Can Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Live Together?

So you’ve decided to keep rabbits and guinea pigs as pets and as a way to save money for their living spaces, you decide to keep them together in one cage. Generally speaking, rabbits and guinea pigs can co-habitate however this idea is not recommended.

There are several reasons why it isn’t advised to keep your rabbits and guinea pigs together:

  • They have different dietary needs. Guinea pigs are prone to scurvy and unless you are going to feed both pets vegetables regularly, you need to find specific pellets for your guinea pigs that are rich in vitamin C. On the other hand, some forms of rabbit food are poisonous to cavies. Also some kinds of vegetables are okay to feed to your rabbits but are harmful to your cavies and vice versa. So if you’re keeping them together, be sure to check the contents of the pellets and make sure the types of vegetables you give them are safe for both.
  • Rabbits are relatively larger than guinea pigs. The relevant size difference could mean that an active rabbit can harm or harass a guinea pig. On the other hand, guinea pigs have the habit of nibbling rabbit fur especially when they do not have a toy to keep them busy or when they are hungry. A solution for this is my having a larger cage with plenty of toys and tunnels so your pets will be kept preoccupied and won’t get on each other’s backs.
  • It is okay for rabbits to have wire caged floors while this will damage a cavy’s feet. If you plan to keep your rabbits and guinea pigs in one cage, solid flooring is required.
  • Rabbits and guinea pigs have different characteristics where one likes to cuddle while the other wants to have its own space. For example, having no partner for your rabbit might make it lonely and in turn seek affection from your guinea pig, which may in turn be harassed by its cage-mate.
  • Some rabbits are carrier of diseases that may not affect them but could harm your cavies if exposed. An example is Pasteurella, a pathogen that is harmless and carried by a rabbit but can be dangerous and deadly to cavies.

Remember, if you want to keep your rabbits and guinea pigs together, food and housing are two important factors you need to consider. You also need to give them more attention, as to catch when they may be fighting or hurting each other. It’s always best to ask people with experience in this matter for advice. In the end, if you see that their relationship isn’t working out, maybe it’s best for one of your pets to get evicted and be given a place of its own.

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