Hi all!
I'm currently coming to the end of my fist year at university in North Wales, and whilst sorting out accommodation for next year the landlord has said that he will allow us to have pets. This is brilliant news for me and I'm very excited! I come from Kent and at my family home we have two gorgeous much loved rabbits but I know they certainly wouldn't appreciate coming out of their home of the last 8 years and moving to Wales so that's not an option.
After a fair amount of research on small animals I've decided that Guinea pigs are the most suited to my situation but I still have a few concerns questions.
Biggest concern is traveling with them. I'm in Wales for most of the year but I go home for 3 weeks at Christmas and Easter and then 3 months at summer. The train journey is roughly 5 hours although can sometimes be upto 6 or 7 with lots of changes or delays. I understand Guinea pigs can be nervous so would this regular, long distance traveling stress them out too much? If I was to get Guinea pigs I'd be looking for an already bonded pair from a rescue, and hopefully a pair with slightly more outgoing personalities (assuming this will help them deal with new situations better than a very nervous pair?) How will guinea pigs cope with a change of home? Obviously I couldn't take their home on the train too so they'd have to have two homes.
I've read a lot of conflicting information on selecting a gender for a pair of Guniea pigs, some say Boars are more confident. Is this true? Others say they smell a lot more. Is that true?
If I was to get Guniea pigs then is get them over the summer holiday so that they have at least two months to settle in and get used to me. It would hopefully also give them time to get acquainted with the carry box that they would travel in so that they are more comfortable when in it.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please answer honestly as I don't want to get Guniea pigs if my lifestyle will stress them out and make them unhappy. Also is their anything else I need to consider?
I'm currently coming to the end of my fist year at university in North Wales, and whilst sorting out accommodation for next year the landlord has said that he will allow us to have pets. This is brilliant news for me and I'm very excited! I come from Kent and at my family home we have two gorgeous much loved rabbits but I know they certainly wouldn't appreciate coming out of their home of the last 8 years and moving to Wales so that's not an option.
After a fair amount of research on small animals I've decided that Guinea pigs are the most suited to my situation but I still have a few concerns questions.
Biggest concern is traveling with them. I'm in Wales for most of the year but I go home for 3 weeks at Christmas and Easter and then 3 months at summer. The train journey is roughly 5 hours although can sometimes be upto 6 or 7 with lots of changes or delays. I understand Guinea pigs can be nervous so would this regular, long distance traveling stress them out too much? If I was to get Guinea pigs I'd be looking for an already bonded pair from a rescue, and hopefully a pair with slightly more outgoing personalities (assuming this will help them deal with new situations better than a very nervous pair?) How will guinea pigs cope with a change of home? Obviously I couldn't take their home on the train too so they'd have to have two homes.
I've read a lot of conflicting information on selecting a gender for a pair of Guniea pigs, some say Boars are more confident. Is this true? Others say they smell a lot more. Is that true?
If I was to get Guniea pigs then is get them over the summer holiday so that they have at least two months to settle in and get used to me. It would hopefully also give them time to get acquainted with the carry box that they would travel in so that they are more comfortable when in it.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please answer honestly as I don't want to get Guniea pigs if my lifestyle will stress them out and make them unhappy. Also is their anything else I need to consider?