My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Small pets

If you keep Guinea pigs's indoors, can you link to which cage you have?

9 replies

JumpingJacks · 11/07/2013 13:40

I need to see if we could fit a cage indoors before I start giving serious thought into getting a pair.

I've had to before and they were lovely. But we had a big solid brick garage then and I used to give them covered water bottles and cover the hutch with big blankets in winter.

I only have a flimsy metal shed now so don't think keeping them outside would be an option.

Obv they need a lot of room so I need to work out if I have enough room indoors.

OP posts:
Report
JumpingJacks · 11/07/2013 13:40

*two

OP posts:
Report
JumpingJacks · 11/07/2013 13:41

#hot water bottles

OP posts:
Report
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/07/2013 19:48

hi JumpingJacks
there's a website Cavy Cages which has some measurements for an idea of sizes.

two pigs would need 7.5 square feet minimum and 10.5 sq feet preferred
three pigs 10.5 sq feet minimum and 13 sq feet preferred

10.5 sq feet would be a 5'x2' cage approx.

With C&C you can make your own to suit and change the shape. I've never used C&C but loads of SFA keepers enthuse about it.

My indoor night winter cage is 4'x2' and about knee height (plastic base with bars on top).
It's nowhere near big enough for regular living. It's only for winter night sleeping when they go into the small bedroom with a duvet thrown over.
I give two hay filled boxes to keep them busy.

GP babies will happily climb ramps, but adults usually CBA Grin

You need to allow all the food bowls, water and 'escape' spaces.

AFAIK you can keep adding to C&C (just need more grid and ties and the liner).

Metal shed would be too hot in summer, too cold in winter.
I've got a concrete floored garage that they've used for emergency accomodation but it is cold compared to the Pighouse.

Report
JumpingJacks · 11/07/2013 20:03

Thanks 70 for the info.

is this the site?

OP posts:
Report
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/07/2013 20:05

Oh, and I bought mine at The Range (about £35-£40) for my two lardy boars.

Jolleys Petshop had some really nice huge cages a while back (I think for rabbits mainly).

Consider how easy it would be to store the cage if you need to and manhandle it out of the house to give it a scrub and an airing.

Report
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/07/2013 20:07

That's the site- and there's loads of guinea owners on line putting their photos on.

Some are fabulous Grin
Guinea-pig cities.

Report
JumpingJacks · 11/07/2013 20:21

There really are some amazing photos - I didn't even know you could do all that!

I have more questions now I know I can fit the cage in and I know it will go in the house.

Where is the best place to GP's from? Is it best to get them from babies? Or adult ones?

What are the pros and cons to having two females or two males?

OP posts:
Report
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/07/2013 20:52

Oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Jumping you need to settle yourself down with a glass (large glass) of Wine and spend a few hours reading the threads.

Indoor GPs- lots of people like them in the living room, so they can chat. You'll need to like the smell of hay though (and t gets everywhere)
We have a kitchen/dining room/family sitting room all in one. Our boys were next to the table (in winter nights) but the cage kept getting tripped over and the boys got lairy at 6am.
Last winter they were happier in the small bedroom but I could hear GP2 chewing cardboard at 3am Grin

If you go to a Rescue you can get a pre-matched pair. Either boars or sows. You might find a neutered boar + sow in rescue,
They will give you a Lifetime Commitment that if you cannot keep the hogs they will accept them back.
Plus the back up of advice if you need it.

Females or males is personal choice. One of my boars died a few days ago so we are waiting to Boar Date our pig. It needs to be another boy because my DD (understandably) doesn't want to have her pig neutered.

Personally, sows are easier except the hormones but boars are snugglier though you have the potential for in-house boar squabbling, impaction and they do smell a bit more.

That's where your cage size and cage house-keeping are vital.

They are luffly though Grin

Report
FernieB · 11/07/2013 22:32

Our indoor cage is about 5' x 2' and is a standard one with a plastic base etc. I just find it easy to take outside and hose down. My boys live in but have an outside run so they can mow the lawn.

Mine are rescues and we got them as adults - apart from the odd squabble, they get on fine. Go to a rescue and get a lovely bonded adult pair. Get some with pink claws as they're easier to trim - unlike most people on here who fell in love with black clawed pigs and have the regular trauma of trying to cut their claws Confused

Let us know how you get on and what kind of pigs you get + pictures

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.