It has been thought that rabbits and guinea pigs make the ideal companions, but it is actually not recommended.

Previously it was not easy to neuter rabbits and so most people didn’t opt for this, and so they would choose a guinea pig for a companion for their rabbit so as to avoid any possible breeding issues. These days however, neutering a rabbit is a straightforward procedure and so this is no longer an issue.

There are several reasons why it is not desirable to keep these two species together…
 
Rabbits and guinea pigs have very different dietary requirements. You simply cannot buy a generic food to feed them without neglecting the dietary needs of one or even both of them. Feeding them both a different diet while they share their living space would be practically impossible. Guinea Pigs need a diet high in vitamin C as they cannot produce their own like rabbits do. That’s why Excel guinea pig nuggets are enriched with this particular vitamin. Without vitamin C in their diets guinea pigs can develop illnesses such as scurvy. It’s much better to keep either just guinea pigs or just rabbits, or of course keep both but keep them in separate spaces. This way you can give them a good quality food that has been developed specifically for the needs of that species of animal and thus ensuring their particular dietary requirements are met.

Rabbits are stronger and more powerful than guinea pigs. Rabbits can easily cause injury to a guinea pig by kicking them, or they can bite them if they attempt to mate with them if they have not been neutered. This sort of behaviour can have an adverse effect on the mental state of a guinea pig as they are very easily stressed.

Some bacteria that lives without consequence on other animals, such as cats, dogs and rabbits, can be passed on from them to guinea pigs, upon which it can have an adverse effect causing respiratory complaints. This is another good reason not to house rabbits with guinea pigs.

Creatures of the same species communicate with each other in their own unique ways. Two animals of the same species will be able to understand each other better than two of different species and are therefore much more likely to get on well together.

So you will see from all the reasons above that guinea pigs don’t make the ideal companions for rabbits, another rabbit is a much better option. Don’t forget, if you’re keeping your pets in a hutch you need to ensure they have plenty of space, and you’ll need to make sure they have sufficient food, hay, greens and fresh water.