Thinking of getting a guinea pig

Status
Not open for further replies.
SallyG

SallyG

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
124
Reaction score
1
Points
175
Location
Hull, E Yorks
Hi everyone,

Just writing to ask your advice really. It's my little boys birthday coming up and he absolutely loves animals and we originally thought about getting him a hamster. Although it would be officially his pet I totally appreciate that I would end up doing most of the cleaning and caring!

I've spoken to a few people who have said that a guinea pig may be more suitable than a hamster, mainly due to how long they live and how friendly they can be.

I had hamsters when I was young, and we've had chinchilla's (which my little boy was really good with) so I'm fairly familiar with small animals but I've never had guinea pigs before. I'd like an indoor guinea, and have seen a few cages you've recommended on here. What's the smallest cage you'd recommend for 1 (just want to make sure I don't get any smaller than what is comfy for it). Would 1 guinea be ok, not lonely? It would get lots of attention. My plan is to let it out on the run in the garden during the day (I work part time so will be home a few days of the week) plus playtime (supervised) when the kids are home and get an indoor run for it to play in on an evening.

May be a stupid question but can they go out in the run if it has rained? I'm picturing wet soggy guineas, but it rains half the year so guess they can?

I've got loads more questions but can't think of any right now! Please let me know if there's any other aspects of care I should think about.

Thanks a lot,
Sally

P.S I'm from Hull, is there a rescue near by? I've looked at the Hull RSPCA website and they have a gorgeous white girlie available at the moment but my son's birthday isn't until November so I'm trying to hang on until then - as hard as it is!
 
Hi personally i think a piggy is better for your son than a hamster as hamsters sleep throughout the day and come alive at night when your son will be in bed asleep. Piggys really need companionship though so a pair of piggys rather than one is best preferably two sows (females) as it is easier to bond them. Please do go to a rescue and adopt rather than a petshop or breeder ad there are so many piggys in need of homes. If you want your son to be able to hold and cuddle his pig id advise you go for two adult females as babys can be shy, and skitsy as i call it and most dont like to be anywhere near you and it could take weeks for a baby to trust its owner.. You need a large cage, probably a c&c would be best but if like me you have limited space i have a ferplast 120 for my piggy but it would be plenty big enough for two sows aslong as they have acess to an outside run a few hours each day weather permitting obviously. Never put piggys on a wet lawn or out in cold temperatures or to hot for that matter unless they have shade and water. If you do go for two piggys you need two of everything ie-2 igloos, 2 water bottles, 2 feed bowls you get the drift :-) to prevent bullying. Piggys diet should be 80% hay, then there feed i use pets at home piggy nuggets and fresh veggys everyday these can be carrot cabbage apple pepper brocolli kale spinach and many many more. I keep my piggy on newspaper wood shavings and hay however some folk prefer to use fleece its personal preference. The points ive made are the very basics you need to know sorry for such a long post, have a look around this forum theres plenty of info and helpful people on here and welcome to the pigggy world xx
 
Hi and welcome to the forum!

Good that you are doing your research first and that you want to go rescue!

Please rehome two guinea pigs; they live in groups and are not wired to live on their own. You will also miss out on the lively, vocal interaction that makes piggies so unique! You may find that two adult guinea pigs that are used to being handled are better if you want primarily cuddly pets.

It is not a good idea to have your piggies out in the rain without access to a dry and warm shelter off the ground that also offers them the opportunity to eat hay (should be 80% of the daily food intake) and also to get out of the blazing sun and cold winds; otherwise they will most likely fall ill with either urinary or respiratory infection or heatstroke at some point. Guinea pigs don't tolerate well quick or big changes in temperature, dampness or the extremes of weather; they come from a pretty stable climate. I only put my own indoors piggies out on the lawn if the ground is warm and dry to my bare feet.

Any cage or hutch should be a minimum of 2x4 ft (for boars ideally 2x5 ft). If you go for a hutch, you will need alternative accommodation during the winter.

Here is our Piggy Bank volunteer rescue support network list of (vetted) recommendable guinea pig rescues of good standard and practice. There is sadly none very close to you, but it is well worth going the extra length; if necessary by train (like I do)! The closest rescues to you are probably in Barnsley or Doncaster. I can personally recommend both most warmly!
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0
 
Last edited:
Oh and also piggys have a longer lifespan than hamster so your in it for the long haul so think carefully if a piggy is the right pet for you. Hamsters are generally 2-3 years max ive found and guineapigs are generally 5-8 years if looked after properly but it isnt unknown for piggys to grow to the ripe old age of 10 x
 
Also hamsters bite and aren't as easy to handle as guinea pigs.
I had a hamster bite once and my did it hurt!

It would be much kinder to the piggy if it has a friend. I have kept lone Piggys in the past (before I knew any better) and they aren't anywhere near as much fun as a pair. Looking back my lone Piggys were very quiet whereas with a pair you get to hear them interact with each other.
 
Amysmom said:
Looking back my lone Piggys were very quiet whereas with a pair you get to hear them interact with each other.
Click to expand...

Exactly this!

Watching piggies interact with each other provides hours of entertainment and is fascinating in itself. I'd definitely advise a pair also :)
 
Hiya Sally - I would say a guinea pig is a better choice than a hamster. You don't say how old your son is but a guinea pig is a great choice from around 5 years old.

for one thing they never (or very rarely!) bite.

They are a better size for a child and love to be petted on a lap

They are very sociable and enjoy to be petted


They should be kept in pairs (or groups) and if you can keep them indoors for at least part of the time you will get great enjoyment from them - they have a variety of sounds and are great fun.

If your cage is big enough (and it sounds like you are doing your research!) you will see them chasing about, popcorning (bouncing up and down!) and having lots of chat - they are SO entertaining.



Hamsters are small and nocturnal and can give a very nasty nip.


Guinea pigs have a good life span for a child I think - it's neither too long nor too short (about 4 to 8 years) but think about 5 years average (compared to 2 yrs I think for a hamster)



We have had guinea pigs before, and then the past few years with no guineas and then just last week we got a pair of 8 week old rex guinea pigs for our 5 year old daughter's birthday.


She has named them (Ben and Stanley!) but of course the whole family is involved in their care.


We have built a big (6 foot by 2 foot) c and c indoor cage for them and have lined it with fleece on top of some pampers bed mats. This draws the urine away and it only takes 5 mins each day to shake the poo off.


We have been spending about an hour each day cuddling them and already they are really tame - one in particular just stretches out like a cat! He also sits in the cage waiting to be picked up already (I think they had been well handled when we got them)

The other one is more nervous but still enjoys being on a knee and chats away quite the thing. My daughter is enjoying grooming them especially.




As far as I know, guinea pigs should not be allowed on grass until the dew is dried off it - they are very prone to chesty conditions and damp is no good for them. We have an outdoor hutch and run too but we particularly want them to be inside mainly so we can enjoy their company and they are part of the family. We do put them out on dry days to enjoy the grass.



Before we got my daughter a guinea pig, she had the experience of handling them at petting zoos and also my friend keeps guinea pigs - would it be possible for your son to see how he likes them before you commit?



Even if he loses interest (which he no doubt will!) I can highly recommend them as a brilliant pet for the family - but, as with any pet, you will only get out what you put in - the more time you invest, the more enjoyment you will get from them.


Too many guineas are left in a hutch at the bottom of the garden and their owners miss all the sounds and interaction - also they will end up very nervous pets if you don't handle them often.


Hope that helps a bit with your decision!
 
Thanks guys you've all been really helpful. Spoken to my husband about it and we are on for the piggies, I am sooooo excited!

Yes 2 seems sensible, although I'd planned to give it lots of attention it is much better for it to have a perma-friend there.

Thanks for letting me know about getting 2 of everything, I wouldn't have thought of that.

I definitely want them to be inside pets, I am quite grumpy about being outside in really cold grim weather and just know they would end up without proper attention if the hutch was outside. My plan is to get an inside cage, inside run and outside run so they can have a play outside if the weather's ok but can have a run everyday. Do you find long spaces of time (such as over winter) when your pigs never get a run outside? In winter it seems like the grass is always, wet, or damp at the very least.

I love that they can eat veg, with the chinchilla's they were very sensisitve and had a v strict diet with next to no treats. I'm going to love giving the guineas a bit of this and that!

I'll have a look at c&c cages, and also the Ferplast.

Thanks again,
Sal
x

P.S it will be my son's 5th birthday, so a perfect age!
 
There are long stretches in winter or even a spring/summer like this one when going out is not much of an option, but an indoor run is an alternative.

We have got lots of ideas for toys you and your son can make yourself for your piggies to keep them entertained, like stuffed toilet roll inners, paper bags, cardboard mazes etc. It is a good way to keep your boy entertained, too!
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43520

My piggies get a little bit of scissor cut grass daily for as long as possible throughout the year if they can't go out - it is not a bad way to keep your edges tidy! You can also leave one corner of the lawn growing a bit longer for the piggies to romp in and you to bridge cold/rainy seasons by bringing a bit in every day!

Another thing to do, is sow a few seed trays with grass seed and grow them on in a coolish pace for when the piggies can't get out! Wild bird seed mix sown in a tray, covered with cling film until the seed sprout and left outside to grow on are also something you can do over winter; they can be brought in for grazing anytime before the seeds ripen and can be treated as cut-and- come, like grass trays.
 
It's lovely that you're doing some research :)
If you do decide on a C&C cage have a good look around the forum as there are threads containing links to the cheapest materials and some good design ideas.
So exicted for you and your family - you really will enjoy keeping piggies! x)
x
 
Hello and a big warm welcome to the forum :)

I won't repeat whats been said, some very good and helpful suggestions! You can use the run as an indoor and outdoor run if you get a good sturdy wooden one with a lid (just take the lid off if you live indoors with no pets).

This is the one I have:
http://www.zooplus.com/shop/rodents/cages/pens_fencing/wooden_pens/126795

It also has a small side door, which is very helpful if your bonding with your pets (firstly it mean you dont have to lean over the run which may scare them and you can be at their level). :)

Indoor Cage Ideas:
CircusPig.jpg


Indoor Run Ideas:
DSCF5676.jpg


AP-Roosnewcage.jpg



We used the run as a cage for our newly adopted rescue piggie last year, and it worked well. You could also use a run as a cage :)

And just to show their friendlyness with a bit of time and patience:

AArtiebeinghugged.jpg


If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask :)
 
Audioheart I was horrified at your first picture until I realised the bottom piggy is a teddy! Oops! mallethead
 
I live in Hull, I have one girl from Hull Animal Welfare, 1 neutered boy from Millhaven near Bradford and two girls from Cavy Corner in Doncaster. I will soon be going back to Cavy Corner for another girl. It is not to far to Doncaster and Sue is very good at bonding the people and the piggies before they all go home together. http://cavycorner.org/

A few times a year I go with other forum members to Doncaster for lunch. You would be welcome to join us. We are due for another lunch soon.
 
Just FYI if you're looking at the Ferplast, in case no one's mentioned this -- pet shops/websites often sell the Ferplast 100 as ok for 2 pigs. It is NOT. I have one boar in there at the minute and as he grows I constantly think it even LOOKS far too small and hate him being in there. :( He moves to C&C next week, hopefully with a new cage mate from Milhaven Rescue (Keighley).

I'm near Leeds; this will be my first winter with my pigs, but I'm not expecting them to get out much. It's just too rainy up here and I'm sure Hull's more of the same! I mean, they hardly got out over the summer! Machu is short-haired as well and he starts shivering pretty quickly if it isn't nice and warm, so unless it's above 12-15 he doesn't go out for long. I'm planning to grow some grass seed in a couple of trays, stored on top of their cage, so they can still have fresh, dry grass through the winter, as Wiebke suggested.

I have a run like this one, which is made for outdoors, but I often lay a fleece blanket down under it and use it inside, too. Saves a bit of money having a multi-tasking playpen. The net keeps them relatively safe from cats/birds/etc. and mine is half netting and half solid to provide patches of both sun and shade. It's held together with thin stakes which you can push right into the earth outside, and folds down flat when it needs storing.
 
Have a browse through our housing section; especially the member cages and hutch galleries for inspiration.

I can also recommend Cavy Corner in Doncaster very warmly again; they are doing their best to find you the pair of piggies that is most suited for your situation and also teach you how to handle and deal with your piggies beforehand so you will be much more confident when they come home. They are one of the best places in the country for new owners to get started.
 
It's great you're doing your research and getting ready before you have the little ones :) it is always less stress and less wasted money that way :))

I, personally, always prefer C&C cages as they are very versatile (take them apart and re-style/make bigger/make smaller etc) and they are open topped so you don't have to fiddle about with doors and lids rolleyes But if you have a cat or dog something with a lid would be alot better for the pigs :)

For a C&C cage you can get the materials (grids and correx ) for around...£50-£60 at a rough estimate. For a Ferplast that can hold 2 pigs they are usually about £100 aren't they? So you can save yourself a bit of money.

During the winter my boys never go outside, they stay indoors as it is too cold and wet for them. Indoor runs are always a good idea. Tarp on the bottom of the run will help stop any mess getting onto your carpet or flooring. You could use any spare cubes to make a run, saving more money on materials!

This is what I made last night for my 2 boys. As you can see I am using some tarp for waterproofing until I get some new Correx delivered
DSC00421.jpg
 
Hello! I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but make sure that you find an good vet. A lot of vets don't see many guineapigs and don't have much experience. Make sure you ask them how many guineapigs they treat and what experience they have before registering them. I'm sure that someone on the forum would be able to recommend a good vet in your area.

Good luck - guineapigs really do make lovely pets. :)
 
Posh Piggies said:
Hello! I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but make sure that you find an good vet. A lot of vets don't see many guineapigs and don't have much experience. Make sure you ask them how many guineapigs they treat and what experience they have before registering them. I'm sure that someone on the forum would be able to recommend a good vet in your area.

Good luck - guineapigs really do make lovely pets. :)
Click to expand...

I'd second that! Really do find a good vet now, before you get the piggies, I had an emergency just 2 weeks into my new life with guinea pigs, and it was a real scramble to find a vet who was cavy savvy, and just cause they say they see lots of guinea pigs doesn't mean they're any good with them!

You can have a look on here http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38481 for one in your area, these all come recommended by people on the forum, some times they even tell you the person/s its best to ask for at each practice :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top