Are Guinea pigs for me?

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AlicePalace

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I've recently started looking in guinea pigs as pets, i just finished my Animal management course and at my college we had such adorable guinea's.
I know more about guinea pig care such at dietry requirements and illness' there prone too but as I've never had one as a pet, so i have no idea what there like. So i was wondering if you Guinea pig lovers could give me some advice, like basic pro's and con's, indoor or outdoor? and how many to get?
Any opinions would be awesome
thanks :))
 
Aw - they make the most wonderful pets! I personally think they are better kept inside and in a 'hub' of the home (somewhere where you are seeing them all the time) They are SO friendly and chatty, and love to be petted. Like any pet, the more time you put in, the more you will get out in the way of friendship.

Always keep a minimum of 2 pigs as they are sociable and like to have company of their own kind.

They do need quite a bit of attention, so this is something to bear in mind before you bring your new pets home - in particular, you will need to make time to keep their environment clean (and they do poop A LOT!) They are not smelly animals though and will groom themselves.

You must provide unlimited hay for them as well as fresh veg and some fruit.

Also - it is worth bearing in mind what kind of guinea pig you want - some of the longer haired ones do need more experience.

I know everyone on here will agree with me in saying try to adopts your pets from a rescue and not to get them from a pet shop.



A little consideration if you have a few to choose from: - it is MUCH easier to cut the nails of a light colored pet than a dark one (some piggies have black nails and they are harder to cut as you can't see the blood line whereas it shows up easily if the nails are see through)


Remember a piggy can live up to around 8 years, so it is a longer term commitment - think about who could have your pet when you are on holiday etc.



I hope you find they are the right pet for you as they are really good fun and the more time you spend with them, the more fun you will have from them
 
Well you certainly have come to the right place! Great that you are asking these types of questions! Personally I think everyone should have guineas, I love mine and they are constantly making me laugh! I'm sure people will give some great advice but here are:
Things I didn't realised before I got them
- fleece bedding (have a read through some threads on it) much better in terms of pee management
- how much they poo (twice daily hoovers of their hutch is needed to keep it looking tidy)
-how much hay they would need (I use it for bedding so this gets replaced often and I end up using bale loads)
- specialist vets are needed (yet to have any health problems, however, I have researched cavy savy vets nearby!)
-that some Guineas don't get on (so far my boys are great, but I quickly learnt that they need two of everything!)
- worries about cold (mine are in a hutch and it has been a constant worry with the cold!)

I would suggest having a read through some threads, definitely getting a few rescue females, less chance of falling outs and an indoor cage!
 
Hi and welcome!

Good that you are doing your research first!

Indoors piggies are generally more interactive with you, as you get to see more of them. Quite a few members are moving their piggies outside for the summer months when there is no danger of frosts; but they will need to be protected from too much heat, too.

Guinea pigs should never be kept alone; they are very socially interactive group animals.
With boars, you want to make sure that they are character compatible to last past the hormonal months between 4-14 months old; often an age gap helps. Stick to a pair!
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=76162
Sows can be pregnant from 4 weeks onwards and can get impregnated by any boar over 3 weeks old, so you need to check that or you may be up for a very steep learning curve that not always has a happy ending.

By far the safest place to get piggies from is a good rescue; any piggies up for adoption are quarantined and vet checked, properly sexed and bonded and guaranteed not pregnant. You will also get advice and support during the settling in period and the whole of the rescue piggies.
If you are in the UK, here is a link to a list of recommended (and vetted) guinea pig rescues of good standard, practice and ethics.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0

For housing ideas, have a look in our housing section through the cage and hutch galleries. The RSPCA minimal space recommendation for 2 guinea pigs is 2x4 ft for two piggies; we recommend 2x5 ft for two boars.

PS: As we have members from all over the world, we would be grateful if you added your country/general area to your details so we can pitch you the appropriate links, advice and recommendations straight away as they can differ quite a bit. You can do so in User CP/edit profile/location. Thanks!
 
Wow thankyou, this has been an amazing help already. Yes i will deffinately be rescuing mine! so are most people in favour of two girls rather then boys?
I live in the South of england, right along the coast :)
 
Boars are generally more laid back and cuddlier. If you are rehoming an already stable bonded pair from a good rescue, the risk of a fall out and all the usual problems is actually minimal - the big boar killer is the fact that the vast majority of boars are stuck together as youngsters and have not been carefuly bonded for character compatibility.

Rescue boars are a real option and many members would rather have a boar anytime! If I were you, I'd keep an open mind and only chose after you have had a chance to interact with the piggies at the rescue - only then will you find the characters that click with you!
 
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Guinea pigs are truly great pets - they talk to you, they are cuddly, they aren't nocturnal only. They have a lot going for them.

They do wee a lot though! As well as pooping. So for their size they take a lot of looking after. But that's nothing compared to the fun you will get from keeping them. I would warn you that they are addictive...once you've kept GPs you will find it hard to be without them in the future.
 
Ooooh guinea pigs are such amazing animals.

They are messy. They poo a TON. If they bite on accident (ive never had one bite on purpose) it really hurts and can draw blood.

But...

They can be so funny. I can watch my pigs chase each other for hours. When they popcorn i melt because it is so adorable. Their wheeks are TOO precious and its the best when they see you comong near them, or hear your voice first thing in the morning, or smell you cooking and they wheeeeeek wheeeeek wheeeeek and popcorn around.

I love my guinea pigs.
 
They are very intelligent little creatures that love exploring!

I have found they like routine (knowing when its feeding time) and plenty of interaction. They get bored easily and need to have toys and playtime outside the cage. I have an indoor piggie and I try let her out the cage for at least a few hours a day to run around and play - they love this!

They are very vocal and can be very loud. They like to talk to you, and they will tell you how they are feeling and if they are not happy about something!

Short haired guineas tend to malt, long haired needs plenty of grooming.

They love cuddles, being groomed and of course their food :)
 
well by the sounds of things they sound like good pets to me :)
I will deffo be looking into rescuing a couple soon!
 
Oh they are fabulous little animals.

Depending also on what age they are will depend on how relaxed they are with you at first.

Young ones can be very skittish but its SO rewarding once they trust you. Older ones that have been at rescues for a while are just so chilled and relaxed you don't have to worry too much.

You will learn so much from them. They are very good at letting you know their feelings and are very cheeky and sneaky. They are fabulous at guilt tripping you. They will stand by their bowls giving you the most pathetic look until you give in.

I love them! ^)
 
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