If you love off-beat critters as pets then there is a chance that you could end up with two animals that have some pretty obvious similarities: a rabbit and a guinea pig. These two little mammals are definitely a lot alike, from their docile nature to their physical characteristics, so it is easy to assume that keeping them together is a okay. However, it is not a good idea to house a guinea pig and a rabbit in the same cage, enclosure or hutch. There are three good reasons why both of these fun-loving creatures should have a space of their own. 

Rabbits and guinea pigs don't need to eat the same foods. 

If a rabbit and a guinea pig are kept in the same enclosure, it means they will also be sharing food trays, which is not a good idea. These two animals have differing dietary needs. While that may seem like no big deal because the animals should just eat what it is that they need to be healthy, it actually can be a big problem. One or the other of your animals can end up being malnourished because it is eating food that is created for a different species. 

Rabbits can cause injury to guinea pigs. 

Rabbits seem like pretty easy going creatures, right? For the most part, this is true. however, when they are paired with an animal that is potentially much smaller than they are, rabbits can become the bully in the situation because they have the chance to do so. Rabbits are not predatory animals, but they can easily cause injury to a guinea pig by kicking it with its powerful legs or even harm the guinea pig by not allowing it to get to food and water supplies. Additionally, if a rabbit tries to mount your guinea pig to breed with it, it can also cause the piggy some harm. 

Rabbits and guinea pigs have differing exercise needs. 

It is important for both animals to get an ample amount of exercise, but it is easier for a guinea pig to get plenty of exercise than it is for a rabbit. This is because a guinea pig can get about all the running and play it needs to stay healthy even in a small enclosure, but a rabbit cannot. So if you house the two animals together without giving the rabbit free time to run and play outside of the enclosure, the rabbit could end up with severe health problems. 

For more care questions, contact a veterinarian near you.

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