Many people will be torn on whether to have guinea pigs or hamsters as pets. Individuals who take the pigs will enjoy different benefits that they bring compared to the hamsters. The benefits of taking the guinea pigs over its counterpart are listed below.
1. Bigger Size
The pig is larger at 8 to 12 inches long. Even though some people will look at this aspect negatively, it is not. The benefit of having a bigger animal is that they will not become escape artists compared to those that have a smaller size. Therefore, you will not stress yourself when ensuring where you want them to be.
2. Longer Life expectancy
The guinea pigs live longer up to 7 years of age. It means that they will keep you company longer and save you that heart break when you lose an animal that you developed an attachment.
3. Interaction
Pigs are more social and jolly hence it is easier to interact with them. Interaction with them is also made easier due to their larger size. A smaller animal means that you will need to be more careful not to injure it during the interaction and this will have a negative impact on the moment.
4. Birth
Baby pigs come into the world while completely developed. On the other hand, hamsters come into the world having no hair and sense of sight. They develop this after birth, and this means taking extra care of them after their birth something which you do not have to worry about when you have the pig as a pet.
5. Food
Pigs do eat meat or dairy products. The best diet for them should be leafy greens such as cabbages, spinach, parsley, and kale among others. You can add carrots, fruits, and sweets potatoes as a treat for them some times a week. The benefit is that the diet is cheap.
6. Shelter
A pig is more flexible when it comes to shelter than their counterpart. You can keep them indoors or outdoors provided they have spacious cage and good bedding. It is important to also avail a food bowl and a water bottle in their housing. You will not be interacting them all the time. Therefore, it is important to keep them entertained when you are not around. They love to play. Hence you can provide them with toys, and this will have a positive impact on their health.
7. Lower Maintenance
Any person would love to have a pet that requires less maintenance, and this is a benefit that individuals who own pigs enjoy. The overall less maintenance is a result of their standard diet and housing needs. For example, furnishing the cage is cheap, you can just spread a newspaper to act as an insulator and then spread hay as bedding.
8. Intelligence
Intelligence is something people appreciate seeing in animals and pigs possess this aspect, unlike their counterparts. It is because when you have an intelligent animal, you can teach them tricks, and this makes the interactions with them to be enjoyable.
9. Noise
The pigs are not vocal compared to their counterpart. They will respond to you with a soft purr, and you will hardly hear them making noises that are deafening. Anyway who would enjoy such noises.
10. Good temperament
Pigs are friendly and social they enjoy having companions, therefore interacting with them will not be difficult. The females are more social.