Would appreciate help with some questions please

[Stacey7840]

Hello
My daughter who is 7 has her heart set on some pet guinea pigs. She has wanted her own pet for some time.
I've spent a lot of time reading various threads on this site and doing some research.
I was originally thinking about a large hutch in the garden with hutch huggers and a separate run for during the day.
After much research I now realise that this will not be suitable for the winter months. Our garage has no windows so moving into there wouldn't be an option.
So now I'm thinking that the best option would be an indoor cage with a garden run for the warmer months. Also with some kind of indoor running space for them to have extra space during the winter months. I've looked at c and c cages but think that a ferplast with a lid, possibly the 140 would suit us better. Mainly for moving to my parents when we are on holiday and so it has a roof as my son is only 4.The cage would be stored in the children's playroom downstairs.
My questions are:
Would a ferplast 140 be suitable for 2 females?
Is it best to raise it off the ground and have a stand?
Is fleece bedding the best option for easy maintenance and smell reduction
Thank you if you reply

 

[Swissgreys]

Welcome to the Forum
It is always lovely to meet someone who is doing their research before brining their piggies home.

When children are involved I would say indoors allows them much greater opportunity to be involved the guinea pig care.
Even your 4 year old can do things like fill water bottles or put hay in the cage.
These things are tricker when the piggies are outside in the Winter months, so I would definitely recommend an indoor cage.
The Ferplast 140 would be suitable for 2 females.

I would also recommend a stand - if nothing else you will be doing a lot fo the day to day care and having a stand makes it easier to clean the cage, particularly for an adult.

I use fleece for my indoor cages and am very happy with it.

 

[VickiA]

Hello and welcome. It’s great to be thinking & planning ahead, particularly for winter months. Many of us keep our piggies indoors all year and pop them into a run outside when the weather is warm enough so they can enjoy some fresh air & grass. Children (and parents) also find it easier to interact with indoor piggies especially once the weather changes. Cleaning out hutches in the rain outside isn’t much fun.

The Ferplast 140 is a great cage for 2 sows. They are also easy to clean and secure as they have a lid. I’d definitely recommend having it on a stand or a table as it’s easier on your back for cleaning the piggies out & also it’s easier to keep them out of cold drafts if they aren’t on the floor.

Bedding is always a bit of trial & error finding what suits you best. I use fleece & noodle bath mats with disposable puppy pads underneath. And I wash them (the fleeces and bath mats) in a horse wash bag in the washing machine.

 

[Stacey7840]

Welcome to the Forum
It is always lovely to meet someone who is doing their research before brining their piggies home.

When children are involved I would say indoors allows them much greater opportunity to be involved the guinea pig care.
Even your 4 year old can do things like fill water bottles or put hay in the cage.
These things are tricker when the piggies are outside in the Winter months, so I would definitely recommend an indoor cage.
The Ferplast 140 would be suitable for 2 females.

I would also recommend a stand - if nothing else you will be doing a lot fo the day to day care and having a stand makes it easier to clean the cage, particularly for an adult.

I use fleece for my indoor cages and am very happy with it.

Welcome to the Forum
It is always lovely to meet someone who is doing their research before brining their piggies home.

When children are involved I would say indoors allows them much greater opportunity to be involved the guinea pig care.
Even your 4 year old can do things like fill water bottles or put hay in the cage.
These things are tricker when the piggies are outside in the Winter months, so I would definitely recommend an indoor cage.
The Ferplast 140 would be suitable for 2 females.

I would also recommend a stand - if nothing else you will be doing a lot fo the day to day care and having a stand makes it easier to clean the cage, particularly for an adult.

I use fleece for my indoor cages and am very happy with it.

Thank you for your reply. It's good to get the opinion of people who have experience

 

[Free Ranger]

I started with a standard Ferplast in the house but as the kids grew, and my pigs changed, and their activity levels changed we've hacked them a bit (I now have two Ferplasts). I have to keep the roof part for safety as mine are at floor level in a 'shared space' but I took the front grids off so they could get in and out. Then I got an old girl so cut holes in the sides with a Stanley knife as she wasn't agile enough to hop in and out. We're squeezed in a bit at the mo because for the first time I have pigs that don't get on (at all!) so now we have two peaceful pairs and not much people room... you can see my doormat at the front of this pic as I have to go through one piggy bit to get out of the back door! That's Flora - she gets to come into the kitchen - she has a stool she sits under to watch me chopping. My kids are much older now - we got piggies when the youngest was 4 and now she's 14! But I've found that these cages last and last - I spot clean each day but blitz once a week by shovelling out and then rinsing under a hot shower (with white vinegar if very crusty - but often hot water is fine). I use Back2Nature bedding and hay in the bedroom areas and newspaper in the open bits as they don't hang out there much - they mainly just stand and have a massive wee before going in for a nap so it's easy to see when this needs changing! I'm a recent convert to fleece for the outer areas: despite the fights if the neighbours meet up they do all enjoy hanging out at the bars and eating together. I made the fleece mats myself using a sewing machine and 'Zorb' original for the absorbent bit in between 2 fleece layers. Pretty straightforward - a few crinkles but they soak up the pee, it's essentially a big flat nappy! Make some smaller 'pee-pads' for the areas you find get wettest first Good Luck!

 

[Stacey7840]

I started with a standard Ferplast in the house but as the kids grew, and my pigs changed, and their activity levels changed we've hacked them a bit (I now have two Ferplasts). I have to keep the roof part for safety as mine are at floor level in a 'shared space' but I took the front grids off so they could get in and out. Then I got an old girl so cut holes in the sides with a Stanley knife as she wasn't agile enough to hop in and out. We're squeezed in a bit at the mo because for the first time I have pigs that don't get on (at all!) so now we have two peaceful pairs and not much people room... you can see my doormat at the front of this pic as I have to go through one piggy bit to get out of the back door! That's Flora - she gets to come into the kitchen - she has a stool she sits under to watch me chopping. My kids are much older now - we got piggies when the youngest was 4 and now she's 14! But I've found that these cages last and last - I spot clean each day but blitz once a week by shovelling out and then rinsing under a hot shower (with white vinegar if very crusty - but often hot water is fine). I use Back2Nature bedding and hay in the bedroom areas and newspaper in the open bits as they don't hang out there much - they mainly just stand and have a massive wee before going in for a nap so it's easy to see when this needs changing! I'm a recent convert to fleece for the outer areas: despite the fights if the neighbours meet up they do all enjoy hanging out at the bars and eating together. I made the fleece mats myself using a sewing machine and 'Zorb' original for the absorbent bit in between 2 fleece layers. Pretty straightforward - a few crinkles but they soak up the pee, it's essentially a big flat nappy! Make some smaller 'pee-pads' for the areas you find get wettest first Good Luck!
View attachment 179382

Thank you for your reply. You are very organised!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

You may find some of the practical information guides in our Wannabe and New Owners guide collections very helpful in terms of bedding and more in-depth information on other areas you are bound to come up against:
Are Guinea Pigs For Me? - Wannabe Owners' Helpful Information

If you go for guinea pigs, this is the one you want to bookmark as a very helpful general information resource as we cover a wide area with practical but detailed step-by-step guides that reflect our experiences in much more depth than we can tell you in a single post:
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

You are of course always welcome to ask any questions you may have but you will find that we do link in guides for more background information. We all do this for free in our own free time, so in order to answer as many posts as promptly as possible, we have put all the practical little details and tips into easy to follow guides.