How noisy are guinea pigs? Are they suitable to be placed in a home office/study?

Thanks for all the responses. Now on the financial side of things, I was just calculating the cost of 2 guinea pigs? It seems virtually indistinguishable from the costs of a small dog or cat!

This is on the premise:
£10 for hay
£10 for bedding
£5 for pellets
£32 for veggies

Plus all the vet bills. According to PDSA, a small dog or cat would cost about £70 per month. Now I really don't understand why guinea pigs or rabbits are even 'starter pets'. I am generalizing but most families I know would prefer a dog or cat and get the guinea pigs (cos its 'easier'). I think it would be a lot easier just to get a dog or cat in the first place even if it costs more initially. I am not a dog or cat person but I am not sure I want to pay dog/cat type bills! Which is why I have been back and forth about the whole guinea pig issue
 
onlychildandhamster said:
Thanks for all the answers. Was just reading about guinea pigs peeing all over their owners...I guess this happens a lot. Do all guinea pig owners have to use towels for cuddle time/floor time?
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Yes I definitely have to have a blanket for cuddle time. They pee when they are sleeping and eating. 😍. But also they do let me know if they need to go to pee by getting fidgety. Then I pop them back into their run or hutch. Also my two boars pee on each other for fun 🙄.
 
I have two boys and I spend roughly:
Veggies per week = two romaine lettuces, green pepper, 2 cucumbers, green beans, coriander. £5
I buy about 10kg of hay from HayBox every 2 months. £30
Pellets = They don’t need a lot of these so a bag lasts ages. £5
Bedding = 1 extra large wood shavings every 5 weeks or so and I use old newspapers under the wood shavings so that’s free. £15
I also buy some forage, pea flakes, hay cakes as treats. £20
The main thing would be for you to put some money aside each month for vet bills. Mine have not had a major illness. Thank goodness.
 
weepweeps said:
I have two boys and I spend roughly:
Veggies per week = two romaine lettuces, green pepper, 2 cucumbers, green beans, coriander. £5
I buy about 10kg of hay from HayBox every 2 months. £30
Pellets = They don’t need a lot of these so a bag lasts ages. £5
Bedding = 1 extra large wood shavings every 5 weeks or so and I use old newspapers under the wood shavings so that’s free. £15
I also buy some forage, pea flakes, hay cakes as treats. £20
The main thing would be for you to put some money aside each month for vet bills. Mine have not had a major illness. Thank goodness.
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£20(£5*4)+£15 (hay)+£5+£15+£20 =£75!

That really is the cost for a small dog or cat! Which are both known to be fairly expensive pets.
 
They most certainly are not cheap or starter pets. Veterinary treatment is akin to private healthcare. You pay for every itemised thing - consultation, X-ray, urine test, blood test, medication etc.
My vets bills for one piggy alone this month are up to £300 already. I’m just glad it’s only 1 of the 6 needing treatment this month.
In my worst ever month when I had 2 sows needing emergency spays plus one with a haypoke and an out of hours emergency vet visit I forked out £2,000.
 
onlychildandhamster said:
Thanks for all the responses. Now on the financial side of things, I was just calculating the cost of 2 guinea pigs? It seems virtually indistinguishable from the costs of a small dog or cat!

This is on the premise:
£10 for hay
£10 for bedding
£5 for pellets
£32 for veggies

Plus all the vet bills. According to PDSA, a small dog or cat would cost about £70 per month. Now I really don't understand why guinea pigs or rabbits are even 'starter pets'. I am generalizing but most families I know would prefer a dog or cat and get the guinea pigs (cos its 'easier'). I think it would be a lot easier just to get a dog or cat in the first place even if it costs more initially. I am not a dog or cat person but I am not sure I want to pay dog/cat type bills! Which is why I have been back and forth about the whole guinea pig issue
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We spend £17 on hay every 5 weeks from happy hay co, palettes are about £6 every 4-6 months (I have no idea) veggies for 2 boys are around £7 a week we use fleece bedding so although the initial cost is higher it then doesn’t involve a monthly bedding cost. I also bought some forage in bulk recently for £30 which should last 3-4 months.
Our recent encounters at the vet have cost £60 a time we has some scratchy skin issues and an eye injury!
 
onlychildandhamster said:
Thanks for all the responses. Now on the financial side of things, I was just calculating the cost of 2 guinea pigs? It seems virtually indistinguishable from the costs of a small dog or cat!

This is on the premise:
£10 for hay
£10 for bedding
£5 for pellets
£32 for veggies

Plus all the vet bills. According to PDSA, a small dog or cat would cost about £70 per month. Now I really don't understand why guinea pigs or rabbits are even 'starter pets'. I am generalizing but most families I know would prefer a dog or cat and get the guinea pigs (cos its 'easier'). I think it would be a lot easier just to get a dog or cat in the first place even if it costs more initially. I am not a dog or cat person but I am not sure I want to pay dog/cat type bills! Which is why I have been back and forth about the whole guinea pig issue
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That seems like loads!
I got my c&c second hand. I made fleece liners so there is no disposable bedding costs but of course there is a cost to running the washing machine (weekly change)
I buy 10kg of hay at a time lasting about 8 weeks so about £4 a week
A lettuce, a bunch of coriander, a cucumber, a carrot, a pepper and then random bits of what is left from chopping up for dinner, some strawberry tops here, a green bean there. £2
I bulk buy pellets so they cost a couple of quid a week tops, if that.

So less than a tenner a week.

Vet fees are annoying. I’ve had a couple of eye pokes, a lump and a grey nose. Has been silly money, not less than £50 a time. But it’s pot luck. You might spend a fortune, might spend nothing. I was lucky that the day Jenny lacerated her face (god knows how) a vet friend glued her together for free!

They generally cost me little enough to not notice the spend, except when we have a vet trip.
 
I have just bought a bale of hay from the farm and it was £6.50. It'll last my 3 about 4-5 months. Mine are on fleece so apart from the initial start up cost, it's only washing costs now. Veggies I probably spend around £5 on per week and a bag of pellets is about a fiver but lasts ages. They have forage too and that lasts around 3-4 months and is about £30?

As others have said vets fees are by far the biggest outlay. Start up a vet fund as soon as you get piggies.
 
Tigermoth said:
Tigermoth said:
That seems like loads!
I got my c&c second hand. I made fleece liners so there is no disposable bedding costs but of course there is a cost to running the washing machine (weekly change)
I buy 10kg of hay at a time lasting about 8 weeks so about £4 a week
A lettuce, a bunch of coriander, a cucumber, a carrot, a pepper and then random bits of what is left from chopping up for dinner, some strawberry tops here, a green bean there. £2
I bulk buy pellets so they cost a couple of quid a week tops, if that.

So less than a tenner a week.

Vet fees are annoying. I’ve had a couple of eye pokes, a lump and a grey nose. Has been silly money, not less than £50 a time. But it’s pot luck. You might spend a fortune, might spend nothing. I was lucky that the day Jenny lacerated her face (god knows how) a vet friend glued her together for free!

They generally cost me little enough to not notice the spend, except when we have a vet trip.
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this is on the premise that you buy haybox hay and similar online hay sites which are popular. 10 kg of hay is £25 on haybox. And I wouldn't ever use fleece so would need to factor in bedding. I just ran up the costs of my hamster for the past 6.5 months and a tiny hamster cost a whooping £41 a month. This includes hamster boarding for 7 days (£35), a vet visit that cost £40, toys and treats, replacement playpen (he chewed a small hole in 1), bedding (carefresh and auboise), several hamster mixes (including from independent small businesses as well as more affordable ones from rat rations as I mix them up) so it is the total cost. Imagine how I would be like as a guinea pig owner! I would definitely spend £70 on 2 guinea pigs if I was spending £36-41 on a very spoilt Syrian hamster!
 
My piggies probably cost £150 per month food and bedding for 8 very indulged piggies. I dont see why anyone would expect them to cost less than a dog or cat, the value of an animal as part of the family that is a good fit for your household doesnt depend on their size!

Vet bills can be anything from £50 for a basic minor ailment to in excess of £2000 for an emergency or an ongoing health condition needing specialist referral and/or repeat appointments.

I'm happy to pay that, all budgeted for before we commited to them!

But yes for a similar cost you might as well just have a baby or something instead if you prefer children, or dogs, or cats... I much prefer guinea pigs myself :)

I would say if you arent 100% commited to a pet then maybe its not the pet for you. I see people here trying to convince you, but I dont think you seem quite convinced and if you prefer a dog or cat go with that instead... one of our piggies came to us being given away in the free ads because after 5 weeks the previous owner's child decided they would prefer a dog :( and that is a situation definitely to be avoided, if you arent sure dont do it!
 
I didn’t realise they were asking if they should get a piggy or dog or cat. Definitely if you are not 100% sure I’d also say don’t get one.
 
PigglePuggle said:
My piggies probably cost £150 per month food and bedding for 8 very indulged piggies. I dont see why anyone would expect them to cost less than a dog or cat, the value of an animal as part of the family that is a good fit for your household doesnt depend on their size!

Vet bills can be anything from £50 for a basic minor ailment to in excess of £2000 for an emergency or an ongoing health condition needing specialist referral and/or repeat appointments.

I'm happy to pay that, all budgeted for before we commited to them!

But yes for a similar cost you might as well just have a baby or something instead if you prefer children, or dogs, or cats... I much prefer guinea pigs myself :)

I would say if you arent 100% commited to a pet then maybe its not the pet for you. I see people here trying to convince you, but I dont think you seem quite convinced and if you prefer a dog or cat go with that instead... one of our piggies came to us being given away in the free ads because after 5 weeks the previous owner's child decided they would prefer a dog :( and that is a situation definitely to be avoided, if you arent sure dont do it!
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I don't prefer a dog or a cat, i am scared of cats and I don't like it when dogs lick me. But I don't really want to pay dog/cat style pet bills, I am not a huge pet person. but at the same time, i want my pet to have a nice life- hence why I somehow managed to spend £260 on my Syrian hamster this year (his cage was purchased last year, so this doesn't include the cost of his cage or his wheel!) I am a bit shocked at the cost myself, as until today i never actually added it all up!I never did expect guinea pigs to be a cheap pet, but the fact that it costs as much as a dog or a cat still shocks me as i have seen plenty of people get piggies because they felt they could not afford a dog or cat!

Also logically given that I spend so much on my hamster, would it be fair to say that I probably would be spending far more on my guinea pigs. Every forum i have perused has said that guinea pigs are way more expensive than hamsters! Firstly they are larger and there are 2 of them, and they have bigger cages, need constant hay and fresh veggies daily (my hamster does have fresh veggies daily though).
 
weepweeps said:
I didn’t realise they were asking if they should get a piggy or dog or cat. Definitely if you are not 100% sure I’d also say don’t get one.
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I don't want a dog or a cat. But I definitely don't want a pet that costs the same as a dog or cat. Its true that there are no cheap pets but i don't think all pets out there cost the same as a dog or cat.
 
Great you are doing your research, unfortunately here we see many people who get piggies hoping for a cheap low maintenance pet and then unable to afford the vet bills.
They are much more expensive that hamsters and also fairly high maintenance- daily poop picking is a very time consuming job, usually twice weekly full cage cleans, and piggies cannot be litter tray trained- I know hamsters and rabbits can be quite clean and have a designated toilet corner or tray but not really piggies!
And the lifespan is long, 5 to 8 years perhaps, as is the list of things that can need vet care, especially as they age but also as a result of bad inbreeding- a fair few piggies are just destined to have expensively bad teeth, or be prone the respiratory issues- my lovely piggy Blodwen has both and has clocked up about £3000 of vet bills in under 3 years, dental surgery, emergencies, specialist referrals... I think she is worth every penny, but I imagine a fair few folks would be having to make difficult decisions about if they could afford that/would want to spend that on a rodent!
 
My guinea pigs cost more per week than my dogs _ and my dogs are not small! They are also harder work to care for than the horses quite often, and a lot fussier!

I think their "cute hairy prettiness" and resemblance to stuffed toys has been their worst enemy. Mice and rats enjoy being "pets" much more, but somehow the guinea pig is always held up as the tolerant cuddle pet. (The poor things should be less reluctant to bite! lol)
 
I think you probably would do well to look into buying a cactus or something. They are quiet, minimal cost and give next to nothing back. Something you have not acknowledged at all. Yes, there is a cost but they repay you in spades. But yeah, I think a plant might suit you better xx
 
Well my aim this year is to overpay my mortgage by £1000 every month as my mortgage itself is £1000. So far I have been overpaying by £700. Would also be nice to save 20% of my salary on top of that but I would need a new job for that! So yeah not drowning in £££. I think I am comfortable with my hamster's cost, £40 is ok (and I suspect a big part of that high cost may have been too many hours spent at Pets At Home given that it was one of the few essential shops open during lockdown). when I say I am not a big pet person, it means that I wouldn't unquestioningly compromise my future financial security for my pets. Its fair enough other people choose to do so but I am just not that kind of person...
 
Tigermoth said:
I think you probably would do well to look into buying a cactus or something. They are quiet, minimal cost and give next to nothing back. Something you have not acknowledged at all. Yes, there is a cost but they repay you in spades. But yeah, I think a plant might suit you better xx
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Well my aim this year is to overpay my mortgage by £1000 every month as my mortgage itself is £1000. So far I have been overpaying by £700. Would also be nice to save 20% of my salary on top of that but I would need a new job for that! So yeah not drowning in £££. I think I am comfortable with my hamster's cost, £40 is ok (and I suspect a big part of that high cost may have been too many hours spent at Pets At Home given that it was one of the few essential shops open during lockdown). when I say I am not a big pet person, it means that I wouldn't unquestioningly compromise my future financial security for my pets. Its fair enough other people choose to do so but I am just not that kind of person...
 
I guess you need to ask yourself a few questions.
1. Can you comfortably afford 2 new pets?
2. Have you got time for 2 new pets?
3. Do you mind clearing up the mess of 2 new pets?
4. Are you willing to take them to the vet.
5. Do you actually want 2 new pets?

I'm quite impressed how money savvy you are being. But that’s because I'm not really motivated by money at all when it comes to my animals. I don’t compare the prices of their costs to other animals or other things in life. I’ll pay whatever it costs for them to have the best life possible. My 6 pigs probably cost me around $60 a month. Not including vet bills. But all my animals in total, including 4 horses probably cost me around $600-800 a month. But that’s my choice, and don’t regret a single cent.

sounds like your hamster is absolutely spoilt, and the perfect companion to you in your office. Maybe you should keep just spoiling your hamster for now :)
 
Hannah_xx said:
I guess you need to ask yourself a few questions.
1. Can you comfortably afford 2 new pets?
2. Have you got time for 2 new pets?
3. Do you mind clearing up the mess of 2 new pets?
4. Are you willing to take them to the vet.
5. Do you actually want 2 new pets?

I'm quite impressed how money savvy you are being. But that’s because I'm not really motivated by money at all when it comes to my animals. I don’t compare the prices of their costs to other animals or other things in life. I’ll pay whatever it costs for them to have the best life possible. My 6 pigs probably cost me around $60 a month. Not including vet bills. But all my animals in total, including 4 horses probably cost me around $600-800 a month. But that’s my choice, and don’t regret a single cent.

sounds like your hamster is absolutely spoilt, and the perfect companion to you in your office. Maybe you should keep just spoiling your hamster for now :)
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my hammie is a year old next month! Most hamsters live 1.5 years to 2 years (sadly). Very few make it to 3 years these days. hence i was starting to think whether i wanted a hamster or to sell all my hamster gear and get guinea pigs instead. I guess the other posters are right and I should just get another hamster (when Cuddles passes on).
 
I've stopped counting how much we spend on our guinea pigs. Just the vet bills would cripple someone who doesn't really have a very good source of money. We are lucky that we can manage at the moment, especially even with the pandemic. If you wouldn't be prepared to spend money for emergency vet visits and such, I advise not to get guinea pigs. The amount of time we have been to the vets this year, it probably cost us already £1000 more or less (including petrol and other miscellaneous). We travel to Northampton to see one of the best vets for dental issues.
 
Piggies and rabbits are a huge commitment. Up to 8 years for piggies, up to 12 years for rabbits - they really should not be considered starter pets.

I have three rabbits and two piggies. I use 20kg of hay (haybox) each month - slightly less in summer as they aren’t bedded on quite such a thick layer (they live in my shed). 20kg bale of aubiose/snowflake softchip/megazorb every six weeks or so. So those items around £70 a month. Veg isn’t a lot per week, pellets even less as I hardly feed any particularly in summer. As well as saving to ensure my vet fund is always at a good level.
Time is also a factor - even for the basics takes me about an hour a day between all five of them.

I love it and wouldn’t have my life any other way though!
 
As others have said, guinea pigs are not cheap pets by any means.
It’s definitely worth considering instead getting another hamster after your current one inevitably passes on. If you like the idea of a new type of pet, maybe you could consider gerbils? In terms of cost they are very similar to hamsters and many aspects of their requirements are the same. So when your hamster passes you wouldn’t really need to buy any new equipment except food and bedding? Just a thought. I have two gerbils and they make great pets, here they are:
View attachment 180580View attachment 180581
I’d also like to say I think it’s great that you are really considering everything carefully before jumping in to ownership. :)
 
gerbilord said:
As others have said, guinea pigs are not cheap pets by any means.
It’s definitely worth considering instead getting another hamster after your current one inevitably passes on. If you like the idea of a new type of pet, maybe you could consider gerbils? In terms of cost they are very similar to hamsters and many aspects of their requirements are the same. So when your hamster passes you wouldn’t really need to buy any new equipment except food and bedding? Just a thought. I have two gerbils and they make great pets, here they are:
View attachment 180580View attachment 180581
I’d also like to say I think it’s great that you are really considering everything carefully before jumping in to ownership. :)
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I considered gerbils, but they seem quite fast unlike my docile Syrian. Plus I don't like how easily they declan and also the bonding process for gerbils looks quite difficult. I even considered rats but I am not a big fan of how they scent mark/plus you need to let them free roam for at least 1 hour a day and they are very smart and would almost certainly destroy your possessions!

I also looked at a duprasi gerbil, but it is really quite similar to a hamster in terms of its sleeping pattern/behavior!
 
My 2 are in my home office.

95% of the time they arent loud, except for chewing, making a little noise when they run and soft wheeking in the background, which is nice.

5% of the time mine go absolutely nuts in their cage - Wheeking loudly, popcorning and zooming. It can be heard on a video/audio conference, but not to the point that it'll be an issue. And I still love their background noises, makes me forget sometimes that I'm in a concrete jungle!
 
onlychildandhamster said:
I considered gerbils, but they seem quite fast unlike my docile Syrian. Plus I don't like how easily they declan and also the bonding process for gerbils looks quite difficult. I even considered rats but I am not a big fan of how they scent mark/plus you need to let them free roam for at least 1 hour a day and they are very smart and would almost certainly destroy your possessions!

I also looked at a duprasi gerbil, but it is really quite similar to a hamster in terms of its sleeping pattern/behavior!
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I got a pair of mongolian gerbils after my Cuddles passed (RIP) and they are great pets. Similar in care to my hamster but they are awake more often and more energetic!
 
onlychildandhamster said:
Thanks for all the responses. Now on the financial side of things, I was just calculating the cost of 2 guinea pigs? It seems virtually indistinguishable from the costs of a small dog or cat!

This is on the premise:
£10 for hay
£10 for bedding
£5 for pellets
£32 for veggies

Plus all the vet bills. According to PDSA, a small dog or cat would cost about £70 per month. Now I really don't understand why guinea pigs or rabbits are even 'starter pets'. I am generalizing but most families I know would prefer a dog or cat and get the guinea pigs (cos its 'easier'). I think it would be a lot easier just to get a dog or cat in the first place even if it costs more initially. I am not a dog or cat person but I am not sure I want to pay dog/cat type bills! Which is why I have been back and forth about the whole guinea pig issue
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I have recently spent around £300 on one of my pigs. She had an ear infection and then a few weeks later an abcess on her head which required three vets visits...they are not cheap at the vets!
 
I don't think you'll find a better pet than a hamster if you want something that's quiet during the day, unless you go for something like fish or reptiles.

Guinea pigs vary a lot in terms of noise, our previous pair were very quiet (the dominant one had a voice problem and because he was never loud, his cage mate followed his lead).

However our current pair can be EXTREMELY loud, like turn up the TV because you can't hear the dialogue kind of loud. So with that and the costs, I don't think they would suit you as well as another hamster would. I personally love hamsters (though I've never had one), I think they're lovely little pets. And being nocturnal means they will usually be asleep when you're trying to work.
 
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