perhaps the best way to find the healthiest animals. Researching and finding a reputable breeder can take a bit of time, however.

Is It Ok to Buy A Guinea Pig From A Pet Store?

Generally speaking, it’s ok to buy a guinea pig from a pet store. But there are many things you need to keep in mind. First of all, it’s recommended only to select trusted and well-known stores that treat guinea pigs properly.

One of the biggest downsides of getting guinea pigs from ordinary and small pet stores is that they keep the animals in small cages with poor living conditions. It increases the likelihood of getting a sick guinea pig, and that’s the last thing you want to have.

How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost at Petsmart?

Petsmart is one of the most popular and trusted pet stores and offers multiple breeds of guinea pigs. The cost varies depending upon the breed, gender, age, and size of the animal.

Cost of Guinea Pigs at Petsmart

It’s also important to note that you won’t find a baby guinea pig at Petsmart, and the cost of a cavy or a mature guinea pig will vary from $25 to $50.

There will also be ongoing costs even after buying a guinea pig, as you’ll need to buy a cage, food, and other essentials, including vet visits that your pets will need. (For a list of recommended supplies, check out What Supplies Do You Need For A Guinea Pig.)

Primarily, the cost of a guinea pig at Petsmart depends upon the supplier. Usually, a cavy is separated from its mother between three and seven weeks of age, and people sell them to Petmart’s suppliers.

The longer time a cavy spends in a pet store, the higher its price will be. So we recommend you buy a guinea pig that has recently arrived at Petsmart.

Which Guinea Pig Should I Get?

There are many breeds of guinea pigs available in the market to choose from. They come in different hairstyles and colors, and we have selected only the best breeds that will make a perfect pet. (For our full run-down of all guinea pig breeds, check out our post How Many Guinea Pig Breeds Are There.)

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

Abyssinian guinea pigs are one of the most popular breeds of guinea pigs that are used as both show animals and pets. It’s also known as one of the very first species, and they originated in South America.

You can easily find Abyssinian guinea pigs in pet stores, and identifying this species is very easy because of their distinct appearance. They have cowlicks or swirls (rosettes) in their fur.

If you’re a first-timer or planning to buy guinea pigs for your kids, then the Abyssinian breed is undoubtedly a great choice. They are relatively large in size, and on average, an Abyssinian guinea pig reaches 12 inches in length and weighs about 2.5 to 3.5 pounds.

Pros

• Eager to learn
• Friendly and affectionate
• Easily available
• Eye-catching coat

Cons

• Requires frequent interaction because of high energy
• The coat requires frequent brushing.

American Guinea Pigs

American guinea pigs are known as the most popular and oldest breed and are available in pretty much all the pet stores. Outside of the United States, this breed is also known as English guinea pigs, although they actually originated in South America.

These guinea pigs usually have easy-going, laid-back personalities and they aren’t as high strung as other species. That’s why this breed can be your best choice if you want guinea pigs for your kids.

American guinea pigs are relatively small, and they reach the length of about 8 to 9 inches with an average weight of somewhere between 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.

Pros

• Laid-back and friendly nature
• Easily available

Cons

• Not suitable for owners who want more energetic piggies

Teddy Guinea Pigs

These guinea pigs have an appearance that resembles a teddy bear. Instead of being smooth and lying flat against the skin, the hair of this breed is wiry and thick.

Additionally, they also have a larger and wider nose, and they’re also readily available.

The personalities of teddy guinea pigs are generally friendly and calm, and they like being handled. They also have a short coat which makes them a low-maintenance guinea pig breed. A full-grown Teddy Bear guinea pig weighs around 1.5 to 3 pounds.

Pros

• Cuddly and calm personality
• Distinctive appearance
• Cute wiry coat

Cons

• Prone to dry skin

Summary

Guinea pigs can brighten up your long and tiring day. And we hope that this article has helped you decide where the best place is to purchase your cavi.

Make sure that you have an adequate budget to provide your guinea pig with an environment to grow healthy and robust. For information on supplies needed, head over to our discussion on What Supplies Do You Need For A Guinea Pig.