Just brought new guinea pigs home - help please!

[RockinSockBunnies]

So, we've just collected our little 6 week old guinea pig sisters late this afternoon.

We put them in their hutch, there's food and water in there, but the two of them have gone straight into their little house and haven't moved since.

As we're novice guinea pig keepers, I was wondering when they ought to start eating/drinking and at what stage I ought to panic if they haven't had anything.

I guess they're settling into their new surroundings and getting used to everything. I'm having to persuade DD to let them have some peace and quiet to settle in, much to her disgust. It's also tricky trying to convince the cat to stay away!

Does anyone have any tips to help our newcomers settle in?

[bargainhuntingbetty]

They will settle in, ours took a few days and when they did come out they jumped at every little noise but now they can even sit on dh's lap whilst he is watching the footie and they dont mind. They are great little pets, I love them. What did you call them?

[RockinSockBunnies]

DD has named them. One is Choccie and the other Gingersnap (who I call Gingie for short, a la Shrek).

One has made a tentative approach to the plate with chopped strawberries and courgette....maybe it'll take a piece!

[bargainhuntingbetty]

Aww what cute names my dd called hers Treacle and Fudge. They love carrot btw, or mine do anyway.

[nappyzonecantrunfortoffee]

aww we got to baby sisters a few yrs back and they were the same - we left them well alone for 2 days then first time we got them out it was for 10 mins max then we left them again but provided nice treats. They are fab. Are you having them indoors or outdors?

[RockinSockBunnies]

They're spoilt guinea pigs - we have an indoor cage for them, where they are now, as well as an outdoor hutch and run, which they can spend time in when the weather's nice.

I guess they'll be mostly indoor piggies over the winter.

Does anyone have experience of cats and guinea pigs? Our cat is looking at the cage with great interest and I'm slightly worried that her intentions are not honourable.....

[123andaway]

My cat spends hours watching our piggies! I have no doubt that given half a chance they would be lunch!!!! She also has her eye on next doors chickens!!!!!

The answer is just to make sure that the piggies are secure from the cat. Ours are always in either their hutch or run, both of which are cat proof, of being held by one of us.

[MrsMonkfishToYou]

My cats sit right up to the wire on the guinea pig run with their claws through the wire and the guinea pigs still go right up to them. I don't know if it's just mine that have a deathwish or just guineas in general.

I've had mine just over a month and for the first few days I didn't see them out in the open bit of their hutch at all and if I put them in the run they just stayed in their igloo. But only a month later they are so much more relaxed. They even stay outside in their run when the DC's are running and shrieking around the garden, and tbh that's enough to make anyone run for cover.

[RockinSockBunnies]

Thought I'd give you an update!

Piggies are settling in brilliantly. They're exploring their cage and playing in a paper bag at the moment. The noises they make are incredible - they sound like parrots at times.

One of them is scratching a bit - the lady I bought them from said they get mites from the hay from time to time. Not sure if I can treat them at the moment as they're so young.

Anyhow, all good here

[Flum]

We got two a few weeks ago. I was a bit reluctant as am basically idle and just saw it as 'more work for mum' but they are delightful. We have them in a cage indoors too and they are fun when they charge about and squeak. They are so easy going with a 3 year old and 5year old and even child when the baby lunges for them.

I really am enjoying having them. We got them a swing at the weekend which I thought was a total waste of money gimmick but DD1 spent her sticker chart bonus on it. Anyway they lvoe it and swing on it all the time. WE tempt them on with carrot tops and dandelion leaves dangling from the top of the cage.

[bargainhuntingbetty]

A swing??? Where did you get that from./ Mine need more exercise but the last time I had them outside they got fleas and dd is not very confident about making a 'leg circle' on the floor. We did put them on the trampoline the other day as it has an enclosure and they loved that.

[MrsMonkfishToYou]

RockinSockBunnies - my baby piggies were absolutely covered in mites and were scratching all the time. If they have dark hair you should be able to see the mites if you part the hair so you can see the skin. I couldn't miss them on mine as there were so many. It was disgusting!

You need to weigh them and then go to the pet shop and get some mite/flea lotion. If they weigh less than a certain amount they can have a hamster sized tube. I thought mine were tiny and bought the hamster tube but when I weighed them they were heavier than I thought, (although I think most of that is hair). I've done one treatment about a month ago and it worked. I keep checking though to see if the mites come back - am a bit paranoid now!

[FabBakerGirlIsSURVIVED]

They will take a while to settle in and will eat and drink when you are not there. I expect you will have poo in the hutch in the morning and that means they have eaten. I was told if there is output there must have been input by a Mumsnetter and it reassured me.

[FabBakerGirlIsSURVIVED]

OMG I want it!!!!!!!!!!

[kingprawntikka]

Oh I'm pleased to find this!!We got two baby guinea pigs at the weekend.mine are living indoors too. We got a Ferplast 100 indoor rabbit cage for them but since I have been looking on guinea pig sites I am a bit concerned it isn't big enough .It is 100cm by 50 cm. How big are your cages? We also have an indoor run for them that is 155cm by 85cm and has lots of tubes and boxes in . They go in this for 4-5 hours to have a big run around.

[ZZZenAgain]

MMMJ: "have read on a guinea pig forum that they should have 5-6 DIFFERENT veg every day. and they should be weighed every week.

do people really do this?2

No to both points here.

Our two didn't eat/drink much at all when they were new, at least when we were around. I think it is part of their settling in phase - well fear/panic I suppose. That definitely changed after a while, can't remember now exactly how long but perhaps a week.

[kingprawntikka]

Thank you so much for putting my mind at rest.In the shop they said that cage would be fine for them, but then pet owner guilt started when I looked at web sites!!.