hello, I'm new here

[phantomnamechanger]

I was directed here when I started this thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2099790-rabbits-or-guinea-pigs-easiest-most-rewarding-affectionate

I am here to be educated as I am considering getting a couple of GPs for the DC

so, what are the bad points......?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Hello ....................you seem familiar somehow.

D'you know they eat their poo?

[phantomnamechanger]

are you trying to put me off?

DS is obsessed with Horrible Histories, he would LOVE that they eat poo

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

OK - bad points:

There are lots of places to get GPs but petshops aren't recommended because you have no idea how they've been kept, if they are socialised or if they've been kept in mixed groups. (And male GPs can get their female cagemates pg when they (the males) are 4 weeks old. They don;t mind if it's their sister or mum)

Lots of places will advice that you cannot keep boars together so there are thousands of single boars leading a lonelly life.
We got our original boars as 1 yo from a Rescue. Bonded brothers, they had a couple of spats (usually if they were in too small an area and after too much coriander)
When one died we got a very little boar from Rescue to boar-match.
A Rescue will give you a lifetime return peace of mind (I am not allowed to sell on or rehome GP3 )

They are quite vunerable to weather and predators. Yes, they come from South America but my lardy spoiled Essex boars have no similarity to the rangey guineas of S.America.
They're domesticated, it's my responsibilty to protect them.

Ours belong to DD in theory (GP1 is hers, GP2 was my DS but I nabbed him, GP3 belongs to GP1, therefore DD). DD and I do the Pig Husbandary between us. If you buy for a DC be prepared to do --all- most of it yourself.
DD loves her boys, it's really lovely to watch her and her boy. I dread the day he goes (he's nearly 4. Our little boy is a year)

They poo and wee for Britain. What goes in (loads) comes out (loads) but they do get pretty good at holding their bladder and letting you know.

You need to decide where they'll live.
Is it big enough? Can you make it interesting? They like activity, not running and jumping, but pootling about. We change things round to confuse them

Some things they cannot eat . There are lots of food threads.

If they get ill, it can be quick and serious. So you need to know what to look for and find yourself a good guinea-pig vet.

You need to think about what you'll do if you go away - overnight, on holiday, a weekend.

And worse - they leave a huge guinea-shaped hole in your heart when they die

[phantomnamechanger]

thank you, that must have taken a while and was very informative

was thinking of getting them from our local kids petting farm who sell them - yay or nay?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Have a talk with them, find out when their next lot of guineas ( are you wanting babies or adults? ) are available.
They should be checked, mite treated, eating well, lively and friendly, but might be shy. GPs can wean at 3-4 weeks for boars , but would be older when you got them.

Make sure they are properly sexed (I've bought a female when I was 9yo, my DBro got a female, mine wasn't . So the love affair with GPs began. When my own DD was 9yo she wanted a pet - and their was no contest. Had to be piggies)

You will be able to get a couple of litter-mates or a bonded pair (maybe Mum/ Daughter or Dad/Son)
Two boars work well if there's no girls in the mix.
Our little piggie was 6 weeks old when we got him to replace GP2.(We had to get a very young boar) The bereaved boar absolutely adores him. We've noticed now that the young boy (now a year old) has taken charge, GP1 is after a quiet life now

[phantomnamechanger]

well I never, we sat down and had a family meeting and DH actually said yes!

the kids are already deciding on colours and names and I am off to research about hutches!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Of course you need to know the GOOD SIDE of guineas.

They are chatty, lovely, gentle animals.
They very rarely bite (not never, but there's always a reason. They don't just bite without reason)
Usually it's if they are scared, in pain, or they smell food on your skin. My GP3 doesn't like being picked up under his armpits but he gives a snap not a bite.

They are just the right size to tuck in your cardigan.

They are very vunerable and you want to protect them. It's nice to clean the Pighouse and make it all cosy. Then the little blighters go in a pee

I would recommend smooths and Abbys over any other types. The more 'fancy' they are the more complex. Long hair. etc.

GP3 is a Rex. HUGE

[phantomnamechanger]

70, you have been very kind and are obviously an expert - any comments on hutches please - make/size etc?

[phantomnamechanger]

we all like the look of the smooth ones best

[pigsinmud]

I have 2 girls (sisters) at the moment. We have had 2 boys - brothers - and they were fine together.

We have a double cage with a ladder. They seem to like it. Food downstairs and bedroom upstairs. Our hutch is in the shed. Our boys hutch lived outside all the time. We wrapped the hutch in bubble wrap in the winter to insulate it and I pulled a blanket down to keep the cold out at night.

[pigsinmud]

When I say ladder, I do in fact mean ramp. They can't climb ladders obviously! It took them a while to work the ramp out!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I'm not an expert homestly (ask my guinea-pigs) but I have had guineas from when I was 9-22 yo then my DD got her boars 3 years ago.

No idea about makes of hutches, all mine have been homemade ( as a child the pigs had a big space under the stairs that was open. A barrier to stop escape and a guard between the warring factions - our two Himalyans sows and our two black/white and black/white/ginger didn't agree )

My dad made a massive hutch from a solid old sideboard (you know the type that you need 10 men to carry and you can only destroy by setting fire to )

Our boys have my DC old playhouse with some internal alterations to give a haybox and a predator safe screened window that we can take out the actual window pane)

C&C cages have a good website - have a look for ideas. Sizewise, 4'x2' is the minimum for 2 adults . I have a 2'x4' cage but it really is too small for my two boars (we put GP1 in when he was on his own after GP2 died. He was in DD room for a week) . I had to get a couple of packs of cage/fencing to make a bigger run for winter nights last winter.

C&C can be added to and altered.

If you want outdoor, decide where it will go, it needs sheltered against direct sun, wind, rain, predators.. You can get protective covers.
One level is better, piglets will use a ramp, adults can struggle and it means they only use half their space.

If you get a run , make sure it's secure against foxes, dogs, cats.

I'll see if I can find the website I got ours from (it was Amazon). I need to make dinner for my human types now


Smooth pigs are lovely, Abbys have the rossettes and little short noses, tend to be smaller.

The long haired ones need careful combing ( I had a Peruvian years ago)

The Satins are beautiful, luminous (hollow hair shaft) but the trade off is joint problems.
And skinnies (hairless) why?

When we got GP3 we were told he was a Swiss (halo like fluffy hair) I thought "No, I don't want a namby pamby fluffy pig. But GP1 had taken to him, so I thought "I'll cope. I can manage him"

He got big, we looked online and discovered he's a Rex. The weeny fluffy little critter is a big, solid love sponge. Coarse fur. Curly whiskers, Curly tummy Rex.

[FernieB]

Phantom - take note of everything 70 has said, she is a very wise pig mum.

If you can persuade your DC to choose pink clawed GPs then claw clipping is a lot less stressful . Unfortunately those black clawed ones are strangely appealing and suck you in

They are lovely. Nothing is as good as a GP purring when you're cuddling them.

[Pointeshoes]

I have both rabbits and pigs(not together). I love the rabbits more as they are really friendly and a bit more interesting and don't poo everywhere! However ours are house bunnies and couldn't imagine having outdoor rabbits so id suggest getting piggies. Pigs are easier to care for and they don't need as much space.

I'd say you really need to bring the pigs in over the winter because it does get very cold and rainy. Although my friend has her hutch in a shed which is insulated which could be a good solution. I have two females- did have three until recently. They are outside in their hutch now, I put them in a run on the grass in nicer weather, like today they have loved it! They don't like being picked up or cuddled that much despite having lots of gentle strokes and attention, but they have never bitten. They loved been talked to and will sit on you lap - been fed ofcourse! Nails are easy to trim and ours are short haired so rarely need a brush. The only downside is the amount they poo, it does smell. And ours will just wee anywhere they fancy it so they can't stay sitting on you for long before an accident! Ours are 5 and 4 1/2 now. Both females. Black one is 'mini pig' and ginger one is 'tink' ..... Bunnies say hi too :D

[SuburbanRhonda]

pointe, your furries are divine!

Here is my remaining one, helping herself to salad

[phantomnamechanger]

awww point, those are vey cute piggies and bunnies

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

YY pink claws - much easier.

We said to GP1 "choose a pink nailed pig but not pink bollocks (untidy) ir pink eyed (eyesight)

GP3 is a red eyed , pink balled , pink feet boy.
so 1/3 then

[SuburbanRhonda]

at untidy pink bollocks

[phantomnamechanger]

am thinking of getting something like this

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161225313873?_trksid=p2055120.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

and something like this

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281237790564?_trksid=p2055120.m1438.l2649&var=580281235976&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

obviously with some sort of shelter/hiding box in the run

do those look OK, oh piggy experts?

indoor home can wait till November!

[Pointeshoes]

That's like the hutch we've had in the past, we swapped for one that was all one level and up to my hip height because the other one got ruined in the wet with it been so close to the floor. Just taken a picture of what we have now for the piggies , it's a bit dark but you get the gist!

And we have exactly the same metal run, 8ft one. Since having the bunnies we got a wooden run with metal sides (I'll attatch a pic of it) of ebay and is a lot easier to put the pigs in that because I can get them by lifting the top up. With the metal one it only has small 'doors' so I have to lift the whole cage up one end, let them run out into the garden and then catch them quickly, which isn't too bad for older pigs but for young ones it wouldn't be possible really !

[Pointeshoes]

That is dark lol

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

The "Bunny Business" run in your second link is the one we have (I think the XXL, it's IIRC 84" long and cost £45 ish)

We use a load of tent pegs (one each corner + one in the middle of the long sides) There are side doors but we got a message that they don't recommend the little houses that attatch.
We wired those up.

I send DD in the top door though I can get in if I need to.
It folds up flat to store. It's light and maintence free.
We put a cover over to shade or a tarpaulin if it's windy. We can get a good load of boxes and tunnels in there.

It's ideal for guineas but I don't know if I'd trust a rabbit due to their digging. And you need to make sure it's on level ground to make sure there's no escape and no predators can gain entry.

We've used it in our garage (car free) as emergency accomodation. Most recently when my NDN tree was damaged in the storms, we moved the pigs out of their Pighouse into the garage. Tons of cardboard on a tarpaulin then loads of hay and boxes. They happily 'glamped' for a few days