Advice on holiday care for baby gps

[marshmallow73]

I'm getting 2 baby guinea pigs in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately we're going on holiday in about a month , when the pigs will he about 8 weeks old. Do you think it would be better to put them into small animal boarding, so there's someone to keep an eye on them at all times? Or is it best to minimize disruption by getting a pet visitor to come in? And if I choose the pet visitor, would it need to be twice a day, or is once ok? Thanks for your advice.

[FernieB]

I would go for boarding as they need exercise and I wouldn't like the idea of them being cooped up in their hutch/cage all the time

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

If you have an animal boarding that you know and trust, then IMO, put them in there.

My original boars were sourced via an Animal Boarding who had links to a Rabbit Rescue (I took a chance on them having some guineas and they did ) They went there for their holidays when we were away.

When we got our piglet last summer he was about three months old (we had already booked the holiday and boarding for our original two) with our older boar.

TBH , I wouldn't have wanted to leave them alone. They can get bored, lonely , even unwell very quickly and someone visiting might not pick up on this (unless they were guinea-pig people)

I did phone and ask if my boys could be kept away from any sows because the piglet was going into his 'teen' phase and I didn't want the relationship between the two pigs being scuppered.

So they have a lovely big cage in an outdoor shed with the only other occupants being rabbits. They were singularly unimpressed by the rabbits
And daily grass time of course.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Rabbits in a seperate enclosure not sharing a cage with my pigs that should be.

[FernieB]

At such a young age your piggies need to be getting used to people so that they are less nervy with you. If they are left alone for most of the day at home, this won't happen. In boarding they will have people around them a fair amount of the time - they will be able to hear/see them whilst they are dealing with other pets as well as the time the people spend with them. This will all help socialise them. Some boardings also leave the radio on for the pets. My boys love their boarding and generally don't want to leave and slum it with us again.

Always visit a boarding first to check them out and see how the pets are kept and what they will be fed. It's important for small furries to be fed the same brand they are used to, so provide your own if the kind the boarding uses is different.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Our GP1 never gets tired of hearing how big and glossy and gorgeous he is when he goes on holiday.

(Though now he's looking a bit saggy and middle aged- but still glossy and gorgeous)

We take in a bag of their pellets and a list of what they like (no coriander for my boys !) and one of their bowls so it's familiar/

Are you getting girls or boys marshmallow?

[FernieB]

I keep looking at guinea babies in P@H - I just can't equate the tiny, scurrying cute things with the lardy lumps I have at home .

[marshmallow73]

Thanks so much for all the advice. I've actually decided that it's a bit unfair to get the babies and then scarper off on holiday, so (bit sad about this) I've decided to leave it til August when all my holidays are over. I'll be back with more questions then...

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

'Tis sad, but as you say, it's a worry about leaving them when they are piglets.

We'll all be here in SuperFurryAnimals when you are preparing for your piggies.
Don't forget to read any "Help how do I stop my guinea-pigs from over-heating" threads
(At the moment I'm on "How do I keep the pigs cosy"
And "When it's warm enough to let them out"
thoughts.

[marshmallow73]

Thanks 70, don't want to wish my summer away, but really excited about getting them.