Care guide · Guinea pigs

How much does a guinea pig cost to buy and keep?

Checked against Woodgreen Pets Charity: Adopt small pets, Adopt a Pet: What to consider when adopting a guinea pig, PetSmart: Live small pets and 14 more on

A guinea pig costs £28.50 from Woodgreen, a UK rescue, $30 to $50 from a US rescue, or $59.99 to $89.99 at PetSmart. But you need at least two, around $200 to $300 of setup, and about $50 to $80 a month for the pair in food and bedding, plus vet bills, for 5 to 8 years.

All prices are as of November 2026 and come from the named sources. Shop and vet prices change and vary from place to place, so use them as a guide and check locally.

How much are guinea pigs to buy?

The guinea pig itself is the cheapest part. What you pay depends mostly on where it comes from:

Where from UK price US price What you get
Rescue or rehoming charity Woodgreen: £28.50 for the first, £14 for each extra, neutering included if needed About $30 to $50 each; one example Adopt a Pet gives is $50 for one or $80 for a pair Health-checked, often already in a bonded pair, and advice afterwards
Large pet shop Not published online when we checked; ask your local store PetSmart: $59.99 regular, $89.99 fancy Young guinea pigs with less known background; sexing is not always right
Breeder Set by each breeder Set by each breeder Known parents and coat type; ask for the birth date and health history

Two guinea pigs are the real starting price. The RSPCA says guinea pigs should live with at least one other friendly guinea pig, and many rescues only rehome in pairs. Our guide on where to get a guinea pig compares rescues, breeders and shops in detail.

How much are guinea pigs at Petco and PetSmart?

As of November 2026, PetSmart listed a regular guinea pig at $59.99 and a fancy guinea pig at $89.99, and was running a 20% in-store discount that brought them to $47.99 and $71.99 for a few weeks. "Fancy" usually means a longer, curlier or less common coat. PetSmart says small pet stock varies by store.

We could not read Petco's live guinea pig prices when we checked, so we won't guess. Ring your local store, and compare with a rescue: at about $30 to $50 each, adopting usually costs less, and rescue guinea pigs are often already bonded in pairs.

How much are guinea pigs at Pets at Home?

Pets at Home did not show live guinea pig prices on the pages we could read in November 2026, and prices can vary between stores, so ask your local branch. For a firm UK figure, Woodgreen Pets Charity rehomes guinea pigs for £28.50, and £14 for each extra guinea pig, with neutering included if needed. The RSPCA and other rescues also rehome guinea pigs; see where to get a guinea pig.

Whichever shop you use, check the sex yourself before you leave. The RSPCA says even pet shops and breeders get it wrong, and a "pair of girls" that turns out to be a boy and a girl means babies within weeks.

How much does it cost to set up for guinea pigs?

Adopt a Pet puts the first round of supplies at about $200 to $300 in the US: an enclosure, bedding, hides, bowls, a water bottle, toys, food, grooming kit and a first vet visit. We could not find a UK charity that publishes one setup figure, so here are real examples:

Item What to get Example price
Enclosure At least 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) for a pair, ideally 1 m² (10.5 sq ft), with sides at least 30 cm (12 in) high and a solid floor (Humane World) Ferplast Temporary Guinea Pig and Rabbit Home 140: £110 at Pets at Home. Check the floor size before you buy
Hay Unlimited grass hay, the biggest part of the diet Pets at Home Small Animal Super Compressed Meadow Hay 3 kg (6.6 lb): £4.49. Oxbow Western Timothy Hay from $5.48 for 15 oz (425 g) at PetSmart
Pellets Plain guinea pig pellets with vitamin C Pets at Home Guinea Pig Nuggets 2 kg (4.4 lb): £5.99. Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig 5 lb (2.3 kg): $12.99 at PetSmart
Bedding Paper, fleece or hemp, 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) deep (Humane World) Carefresh Small Pet Bedding from $12.99 at PetSmart
Hides, tunnels, bowls, bottle At least one hide per guinea pig Included in the $200 to $300 estimate
Carrier A hard, ventilated carrier for vet trips Included in the $200 to $300 estimate

The enclosure is where people waste money most often: many cages sold for guinea pigs are smaller than the space they need, so you end up buying twice. Read our guinea pig cage size guide and best guinea pig cages first.

How much do guinea pigs cost a month?

Adopt a Pet puts a pair at about $50 to $80 a month in the US, covering hay, pellets, fresh veg and bedding. Humane World for Animals says to plan for at least several hundred dollars a year, not counting vet care. Pellets are the easiest part to work out yourself:

  • Woodgreen feeds about 20 g (0.7 oz) of pellets per guinea pig a day, so two eat about 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) a month.
  • At £5.99 for 2 kg, that is about £3.60 a month in the UK. At $12.99 for 5 lb, it is about $7 a month in the US.

Hay is the bigger food cost. Woodgreen says each guinea pig should eat a pile of hay the size of itself every day, so buy it in big bags or bales once you know which hay they like. Fresh veg, about a cup per guinea pig a day according to the PDSA, can mostly come from your own shopping. Bedding varies the most, because it depends on your enclosure size and how often you change it.

Monthly cost for two guinea pigs UK US
Pellets About £3.60 About $7
Everything (hay, pellets, veg, bedding) No UK figure published About $50 to $80 (Adopt a Pet)

Our guinea pig diet guide explains exactly what to feed, which helps you avoid paying for treats and mixes they don't need.

How much do guinea pig vet bills cost?

Plan for a check-up at least once a year, which the RSPCA recommends, and keep money aside for problems. Guinea pigs hide illness, and teeth and gut problems need a vet quickly.

Vet cost UK example US example
Consultation or yearly check £53 for a 30-minute exotic consultation (University of Liverpool vet practice, September 2026) About $100 for a yearly exam (Adopt a Pet)
Castration of a male £120 (University of Liverpool) Ask your vet
Spay of a female £170 (University of Liverpool) Ask your vet
Vaccines None needed for guinea pigs

Neutering is only needed if you keep a male with females; the RSPCA says males should always be neutered in that case. Two females or two brothers don't need it. Pet insurance is worth pricing up too: the RSPCA suggests it to cover vet bills you can't plan for.

How much does a guinea pig cost over its whole life?

Guinea pigs live about 5 to 8 years. Using Adopt a Pet's US figures for a pair, the costs you can predict add up like this:

A pair over 5 to 8 years (US) Cost
Two guinea pigs from a rescue About $60 to $100
Setup About $200 to $300
Monthly supplies, $50 to $80 for 60 to 96 months About $3,000 to $7,700
Yearly vet checks, about $100 each, per guinea pig About $1,000 to $1,600

Illness, neutering and replacement kit come on top. The guinea pigs are the cheap part: years of hay, bedding and vet care are where the money goes. Our guinea pig lifespan guide explains what each stage of life needs.

Other "how much" questions about guinea pigs

Question Answer
How much do guinea pigs weigh? Males 900 to 1,200 g (2 to 2.6 lb), females 700 to 900 g (1.5 to 2 lb) (VCA)
How much space do they need? At least 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) for two, ideally 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) (Humane World)
How much do guinea pigs sleep? Not much at a time: the RSPCA says they are active up to 20 hours a day and nap in short bursts, day and night
How much do guinea pigs poop? A lot, every day. The RSPCA treats plenty of dry droppings as a sign of good health, and says to see a vet at once if they slow or stop. Guinea pigs also eat some soft droppings straight from their bottom, which is normal
How much hay do they eat? A pile the size of the guinea pig every day (Woodgreen)

How to keep guinea pig costs down

  • Adopt a bonded pair from a rescue: lower fees, health-checked, and no introductions needed
  • Buy a big enough enclosure once, rather than a small one first
  • Buy hay in large bags or bales and keep it dry
  • Buy pellets in small bags you'll finish quickly; Woodgreen says vitamin C halves within three months of opening
  • Use clean cardboard boxes and tubes as free hides and chews
  • Register with a vet who sees guinea pigs before you need one
Never save money by keeping one guinea pig alone or by waiting to see a vet when a guinea pig stops eating. The RSPCA says a change in eating or droppings needs a vet straight away, and delays usually cost more, in money and in suffering.

If the numbers work for you, read our guide to guinea pigs as pets, then our complete guinea pig care guide.

Guinea pig costs: common questions

How much are guinea pigs at Petco?

We could not read Petco's live prices when we checked in November 2026, and its small pet range varies by store, so ring or visit your local shop. For comparison, PetSmart listed a regular guinea pig at $59.99 and a fancy one at $89.99. Adopting from a rescue costs about $30 to $50, says Adopt a Pet.

How much are guinea pigs at PetSmart?

As of November 2026, PetSmart listed a regular guinea pig at $59.99 and a fancy guinea pig (longer or unusual coats) at $89.99, with a 20% in-store discount running at the time. Stock varies by store. Remember you need two, and the shop price is a small part of the real cost.

How much are guinea pigs at Pets at Home?

Pets at Home did not show live guinea pig prices on the pages we could read in November 2026, and prices can vary between stores, so ask your local branch. As a guide, Woodgreen Pets Charity rehomes guinea pigs for £28.50, plus £14 for each extra one, with neutering included if needed.

How much are hairless guinea pigs?

Hairless guinea pigs, such as Skinny pigs and Baldwins, are usually sold by specialist breeders who set their own prices, and we could not find a reliable published figure to quote. Ask several breeders and check rescues too. Budget a little more for keeping them warm, with fleece bedding and a draught-free room.

Are guinea pigs expensive to keep?

Moderately. Adopt a Pet puts a pair at about $50 to $80 a month in the US for hay, pellets, veg and bedding, plus about $100 a year for a vet check. Humane World for Animals says to plan for at least several hundred dollars a year before vet bills. Over 5 to 8 years that adds up.

Do two guinea pigs cost twice as much as one?

No. A pair shares one enclosure, one set of hides and one hay pile, so setup barely changes. Food and bedding rise, but not double. Guinea pigs should not live alone, says the RSPCA, so the cost of one guinea pig is not really an option, and many rescues charge less per animal for a pair.

How much do guinea pigs weigh?

Adult males (boars) weigh about 900 to 1,200 g (2 to 2.6 lb) and females (sows) about 700 to 900 g (1.5 to 2 lb), according to VCA. The MSD Vet Manual gives 815 to 1,000 g (1.8 to 2.2 lb) as a general range. They reach full size at around 6 months.

How much space do guinea pigs need?

Humane World for Animals gives 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) as the minimum for one or two guinea pigs and prefers at least 1 m² (10.5 sq ft), about 76 × 127 cm (30 × 50 in), for a pair. Add about 0.23 m² (2.5 sq ft) for each extra guinea pig. More is always better.

Sources

Read next

Where to get a guinea pig: rescue, breeder or pet shop

Start with a rescue, which often has bonded pairs for £28.50 or $30 to $50 each. Then a good breeder. If you use a shop, check health and sex yourself.

Guinea pigs as pets: what to know before you get one

Gentle, chatty and rarely bite, but they live 5 to 8 years, must live in pairs and need about 1 m² (10.5 sq ft), daily fresh food and vet care.

Guinea pig care: the complete guide

Keep at least two together, give them about 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) or more, unlimited hay, fresh veg and vitamin C every day, and a yearly vet check.

Best guinea pig cages: what to buy and what to skip

The best cage gives a pair at least 10.5 sq ft (1 m²) of solid floor on one level. A 5 × 2 grid C&C cage is the easiest way to get there.

Guinea pig cage size: how big it really needs to be

Two guinea pigs need at least 10.5 sq ft (about 1 m²) of floor on one level, such as 76 × 127 cm (30 × 50 in). Boars and bigger groups need more.

Guinea pig diet: what to feed every day

Unlimited grass hay, about a cup of mixed fresh veg, a small portion of fresh guinea pig pellets and clean water, every day.