questions

[Teacake]

not sure where to post this, but i’ve now got 5 guineas and i have a few questions.
- i have 2 pairs and one single pig. he’s a boy. he’s not neutered yet because he has a URI. he’s on a 10 day course of antibiotics. so after that we can hopefully neuter him. will it be ok for him to be in a cage next to them or will he get frustrated because he can smell them.
- in the summer i’ll be in a situation where i could potentially get rats. i’d really like them and have done research. is it ok to keep rats in the same house as guinea pigs. (not room)

 

[Wiebke]

not sure where to post this, but i’ve now got 5 guineas and i have a few questions.
- i have 2 pairs and one single pig. he’s a boy. he’s not neutered yet because he has a URI. he’s on a 10 day course of antibiotics. so after that we can hopefully neuter him. will it be ok for him to be in a cage next to them or will he get frustrated because he can smell them.
- in the summer i’ll be in a situation where i could potentially get rats. i’d really like them and have done research. is it ok to keep rats in the same house as guinea pigs. (not room)

Hi!

Firstly I would recommend to consider a quarantining period if your boy is being treated for a transmittable illness.
Importance Of Quarantine

A single boar can live next to sows as long as he cannot get into their cage. We recommend a traditional cage for younger boars that are still very athletic. If you want to use a C&C cage, please cable tie any grids and also make sure that he cannot climb or jump across (a Midwest cage is definitely NOT safe). Boars can be amazingle determined, athletic and cunning when a sow is in season...
Being a neighbour during the 6 weeks post-op wait is generally helping with acceptance although it is by no means a guarantee as that is very much down to character compatibility.
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Yes, you can have rats in the same house. You may want to start a thread asking for practical tips in our Other Pets section as we have rat keeping members.

 

[Teacake]

my boar is maybe one or two. i rescued him so i don’t know. the cage is a diy one i made. it has (safe) wood around the edge and mesh in between making 3 cages so i don’t think it’ll work.
the vets don’t know what he has but they thinks it’s a uri. hes got crusty eyes and he sneezes and washes himself a lot. his weight is stable and he’s happy!
i’m actually on a rat forum!
thanks for the advise wiebke!

 

[Wiebke]

my boar is maybe one or two. i rescued him so i don’t know. the cage is a diy one i made. it has (safe) wood around the edge and mesh in between making 3 cages so i don’t think it’ll work.
the vets don’t know what he has but they thinks it’s a uri. hes got crusty eyes and he sneezes and washes himself a lot. his weight is stable and he’s happy!
i’m actually on a rat forum!
thanks for the advise wiebke!

You can always look for a second-hand rabbit or guinea pig cage (ideally larger than a hamster-sized 'starter cage'!) on your local free-ads if you are strapped for cash. A bit of elbow grease and plenty of warm white vinegar will do the trick in getting rid of any stains, and a deep clean with F10 (a vet grade disinfectant which we strongly recommend to have at home) should make sure of the rest.
Personally I am very glad about my two spare hospital and emergency cages - they have really come in handy in a good number of unplanned situations over the last decade!

 

[Teacake]

You can always look for a second-hand rabbit or guinea pig cage (ideally larger than a hamster-sized 'starter cage'!) on your local free-ads if you are strapped for cash. A bit of elbow grease and plenty of warm white vinegar will do the trick in getting rid of any stains, and a deep clean with F10 (a vet grade disinfectant which we strongly recommend to have at home) should make sure of the rest.
Personally I am very glad about my two spare hospital and emergency cages - they have really come in handy in a good number of unplanned situations over the last decade!

i actually have 5 spare rabbit cages. i’ve atached two together to make a cage roughly 1 by 2,1 meters