New guinea pig advice please

[Debbie Hardman]

Hi, looking to get two biggies and would appreciate some advice. Had rabbits previously and have large double tierd hutch in kitchen would this be suitable home? Also would male or female be better? Thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, looking to get two biggies and would appreciate some advice. Had rabbits previously and have large double tierd hutch in kitchen would this be suitable home? Also would male or female be better? Thanks

Hi and welcome

Great that you are doing your research first!

Hutches indoors can be a bit dark but it is a valid option.
Cage Size Guide

The safest place to get guinea pigs is a good standard rescue, which means that you can avoid all the usual pitfalls by adopting fully quarantined/vet cared and healthy piggies that are guaranteed properly sexed and not pregnant.
A good rescue is also the place to get piggies from that are personality matched and stably bonded, so you do not have to worry about the gender and can look at anything, boys, girls or mixed pairs with a neutered boar (the last is actually the most stable of all bonds).
It is well worth travelling that bit further for full peace of mind!
Boars, sows or mixed pairs; babies or adults?
Please note that anybody can call themselves a rescue or a breeder without licensing or supervision, and that the results can be accordingly. We can only vouch for the carefully vetted recommended rescues in our list: Recommended Guinea Pig Rescues

You may find the forum information via these two links helpful; the guides discuss some of the issues you have raised in greater detail:
Are Guinea Pigs For Me? - A Guide
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Piggies&buns]

If you look on the new owners section of this site, then you will find lots of information. But equally you will find a wealth of information in the guides in every section - feeding to behaviour etc. Looking after piggies is quite different to rabbits (I have both at the moment).

Whether you have Males (boars) or females (sows) is down to you. Both have their pros and cons!

Whether your hutch is suitable depends on its measurements? our cage size guide will help you Cage Size Guide. If you have boars, then it is always better to have a bigger cage. 5ft long by 2ft wide is ideal but, again the more space you can offer the better.

 

[DMS260820]

Both replies are top advice, follow this and you won't go wrong. I wasn't so lucky, I didn't know about the forum when I started out. Good luck