What kind of 'starter pack' wrt stuff is needed for first time guinea pig ownership?

[PacificDogwood]

Please help, I am clueless.

I've just been to Pets at Home on a fact finding mission and now I am even more confused. The young woman I spoke to did really not instill me with confidence that she knew her stuff...

I'd like a couple of guinea pigs as our 'first pets' and I gather from lurking on this board that they are more children suitable than rabbits.

So, what does a totally clueless newbie owner need:

• cage
• stuff for inside it (toys, tunnels, a house)
• bedding
• food and water bowls
• foot and water incl Vit C, yes?
• a run?
• hay?

Do I need to register them at a vet's? Do they need vaccinations?

I have my eye on a couple of rescue piggies at the local animal shelter, so would need to move reasonably fast.

TIA.

[PickledMoomin]

They are clueless at Pets at Home IMO. Lovely that you've spotted some rescue piggies.

Sounds like a good equipment list.

Would they live indoors or out? Mine live out in the summer and in the garage during winter. You can purchase heat mats for them if required.

The only other thing I'd suggest is to get a hutch snug or just some tarpaulin to throw over the hutch when it rains if they are outdoors.

[PacificDogwood]

Thank you for your suggestions, Moomin.
All my pets growing have been rescues and I don't see the need to do anything different now.

Pets at Home was conveniently located and DS4 was entertained for 5 minutes looking at the small furries while I had a conversation which was the main attraction for going there (and, btw, they are currently seeling 20kg bird food for £13 ).

They would live inside near a sliding door, so we could have a run on the patio just outside and maybe some kind of connecting tunnel (?catflap) in the summer.

What size of cage? If I can get one from Gumtree or similar how would I clean it? Just with some bleach or TCP or similar?? Or is 2nd hand a big noon?

[Chopchopbusybusy]

For lining the cage I would recommend megazorb. It comes in huge sacks - it's horse bedding - we found it to be the cheapest and least messy and smelly option. We got it in a local farm shop. I found it by googling megazorb stockists.
I don't agree PAH are always clueless. Our local branch is quite knowledgable.

[PacificDogwood]

Oh, good tip, thanks, Chopchop.
I am taking notes.

Maybe I was just unlucky with who I spoke to - the place was v busy to be fair.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Pets@Home are a bit hit&miss really. Either really nice and helpful and knowledgeable or a bit rubbish.

In your shoes I'd look at 'Cavy cages' for rough measurements and look at C&C cages . You can adjust and customise them.

My boars are very judgey if they have to sleep in their 4'x2' cage (and this is only for winter nights) stuffed with hay to keep them busy.
This year I got them a run for upstairs that's bigger (they tolerate it)

They don't cope with:
damp
extremes of cold or heat - heatstroke can kill them
change of temperature (so not hot house to cold hutch)
draughts - careful with the sliding door if they get a sudden blast of cold. And that they don't get direct sunlight
being alone - they need guinea-pig company

they need to eat pretty constantly, they have the same sort of digestion as a horse, trickle feeder.

hay 24/7. I can't abide the smell of it, but they need it.

Vit C - but it's in their pellets and alot of their veg. Vit C in water can alter the taste and react with metal spouts. You don't know if they drink it or how much. I give Vit C in a Calpol syringe (without the Calopol ) if mine are unwell.

I've tried all sorts of bedding for mine. They like hay outside and soft barley straw in winter as an insulator.
Indoors they have puppy pads under towels and bath mats , with hay in a trug.
If you give them towels or fleeces you need to brush it all well before you wash them or your washing machine gets covered.

Not sure if they'd go for a tunnel and catdoor. Mine are lazy blighters who wouldn't even climb a shallow wide carpeted ramp


Too clean things, there are PetSafe sprays, I use a steam gun and vinegar. (I had to clean our Pig Houses when my GP2 died and we were introducing GP3. That was one of the hardest things, wiping away all the trace of GP2)

There are tons of guinea threads on here , spend lose a few hours scanning through.
If you get your pigs from a Rescue they;ll give you some ideas too. And apart from giving a couple of guineas a new start, you have the reassurance that if anything happens, they will re-claim them.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ooh and I use newspaper and cardboard as a liner. Then it can get rolled up and thrown out.
They have rubber mats (car boot liner) and wooden 'rodent safe' cat litter in their Pighouse.
Luckily mine don't chew, maybe a cardboard box at 3am (but that was mainly GP2)

[Iloveonionchutney]

The zooplus website is good for cages, when I rescued some pigs they told me to get one from there, exactly the same as Pets at home but about £30 cheaper! And they deliver in 2 days too.

[PacificDogwood]

Thank you, all, this is so helpful.

I am finding myself getting quite excited - this might actually happen

I need to de-junk the playroom, get rid of embarrassing amounts of unused toys and Get A Cage. Nr1 priority.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

They don't need vaccines
They don't need neutered unless you have a boar/sow or boar + sows match up

They do need to be protected against mites ( I use a drop-on mites/worms/lice protector)

Chances are your pigs will never need a vet. You'll need to check their teeth and clip their nails but if you wanted a vet to do this, have a browse on the web at the Specialities.
Or if you get them from a Rescue , they often offer check ups and nail cutting. You could ask what vet they use.

And scales - weigh the pigs weekly. Not eating is one of the first signs of illness. Keeping a check on their weight gives you a good indication.

And Good Luck