• DONATIONS NOW OPEN! TGPF relies on donations to run. If you'd like to donate towards running costs you can find out more HERE
  • Fresh grass and lawn tips to avoid springtime deaths Click here for details

How Many Is Too Many?

Tabybim

Tabybim

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
286
Reaction score
533
Points
430
Location
Hertfordshire,England
i currently have 5 Guinea pigs 3 ladies and 2 boys, but I now have the opportunity to rehome a skinny pig(and have previously owned and lost a beautiful skinny boy to cancer. I do miss having a skinny around)but is 6 pigs too many? Am I being greedy? I also have an 8 year old cat. An extra pig would be a tight squeeze in my bedroom ( if he can't live with Kenneth my baby piggy, which is my hope) . Is it unfair to expect Kenneth to share a cage or would he appreciate a friend? The cost isn't an issue and I do have a lot of spare time but should you limit the amount of pets you have? Also skinny pigs are a bigger responsibility , in so much as they must be kept warm. I do also worry though that if I don't have this piggy who will and will they know how to look after a skinny properly. I'm in a conundrum and would appreciate any advice.
 
It really is up to you- will you be able to afford the extra vet bill of neccessary? If it doesn't work with Kenneth do you have another plan or are you willing to return him? For some six piggies sounds like a handful but it really depends on you. My friend had 11 piggies at once at one point and I don't think she struggled hugely. Obviously there was more poo and vet bills but it wasn't horrifying. I have seven pets at the minute - not all piggies- which all require different dietary needs and care but I cope. Now I'm not saying because I cope you will but I'm just saying that it's only you who can decide when enough is enough. I'd have many more pets- I REALLY WANT ANOTHER PAIR OF PIGGIES N THE FUTURE! ;)
 
@Tabybim It differs for everyone. For me 4 is too many, but that doesn't mean that I think anyone with more than 4 isn't a good owner. Their circumstances allow themnto care for more.

The questions I ask myself when I'm thinking of adopting another pig:

- Do I have the time to clean the extra cages?
-Do I have the time to give them attention and floor time?
-Do i have the time to look after one or more if they become ill, along with looking after the others?
-Do I have space for another cage?
-Do I have the space for another cage if the bond doesn't work or they fall out in the future?
-Can I afford the vet bills?
-Do I have access to a good guinea pig vet?
-Can I afford the food,bedding and supplies?
-Do I have space in the fridge?
-Do i have the means to dispose of all of their waste?

Some of my answers limit me to 2 pigs.
 
I agree with Jesse. We gave the Soave for a zoo, but it's also down to finance and time. We have 6 boys of our own which I find is manageable with my commitments. We are looking after another 4 at the moment which brings us up to 10, I can do this short term but long term I feel would be too much.
 
If you feel you can cope with another guinea pig then do so. If the pairing doesn't work out have you got room for another cage? How many guinea pigs you have is entirely up to what you can afford and what you can cope with. I have 5 gps and that is enough for me. My neighbour, who used to breed them, had 27!
 
I think everyone has their own personal limit.
For me it is four, and as tempting as it sometimes is, I know that if I went about that number it would mean too many.
The questions @Jaycey mentioned are great, and one that I would ass is; 'Does everyone who lives in the house agree to adding another guinea pig?'.
I think this is important, because even if you are the one doing the majority of the care and paying for things, if the whole family are not on-board it could cause problems in the long run.

I would also think about who will care for them when you are away.
Finding a place for a couple of piggies will be a lot easier than finding space for six.
 
Thanks for your thoughts on this matter. Yeah these are all things I'm considering. I know I have the money and I never go away , space is a question and my family don't mind as long as the piggies live in my room. I do feel excited at the thought of having another skinny boy but my first concern is the pigs I already have. Still contemplating.
 
Swissgreys said:
I think everyone has their own personal limit.
For me it is four, and as tempting as it sometimes is, I know that if I went about that number it would mean too many.
The questions @Jaycey mentioned are great, and one that I would ass is; 'Does everyone who lives in the house agree to adding another guinea pig?'.
I think this is important, because even if you are the one doing the majority of the care and paying for things, if the whole family are not on-board it could cause problems in the long run.

I would also think about who will care for them when you are away.
Finding a place for a couple of piggies will be a lot easier than finding space for six.
Click to expand...

Ooh yes, you definitely have to consider the other people in the house.

Because of the pigs it means that me and my other half can't go on holiday. I'm used to it as I've had pigs for 20 years now but it's hard for my boyfriend. So, that's why we're taking a break after the current two. I'll hate it but you need to recharge sometime!
 
Need it is difficult to say to yourself STOP. You can't do anymore. There are many piggies I would like to love and cherish but it really would diminish my time and essential lap time with them. My cap is 8. I have 7, and a new arrival on the weekend for a lonely Jack, otherwise I would be reducing my numbers. 8 is definitely enough for me mainly for the time and my own energy it takes.
 
So I've discussed this with my family ( I live with my parents and have 2 siblings , also adults at home) mum and dad are happy with me having another pig but my brother and sister think maybe 6 is too many but that it's my decision. I realise this will be a big responsibility but I also miss having a little skinny to cuddle and know I could give him a good home.
 
It really depends on the individual and what they can take on responsibly. For some, this is going to be more and for some, less. It depends on your space, finances, time, etc. The things I consider with pets are whether I can afford additional vet bills with another pet and whether I have room, mainly. Right now we are limited to 2 pigs because I need to be able to take them back and forth to the cottage in the cage and thus I can't upgrade my cage size to be big enough for more pigs. If that weren't a consideration, I might have a larger group. You know your finances, space available, time available, etc. so I'm sure you'll make the right decision for yourself!
 
As long as you can afford to and have the time to meet all their physical and psychological needs and pay for vets bills, then it doesn't matter how many you have.
 
I have 20 piggies and cages,this is my abosolute maximum i can manage.but i made an error of having too many a year ago.That was a hard decision,i was unwell and this had an impact on being able to look after them as i would like.i have waited untill i was more mature,financially able and time to give,i love them all but it is hard work.
 
At 19 I feel I am at my limit. I don't have many other things that take up my time and have the space and funds for more, but the increased number does raise more problems. It's easy to find some one to watch over a couple of pigs but finding a volunteer to piggy-sit my army to the standard I'd be happy with is nigh impossible, and although I had a vet fund built up, the first few months this year were full of illness and injury and two surgeries.
Round the clock care while still looking after the healthy lot, day to day life and yourself is hard work and I nearly made myself ill.
I'm not planning on having this many again!
Plus it took me four hours to clean their enclosures this week... in all that heat...:hb:
As long as you've thought it through completely- @Jaycey's list of questions is good- and know your limits, go for it :D
 
Thanks . I've decided to have the new boy and I'm picking him up Sunday. But 6 pigs will be my limit ( besides I couldn't fit anymore cages in my bedroom ). I am excited and a little worried but only for the piggies I already have, I don't want any little noses put out of joint. But considering my eldest pig is now 6 I know I'll only have 6 pigs for so long ( not that I ever want to lose Hilary but they don't last forever). How do you cope with 19 or 20 pigs?
 
For the people who have over 10 pigs where do you keep them all? I keep all of mine in my bedroom, but it does mean I can't have any furniture in there but for my bed. Also how. Many of the pigs live together? So far only 2 of mine share a cage and they're sisters who came together. But in the past none of my other piggies have got on so everyone needed their own cage, which leaves me with little room.
 
Tabybim said:
For the people who have over 10 pigs where do you keep them all? I keep all of mine in my bedroom, but it does mean I can't have any furniture in there but for my bed. Also how. Many of the pigs live together? So far only 2 of mine share a cage and they're sisters who came together. But in the past none of my other piggies have got on so everyone needed their own cage, which leaves me with little room.
Click to expand...

I live alone in a 3 bed house, so space isn't a problem for me, but I've actually converted the garage into a piggy palace- heating, lighting the works. I have 4 pairs of boars and a mixed herd of 8 in there, the boys in 4ft hutches with permanently attached 4ft sq runs, and the herd are in a large open run (about 10ft X 4ft) with two hutches attached.
I'm lucky that my piggies get on very well, I do have room to separate if necessary, but not if I get any more!
I have 3 inside who live in the cupboard under the stairs with a c&c extension into the living room.
There is always hay EVERYWHERE, which is one reason why my mum was so glad that I moved out!
 
Picked up the new piggy Sunday, I've called him Jeremy. He is much smaller than I expected him to be at 12 weeks and so I'm abit dubious about putting him and Kenneth together ( Ken is huge !) I have introduced them though and there was no fighting but Ken did try and nip him a couple of times.
 
I have 7 piggies in a10x2 C&C cage with a 2x2 loft.

I adore the herd, but I cannot have more as this is my absolute limit. I cannot extend the cage any more and to tell the truth 7 is pushing it. But I wouldn't be without any of them. I save £100 every month in a vet fund, except when there is a trip to the vets.
 
The 3 I have is my limit as I can't fit a bigger cage. Unfortunately it looks like one of mine is pregnant which has me a little worried about space and what I am going to do with any males that are born. Hopefully I can find space for another cage somewhere...
 
Congratulations on Jeremy! If you feel the introductions have gone well, they'll be fine together. Jeremy won't get squashed, he'll move, lol. Are they next to each other now? How did you introduce them?
 
BertisKing said:
.
There is always hay EVERYWHERE, which is one reason why my mum was so glad that I moved out!
Click to expand...

That made me laugh out loud. I have hay everywhere even with just the 2 pigs, so my house would be a hay pile if there were more!

My parents were very happy when I moved out. They donated the sooper dooper Dyson hoover to me too as they were happy to be hay free!
 
Guinea Mum said:
Congratulations on Jeremy! If you feel the introductions have gone well, they'll be fine together. Jeremy won't get squashed, he'll move, lol. Are they next to each other now? How did you introduce them?[/QUOTe. The cages are side by side. Sadly Kenneth has started nipping at Jeremy
Click to expand...
 
I first introduced Kenneth and Jeremy downstairs on mine and my mums laps, they were purring and juddering around each other quite happily, but recently Ken has been nipping at Jeremy and occasionally at me. He doesn't seem angry, just over exited. He's not chattering or showing his teeth nor is the fur up on his back. When he does nip it doesn't leave a mark . Any ideas why he's doing this? And will it lead to more aggression?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top