Some more advice!

[kel22]

Hi! I've finally bought my 5 year old daughter two male guinea pigs which we collect on Monday - I'm hoping it'll be great entertainment for her in the holidays, especially with preparing fresh veg for them. With her birthday money, she's bought a two storey hutch and a run for the grass, but I wanted some guidance as to how to set out the hutch. It's one that's got a hatch you can close or open depending on whether we want them in the run downstairs or not. So far, we've lined it with newspaper, put sawdust down and placed some hay in it. Obviously, food and water will go in when they arrive but what else should we put into the hutch to entertain them? And how much hay?!:{ Also, what kinds of fruit/veg are good for them? She's so excited about it all and I'm under no illusions that it'll be me doing the majority of the care for quite a while! How often do they need to be cleaned out?

Also, is it worth purchasing insurance for guineas? I just wondered.

I know you're all experts on this forum so any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I'm actually looking forward to having them as pets myself although a little nervous!

Thank you in advance!

 

[choloe]

new piggies

okay for food check this link out, it is always good to check what last owner was feeding them and then change diet slowly as to not upset their tummies.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42
i use sawdust but a lot of people on here use things like vetbed, megazorb , fleece, towels etc. vetbed can be got from petshops or of ebay. toys for piggies can be got of ebay too.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=287 for vetbed
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=290&page=14 megazorb.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=288&page=5 carefresh.
as for cleaning them out i take wet bedding out every day and completely clean them out twice a week. as for insurance i think that is a waste of money, perhaps open a bank account and put money away each week for things like vets.
here is a link of a fleeced C&C cgae which you can make yourself if you're in the UK or USA and some of the toys they love.
the best toys however are ones you make like paper bags, or toilet rolls stuffed with hay to name some.
and lastly welcome to the forums from me and the girls from south australia, hoping you make heaps of friends, learn lots and have fun. ask any questions you like, we are here to help.
for extra advice perhaps look up the peter gurney website as he was the king of guinea pigs or buy his book/s.
hoping i have helped, good luck and lots of hugs:rose:rose:rose when your daughter holds piggies make sure she is sitting down and be prepared for scratches and little nips.
if a piggy is dropped a lot of damage can be caused if the fall is not fatal.
don't be nervous as long as you feed them properly, clean them properly, they will be fine. will they be indoor piggies or outdoor piggies?
when you first get them, let them settle for a few days as they will be scared. it will take time and patience for them to trust you, maybe days, weeks, months or years depending on the personality of the piggies.
think i have answered all your questions, welcome and have fun in the magic world of a guinea pig slave.xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>

 

[boureki]

Hiya, welcome to the forum

As Mary said above, many of us don't use shavings mainly due to the strong oils and dryness of it, it can dry out the feet and skin and cause respiratory problems. When you say sawdust, is it actually sawdust or shavings, as to be honest sawdust should never be used as it's basically dust. There are several alternatives in the links Mary gave that you may find interesting If you decide to use something else the lovely people on here will be willing to help you source suppliers in your area.

If you are keeping them in a hutch outside, they should be brought inside or in a shed (preferably heated) in the cold winter months and off the cold and wet grass. Be sure your hutch has good bolts on if you have predators such as foxes or cats pass through your garden as foxes especially are clever little devils and can open the fasteners on the doors.

As regards to food, there is lots of info in the food section of the forum, including a list of stuff they can have. The main ones they cannot have are anything from a bulb ie onions, garlic, certain flowers etc, rhubarb, potato and potato peelings. I'm sure someone can add to that list if I've forgotten something!

Insurance? I tried to find it when I had only four, they wanted £600 for the year for all of them and there was a ridiculous excess too. Needless to say it wasn't taken! If you are getting your pigs from somewhere like a reputable rescue, they will likely be a constant source of support and help as you learn, and you will soon be able to spot things amiss, however as they are prey animals they instinctively hide any illnesses to protect themselves, so it's not always easy to catch.

You know where we are if you need us, so good luck with your boys!

Edited to add - if you can, I would really recommend finding a guinea savvy vet in your area - it's not easy and you may have to travel a bit, but it really will be worth the effort.