Urgent Guinea help

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jnb206

hi

me and my g/f have been keeping hamster(syrian) for years and after the recent death we have decided to move onto guinea pigs or rabbits so we have chosen guinea pigs . we have visited our local pets a home store and they are selling them for 2 for 35 pounds and a cage for 80 118x64x47

so can any1 help me out by saying?

we want two so is this cage big enough or can ppl show me where to find great cages?
best place to buy from
males or females? and if i get 2 males or 2 females do i need to get them sprayed/chopped lol
any toy website to reccomend
do i needinsurance? or vet visits reguarly?
best breads?
how sociable are they with humans?
clean wise?
best food
average cost to keep per month?


any other info would be great as i just want to make sure a pig is right for us ? 88)
 
jnb206 said:
hi

me and my g/f have been keeping hamster(syrian) for years and after the recent death we have decided to move onto guinea pigs or rabbits so we have chosen guinea pigs . we have visited our local pets a home store and they are selling them for 2 for 35 pounds and a cage for 80 118x64x47

so can any1 help me out by saying?

we want two so is this cage big enough or can ppl show me where to find great cages?
best place to buy from
males or females? and if i get 2 males or 2 females do i need to get them sprayed/chopped lol
any toy website to reccomend
do i needinsurance? or vet visits reguarly?
best breads?
how sociable are they with humans?
clean wise?
best food
average cost to keep per month?


any other info would be great as i just want to make sure a pig is right for us ? 88)
Click to expand...

www.guineapigcages.com for good cage ideas

Don't buy - there are lots of rescue guinea pigs out there needing homes.

Males or females I don't think it makes much of a difference - they don't need neutered unless you plan to keep a male with females.

All breeds are lovely :)

They love to spend time with humans and almost all piggies enjoy a cuddle.

They need spot cleaned ideally daily with a big clean out once a week.

I think (personally) the best food is Oxbow Cavy Cuisine, second best is Supa Guinea Excel (orange bag). They also need a variety of vegetables every day.
 
I personally prefer C&C cages, take a look at www.guineapigcages.com ...I've never had a commercial piggy cage so other people can help you with that.

The best place to get them from is a rescue, there are loooads of piggies in rescues/shelters that need new homes, where are you? I'm sure we can help point out one near you

People say females get along better, but I have 2 males living together fine. Guinea pigs do not need to be neutered/spayed unless you want a boy/girl pair, where it is usually prefered that the boy is neutered.

Have a look around the housing section or do a search for good toys :) Mine have a teddy which they love (i wont even mention what they do, being boys and all ::)), a few towels to snuggle in....they loooove playing in hay though

I wouldn't say there is a best breed, I think it doesn't really matter what a piggy looks like personally.

They can be very tame and loveable to humans, it just depends on the piggies. I've had mine since boxing day 2006 and they still run away when they see me, but once they're out of the cage they will sit on my lap and enjoy it.

I would say they're quite clean, depending on what bedding you use (have a look in housing for different options) they only usually need to be cleaned once or twice a week - some people prefer to pick out the poops daily too.

I feed my guinea pigs Burgess Supa Guinea Excel, these are pellets and stop the piggies eating just the bits they like and leaving the (usually) good bits. They need a constant supply of fresh hay and need fresh vegetables fed daily (look in feeding).

They don't need insurance, infact I don't think anyone has managed to find an insurance company which will do piggies. They don't need vet visits regularly either, but you need to be prepared for any vet costs which may occur. Some people like their pigs to have a health check every year, but that personal preference.

Monthly cost...I'm not too sure, definately more than a hamster (I have four which don't cost as much as the guineas) because they have more bedding, need hay, fresh veggies etc....I'm not sure on the cost though.

Hope I helped! Have a read around there's lots of helpful info :)
 
I agree with whats been said..

Definatly go to a rescue, and i think sows (females) are the best way to go for you ;) O0
 
if there are no rescue piggies near you, try the local pet shop my piggie cost £7 from our local pet shop
 
It's great that your considering giving piggies a home. But please learn all you can (this website is great for that) so that you know how to take care of them. There are some truly wonderful and knowledgeable people on here that have helped me lots for sure :)
 
PerfectPiggies said:
I agree with whats been said..

Definatly go to a rescue, and i think sows (females) are the best way to go for you ;) O0
Click to expand...

Can I just ask why you think sows? not critisising just curious :) My first (and only!) piggies are boars and they're great :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi & Welcome :)
The C&C cages mentioned in the info you have already been given are great although i couldn't get any of the cubes in this area when i was looking for mine so we have a Ferplast cage. It's the longest they do & is advertised as suitable for up to 6 guinea pig but there is no way i would put 6 adult guinea pigs in it! It's great for two though.

Definitely contact your local rescues.

I have only had boars & i love them.

If you get a long haired breed you will need to brush them daily.

Make sure they have a plenty of hay as they chomp on this to help keep their teeth down. Fresh Veg everyday. Some veg you should feed sparingly & never feed them iceberg lettuce, I've read this on a few sites but I don't know why? Think it's bad for their liver.

They like place's to hide, tubes & paper bags are good for them to play in.

All the best with your preparation for your new piggies. O0
 
thanks to all for your help

we have read loads so i need

cage
bowl
water bottle
wood shavings
hay
nuggets
mineral stone
vitamin supplement?
probiotic supliments
treats?
toys?pet disinfectant
brush? specific or tootbrush?

anything else guys?

also are guinea pigs day time sleepers?
 
I personally wouldn't use woodshavings because they dry out the skin and are usually dusty. If you look in the housing section you'll find lots of alternatives, like aubiose, megazorb, fleece/towels, newspaper and hay, shredded paper etc.

A mineral stone, vitamin supplement and probiotic supliements are not needed if you feed the correct diet. I also only very rarely feed pet store treats, piggies much prefer some grass, some extra veg or fruit. I have a brush designed for guineas, have a look at the brushes in a pet shop, some cat ones are suitable.

Remeber you need vegetables too, but not until you get the piggies :P

I wouldn't really say they have a sleep pattern, they're often awake for an hour, asleep for an hour etc etc and this goes on throughout the day.
 
We've not ever given ours vitamin supplements or probiotic supplements & we don't bother with the mineral stone either because they weren't interested it that either! You may need two food bowls so they have one each to eat from.

I agree with Jane regards them sleeping. Also they sleep with their eyes open! :)
 
If you feed them vegetables and a balanced diet they won't need vitamin supplements. Probiotics should really only be used if a piggy has some sort of digestive upset or if they're on antibiotics. Mineral stones are junk - they don't need them any more than we would need a brick of salt! The best treats for piggies are fresh veggies!
 
I agree re: the wood shavings, don't use them. Mine live wonderfully on soft hay and plenty of newspaper for their cute little bums!
 
alrighty then ppl thanks any one else answer these sorry to annoy you busy people but I'm not getting a guinea unless i know its for us! so more help the better!!!1

right we are going to get two any 1 know where i can info on where i can adopt i live in scotland near glasgow

so i am going to get either the cage from pets@home 69.99 fro the nero sAVIC 4 118x68x46

or this one http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/guinea_pig_cages/42416 but this doesnt have a shelf any ideas? or can any 1 recommend a cage?

what about bar spaces can they squeeze through small spaces?

pet insurance? need it ?

nail clippings can i clip myself? just watch for vien?

i know they can smell is it easy to keep them non smelly and can i use any cleaning products from eg tesco or use maybe baby shampoo or summit?

how often do i clean the cage\them\brush?

right the wood shavings thing! so what should i use ?
newspaper i thought the ink was harmfull?
what do yous use for cage and beds?


thanks you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much :police:
 
www.thistlecaviesrescue.com is in Perth. If you need help with transport let me know as I'm about halfway between Glasgow and Perth (just outside Stirling). The SSPCAs in Bothwell Bridge, Milton and the Glasgow Cat and Dog home regularly have guinea pigs in. Feel free to PM me if you need a hand locating a piggy.

I wouldn't bother with insurance, just set aside some money to pay for vet bills. Guinea pigs don't get too dirty if you keep the cage clean but you can use gorgeous guineas shampoo from www.gorgeousguineas.com. For bedding you could use hay on newspaper or megazorb (similar to Carefresh).

I prefer to make the C&C cages like those in the link above as they are flexible size wise.

You can clip nails yourself no problem, if in any doubt a vet could show you how to do it.
 
thanks i drive so i emaild them there so we will see!

right so

iv got a cage(in mind)
bedding so just newspaper on bottom and hay on top? changed daily?
what do they use in bed ?
hay? timothy hay from pets at home ok?
food right got that sorted
buy gg shampoo and clean how often?
do they smell? can i keep the cage and pigs smelling good?
whats the best for cleaning cage?

iv only ever had hamsters so how healthy are pig or will i be there every week at the vet?

also could someone please tell me how much average it costs to keep to pigs as i only have a budget!
 
I don't really think you should bath a piggie unless absolutely necessary. I have never bathed mine.
I had 2 boars which i had since babies in 2003, one unfortunately died in April so i am looking into getting a new pal for my boy. Now they usually live between 6-8 yrs so a good while longer then your Syrian hamsters. I very rarely (touch wood) need to visit the vets, i guess i took Frank about 5 times in all & Murran (who i shall have) only once.

A large bag of dry food will cost about £4 to £5 & should last a couple of months. I must admit i've not taken any notice of how offten i am buying it & mine is feeding my two degus aswell.
Fruit & veg, well, if you are buying this is for yourselves anyway then you won't notice much difference at all to you current food bill. Oh yes parsley is a must, a little each day is good for their digestion, but thats only about 80p for a bunch that last a week.

We clip nails carefully ourself using our human nail clippers.
 
jnb206 said:
thanks i drive so i emaild them there so we will see!

right so

iv got a cage(in mind)
bedding so just newspaper on bottom and hay on top? changed daily?
what do they use in bed ?
hay? timothy hay from pets at home ok?
food right got that sorted
buy gg shampoo and clean how often?
do they smell? can i keep the cage and pigs smelling good?
whats the best for cleaning cage?

iv only ever had hamsters so how healthy are pig or will i be there every week at the vet?

also could someone please tell me how much average it costs to keep to pigs as i only have a budget!
Click to expand...

i have a similar cage to what u mentioned and my piggies get along fine in it :)
timothy hay from pets at home is ok, i use it. if you buy the huge bags it lasts so much longer, and works out cheaper.
for the bed you can use same as the rest of the cage and that should be ok (thats what i do)
i bath my piggies once a week-ish so they dont smell, as i have 2 boars which apparently smell more than sows
as long as you clean them regular they dont really smell - mine dont and i keep mine indoors
i just bought some cage disinfectant i just use a cheap one from asda which seems to work well, i just clean the cage with that, then give it a rinse/dry when i do big clean outs. i only really disinfect the cage once a week, when i do the big clean out.
with regards to claw clipping u can do it yourself just not too close to the vein

hope this helps, I'm sure other people probably have other ways of doing things
 
You asked about the bar spaces, no they can't squeeze through the cage bar spaces so you are alright there.
Timothy hay is great, that's about £2.99 a bag.

Please look into bathing the pigs as I'm really not so sure, (no disrespect to Lez what so ever here) I've not noticed an unpleasant smell from my boars & the thing is unless i actually watched someone bathe them i wouldn't fancy giving it ago. I'm not so sure they like it?
 
also guinea pigs rarley snuggle up together to sleep, so seperate igloos are a good idea, they like there own space,
yes you can get timothy hay from pets at home, but as it's more expensive, I only use this for eating purposes (using a hay rack is a good idea, stops them peeing and pooing on it) and I use a cheaper hay for the bedding, I use newspaper underneath the hay, and spot clean daily, and clean out properly,roughly every 3rd day (all depends how much your piggie drinks and pees).
You can buy a pet dissenfectant from Pets at home,
Some people use newspaper and towels with Fleece on top, as bedding and just wash the fleece to re use.
The nero 4 is the best cage for 2 guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs don't like extreme heat or extreme cold, they can get heat stroke very easily, you can put frozen bottles wrapped in towels in with them to keep them cool in the summer.
Guinea pigs can catch our colds, so are best not handled for long if you have one, They also do not fare well in damp conditions,
Never added up how much they cost, I have 4,the only thing i regularly buy is their fresh fruit and veg and hay, their dried food lasts ages.
Guinea pigs can smell really well, but their eye sight isn't too great
Guinea pigs do not smell, as long as they are cleaned out regularly.
 
my g/f sometimes get puffy eyes when with cats that shed hair! no probs with hamster do yu think a short hair pig will affect her?
 
JUST WANNA SAY THANKS A LOT FOR EVERYONE WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT THEIR DAY TO HELP US O0 ;D :D :D :D :D
 
Why not go along and visit some guineas to see if your g/f is allergic to them?

Once a wheek bathing is too often Lez, you only need to do it 4-6 wheekly.

Cage size for 2 guineas is 4 foot by 2 foot (RSPCA minimum recommendation for 2 guineas).

Best pairing is one that gets on! Either castrated boar and sow(s), pair of same sex pigs. Pigs do snuggle, but not all of them :)

Twice wheekly cleaning out and a spray round with disinfectant is recommended. Disinfectants can be bought from SPH Supplies

Thistle Cavies Rescue has hay and other goodies for sale as does Planet Guinea Also look at Gorgeous Guineas
 
It's a real pleasure to help. :) I've only been on this site a week myself but it's really great & such a help.
My partner is allergic to cats & dogs but is fine with guinea pigs, yet my daughter gets a red rash when she hold a piggie! If your g/f is allergic then I wouldn't think the hair length will make any difference.
 
SO PIGS ARE OK TO DRINK WATER STRAIGHT FROM THE TAP AND LOL 98) BUT CAN THEY EAT GRASS EG GRASS FRM MY BACK GARDEN
 
yes tap water is fine, and they love grass every day, to begin with give them just a little and then increase, too much can give them a tummy upset if theyre not used to it.
 
Guineas love grass! As long as its clean your back garden is fine. Planet Guinea sells grass seeds that can be grown inside/out if you haven't got much in your garden. Tap water is OK but you can filter it if you live in a hard water area, it can help prevent some bladder problems.
 
Don't worry if they don't drink, you may find they don't as they are getting enough fluid from the fresh fruit & veg but of course always have fresh water there for them. ;)
 
i only bathe mine once a week at the min as they are getting smelly, and have a habit of laying in their own pee at the min. i intend on bathing them less when ive switched bedding tomorrow. also i found that my piggies really like baths, i dont always use the shampoo, just water.

with response to them having seperate beds, my piggies share bed space and have no problems at all, they both get on very well and love snuggling with each other, but then again they both grew up together. i suppose it could be different if the piggies are only just being introduced.

i still not an expert with piggies, i love finding out more that i can do for them and try hard to just be a good mother for them :D

in terms of allergies, as other people said it could be best to visit piggies first. my brother has terrible allergies with animals, but when he visited he discovered that the piggys didnt affect him at all.
 
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