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Hi newbie looking for advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter anakay
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anakay

Hi everybody

I have agreed to take in 2 guinea pigs. My daughters friend got them in september but now they cant look after them due to no fault of their own the girl has very serious illnesses and it looks like she will not be out of hospital in the near future. I am not sure how old they are but i know they are young. I cant really get any info till tomorrow (the woman is at the hospital till tomorrow).

Soooo what i am here for is a few tips and advice on how to look after them and help them settle in. Please dont think i am just jumpin into the decision i can assure you all they will be our forever pets and will be loved and looked after.

I am gonna be online reading all night lol so any links etc will be very helpfull.

Thanks for reading

P.S this looks like a great sight i can tell i will be here a lot :)p
 
Hiya, and welcome. Congratulations on getting your new pets. There is loads of info on here. Wiebke is our queen of links, and she can post loads for you whilst I am still looking! Browse around the forum, and have fun chatting. x
 
Welcome to the forum hunnie x
You could always take them to the vets for a once over when you get them
they can advise on diet etc and care xx
 
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I think Guinealynx is a very reliable and informative reference site. It's an American site so sometimes in medical references things will have different names but it's great place to get you started on general care basics.

http://www.guinealynx.info/

Welcome to the wonderful world of guinea pigs! (and I hope there is some improvement in your friend's health.)
 
Hi! Welcome to the forum!

OK - links to bring you up to speed!

You probably want to know what to feed:
Hay, hay, and hay - should be the mainstay of their diet, about 50g of mixed veg per piggy per day (can be given in more than one serving) and pellets 1 handful per adult per day (once or twice daily), pellets should be topped up for youngsters under 6 months.
Here is a guide to a balanced diet as recoomended on guinealynx
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=37030
Here is a list of veg that you can feed:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42
With a good diet you do not need to add vitamins to the water, but you should change the water daily. Additives only make the bottles go green very quickly.

It would be very good if you got in the habit of weighing your piggies either weekly, or at least every week, so you can spot signs of illness early.

Here are tips about how to settle your new guinea pigs:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36239

This is a link to sounds guinea pigs make, so you can understand them a bit quicker! http://www.jackiesguineapiggies.com/guineapigsounds.html

Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions!

I am very sorry that your friend is so ill and had to give up her piggies - good of you to take them on!
 
Hi and welcome you will find a wealth of informtion here.
 
The late Peter Gurney ("THE" guinea pig vet) is a great source of information of the best quality. http://web.onetel.net.uk/~petergurney/preface.html

We also have motley selection of threads in our guinea pig care REFERENCE section that answer the most regularly asked questions from newbies. It's worth having a poke around!

For housing - think about where you are going to keep the guinea pigs: indoors or outside. Two guinea pigs need at least 2x4 ft groundspace as a minimum (RSPCA recommendation). Have a look round, read some threads and then ask questions.

Please feel free to ask any questions if their behaviour is puzzling you. We have a sticky thread for each gender at the top of the behaviour section.
Do you know which gender your piggies are going to be?
 
hi & welcome loads of infomation on here thanks to everyone who put it all on here

i've had piggies for nearly 4 years & still finding stuff out about them
 
Welcome to this forum. I am quite new here too and have learned loads. Everyone is really friendly and will answer your questions. Don't be embarrassed to ask loads of questions because people would rather you ask than worry about whether what you are doing is right or wrong. They are really lovely pets and you will soon find that they will have you wrapped round their little paws and you will be their piggy slave.
 
I just wanted to say HI!

Also I know you can keep them in or out but right now in the cold IN is better (until it warms up in the spring).

I can't wait to see what they are like. Do you know if they are girls or boys?

Lisa
x
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. You have certainly come to the right place. We are a friendly bunch and I hope we can help you out. Take a look around the forum and I'm sure you will find out lots of useful information.
A massive welcome to your new pets and I hope your friend feels better soon xx
 
This forum is great, I have been a piggy slave for a little while and I run a rescue, they have been invaluable to me on here. I am sure you will find all the help you need and Weibke has already given you loads of stuff to keep you going. Well done on taking the piggies in hun x
 
Thanks so much for the welcome folks,

Well my boys have arrived and i aint seen them yet lol my hubby had a wee peek at them cause they are just hiding but i guess it will be a while till they come out its been a busy day for them. I cant wait to see them totally. am i doing the right thing lol think i am best just sitting here reading all the links. Thanks again
 
Yeah you might not see them for a couple off days it will take them a while to adjust to a new place to live, just keep talking to them softly every now and again so they get used to hearing your voice then they might come out and say hi. Your going to love your new forever friends
 
Give your boys time to settle and get their bearing in their new home.

Don't fret if you do not see them eating or drinking at first - just leave anyhting near their hide and they will dart out (if necessary at night).

Once you see them out and about, you know that they have "arrived".
 
Well the boys have been out and in and out and so on etc lol They have had food and drink and look quite happy Well i think they look happy. I Will try and get a pic later. Thanks
 
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