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Worries about keeping Piggies

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Cute_Guineapigs

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Hiya

I like to fully prepare and research before I own any new pet, so I just want to run through my worries about getting and keeping piggies, and I want to see if yourselves, being experienced piggie owners, could tell me if I'm being silly and it's not something to worry about. :)

1. I worry firstly about giving the piggies enough veggies. I'm planning on getting a pair or trio and I understand that feeding veggies can be difficult with small groups, due to food wastage and spoilage of veg. Would I waste a lot of veg, and if so, should I just not worry about it, throw it away and buy new several times a week? How do other owners overcome this problem?

2. I'm planning on keeping them in an indoor cage in my bedroom, basically because its the only space in the house we have suitable for a cage. I know many owners keep their piggies in their bedroom, do you find it difficult to sleep at night? Are they noisy?

3. We have an elderly cat, and I was wondering if people keep piggies amongst cats (obviously the cage needs to be secure and have a roof)? Do you find the piggies get distressed by the cat/s?

4. I don't mind giving the piggies 3-4 hours free range time every evening, but how do you cope when you are working long hours during the day? Do you like getting the piggies out in the evenings, or do you find it a chore sometimes?. Do other owners give them this amount of time free range? Is there anyone who doesn't free range?

I hope you guys can put me at ease. :)
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. I buy veggies especially for my two as we don't eat much veg. I do find there is a lot of wastage because we can't give them too much. Mine get cucumber, pepper (without seeds), tomato (without seed although I think tomato seeds are ok), carrot. I get them salad leaves and parsley occasionally too.

My boys are in the living room with us, so I don't know how much noise they make. I wear earplugs because my husband snores lol. I have a noisy budgie which my piggies have gotten used to. I'm not sure about cats.

Mine aren't free range. Most nights I give them an area of the kitchen and put a towel and fleece down, a box with some hay and a couple of tunnels to play in. They do get a nightly cuddle.

As long as the cage is big enough for the amount of piggies you have and they get cuddles I don't think free range is important. I will be corrected if I am wrong lol.

You won't regret getting piggies, there are lots of rescues looking for homes for some gorgeous piggies x
 
Hi there and welcome to the forum :)

I can't answer all your questions however with regards to veg I only by veg once and week and the stuff I buy doesn't spoil easily so never much waste.

As with free range time my two pigs have a room to themselves which they are free range in 24/7 so never in chore for me.

Hope others can help with the other questions x
 
thanks TwoPiggies and sandra turpin for your answers. they are much appreciated. :)

I am planning on getting either a Nero 4 (120cm) or a R62 (150cm) cage.
 
120cm is suitable for two but if you get a trio you are best getting the bigger one. Zooplus has some reasonably priced cages :)
 
Hi there
I keep four piggies in my room and the noise is fine, the only thing which wakes me up sometimes is Terry drinking because he has a habit of pulling/banging the water bottle. Other than that no noise really..
 
Hiya,

You will soon get to know how much veggies your lot get through and buy accordingly. I never waste any, my pigs are always hungry!

In your bedroom, the biggest noise will probably be the water bottle, maybe chewing on cardboard too, if you have any boxes in the cage.

I have a cat, and the pigs are not bothered by her. However, the cat ignores them too. If you have a cat that could scratch or bite a pig when they put their front feet on the bars that could be a worry. Often they just ignore each other, you would just have to monitor this.

Your pigs won't suffer if they don't have loads of free range time every night. It often just isn't possible, but try to find time for a quick cuddle at least, so you can monitor for any lumps, bumps, etc. xx
 
i dont waste a lot of veg i find i often have to buy twice a week as i run out but i have 9 :)

i sometimes get woken up by them using the water bottle (there not in my bedroom but the room next door) and one of them chirps occasionaly to which wakes me.

my piggies dont get free range time but they do have a huge pen to run around in, but they do get cuddles :))
 
thanks guys for your help. :) So would 1-2 hours every other night free range be ok?

I have rats at the moment, and my cat watches them, but doesn't do anything to them, so hopefully she'll be fine with the piggies.

I don't feel so worried now, most of them seemed to be either solved or nothing to worry about. :)
 
Well done on doing your research first!

Having some run time every day is absolutely fine!

If you can, go for the bigger cage, however many piggies you are getting. 120cm is the required RSPCA minimum for two guinea pigs. If you get a couple of boys, you will want a bigger cage anyway!

It would be great if you considered rehoming from a reputable guinea pig rescue; you will not only get guaranteed healthy and not pregnant piggies, but the rescue people also know their piggies' characters ad quirks and will support you during the settling in period. If necessary leave your final choice until have visited and handled the piggies - some great characters don't come over on the web; you need to meet them!

I would either rehome a couple of boars, a neutered boar with one or two sows or a couple/trio of sows.

Young guinea pigs can be a bit noisy when they decide to popcorn in the middle of the night, otherwise it is mainly the water bottle - some piggies chew on it to get at the water.

We can only do our veggie shopping once a week. You will find a balance that works for you pretty soon.

Best of luck!
 
Veg isn't a problem for me, I don't eatmuch veg but the boys happily finish our leftovers and eat a lot of their own. keeping it in the fridge it doesn't spoil quickly and my two are always hungry for more...

I like cuddles as much as possible. when I livedon my own they had loads of free range time and often lived on my knee all evening watching tv etc. Now I live with my partner they still get plenty of free range time and twice as many cuddles and if we are having a lie in on a saturday they sometimes get a snuggle in bed too! i don't think it matters though. Floor time is not regular at our house and mostly at weekends but they are happy with cuddles as often as they get them. They live in the lounge so there is lots going on around them all the time.

Noise is only a problem when opening the fridge door or water bottles at night.
 
thanks TwoPiggies and sandra turpin for your answers. they are much appreciated. :)

I am planning on getting either a Nero 4 (120cm) or a R62 (150cm) cage.

Hi,

You will love the piggies once you get them:))

I love the R62 (150) cage that is the one I was going to get, it is massive and if you get two girls there would be space to add one more once you were more experienced, loads needing homes in rescues:))
 
Well done on doing your research first!

Having some run time every day is absolutely fine!

If you can, go for the bigger cage, however many piggies you are getting. 120cm is the required RSPCA minimum for two guinea pigs. If you get a couple of boys, you will want a bigger cage anyway!

It would be great if you considered rehoming from a reputable guinea pig rescue; you will not only get guaranteed healthy and not pregnant piggies, but the rescue people also know their piggies' characters ad quirks and will support you during the settling in period. If necessary leave your final choice until have visited and handled the piggies - some great characters don't come over on the web; you need to meet them!

I would either rehome a couple of boars, a neutered boar with one or two sows or a couple/trio of sows.

Young guinea pigs can be a bit noisy when they decide to popcorn in the middle of the night, otherwise it is mainly the water bottle - some piggies chew on it to get at the water.

We can only do our veggie shopping once a week. You will find a balance that works for you pretty soon.

Best of luck!

thanks, that's fab advice.

I'll probably get the 150cm cage because I like my animals to have loads of space, even if I get a pair. :)

I am planning on rehoming piggies from a rescue. :)

and did you mean every day free range is fine, or every other day is fine? :)
 
mine are in my bedroom and i dont really notice them exept from when they are drinking its more like they are trying to pull the bottle into the cage lol:))
 
My girls have a rammicin each. Which I fill up twice a day. Guarenteed Tam and Gaga will polish off their veggies withing half hour even less somedays. Boofle on the other hand is a bit picky at the moment. I dont know if its cos shes preggers or not.
Enjoy them though. They are the funniest loving little creatures.
And as for the cat. I have one and shes scared of them.haha makes me laugh watching her watching them and then they go a bit skitty and she runs a mile. Soooo funny
 
Hi, my veg never goes to waste my boys eat the lot then beg for more!
I sleep with my 2 boys next to me (studio flat) & I don't hear a peep. They play initially when I put the light out then 5 mins later they go to bed. On the weekend I'll hear them drinking sometimes cos they're used to me getting up early & start wandering about.

And no playing or seeing to them is a delight not a chore. You'll be fine, I had these worries too but you really will be ok you'll enjoy having them! X
 
Do peoples pigs seriously take 30 mins to eat their veg? Mine polish it off in like 10 mins max! Greedy little monsters!
 
Whos piggies take that long? Blimey. that might happen if I let my two greedy beggers loose in the fridge. But other than that both bowls are empty within half hour
 
thanks. :)

I do like to make sure that I'm fully prepared and ready for new pets by finding out all I can about them. I would hate to be unprepared and then struggle caring for them. :(
 
You wouldnt struggle. They are really lovley pets to have and you will be attatched from the moment you pick them. Cleaning out is soo easy. And you will find yourself finding the extra time. I'm setting my alarm 15 mins early during the week now. So I can get them their veggies before I make the kids school packup. Bloomin soppy mare.
 
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