thinking of getting guinea pigs! a few questions...

[globalmouse]

I'd like to get some GPs (was going to lie and say ds wants them, but it's me!), but don't know where to start.

I've kept indoor pets before (rats, mice, hamsters) but realise GPs may need a bit more room! I was planning on having an indoor cage and an outdoor run.

I love the idea of having house GPs, but not sure how doable that is? do they chew as much as house rabbits? I do have a cat so having house GP may not be a good idea... (although he has never shown any inclination over catching small things, he is a very lazy cat, but I wouldn't want to risk it).

So do you have any recommendations for cages? how big does it need to be?
do they prefer multi-storeyed cages or single level?
Are males or females better (health, temperament etc)?

Any tips or guidance would be appreciated :)

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

They need alot of room, the Pet Shop cages are woefully inadequate.

We have 2 adult rescue boars who live in during winter nights, outside in the Pighouse during the day and now day/night.

They do like different hidey spaces, not so fussed about different levels when they are adults (babies will)

Don't trust the cat! It will be very interested and GPs are prey animals, very ill equipped to defend themselves (stress/fright can harm them )

Boys are supposed to be friendlier, but TBH it depends on the pigs.

Boars come with some health issues (impaction risk) , in-house squabbling
Girls carry the risk of being pg ( voice of experience) when you buy them. Also tumours (uterine/ovarian but not the same % as rabbits)

Lots of websites on cage sizes (Google guinea-pig cage sizes IIRC it's a C&C site)
They'll chew whatever they can get their little rodent teeth on.

Our boars are noisy, messy little tykes. Eat/pooh/eat/pooh

Allow spending on vegetables (that you'll probably be buying anyway, most of them). And hay -lots.
Bedding- we use cardboard and newspaper under the hay. And Catsan catlitter under newspaper in winter.
We clean out daily- complete or spot clean in their winter deep hay.

But we love them.
They are cuddly, chatty, (wheek, squeak, purr) popcorn, rumblestrutt, push,shove ,"Get out of my face" to each other (2 brothers)
They don't bite (nibble if they think you are with-holding food) .

[whatphididnext]

We had 2 boars and they were very smelly despite getting their bums washed regularly. My friend had the 2 sows (we bought the whole litter and shared it) and they were much less smelly. Subsequently I've heard you can neuter the males but I didn't realise that at that time. There is lots of guinea advice (Cavies) online so see what the consensus is regarding run and cage size and boar vs sow.
We had a run with a hutch in the garden for the day and a cage at night indoors as we have so many foxes. They were such sweet pets.
My 2 cats were intrigued but they never pounced on the guineas even when all 4 were together running around the conservatory.
My cats do kill mice so i think it was just that guineas are quite large.

[BonkeyMollocks]

I have a C&C playpen for my boys. I have pic on profile. I would prefer bigger but Im pushing it with dh as it is
That have a cage for nighttime where they sleep.

The hay smells more than the pigs. But then I clean them out twice a day.

If you have a outdoor run you may need to make sure they have somewhere in the winter. A shed maybe or somewhere inside that they can stretch their legs.

My big pig doesn't chew anything. I can let him out in the living room and he will just womble round.
Little pig chews everything. He is a sod!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

It's good the GPs are for you because yo'll be the one doing all the cleaning .

My DD is 10yo and helps out with the school bunnies- she is very hands on with her hog.
My DS said he wanted the other GP, but has to be nagged to help.
I clean the cages, my DD helps bring them up to the house and to settle them for the night.
(I said I would do the pigs' cage right from the start, I didn't want to be pushing the DC to "clean your guinea-pigs".

The little GP wlll be mine Mwah haha. I'm working on him

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Bonkey has LittlePig got 666 under his fur?

[BonkeyMollocks]

Quite possibly 70 , shall I shave him and see

[globalmouse]

thanks for your advice, they sound sooooooo lovely!!!
didn't realise they ate hay. can you feed them haylage type stuff instead of dry hay? Ds is really allergic to hay :(

[BonkeyMollocks]

I dont know for definite, but I imagine it would be too sugary for piggies.
I couldnt feed it to one of my horses for this reason. Piggies cant really have to much sugar. Hence the reason fruit should be restricted.

[globalmouse]

oh that' a complete bugger! so I guess my guinea-pig dream has been thwarted by allergies :( didn't even consider it... :(

[BonkeyMollocks]

:( Is his allergy really bad?

[guineapiglet]

I'm afraid hay is a staple for guineas, they are not designed for sugary stuff, and natural hay is their natural diet and bedding. You may need to give this some consideration as if they are to be in the house your son will be affected - I know from bitter experience as my son is very allergic, could not go anywhere near the guineas ( he was probably allergic to their fur as well, and they are VERY allergenic animals). In the end, the guineas were homed in a warm shed, and his contact with them was very minimal, it was very sad for him. He was fine if they were outside, ie, they could sit on him, but in an enclosed room it was impossible as they/the hay made him wheeze and cough. If he wants to be very hands on with his pets, they may not be the right choice for him - sorry to be so gloomy, as I think they are wonderful animals and pets, but I know how they affected him, and it was only the fact that we have lots of outside space and an alternative'house' which stopped them having to be rehomed:(

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I bought my GPs Readi-Grass for horses (huge bag, suitable for rodents &rabbits).

My blardy GP2 sneezes his head off when he has it.

They do need hay- even when they have grass in their run. They play in it, hide, it keeps their intestines 'moving'.
(They can have liver failure if they don't eat ).

[globalmouse]

yeah, his allergy makes his face swell and hives etc, not just 'hayfever' symptoms. Bugger :(
Do they need hay even when they are grazing on grass? (clutching at straws, and also aware that they may not get much grazing in in cold, wet winters)
:(

[BonkeyMollocks]

Hay is vital for their teeth. It helps wear them down.
As 70 says they love it. Play, hide, eat sleep on it.

What a bugger :(

[guineapiglet]

Sad to say, but yes, they really do - its a staple for them. Your son sounds like mine, his reactions are very severe (* he is actually anaphylactic/asthmatic) and guineas are not really suitable pets for asthma sufferers unless, as I say, they can be kept elsewhere, but the whole point of having a pet, is that you can interact with them, so I know how you are feeling.

In the end, we got our son a bioorb and 4 lovely tetras, he was thrilled and really looked after them for about two months and then I ended up cleaning them out but a great alternative from furry pets who do need hay!!! Good luck.

[ByTheWay1]

My eldest is allergic to both hay and our little piggies...... so we have ours outside.

They were bought 12 years ago from a local breeder (SO much for only living to 7 or 8!!!!!) , and we have had NO problems - winter before last we had to bring them in to our unused garage as temps were below -5C for a week, but apart from that they live in a hutch outside. We have a hutch snuggie - silver looking padded cover and a flap of plastic (old builder's bag) we put over the open bar side of the hutch when it is wet. The bed (closed) side is packed with hay floor to roof, the other side has food and a layer of stuff for them to wee in - they have never needed a vet and get handled by me and youngest DD daily.

So - if you have outside space, you may still be able to have piggies.... but yes, they REALLY, REALLY need hay, it is their bedding of choice and necessary food/roughage...

[guineapiglet]

WOW!!! I had no idea guineas could last so long - you must have the magic touch! I have never been able to keep ours for longer than about 6 years, but we do live in a VERY damp climate, I guess if it is a bit warmer and drier, this might help. I would love to see your 12 yo guinea, they are obviously a wonderfully hardy/strong lineage, I'm really impressed!!!:o

[BonkeyMollocks]

12years!!!

thats impressive. :)

[globalmouse]

so can you keep a pig outside all year round?
he has handled a friends, so I'm sure he's not allergic to them. didn't have any reaction when out and about near them, near the hay. Just when we went in a stable one time he reacted badly (and in cut grass, so I'm pretty confident its the hay)

[ByTheWay1]

Well, we are in Gloucestershire and they have been outside in a hutch (and run on the grass) all year round for 12 years from day of purchase (3 months old) except for just over one week when the temps were cruelly low.... so yep I guess the 12 year longevity says you can do it here......

I had no idea they were "unusually old" til last year a friend said "how many piggies have you had over the years now" and I said they were the same ones we got 11 (now 12) years ago - her jaw nearly hit the floor - she has had 4 pairs in this time...

but our neighbour has a 10 year old and someone across the road from us has another 12 year old (their other one died last year at 11) - all kept in hutches outdoors, so either Gloucestershire piggies are particularly hardy, or our piggies are thriving on an outdoor environment...