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Which rodent species can be kept in the same room as guinea pigs?

Dans1993

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Hi I currently own a pair of gerbils and I am hoping to get some guinea pigs in the near future.

I was just wondering if theses animals can be kept in the same room (in separate cages)? Are they likely to pass diseases to one another? Would they disturb or stress each other?

Further in the future I'm potentially thinking of maybe getting other rodents such as degus or mice. Would these species be ok to house in the same room? Does anyone have any experience of housing multiple species of small animal in the same room?

Thank you so much for any help
 
Hi I currently own a pair of gerbils and I am hoping to get some guinea pigs in the near future.

I was just wondering if theses animals can be kept in the same room (in separate cages)? Are they likely to pass diseases to one another? Would they disturb or stress each other?

Further in the future I'm potentially thinking of maybe getting other rodents such as degus or mice. Would these species be ok to house in the same room? Does anyone have any experience of housing multiple species of small animal in the same room?

Thank you so much for any help

Hi and welcome!

I am linking in @Claire W for you as she has been keeping both guinea pigs and gerbils.
 
Gerbils are absolutely fine in the same room as guinea pigs. I've been keeping both for years. I have no gerbils now and keep rats instead, they are fine as well. But do have to be careful with rats more as they might attack a guinea pig. Gerbils are such hardy rodents and they don't often get many health issues until they got older.

Il link @Claire W , she's a degu keeper
 
Gerbils are absolutely fine in the same room as guinea pigs. I've been keeping both for years. I have no gerbils now and keep rats instead, they are fine as well. But do have to be careful with rats more as they might attack a guinea pig. Gerbils are such hardy rodents and they don't often get many health issues until they got older.

Il link @Claire W , she's a degu keeper

She's currently having degus but has had several lots of gerbils in succession before that.
 
She's currently having degus but has had several lots of gerbils in succession before that.
Yea I know, I thought I'd answer the gerbil bit and let her do the degu one I don't know much about 🙂
 
I have degus, chinchillas, and a hamster which are all in the livingroom together with the pigs. Ideally, at this point I would have the pigs and hamster in a different room for a month to quarantine but after that I see no harm in keeping them in the same room in separate cages.

The base feed for guinea pigs and degus is very similar, there's nothing that I wouldn't feel comfortable about them picking up and eating if I've dropped it on the floor and they're out the cage, and guinea pig veg doesn't last long enough for the chins to get near it 😂 I do suspect at some point I will end up with a chinchilla jumping into the pig enclosure if they escape but I'm not hugely concerned past possible aggression towards each other if that does happen.

As long as your animals are healthy, the chances of them passing something on are minimal, particularly since they don't really have any contact if you wash your hands between handling each species. The main things I would be wary of are ringworm, respiratory infections (although most are bacteria related so passing it on is relatively unlikely), and parasites like worms that could be passed along in faeces.
 
I do suspect at some point I will end up with a chinchilla jumping into the pig enclosure if they escape but I'm not hugely concerned past possible aggression towards each other if that does happen.
My chins were in a different room to my pigs but Pedro was a expert escape artist! :doh:He was far more interested in seeing what he could chew or trash than the pigs! :)) Obviously best to keep them apart (just in case) though!
 
I’ve kept hamsters and guinea pigs in the same room, then 7 rats after that with the pigs and never had any issues.
 
@alpacasqueak my lot also love destruction but one of them came from a rodent rescue where he'd escape all the time (he's a slippery wee thing) and jump into the herd pen 😅 he's been extremely interested in his new neighbours since we got them so, although I'm not going to encourage any cross species interactions, I'm well aware that it might happen since he has a talent for jumping past me when I least expect it 😂
 
@alpacasqueak my lot also love destruction but one of them came from a rodent rescue where he'd escape all the time (he's a slippery wee thing) and jump into the herd pen 😅 he's been extremely interested in his new neighbours since we got them so, although I'm not going to encourage any cross species interactions, I'm well aware that it might happen since he has a talent for jumping past me when I least expect it 😂
I can totally imagine! :)) How Ped would get in to the living room with the pigs! Or pretend he was going one way then zip past the back of you into the closing door (as you snuck in as tight as possible:doh:)! He was very interested in my cats, after nearly 9 years of him jumping on their heads and barking at them they were slightly terrified, he weighed 500g!:)) Poppy his sister was an angel and never caused much of that kind of trouble, just had a thing for wallpaper! :)) Your lad sounds very cheeky! :D:love:
 
Hello and welcome. It is absolutely fine to keep gerbils in the same room as your piggies :) They won’t disturb each other and gerbils very rarely get diseases so won’t pass anything on to your piggies. Degus are also fine to keep in the same room
Gerbils are the best pet for hardly even needing a vet. Hard little gits. I believe the Latin name for gerbils means small clawed warrior. That's why they are named it
 
Gerbils are the best pet for hardly even needing a vet. Hard little gits. I believe the Latin name for gerbils means small clawed warrior. That's why they are named it

I agree. I’ve only had to go to the vets once with a gerbil and I’ve had a fair few. They’re definitely warriors
 
I agree. I’ve only had to go to the vets once with a gerbil and I’ve had a fair few. They’re definitely warriors
Totally the opposite to ratties then! They are warriors of course :love: but think I was at the vets at least once a month when they got a bit older!:doh:x
 
Thank you for all for your replies it's been super helpful :D

Would I be right in thinking as long as all animals are healthy it's fine keeping most combinations of rodent species in the same room and it's just rabbits you need to be careful with?
 
I agree. I’ve only had to go to the vets once with a gerbil and I’ve had a fair few. They’re definitely warriors
There's no domestic rat apart from lab bread rats that don't carry upper respiratory issues. It's mycoplasma bacteria they all have it. It's wether it's starts to show signs in the rat or not. Shame cause they are such lovely pets.

Replied to wrong post lol
 
There's no domestic rat apart from lab bread rats that don't carry upper respiratory issues. It's mycoplasma bacteria they all have it. It's wether it's starts to show signs in the rat or not. Shame cause they are such lovely pets.

Replied to wrong post lol

It is a shame as they do make lovely pets
 
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