Guinea Pig A Little To Relaxed?

[Oursmallfriends]

So I'm getting guinea pigs in one week (Yay!) and the pigs current owner say to use a towel when snuggling or watching TV with them because they get so relaxed they pee. Is there a way to stop this because I want to snuggle but I also don't want to be peed on

 

[katie-elizabeth]

Normally guinea pigs tend to let you know when they need to go, by tugging at clothes or nibbling at you. Lap pads do come in handy!

 

[7squeakers.]

Why not just do as the current owners suggest and sit piggies on a big thick towel at lap-time? Use the same towel every time, and they will soon get to know where to pee and where not to. Sometimes, even if piggie tells you he wants to pee, you can't always move him in time to avoid getting peed on! I always sit my piggies on a big thick towel, and even when they have been sitting on my chest, they climb down onto the towel to pee.

 

[Critter]

Guinea pigs in the wild didn't have permanent homes, they didn't need to keep their environment clean so didn't have a pee area like many rodents do. Therefore they have never needed to hold their bladders. What I do find sweet is that they do actually try NOT to pee on you and will gently nibble you and shuffle around to let you know they need to wee, and as mentioned a place for them to wee, such as the towel or lap-pad is ideal.
I have to laugh though, my first piggy, Shadow, had the rule of trying not to pee on me, bless her, but she thought the lap pad was part of me, so she used to hang her botty off it and pee onto the settee, or onto anyone sitting next to me

 

[Chief Guinea Pig]

Let their nibbling and clothes tugging be a warning to you! It won't be long until they let their fire extinguishers out!
Mind you, I've had a couple of accidents happen without warning

 

[7squeakers.]

@Critter, that's funny! Hahaha! That's why you need a BIG towel to give them plenty of room! The one I use is about Beach towel size folded twice. When they stick their bottoms out to pee, it can go quite a distance!

 

[Freela]

Mine all obviously try not to pee on the humans... they will fidget or otherwise signal that they want to go back. However, if you ignore or misread the signals, it's possible to get soaked! We got peed on repeatedly by Hadley before we figured out that her 'gotta go' sign is to walk off our lap towards to the direction of the cage, whereas Sundae and Linney, they pig we had before Hadley, would both show they had to pee by backing up.

Some pigs are better at holding it than others too! Once Sundae starts to back up, we RUN her back to the cage pronto, as she doesn't give us much warning! She has chronic bladder issues, so I suspect she just isn't able to hold it all that long!

Just to add... even though I seldom get peed on anymore, I do use a blanket or a towel when I hold my pigs. Mostly because it keeps (some) of the fur off my clothes. Those little buggers can shed! It also smells familiar and some pigs (Hadley, for instance) like to chew on cloth, so it helps to keep her from chewing my clothes.)

 

[aimzer]

Mine start fidgeting and chatting her teeth at me so I know it's time to go back in the cage! You will get to learn when they want to be put back but be prepared as you will most likely be pee'd on a couple of times to begin with. I was peed on a lot when I first got my girls and now they never pee on me

 

[Oursmallfriends]

Thanks everyone

 

[Malice]

I find that when my piggies are little they are more prone to weeing on me/anyone handling them. I think this is a combination of tiny bladders and not really knowing the situation. I've found that as they get older, they rarely wee on me; and that's only when I've been cuddling them for an extended period of time! You definitely become aware of the signs of when a piggy needs to go; they tend to shuffle a bit, almost 'settle down'. You'll have plenty of time to pick them up, put them in their cage, let them do what they need to and then get them out again, without getting wet.

In fact, I don't think my current girls have ever weed on me (they have weed on my boyfriend though). They barely even wee when they're having a run aroudn the office/living room and are even getting to the stage of hopping in and out of their cage at will.

Although, to be fair, being weed on by a guinea pig really isn't that bad. Although you'll probably want to change your trousers... =P

 

[Coco&Luna]

Guinea pigs in the wild didn't have permanent homes, they didn't need to keep their environment clean so didn't have a pee area like many rodents do. Therefore they have never needed to hold their bladders. What I do find sweet is that they do actually try NOT to pee on you and will gently nibble you and shuffle around to let you know they need to wee, and as mentioned a place for them to wee, such as the towel or lap-pad is ideal.
I have to laugh though, my first piggy, Shadow, had the rule of trying not to pee on me, bless her, but she thought the lap pad was part of me, so she used to hang her botty off it and pee onto the settee, or onto anyone sitting next to me

That's too bloomin' cute!

 

[Pippa&Millie]

Mine always nibble or start to shuffle too. I think it also depends on the piggies. One of mine will always give you a warning sign and tries to get back to the cage but the other one, the more chilled one, just lifts her bum and lets rip.
Like everyone else has said, have a designated pee towel. They don't pee that much quantity wise.

When they are running around the previous owners had trained them to use this 'litter tray', which is just a box with their hay shavings and hay in it.
But bless them, they jump in it and then hang their bums over the side of it and pee onto the floor, I'm still impressed they even go into it when they want to pee thou, even if it doesn't quite go to plan.