Our First Steps On Our Piggie Adventure...

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Gimpymoo

Gimpymoo

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Hi all.

I have been on a bit of a "crash course" regarding Guinea Pigs the last week or so.

We want to adopt 2, maybe three but will not be doing so till September to give us time to learn all we need and prepare a home for our new family. Will 3 3 boys or 3 girls, no preference to be honest.

Will not be purchasing from pet store. If I can find a reputable breeder than I will but my preference is 3 young ones from a Guinea pig rescue centre is possible.

We will be kepping them indoors.

Originally, I was going to go with a large cage but knowing what I now know, that would be far from homely so a C & C cage it s :)

Regarding bedding, what is the preference of natural bedding Vs fleece?

Any advice/tips welcomed.

Will be updating the thread as I go.

Thanks to anyone offering help.
 
Hiya and welcome. Can I be cheeky first off and make a guess from your name that you're an Aussie :) (I love the Aussies by the way).

OOOOh well there's some good threads on bedding which I will try to dig out and link you to (unless someone gets there first) :) But it's very much personal preference.

Fleece goes down very well from a piggy's point of view, they love anything soft, warm and cosy, but then again they enjoy the feel of card-based bedding with a huge pile of hay too. I personally find that in my fleece cage I like to have a large tray with bedding in where I put their hay. It is easier to have the messy stuff with the card-bedding and to just scoop it out and change it than it is to pick out bits of hay stuck in fleece. So I use two separate areas.

With fleece you have a cheap option, as it can last years. It washes well and dries quickly, and it's simple to scoop poops off it daily in between the washes. When it comes to washing give it a good shake and a brush, or even take a vacuum cleaner to it, and simply place it in the washer on 40 degrees with some non-bio powder and a scoop of oxy cleaner.

Card type bedding can also be convenient as you can scoop out the messy bits daily and top it up, giving it a complete replenish once or twice a week (depending on how dirty it gets).

I find, using both, that my pigs do the majority of their wees in the card-based bedding, so the fleece stays fresh for a while. I change the fleece twice a week.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/types-of-bedding-reviews-and-tips.53208/
 
Hi and welcome!

As we have got members from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county or city to your details, so we can tailor any advice or recommendation to what is available or possible where you are. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.

Please be aware that boar trios fail more often than they work out (baby boar trios have a fall-out rate of 90% before they reach adulthood). Even with sow trios you run the risk of ending up with a 2+1 outsider scenario. The safest trio constellation is a neutered boar that has been accepted by a well bonded pair of sows, as he is naturally not part of the sow hierarchy, so you are going along with guinea pig instinct in this case. However, depending on where you are, neutered boars are not quite easy to come by although a goodly number of UK rescues have them. We have got a good standard piggy savvy UK rescue locator on the top bar, but we can give you links or recommendation for some other countries as well. Please note that as a rescue friendly forum, we do not do breeders.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-sows-or-mixed-pairs-babies-or-adults.108944/

I have my piggies on fleece with hay trays, as I couldn't cope with my number of indoor piggies otherwise, but there is no ultimate ideal bedding; it is very much a matter of preference and practicability.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/bedding-for-guinea-pigs-overview.114219/

We have got lots of information at the top of our various Care sections, but you are welcome to ask any questions you may have in there.
 
Just noticed the Ferplast 140, would that be a good home for 2 piggies?

http://www.ferplast.com/en/shop/rabbit-140

Dimensions:
140 x 71 x h 51 cm

If sticking with the original plan for a C&C cage, the size can be no bigger than 2 panel width and 3.5 panel length, would this be OK?

Building upwards would not be a problem if that would help?

Looking at the cost of a 140 cage, I could build a 3 storey mansion with luxury furniture for less money.
 
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Gimpymoo said:
Thank you for the replies.

Is 3 not a recommended number?

2 is proffered to 3?
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Two is preferred to three when it comes to guinea pigs. Trios are the constellation most difficult to get right, as the huge individual piggy personalities/mix of dominant/submissive characters need to balance out.
 
Wiebke said:
Two is preferred to three when it comes to guinea pigs. Trios are the constellation most difficult to get right, as the huge individual piggy personalities/mix of dominant/submissive characters need to balance out.
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Thank you for the advice.
 
Gimpymoo said:
Thank you for the advice.
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That is what you have come here for; we have got the long term practical experience with what works and what not. It is great that you are doing research beforehand.

If a good rescue has got a closely bonded trio for adoption that they know is working, then by all means go for it! ;)
 
Hi, it says UK on your details but can you be more specific. Depending on where you are we can probably suggest rescues near you that you can get in touch with. I have had sow trios that have work out fine and one pair of sows in particular that needed to become a trio in order to keep the peace. When I lost one of my neutered boys my girls fell out and I had to adopt Reuben quite quickly as Charlotte was becoming very upset with Tara bullying her. The best option is to get in touch with a rescue and see what groups they have. They might have a trio that gets on fine or a neutered boy who would love a couple of wife pigs.
 
There is a rescue local to me which I was recommended which will be my preference. We are in no rush so when we are ready, I will let them know and let time take its course.

Did Reuben step to Tara then or did the presence of a male alone calm her down?

Their social systems seem very complex, makes me want to get some even more to study them. Although, I suppose is in keeping for most rodents?
 
Gimpymoo said:
There is a rescue local to me which I was recommended which will be my preference. We are in no rush so when we are ready, I will let them know and let time take its course.

Did Reuben step to Tara then or did the presence of a male alone calm her down?

Their social systems seem very complex, makes me want to get some even more to study them. Although, I suppose is in keeping for most rodents?
Click to expand...

Each rodent species has different dynamics according to their lifestyle. Guinea pigs have evolved as group roamers within a firm territory (which is basically as large as they can graze); unlike rabbits, they don't build firm sets altough they will make use of abandoned hides etc. to use as a base for grazing.
The roaming lifestyle also means that they have got the longest pregnancies with the fewest number of very developed babies that can keep up with the group right from the start. As a trade off, they are breeding machines basically as soon as they are weaned. Unlike with rabbits, where under-does are not encouraged to breed, guinea pigs need all sows to have pups and will help each other to bring them up.

They have got a very differentiated social life with active group dynamics that are based on a hierarchy. However, as pets with fewer piggies, personalities and personlity clashes become more dominant.

Here is more about guinea pig society. It is a fascinating subject. https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/biological-facts-and-guinea-pig-society.109062/

PS: Please make sure that that your local rescue has got a mandatory quarantine and appropriate vet care. There is no licensing for rescues, so anybody can just call themselves a rescue. We regularly see people with ill or pregnant piggies from non-recommended rescues or from rescuing through private channels. Beware the place that tells you that any piggies have just a bit of "dry skin" etc.
 
We went to the rescue and were shown two red eyed boys, father and son who were lovely little things, Himalayans. They are currently living with a third and get on well so breaking them up makes no sense.

Something really distressing is that the owner of the rescue told us that a family came to see them and the parents said to the child "They have red eyes, their evil". My daughter held them and instantly said "their beautiful". All 3 were happy to be cuddled. All between 6 months and a year I think.

One concern is the biggest C&C footprint we can have is 2x3. If adding a second level of 1x2, would this be enough space for 3?

They will be given run time outside, not just in their pen.
 
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@Gimpymoo Ermm no, 2x5 or 3x4 for 3 piggies and usually it's ok to have three of the same sex if they are already bonded, it's if there's 2 or more males and a female that it probably won't work (from what I've read on the forums).

Yeah it's silly when people tell their kids that guinea's have evil eyes just because they are red/pink, I read the same thing on a rescue's page that I've adopted from. Avalon in Nottingham is the one we use as well a long with Notts Nibblers.

The cage sizes are here

http://www.guineapigcages.com/

The RSPCA also have a cage size requirement here

http://www.rspca-online.co.uk/guineas/needtoknow/accommodation/

Guinea pigs need as much room as possible for exercise and to stop them from getting on each other's nerves.

@Wiebke @7squeakers. @helen105281
 
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A 2 by 3 would only be big enough for 2 pigs, so if you wanted to go for 3 you would need to go bigger. Also as others have mentioned, trios can be very tricky as there often tends to be an outsider. I would start with a pair if you can. Good luck on your piggy adventure.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!
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Kerrie74 said:
Hello and welcome to the forums.
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Chief Guinea Pig said:
Hey there, welcome to the forum! :)
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nicky said:
Hello and :wel:
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Flutterby said:
Hello and welcome to the forum!
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Thank you all very much.

I have to say, I have adopted rescue dogs and cats before and I think the piggies have required the most planning than anything else before them.

Am a little anxious about getting everything right for when the boys arrive. Getting there slowly.

The names are sorted anyway :p

Rocket, Fire and Chip.
 
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Wait until you get them, they are such lovely little animals and have a lot of love to give to people who give it to them. Mine make us laugh and smile everyday along with our 13 year old collie.

If your EVER in any doubt about anything people on here will try and help you if you post asking for help/advice :)
 
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