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help! housing dilemas

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barnyard

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Hi I am brand new to this so here goes :) I am looking to buy my first guinea pigs for my children, I have caontacted a local breeder who clearly loves her piggies and has been really helpful with lots of info. However I really struggling with where to keep them. I was thinking inside for winter but I have no idea which indoor cages are best as I dont want to get one that is too small for 2 guinea pigs. Can anyone help/ suggest a good indoor cage, or another option is keep them in a hutch in the garage (not used by cars) but it can be a little on the dark side in their, not a large window ! help :{
 
Hi and welcome hopefully someone will come along soon i keep mine inside so i know they are nice and warm but i cant help on cage sizes but i think its 5 x 2 for 2 guinea pigs but boys need more space than girls so the biggest you can get. C & cages are fab check out the housing section
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

First off well done for getting some info before jumping straight in. The more info you have before you get your piggies the better!

The other thing I will say is that everyone on here is "pro rescue"....have you considered rehoming some needy little piggies from one of the many rescues on here. The piggies will be health checked, pregnancy checked and bonded. If you have any problems with the piggies once you have re homed they will help you and if necessary take them back, if things dont work out.

Whilst not wanting to tarr all breeders with the same brush, there are some threads on here about people getting very sick / and or pregnant piggies from breeders :(

In terms of housing they saying is "the bigger the better" but a 4ft x 2ft is the RSPCA's minimum housing for 2 piggies. Inside is probably better as your children will have more opportunity to bond with them, and the piggies to get used to your children. Very young pigs can be very skittish, and if they are kept outside then it may take longer for them to get used to being handled.

Theres also the issue of winter temperatures, and predators such as foxes and feral cats.

You can get some good indoor cages from Zooplus, Animal Planet, or even used ones from Gumtree or ebay.

Good luck x>>
 
Hello and welcome to the forum :)
There are lots of ideas in the housing section which may give you some ideas for your new piggies....have a good look around and see if you see something that would suit your environment.
Personally I think if they are inside it is better for them and also your children who will be able to interact with them more inside (as I'm sure your children would rather spend more time inside than in your garage in the winter :) )
Any questions just ask - hope you enjoy the forum and join in :)

x
 
I have three pairs of boys. One pair, who (luckily!) get on like a house on fire, live in a Savic Nero 4 which just touches the minimum requirements for two pigs:

http://www.thepetexpress.co.uk/?p=2_4&pid=3084



The other two pairs are slightly more volatile and do niggle every so often, so they are each housed in a Rabbit 150 to give them more space to avoid each other:

http://www.dabners.co.uk/product-5127-rabbit-150-indoor-cage.html

More pricey, but so much bigger! They're huge!

Hope that helps!:)
 
thanks everyone, you have all given me alot to think about and consider. Think we will def keep them inside over the winter months and will c how it goes. Just want to get the right cage now :)
 
Hi I would really recommend you get a c and c cage. I wish I was told this when I first got guinea pigs and did not waste my money on a cage. You can get the grids from Amazon. It would be best to have it made and arranged well before you get your guinea pigs.

I think the best bedding is fleece. It is so cosy for guinea pigs. I put down towels and two layers of fleece. Primark sell fleece for only £2.50 which is were I got mine.

It would be so nice if you were able to rescue a guinea pig who is in a shelter. The shelter will offer you on going support and you will be sure your piggy is in good health and sexed correctly. Then there is the fact you have given a homeless piggy a loving home. :)
 
Thanx having a look at those c&c things but what do you get from amazon, just the grids? how do you make it up, eg what kind of floor, does that come with the grids, how you fasten it togther and as there is no top to them how do you stop the piggies getting out? sorry if these daft questions! have been looking at vetbeds are they any good for bedding?
Will have a look to see if can see any rescue places near buy, I just want to make sure am getting the right piggies as my children are very nervous around animals which is part of reason for getting them, just presumed the rescue ones maybe ones with problems and as we are new to this wanted piggies that we could cope with if that makes sence!
 
Rescue pigs are simply ones who have been abandoned or have had to be rehomed for one reason or another. Of course some will have problems but more often than not, these will have been identified.

New baby pigs can be just fine and as with any animal, it's pot luck as to whether they'll get ill or not. I've had a mixture of both shop and rescue pigs and issues have cropped up equally between them.

Whereabouts are you? In case anyone can help? :)
 
I'm using at the moment brought cage from petshop minimum size for two guineas and really want to change to c&c cages.. thats what ive been doing today looking in to them .. and what you need for the inside is coroplast and and then as another member said fleece is best so you lay 2 towels and then double fleece :)

was hoping to get a link with good priced c&c grids so if you so find one before me please let me know :)
 
I'm in Sheffield! will have a look around maybe I could look at rescue pigs. Still just looking at what basics we need for them, want to get it right!:)
 
Hi and welcome to the forum, I am just starting up my business,making the c&c cage kits to sell, You would recieve the grids, connectors, ties, correx which has been scored and cut to size you require. For further details please email me [email protected]
P.s I can email you some photos if you'd like a look. No obligation.
Thanks for reading, Kim :)
 
thats great thanks, yes if you could email me some pics that be great, [email protected] I'm not sure on size yet as just thinking about where to put them. Havent got huge amount of space but looking at shop bought cages I would like one slightly bigger than these, dont seem to be that big for the piggies. do they have lids? and have you got costings for them ?
 
Sorry just off to work. I will email some photos and cost when I'm back from work. Be about 4pm. hth Thanks, Kim
 
C&C cages are made up of the grid that you have seen on amazon, and something called corex for the base. This is like thick plasic sheets (the same as would be used for an estate agent sign)
The grids are 14 inches high and piggies are not born climbers, I have never heard of one escaping a cage, and if you dont have other animals (for example cats and dogs) there is no need for a lid. :) The C&C cages can be made as big as you like, in any shape to fit your space. Most people on this forum use fleece, as it is very cost effective, doesnt cause health problems in piggies, is nice and soft and cosey for them and looks pretty too. (if they are your childrens pets, its a great excuse to show them how to use the washing machine too! hehe) :)

I'm sure youve researched this already as you seem to be doing your homework (which is great!) but please be aware, when you first get your piggies they will be very scared, and need a little time to settle in. Dont handle them (as in keep getting them out of the cage for cuddles) for the first day atleast so they can get used to there new home. :) To help the piggies get along, if you have the space its best to have two of everything, for example, two hideys, two food bowls, two water bottles, two hay places (maybe a ball and a rack or a rack and a toilet roll tube with hay in)
Piggies need 1 cup of fresh veg per day per piggy but this should be introduced slowly to young pigs (there is more info on this in the food section, ie what foods are ok to feed and how often to feed them)
Growing pigs also need unlimited pellets of musli, whichever you choose to feed.
All piggies need unlimited hay, as this should make up 80% of there diet.

Another benifit of getting a piggy from a rescue, is the people there will be able to tell you about the temprament of the piggy, and between you you can decided which pair will suit your family best (ie choose a gentle affectionate pair, maybe a little older than babies, that way your children will be able to handle them more and they wont be as skittish)
 
Here is a guide 'How to make a c&c cage'
http://www.guineapigcages.com/howto.htm
I followed this for my first cage it's simple, now I have 5 c&c cages and I like to change them around depending who I have to accomodate. :)

I'm from Doncaster and Foster Rescue Guinea Pigs for Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity.
We have some pairs of piggies and also a neutered boar looking for a girly friend or two, all are young and fit, health checked and looking for their forever home.

If you need any help with your C&C or anything else I'm not too far away
:)p

Paula
 
thanks this is all really useful info, thats why I'm on here before we buy equipment or pigs. Will def look into where there are rescue gps around here, def would like them not to be too skitty and yes have read not to over handle them at first, be quiet and let them settle in. As my children are very wary of animals (mainly cats n dogs) i imagine they will be calm around them at first so this will be good for the piggies while they settle in. My kids are nearly 4 and 8. I'm really excited too as I never really had pets as a child so I'm looking forward to our new editions! all help/ advice much appreciated :)
 
Thanks paula, are the piggies you have friendly ones? daft question I know (and appreciate when we get them we need to give them lots of love and attention to help them to be friendly/tame) just want to make sure we get the right ones for us and do you have rescue website? thanx
 
I have a 8 year old and 5 year old, they are fantastic around animals, and they would never pick the piggies up without me being there and given my permission.

This is my 8 year old with foster pig Tyko x)

DSCF9794.jpg


The younger piggies tend to be shy but the more that is put in then they will come round. All my fosters are indoors, so get plenty of attention, the longer they are here the friendlier they get.
They have to put up with the hussle and bussle of family noises and my dog :))

BARC do have a website but I post all the piggies from the rescue on this site in the 'rehome' section. And we try to keep the Guinea pig rehome site up to date too http://www.guineapigrehome.org.uk/gp/moreinfo.asp?GpigID=7329

My latest is Meego & Ugo, (check out my theads), they came to me a week ago and are residing in my daughter bedroom for now on quarantine as thats the normal proceedure when piggies come in. They have been out on the grass this week with it being so nice and I have covered one end of the run with a blanket so they become more brave. They have cuddles lots by me and my children so as time goes by they will get much more used to us.

Our rescue gives 100% back up and support when adopting - which includes taking any back into rescue for any reason.

:)p
 
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