Help! Just adopted 2 guineas

[Guineapigs33]

This is gonna be a lengthy thread but I’m lost and need some guidance. Yesterday afternoon, I made the decision to adopt 2 female Guinea pigs. I had been doing research for quite some time while I had a hamster. My hamster just recently passed due to old age and I decided instead of getting another hamster, to get 2 guineas since they’re more people friendly and interactive. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adored my hamster but I wanted to attempt with guinea pigs next. I bought a cage that met the recommended space Guinea’s need and all of the recommended items from all the research I had done. We get home, and start to assemble the cage which the cage should have been assembled prior to us getting them. That was a mistake on our part. But it took us 3-4 hours because the cage was absolutely one of the worst made cages. We finally got it together and it still wasn’t the most stable cage. This morning, I went to go spot clean because guinea pigs poop a lot lol and the cage started to come apart. So I had to attempt to rebuild which was another 3 plus hours. Luckily, I had a decent sized playpen for them to run around in and I fed them veggies throughout this whole process. I ended up getting it put together once again, but the I had to downsize it a bit for it to snap into place. I can’t do CC cages due to having 2 dogs and carpet. But I’ve been looking into other cages on Amazon. I know the Midwest guinea pig cage is a decent one but it doesn’t have anything to cover the top. I’m gonna continue to look for other cages. It’s been a stressful process and I’ve tried my best to keep the guineas as happy as possible throughout it. I’m starting to feel like rehoming them may be a better option to keep them happy. I want the best life possible for them. Has anyones guinea pig adoption process been similar in the beginning,

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome!

I’m sure most of us have had similar experiences in one way or another!

A Midwest cage does meet the minimum size of 120x60cm which is necessary for two sows but what I would say is if you can go bigger, then please do consider doing so. It is better for sows to be in 150x60cm if at all possible.
Lids can be fitted to c&c cages and Midwest cages by using additional grids, zip ties and support bars.
C&c cages usually have a correx base added to them with an upstand up the sides so hsving carpet isn’t necessarily a problem.
They can also be put on tables to ensure the piggies are well away from dogs.
My boys live in my shed but have to come indoors in summer due to the heat. I use a c&c cage and have carpets but I put plastic sheeting down underneath the grids so all is fully protected.

Have you checked your piggies are both definitely the same sex?

You say guineas are more interactive and people friendly - it’s true, some are but some aren’t. As a prey animal, it’s quite normal for piggies to never enjoy being handled, so don’t be surprised if you find yours don’t want to sit and be held.

Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages
Member Gallery: Commercial Cages

Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners

 

[Lorcan]

The Midwest does come with a lid, or at least it used to, but you had (have?) to buy the one with the bedroom area, or whatever they called it. The thing with the Midwest is, the space they provide, you'd be better off getting two of them. But honestly they're great cages, especially for new owners, if only because of the lining. It's a perfect fit for the size and very easy to put the whole thing together.

 

[weepweeps]

Hello and welcome to the forum. When I first got my two piggies I soon thought I had made a terrible mistake. I was so anxious about everything. So my advice to you would be to relax a bit. It was hard to start with but I’d never be without my piggies now. Good luck.

 

[Guineapigs33]

Welcome!

I’m sure most of us have had similar experiences in one way or another!

A Midwest cage does meet the minimum size of 120x60cm which is necessary for two sows but what I would say is if you can go bigger, then please do consider doing so. It is better for sows to be in 150x60cm if at all possible.
Lids can be fitted to c&c cages and Midwest cages by using additional grids, zip ties and support bars.
C&c cages usually have a correx base added to them with an upstand up the sides so hsving carpet isn’t necessarily a problem.
They can also be put on tables to ensure the piggies are well away from dogs.
My boys live in my shed but have to come indoors in summer due to the heat. I use a c&c cage and have carpets but I put plastic sheeting down underneath the grids so all is fully protected.

Have you checked your piggies are both definitely the same sex?

You say guineas are more interactive and people friendly - it’s true, some are but some aren’t. As a prey animal, it’s quite normal for piggies to never enjoy being handled, so don’t be surprised if you find yours don’t want to sit and be held.

Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages
Member Gallery: Commercial Cages

New and Wannabe Guinea Pig Owners Corner

Thank you! I’m going to try to expand as much as possible. I’m thinking the Midwest cage may be the best route for my piggies! (at least as a start). I’m super excited to have both of them and wanna provide the best life possible. I adopted the pair that were already together when I went to get them (I figured they had already bonded, even if it was just a little bit) I had them make sure to check that they were both females and they confirmed that they are. But I’ve seen a lot of horror stories about pet stores misgendering guineas. Adopt, don’t shop. I know, but I couldn’t leave the poor babies in the pet store. They get mistreated and the fact that they keep them in tanks breaks my heart. I’m going to look into cc cages as well and see if I can find a better solution to a habitat for them. The cage I have would’ve been perfect to start with if it wasn’t so cheaply and poorly made ): Before I had moved it to spot clean this morning, the guineas were popcorning and making happy noises and it suddenly felt like all the stress was worth it. I’ve tried to let them settle as much as possible because I know they’re still timid and I’m a new environment. I’m gonna keep trying to introduce myself slowly and not rush the process. I don’t want to stress them. I’ve seen some pigges love to be held and others don’t. Either way, I’m happy to have them. I think the change from a hamster to a Guinea pig was a lot different than expected and the terrible made cage wasn’t any help lol. Thank you for the kind reply! You have no idea how much you made me feel better.

 

[Guineapigs33]

The Midwest does come with a lid, or at least it used to, but you had (have?) to buy the one with the bedroom area, or whatever they called it. The thing with the Midwest is, the space they provide, you'd be better off getting two of them. But honestly they're great cages, especially for new owners, if only because of the lining. It's a perfect fit for the size and very easy to put the whole thing together.

Hearing you say it’s very easy to put together definitely makes me want to purchase that cage more. It was my initial cage that I wanted to buy for them but I couldn’t find it anywhere around me. So I’ll just have to order it. I just hope it’s way more stable than the cage I have now lol. I need to find a stand or some sort of table to order that’ll fit a Midwest cage on top. Thank you!

 

[Tnoz]

Hope you get things sorted, they are well worth the stressful times, once you get established with cage you will feel much better, hugs

 

[Guineapigs33]

Hello and welcome to the forum. When I first got my two piggies I soon thought I had made a terrible mistake. I was so anxious about everything. So my advice to you would be to relax a bit. It was hard to start with but I’d never be without my piggies now. Good luck.

This is exactly how I’m feeling. I feel guiltily for even feeling like I made a mistake purchasing them. I had been wanting them for quite some time and even took all the steps to do proper research so to feel this way after finally having my babies makes me feel even worse. I think they’re the cutest thing and want to do everything in my power to make sure they’re happy and healthy. I’ve been so incredibly anxious about having them since the moment I brought them home. I feel like getting the Midwest cage for them will be a huge relief off of my shoulders and finding a table for it to set on. I’m trying not to put stress on my piggies or my dogs throughout this whole process. I feel like putting them on a higher and stable surface would resolve a lot of the anxiousness I’m feeling. Thank you for the kind and reassuring reply! The anxiety, nervousness, and pressure you feel after purchasing guineas needs to be talked about more. I think it just comes from caring a ton about the health of our animals and wanting the absolute best for them.

 

[weepweeps]

I also have a dog. I would definitely not have a cage on the floor with a dog.

You’ll soon get into the hang of being a piggy slave. They will have you trained in no time. Lol.

 

[Guineapigs33]

Hope you get things sorted, they are well worth the stressful times, once you get established with cage you will feel much better, hugs

I think the cage is the big stressor in all of this. I’m looking into better cages for my babies. On the bright side, they’ve been popcorning and making happy noises. They’ve been enjoying the green leaf lecture too and it’s the cutest thing. I’m an animal lover so when I feel like I’m not providing the best care, it’s so stressful. Thank you for the sweet reply!

 

[Guineapigs33]

I also have a dog. I would definitely not have a cage on the floor with a dog.

You’ll soon get into the hang of being a piggy slave. They will have you trained in no time. Lol.

I’ve been keeping my door shut at all times to avoid the dogs being too close to them. I hate that I have to keep them out of my room until I have get a better cage, along with a table to put them on but it’s better to be safe than sorry. My piggies have already been training me and it hasn’t even been a full 48 hours lol. The amount of poop that comes from them is insane. They’re so tinyy lol

 

[weepweeps]

They are eating and pooping machines. What are they called? I have two boars called Percy and Pepper.

 

[weepweeps]

And I’m sorry you lost your hamster.

 

[Guineapigs33]

They are eating and pooping machines. What are they called? I have two boars called Percy and Pepper.

We haven’t decided on names yet ): we’ve been trying to come up with some. I can attach some pictures soon to see if anyone has any name recommendations! I absolutely love those names btw!

 

[Guineapigs33]

And I’m sorry you lost your hamster.

Aw ): thank you. She was a 3 year old Syrian hamster but I did everything I could to give her the best life possible. It sucks their life spans are so short. We still have one more named Winnie and he’s the cutest! We just got him a couple weeks ago.

 

[weepweeps]

I’ve never had a hamster. They look very sweet though.

Yes post some pics.

 

[weepweeps]

You’ll get loads of friendly advice on this forum. Just ask lots of questions.

 

[Guineapigs33]

You’ll get loads of friendly advice on this forum. Just ask lots of questions.

Everyone who’s replied has been so friendly and reassuring. I’m so glad I decided to make a post and reach out to people who have dealt with piggies!

 

[Lorcan]

Everyone who’s replied has been so friendly and reassuring.

It's what we're here for, as much as we can do. We've all been there at least once and there's so much information (and misinformation) out there it can be overwhelming. Most of us are in the UK so sometimes it can feel like we're taking forever to reply but we will always make an effort to do so.

And honestly, we really like guinea pig pictures

 

[Tnoz]

I have 7 of the wheekers lol and poop I guess 100 poops per pig a day is a lot but I clean every day and give them plenty of exercise is playpens and they know the sound of the wrapper on the lettuce lol

 

[Guineapigs33]

I have 7 of the wheekers lol and poop I guess 100 poops per pig a day is a lot but I clean every day and give them plenty of exercise is playpens and they know the sound of the wrapper on the lettuce lol

Oh my goodness! 7?! I can barely manage two so far lol. I’ve been looking into the Kavee cages with stands! I wanna give them plenty of space for when I’m at work. If you get a chance, you should attach some pictures of your piggies!

 

[Tnoz]

I’ve attached pics of my precious babies x

 

[VickiA]

Hello and welcome. I think most of us can remember back to our first piggies, when we were learning everything (or unlearning everything we had learned years before as welfare had moved on somewhat….) It can feel overwhelming, but this forum is full of members who will happily answer questions and reassure you.

 

[Guineapigs33]

I’ve attached pics of my precious babies x

They’re the absolute cutest

 

[Guineapigs33]

I’ve never had a hamster. They look very sweet though.

Yes post some pics.


Piggie number one. The other one is hiding but I’ll try to take a picture of her whenever she comes out

 

[Guineapigs33]

Other piggie (:

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

You may find these two links here very helpful and want to bookmark them:
- Getting Started - Essential Information for New Owners
This collection contains all the practical how-to information and resources to get you started with housing, diet, settling in and understanding your piggies, as well as learning what is normal and not.

- Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection
This much wider collection additionally includes practical information on the most commonly encountered problems, illness support and more in-depth information on guinea pigs as a species to help you understand better where your piggies are coming from. It is one of the largest information resources currently around.

15 years experience on this lively forum with literally tens of thousands of piggies passing through and up to 50 years of personal owner experience have gone into our helpful guides. We have had time to test most of the tips making the rounds as to whether they actually work or not in that time plus learn to understand our piggies and their own needs and quirks better.

We've all started knowing nothing and being equally excited and scared at the same time and haven't forgotten that.
You are always welcome to ask any questions in our various Care sections (knowing that you will always get a friendly and factual answer) and post pictures or chat about your piggies (or other members' piggies) in our Chat sections. We are a friendly and supportive community.