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Should you keep Rabbits and Guinea pigs together?

Although rabbits and guinea pigs are often seen together in pet shops it is not wise to house them together for a variety of reasons.

• Guinea pigs are unable to synthesise their own vitamin C and so need the diet to be supplemented.

• Most ‘complete’ foods now contain added vitamin C - however this does vary depending on the quality of the food bought.

• If you feed a guinea pig mix to rabbits you will be feeding unnecessary vitamin C to the rabbits.

• If you feed rabbit mix to the guinea pigs they will become deficient in vitamin C leading to scurvy.

• If you feed both mixes the balance will be incorrect unless the animals are fed separately.

• Vitamin C can be added to a guinea pig’s water, but rabbits are fussy and will not drink water that smells or tastes different.

• A low water intake can be a contributory factor in the development of stones in the urine for both rabbits and guinea pigs.

• A rabbit may kick and bite a guinea pig causing internal injuries or shock which can be fatal. If they must live together, a safe place for the guinea pig should be provided. This should be a box, or an area which is too small for the rabbit to get into but a safe haven for the guinea pig.

• Guinea pigs are vocal and studies have shown that they make about 11 different noises of communication. Rabbits do not speak the same language!

• Rabbits carry a bacterium called Bordetella bronchiseptica in their respiratory system which causes no problems to rabbits, but if transferred to a guinea pig it can be fatal.

With neutering of both rabbits and guinea pigs becoming commonplace there is no need to mix the species. Rabbits should be ideally be kept with rabbits and guinea pigs kept with guinea pigs.

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