My girlfriend and I just got through a stressful (but rewarding) event. She was always talking about how she wanted to get a pair of pigs to give a new home and today seemed like one of those days. We had been visiting the pet shop to look at them before and today when we went in there was only one left. Our local pet store has these hutches with plexiglass walls and had the guinea pigs next to the rabbits. When we walked in Sheldon (our guinea pig) was situated in between a food and water dish seeming to stare into the hutch next to him. We thought he was watching the rabbits but when the pet keeper had picked him up to show us and put him back down, we realized he was staring at his reflection (OH OUR HEARTS). We had to get him. We went home and prepared my girlfriends old rabbit cage for him. We actually had no idea how to take care of a guinea pig nor did we know how it behaved. We didnt know that he had to settle in so we were always trying to interact with him. Fast forward to the next couple of days where we realized our mistakes and made a 2x2 C&C grid cage as well as putting a small cloth over the top of it for him to adjust for a day. He seemed a lot happier and more willing to interact with us. We couldnt resist and ended up attempting to pick him up for laptime on multiple occasions. He seemed mostly comfortable with it. I was almost always at home so I had spent a lot of time hand feeding him and by the fourth or fifth day he stopped eating one of his veggies and laid in a corner. I took this as a sign for letting me pet him and he did just that. He melted into a puddle and just let me pet him. (I sadly havent been able to recreate this event) I'm sitting here a week later with a few concerns and questions and I was hoping that the users on this forum would be helpful with getting to be best friends with our guinea pig. I'm waiting on my fleece to be delivered to make his 2x2 cage into a 2x3 cage. He also started wheeking while I was watching a video on guinea pig sounds. I love this little guy to death but if anyone is out there to help me out with my companion leave a few replies so you can get to know the little guy a little more and help me make him the happiest that I possibly can!
My Girlfriend And I Bought Our First Guinea Pig Last Week!
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zombieprincess
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Hi, welcome to the forum. I hope you find this a place full of information, please browse everywhere and read the sticky posts.
Do you have any specific questions about Sheldon?
It sounds like you guys are trying hard to make him happy, and really you need to be getting him a piggy friend. The reason he squeaked when you were watching the video is because he needs to be able to talk to some one. They are super sociable and he is probably terrified alone. Which is more likely the reason he was sitting still and staring in the store. Their eyesight is not so good so I doubt he could see his reflection. But he certainly would have been still with feat whilst he was watching those big bouncy things go past him! Please consider this and try and find him a rescue buddy where he can chose his own companion. You will really see a difference in him, and a pair us much more fun to watch than one on their own. Especially when they talk to each other over their food
Good luck in your piggy owning venture! They are wonderful little animals that bring lots of happiness and character with them, if you put lots of care and love in
Do you have any specific questions about Sheldon?
It sounds like you guys are trying hard to make him happy, and really you need to be getting him a piggy friend. The reason he squeaked when you were watching the video is because he needs to be able to talk to some one. They are super sociable and he is probably terrified alone. Which is more likely the reason he was sitting still and staring in the store. Their eyesight is not so good so I doubt he could see his reflection. But he certainly would have been still with feat whilst he was watching those big bouncy things go past him! Please consider this and try and find him a rescue buddy where he can chose his own companion. You will really see a difference in him, and a pair us much more fun to watch than one on their own. Especially when they talk to each other over their food
Good luck in your piggy owning venture! They are wonderful little animals that bring lots of happiness and character with them, if you put lots of care and love in
Chief Guinea Pig
Senior Guinea Pig
Welcome to the forum! Exciting times!
AbiS
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Ahhh - it sounds like you are going to give Sheldon a really happy home!
You will get loads of great advice from this forum, it is a really friendly place. From the information you have given I can tell you without doubt that the most common response to this thread will be that Sheldon really, really needs a friend. After that everything else will fall into place. He will be much more confidence and happy with a friend. Piggies should be matched to a specific friend to make sure they like each other and there are no fall outs. Best way to do this is by visiting a rescue - there is a locator at the top of the forum. That way Sheldon could find another boar or you could have him neutered and find him a wife-pig.
Looking forward to hearing more about him and seeing some pigtures!
You will get loads of great advice from this forum, it is a really friendly place. From the information you have given I can tell you without doubt that the most common response to this thread will be that Sheldon really, really needs a friend. After that everything else will fall into place. He will be much more confidence and happy with a friend. Piggies should be matched to a specific friend to make sure they like each other and there are no fall outs. Best way to do this is by visiting a rescue - there is a locator at the top of the forum. That way Sheldon could find another boar or you could have him neutered and find him a wife-pig.
Looking forward to hearing more about him and seeing some pigtures!
SweetJo
Junior Guinea Pig
Omg if you do get him a wife-pig, you have to call her Amy!
Welcome to the forum I love the name you picked for your pig. Can't wait to see some pictures.
Welcome to the forum
I love the name you picked for your pig. Can't wait to see some pictures.
Claire W
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Hello and welcome to the forum
Lady Kelly
Senior Guinea Pig
Omg if you do get him a wife-pig, you have to call her Amy!
Welcome to the forum
Oh my goodness... imagine being able to refer to your pair of pigs collectively as "Shamy"
Wonderful news that you have given this little fella a home! In time before introducing a new guinea pig I would recommend double checking the sex of your pig as pet stores vary widely in their expertise and have been known to get it wrong before.
Some of the more immediately useful articles you might find on the site are:
Settling a new guinea pig https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
Things you will need for your piggy https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/getting-guinea-pigs-items-youll-need-to-buy.112288/
Understanding your guinea pig https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
Picking up your guinea pig https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-pick-up-your-guinea-pig.126359/
There are a lot of very knowledgeable members on here with a massive array of experiences of all things piggy so feel free to ask any questions you have at any time. You can also share some pigtures of Sheldon cos we all love adorable piggy pigtures as well
Little background first:
My girlfriend and I are Juniors in College and we actually aren't from the UK. I loved the forums here and I'm definitely feeling all of your support so thank you for that. We are from Guam and there is no rescue home for Guinea pigs and the rescue home that we have doesnt have any. We have 3 or 4 pet stores on our island and all of them have no guinea pigs left. We LOVE the idea of giving a home to "Shamy" but we're not exactly looking forward to having a bunch of baby guinea pigs running around. The both of us still live with our parents and Sheldon lives primarily with me. Just yesterday I finished his 2x3 home and although he loves the space it seems like he feels more vulnerable because the walls in his home are now a lot shorter than before. When my questions are answered (and my phone is charged) I'll gladly post pictures of Sheldon and his home.
We are well aware that he is a social animal but it just broke our hearts that he was alone. We're planning on getting him a friend in July when I come back from the North America. (Maria, my SO, will be in care of Sheldon while I'm gone). We're considering just getting another male guinea pig but since we love the idea of housing Shamy, one of the questions we wanted to know was how we let Sheldon pick a new roommate? If we were to get a female, how much would it cost to neuter Sheldon (poor guy)?
He often poos in his homemade igloo (it's a plate cover that I heat gunned to form the hole, drilled air holes on top and is clear). I've been throwing each poop I can into his bathroom to encourage him to use it. Does he just poo in his home because guineas have poor bladder control or does it just make him feel at home? And how do I encourage him to use it more often? He also used to pee and poo in his hay area. I've found some success in turning it into a hay tray and keeping his hay fluffy so he doesnt want to climb onto it.
I know that he's a social critter so I make space for his cage on my bed and place him there when I'm spending copious amounts of time on the computer. Am I wrong in doing this? I also take away his igloo when it's feeding time or when I want to give him attention.
I've been attempting to have him do lap time and a few days ago he was a lot more accepting of it. Now he just wants to burrow back into the towel and since he wiggles around a lot I put him back in his cage to use the restroom. What's the next step? (I think it's worth noting that recently he's been making rumbling and chutting noises, which I think means he's scared or uncomfortable)
How do I give him floor time if I dont have enough cage material to make a playpen for him to run in with me sitting inside it. Should I even attempt to be spending time with him during floor time? When do we go outdoors?
He's gotten into the habit of wheeking, sometimes it sounds like whining, other times its just really loud wheeking to the point his ears move. Is this a call for attention? He's also been less open to the idea of petting him.
I've read most of those links and I'm trying my best to incorporate this into some sort of routine. This little guy just has our hearts sold on him. I've never felt so affectionate towards a pet and I just really want him to be happy with me. Thank you guys!
OH ONE MORE THING. HOW OLD DO YOU THINK HE IS?!
ohhhhh another thing. How do i get him to use this more?
My girlfriend and I are Juniors in College and we actually aren't from the UK. I loved the forums here and I'm definitely feeling all of your support so thank you for that. We are from Guam and there is no rescue home for Guinea pigs and the rescue home that we have doesnt have any. We have 3 or 4 pet stores on our island and all of them have no guinea pigs left. We LOVE the idea of giving a home to "Shamy" but we're not exactly looking forward to having a bunch of baby guinea pigs running around. The both of us still live with our parents and Sheldon lives primarily with me. Just yesterday I finished his 2x3 home and although he loves the space it seems like he feels more vulnerable because the walls in his home are now a lot shorter than before. When my questions are answered (and my phone is charged) I'll gladly post pictures of Sheldon and his home.
We are well aware that he is a social animal but it just broke our hearts that he was alone. We're planning on getting him a friend in July when I come back from the North America. (Maria, my SO, will be in care of Sheldon while I'm gone). We're considering just getting another male guinea pig but since we love the idea of housing Shamy, one of the questions we wanted to know was how we let Sheldon pick a new roommate? If we were to get a female, how much would it cost to neuter Sheldon (poor guy)?
He often poos in his homemade igloo (it's a plate cover that I heat gunned to form the hole, drilled air holes on top and is clear). I've been throwing each poop I can into his bathroom to encourage him to use it. Does he just poo in his home because guineas have poor bladder control or does it just make him feel at home? And how do I encourage him to use it more often? He also used to pee and poo in his hay area. I've found some success in turning it into a hay tray and keeping his hay fluffy so he doesnt want to climb onto it.
I know that he's a social critter so I make space for his cage on my bed and place him there when I'm spending copious amounts of time on the computer. Am I wrong in doing this? I also take away his igloo when it's feeding time or when I want to give him attention.
I've been attempting to have him do lap time and a few days ago he was a lot more accepting of it. Now he just wants to burrow back into the towel and since he wiggles around a lot I put him back in his cage to use the restroom. What's the next step? (I think it's worth noting that recently he's been making rumbling and chutting noises, which I think means he's scared or uncomfortable)
How do I give him floor time if I dont have enough cage material to make a playpen for him to run in with me sitting inside it. Should I even attempt to be spending time with him during floor time? When do we go outdoors?
He's gotten into the habit of wheeking, sometimes it sounds like whining, other times its just really loud wheeking to the point his ears move. Is this a call for attention? He's also been less open to the idea of petting him.
I've read most of those links and I'm trying my best to incorporate this into some sort of routine. This little guy just has our hearts sold on him. I've never felt so affectionate towards a pet and I just really want him to be happy with me. Thank you guys!
OH ONE MORE THING. HOW OLD DO YOU THINK HE IS?!
ohhhhh another thing. How do i get him to use this more?
UPDATE: Here's a photo of Sheldon while I spend time at my desk.
I'm a little concerned that he doesnt run around more in a bigger space than when he ran in his smaller cage.
A few other things I was wondering about was cage biting, eating the pine shavings and lack of popcorning since the move as well.
I'm a little concerned that he doesnt run around more in a bigger space than when he ran in his smaller cage.
A few other things I was wondering about was cage biting, eating the pine shavings and lack of popcorning since the move as well.
zombieprincess
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Aww he is super cute! He is only young most likely anything from 6-10 weeks old if he is from a pet store. As you are very limited on where you can get him a guinea friend it will make it hard to see if he gets along with a friend before you buy it. There is no reason for him not to have another male friend. You could be pushy at the pet store and insist you bring him in to try with the new guinea first. Give this a read as its about keeping male pairs: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
I have always kept pairs/trios of males and just love them.
However unless you have confirmed he is male yourself may I suggest you do by taking some photos and posting them here? I only suggest this as I work in an animal rescue and you would be surprised how many Guinea pigs a get sold as one sex but are in fact the other from pet stores. So I would encourage to be 100% sure before you commit to him being male!
If you looked at neutering ... In the UK it can cost anything between £50 -£80 depending on the vet so that a range of around $78+ yes? I personally think it is always worth attempting to introduce to another male.first.
Onto the pooping ... He goes where he sits because he has.poor bladder/bowel control. Very few people ever teach their guineas to use a litter tray. Some naturally are a bit cleaner but you may have to accept that he will make mess. I also wouldn't worry about him pooping on his hay. As long as he gets fresh each day. They like to sit and eat and poop all at the same time, also he eats his own poop anyway.
Letting him see you a lot is a great way of getting him used to you, but don't force him so I wouldn't recco.end removing his hide as he will just be frightened. Talking to him will be a really good way for him to get used to you being around. Making guinea pigs can be a very slow process, depending on their personality. Wheeling so loud his ears flap and 'bubbling' chatty noises are good, bit really just means that he has learned that you give him nice food and that he wants more. His rumbling and purring are bad so when he does these leave him alone and he is most likely feeling worried. You re doing the right thing putting him back in his cage when he gets restless during lap time.
You don't need to be sitting with him during floor time bit it won't hurt to be near by, talking to him. Just remember to give him lots to hide under when you do give him floor time. This will make him more confident and likely to.explore
Edit:
He probably feels very exposed in his new cage is all. He has no where solid to hide. He is a prey animal so he needs to feel safe to be happy. Give him some cardboard boxes with holes in and he will feel more secure and comfortable and then he will explore and popcorn more.
I have always kept pairs/trios of males and just love them.
However unless you have confirmed he is male yourself may I suggest you do by taking some photos and posting them here? I only suggest this as I work in an animal rescue and you would be surprised how many Guinea pigs a get sold as one sex but are in fact the other from pet stores. So I would encourage to be 100% sure before you commit to him being male!
If you looked at neutering ... In the UK it can cost anything between £50 -£80 depending on the vet so that a range of around $78+ yes? I personally think it is always worth attempting to introduce to another male.first.
Onto the pooping ... He goes where he sits because he has.poor bladder/bowel control. Very few people ever teach their guineas to use a litter tray. Some naturally are a bit cleaner but you may have to accept that he will make mess. I also wouldn't worry about him pooping on his hay. As long as he gets fresh each day. They like to sit and eat and poop all at the same time, also he eats his own poop anyway.
Letting him see you a lot is a great way of getting him used to you, but don't force him so I wouldn't recco.end removing his hide as he will just be frightened. Talking to him will be a really good way for him to get used to you being around. Making guinea pigs can be a very slow process, depending on their personality. Wheeling so loud his ears flap and 'bubbling' chatty noises are good, bit really just means that he has learned that you give him nice food and that he wants more. His rumbling and purring are bad so when he does these leave him alone and he is most likely feeling worried. You re doing the right thing putting him back in his cage when he gets restless during lap time.
You don't need to be sitting with him during floor time bit it won't hurt to be near by, talking to him. Just remember to give him lots to hide under when you do give him floor time. This will make him more confident and likely to.explore
Edit:
He probably feels very exposed in his new cage is all. He has no where solid to hide. He is a prey animal so he needs to feel safe to be happy. Give him some cardboard boxes with holes in and he will feel more secure and comfortable and then he will explore and popcorn more.
Last edited:
Lady Kelly
Senior Guinea Pig
Hi, thank you for the background information as it is a lot more difficult outside of the UK to access help and support around guinea pigs. A point about neutering - any operation carries risks for guinea pigs, they are only small animals and as a result the general anaesthetic alone can cause problems. Basically I wouldn't risk it unless you know a vet that is knowledgeable in dealing with guinea pigs. If many aren't sold in your country you might find that vets don't really deal with them and if a post op complication occurred you may not be able to get the right treatment to help Sheldon so I would first and foremost look to get a male roommate... maybe like the show you might be able to find a Leonard who will let Sheldon get his own way.
The change in the cage is going to be a big deal for Sheldon, we don't notice the changes as much as humans but it is very open, exposed and new. New smells etc. So it will take him time to settle. You can look to maybe add more hideys/ tunnels so he feels a bit more confident wandering round and exploring.
As for his age its hard to tell as adult pigs can vary in size/weight, I have one that is small and weighs around 850g and one that's a good deal bigger and weighs 1200g. I would look at this link for sexing Sheldon to make sure he is male http://cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm and as it covers newborn up to adult pigs it might give you a better idea what age range you are looking at. Another way is to take his weight (which we recommend doing on a regular basis anyway as weight loss is often the first sign of illness). I use digital kitchen scales to weigh mine
The change in the cage is going to be a big deal for Sheldon, we don't notice the changes as much as humans but it is very open, exposed and new. New smells etc. So it will take him time to settle. You can look to maybe add more hideys/ tunnels so he feels a bit more confident wandering round and exploring.
As for his age its hard to tell as adult pigs can vary in size/weight, I have one that is small and weighs around 850g and one that's a good deal bigger and weighs 1200g. I would look at this link for sexing Sheldon to make sure he is male http://cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm and as it covers newborn up to adult pigs it might give you a better idea what age range you are looking at. Another way is to take his weight (which we recommend doing on a regular basis anyway as weight loss is often the first sign of illness). I use digital kitchen scales to weigh mine
Kerrie74
Adult Guinea Pig
Your guinea pig is lovely Welcome to the forums. There is lots of info on here, I've learnt a lot since joining the forums.
Welcome to the forums. There is lots of info on here, I've learnt a lot since joining the forums.- Status