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

Where is the best place to get a guinea pig?

A rescue, for most people. Here is how the three options compare:

How much are guinea pigs at Petco, PetSmart and Pets at Home?

As of November 2026, PetSmart listed a regular guinea pig at $59.99 and a fancy guinea pig at $89.99, with a 20% in-store discount running at the time, and said stock varies by store. We could not read live guinea pig prices from Petco or Pets at Home when we checked, so ask your local store rather than trust an old figure.

For comparison, Woodgreen rehomes guinea pigs for £28.50, and £14 for each extra one, and Adopt a Pet puts US rescue fees at about $30 to $50 each. One example it gives is $50 for a single guinea pig and $80 for a pair. Our guide to how much guinea pigs cost covers setup, monthly and vet costs, which are far bigger than the price of the guinea pigs.

How to adopt a guinea pig from a rescue

Rescues are full of guinea pigs, many of them adults in pairs that already get on. The PDSA recommends well-known rehoming centres such as Blue Cross, RSPCA and Woodgreen because their animals are properly health-checked, and Humane World for Animals advises adopting from a shelter rather than a pet store.

• UK: search the RSPCA's Find a Pet page (choose guinea pigs), or see Woodgreen's small pets for adoption
• UK: ask local small animal rescues and your vet, who often know who has guinea pigs needing homes
• US: check local animal shelters and humane societies; Humane World for Animals notes that Petfinder often lists guinea pigs from shelters and rescues
• US and UK: look for guinea pig-only rescues, which Humane World says exist in some areas

1. Get your home ready. Rescues will want to know where the guinea pigs will live. Set up an enclosure of at least 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) for two, ideally 1 m² (10.5 sq ft). Our guinea pig cage setup guide shows how.
2. Register your interest. Woodgreen asks you to choose the species, see who needs a home and register; each charity has its own process.
3. Meet them. Ask about personality, health history and whether the pair is bonded.
4. Expect a pair. Some rescues only rehome guinea pigs in pairs, says Humane World. If you already have one guinea pig, ask whether the rescue will help match a friend.
5. Take them home calmly. Use a ventilated carrier with hay, go straight home and give them a few quiet days to settle.

How to find a good guinea pig breeder

A breeder makes sense if you want a particular breed or coat. A good one keeps the sexes apart, handles the babies, knows each one's birth date and will take a guinea pig back if things don't work out. The MSD Vet Manual suggests asking:

• Where did this guinea pig come from, and can I see the parents?
• Has a vet checked it?
• What is it used to eating?
• Will you take it back if a vet finds it is ill or pregnant?
• When was it born, and when were the boys and girls separated?
• How do you avoid health problems from pairing certain colours or coats?

Walk away from any breeder who won't let you see where the guinea pigs live, sells a single guinea pig to a home with no others, or can't tell you their ages. If you're choosing a coat type, our guide to guinea pig breeds explains how much grooming each one needs.

Buying a guinea pig from a pet shop: what to check

If you buy from a shop, do your own checks. The RSPCA says sexing guinea pigs is hard, especially when they're young, and that even pet shops and breeders get it wrong. The MSD Vet Manual warns against buying a young female who has been housed with males, because she may already be pregnant.

• Boys and girls kept in separate enclosures
• A clean, uncrowded enclosure with little smell
• Staff who will check the sex in front of you
• A written agreement to take the guinea pig back if a vet finds it ill or pregnant

What does a healthy guinea pig look like?

A healthy guinea pig looks well-fed, bright and alert. It may be nervous at first but should calm down with gentle stroking. The MSD Vet Manual lists these checks:

• Eyes bright and clean, with no crust or cloudiness
• Nose, ears and bottom clean, with no discharge
• Droppings formed, not loose
• Front teeth clean, with the top ones overlapping and touching the bottom ones
• Weight spread evenly on all four feet
• Feet with no sores, redness or flaky skin

Ask for a vet check before you take them home or soon after, as the MSD Vet Manual suggests. Our guinea pig health guide covers the signs of illness to watch for once they're home.

What to avoid when getting a guinea pig

• A single guinea pig with nobody to live with: the RSPCA says they shouldn't live alone
• Babies younger than 3 weeks; PetMD notes some are sold as young as two weeks
• Crowded, dirty or smelly enclosures, which raise stress and disease (MSD)
• Any guinea pig with discharge, crusty eyes, loose droppings or sore feet
• A rabbit as a companion: the RSPCA says rabbits can bully or injure guinea pigs
• Free or cheap guinea pigs from online adverts with no history, no vet check and no take-back promise
• Getting guinea pigs as a surprise gift: PDSA says an adult should be the main carer, and they live 5 to 8 years

Before you bring guinea pigs home

Have everything ready before the day. Set up the enclosure, buy hay and pellets, and find a vet who sees guinea pigs, which Adopt a Pet stresses because many standard practices don't. Read our guide to guinea pig pairs if you are matching new friends, then guinea pigs as pets for what daily life with them is like. Once they're home, how to tame a guinea pig helps them trust you, and our complete guinea pig care guide covers everything else.