Trying to decide!

[PAMELAKT]

Hi everyone,

I need some advise! I had guinea pigs growing up (altho they were kept outdoors ina shed) and I am now considering having 2 as indoor pets in my flat. I have been offered the 2 most beautiful rex babies which I have totally fallen in love with, BUT!

I live in a block of 8 studio flats, and have particularly moaney old man neighbours. The walls are like cardboard - I'm worried my pigs would make too much noise both with their squeeling & with their hammering away at water bottles. My flat is also a studio, so I sleep in my living room - does anyone else have this sort of set up & can advise if the noise would be ok?

Also, my boyfriend is massively allergic to cats, and budgies. Do you think it is likely he would be allergic to the guinea dander?! I've tried looking this up & just get alot of different answers. I know that people can have specific allergies to guinea pigs, just not sure how common this is? It'd be awful if he could literally never come see me at home!

My heart is telling me yes yes yes! But my head is saying wooooooah.

Help?!

Pam

 

[mojules]

Hi and welcome to the family

We have four guinea pigs who all live in our livingroom and tthe only noise that is made really loudly is at feeding time when they chew the bars and squeak really loudly but its more like a whistle so if your moany old neighbour complains just tell him its you whistling

Only one of our guinea pigs (Jules bless him RIP) was the noisiest with the water bottle but as my husband works nightshifts I sleep in the livingroom with them and the noise isn't that bad and I find it rather comforting |)

Regarding your boyfriend being allergic to cats etc guinea pigs have hair rather than fur (I hope I am telling you correct info if not someone please correct me mallethead) but it would be a case of trial and error I suppose

We have looked at Rex's before but they make me itch so we couldn't have them

Good luck with the decision

Karen x

 

[hot fox]

I'm massively allergic to cats but the Piggles fur has never caused me major problems. We had ours in our girls bedrooms for a spell when we first brought them inside because of cold weather last year. It was a perfect arrangement except for AMBER! Our darling girl is VERY WHEEKY! Had she not had this trait, I think anyone could have slept through their little drinking water noises. If you have two Piggles that get on, and are not particularly wheeky, I think you would be fine with the noise levels.
I'd suggest your boyfriend goes to meet your prospective Piggles, and gives them a cuddle, you'd soon know if it's likely to create a reaction in him. I would have thought Rex's fur may be less reactive. But I could be entirely wrong.
Good luck in your decision. Make sure you think it through. I got a hamster once when I first left home, and I was so excited. But it didn't work out because she was SO noisy in the night, and I don't sleep well. In the end she had to go back to the petshop (I was young, forgive me!) and I felt SO bad. Disappointed, angry with myself, mean to the hamster.......tricky one!
Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[PAMELAKT]

This is the thing I have to be sure it'd break my heart if I had to send them back! If I use carefresh they shouldn't be smelly should they? I've read that the dander is in the air so even if he didn't touch them it could cause a reaction... It's very inconvenient!

Thank you for your replies I'm really grateful!

 

[lauralucy]

hi i would take your OH with you as I'm allergic to cats and my 2 rex piggies (not sure if its conected) but as they're mine i live it, it rather have them and suffer, so best to take him and see how he gets on with them. good luck

 

[Pippa9701]

My husband is allergic to all animals including the guinea pigs and rabbit that we have, he's not so bad with our rex's as it is a different texture of coat. He doesn't seem to be bad with our coronet either which I've discovered doesn't shed even when you sit and stroke him for ages, his hair is like human hair and goes static too.

Your boyfriend might be ok with guinea pigs but I would check before you get them as it would be heartbreaking to take them and then have to give them back.

We had 5 of ours indoors when Jasmine was nursing, we kept them in the conservatory and he was fine. He has medication to cope with his allergies and I often catch him in the shed cuddling some of the pigs.

 

[PAMELAKT]

I should have mentioned my bf doesn't actually live with me so it'd only be an issue when he visited if at all. Do you think if he didn't touch them he'd be ok if he did turn out allergic?

 

[Pippa9701]

Not so sure on that one, my husband doesn't need to touch the animals, even if I've got hold of the animal just being near it sets him off, your boyfriend may be different.

 

[PAMELAKT]

Maybe I should just get a new boyfriend! what about the smell, with carefresh they should be ok in a living room/bedroom (same thing in my case!) shouldn't they?

 

[Bailey]

When I lived with my parents Bailey (RIP) cage was in my room & it didn't bother me

My OH is allergic to cats & dogs but fine with the piggers although the hay sometimes affects him.

 

[TwoPiggies]

It is good that you are thinking thos through before making a commitment

My boyfriend is allergic to either the piggies or their hay we haven't quite figured it out. He barely holds them as he isn't an animal person but sometimes he reacts and sometimes doesn't :{

As for your neighbour the piggies wont be loud enough for him to hear I don't think. Piggies basically sleep, eat and poop so spend a lot of time during the day and night napping. As for their wheeking every pig is different and depends on their personality but tends to be at feeding time. Also drinking from a bottle is not very noisy and they are never there for very long at any one time.

Hope this helps and good luck making your decision

 

[PAMELAKT]

Thanks for all your advice guys I really appreciate it. Everything you've said is useful. I'm swaying towards the 'do it!' option, these baby boys are exceptionally beautiful, just wish my flat was bigger then I'd not hesitate!

 

[Pippa9701]

At least you don't have our problem where husband is allergic to the animals and I'm allergic to hay and grass but that's what medication is for. I wouldn't let my allergies get in the way of me keeping or looking after my guinea pigs, they mean everything to us.

Hope everything works out for you and maybe next time you post you'll have some lovely little piggies to call your own.

 

[PAMELAKT]

Oh yes if I do become a proud pig mummy you are all most definitely being flooded with photos!

 

[Guinea-wiggles]

I sneeze and itch when I'm near cats but I'm ok with most dogs, same with g/pigs....some of mine i'm ok with others make me sneeze and itch but I just use antistamines.

 

[christine]

T.ell him to take a Piriton before he comes .or keep a supply in yourself that should calm down any allergic reactions . I am allergic to the hay but manage to avoid any serious reaction.All my 32 piggies live in the conservatory in the winter.

 

[PAMELAKT]

32? And I'm worrying about 2? Haha. Blimey! They're going to be inches from my bed so hopefully they're not going to pong, I plan to use carefresh...

 

[lily 74]

Hi,

Life is too short! if it makes you happy go for it

Your boyfirend doesn't live with yo so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I have two rexes and thier coat is very short and wiry so it shouldn't be a problem. I find my sows are less smelly than the boars and use the littertray which keeps smells down.

I use fleece and towels and they don't smell hardly at all. Carefresh will be very expensive especially as you will need at least a 4ft x 2ft cage.

Megazorb is much cheaper and more absorbant so might be worth thinking about.

You could put the water bottle in a sock with a hole cut at the end this might minimise any noise. They only seem to wheek around food time

 

[PAMELAKT]

I keep reading about fleece & towels, surely theyll wee all over these? How does that work? I've never heard of megazorb I'll have a look for it, I used to use carefresh when I had rats years ago so I kno it's good but yes very expensive...!

 

[Bailey]

The wee wicks through the fleece onto the towels so it stays dry on top. I just use Carefresh in the litter tray