Hi all
last time I posted here was early summer when I had to get my gorgeous hammy PTS after a nasty infection. Once the DC and I had got over that I talked to them and gave them the choice, we could get another hamster when ready - or we could wait until we moved to a bigger house and get guinea pigs - they both chose the guineas!
Well not long after I ended up kicking out DH which started off a series of events which included us moving house to a bigger place (and a promotion which paid for it) so we now have a nice sized little house and our own garden 
I wanted to get winter out of the way as the guineas will live outside most of the year, with the potential to bring them in in the winter, or possibly do something with the garden shed - yet to be decided!
I have found a reasonably local rescue - not 100% if we will get rescues or not, will depend on age I think as DD very sensitive and only just getting over Cookie dying.
Can anyone recommend good quality hutches / runs / a cheap place to buy them?
Also talk to me about combinations ... which is better (particularly for first timers with guineas - had many a hamster mind) :
male / male
male / female
male / female / female
something else?!
Anything else I need to know ?
TIA 
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Small pets
Talk to me about Guinea Pigs
OohMrDarcy · 12/01/2015 21:10
Can I tell you about guinea-pigs? I could write books about them and my guinea-pigs would turn round a disprove every word
Consider what they Need and if you you can provide this , then start planning.
They need company. Other guinea-pigs. Most places (Rescues , breeders, repuatable petshops) won't let you take one pig unless it's to match up.
They need enough space (especially boars) and it needs to be secure . Bad weather, rain,damp,wind, extremes of temperature. High temperatures, sun.
They need you to be aware of their health, they will hide things. They are prey animals so if they're ill, they keep it to themselves. I knew my pig was ill by the way he was sitting, he died two days later, even after seeing the vet. If he'd been left in the hutch and not looked at, it would've been missed.
You need to check they're eating, drinking (though mine don't) poohing, getting along. They have a Pecking Order, but one can be a bully.
Foxes,cats,dogs,birds of prey, all predators.
They don't dig, don't kick like a rabbit, don't bite and have quite stocky bodies so not really designed to defend themselves.
Ours have a wooden playhouse that my DH altered . We have windows (two fixed plastic ones and two we can take out for summer. Inside is re-inforced with metal bars, wire fencing and flymesh.
A fan, a light, a heater. Snugglepad.
Ours do come in at night for winter (from Guy Fawkes till Feb/March depending ).
Hay gets everywhere our small bedroom (the Guinea Room) and all down the hall/stairs has hay scraps .
We bought a big rabbit run from eBay (I'll find the site, I think Bunny Business) it pegs down with tent pegs. A small run when our boy was neutered.
Indoor cage is 4'x2' ( too small for 3 hogs really but it's just for night time sleeping. We fill with hay, they're happy). I got this from The Range, Jolleys have nice ones too. It's a plastic base, wire top.
Most cages in Well Known Pet Shops are very small, or the hutches can be flimsy. I wouldn't trust them unless they were in a secure shed.
Minimum 4'x2' for 2 pigs, 5'x3' for 3.
Boars need as much as you can give.
They like a run-around area ( run indoors or outside when it's dry and warm enough)
The Pighouse is just under 6'x6' (I measured it when I got my new pigs), has a wooden haybox that they sleep in.
I kept pigs from 9-22yo.
My DD wanted pigs when she was 9yo, she wanted boars.
We got our 1yo Rescue brothers. Lovely pigs, bit narky if they didn't have enough room (and fighty with a coriander overdose)
When GP2 died, we got a tiny 6 week boar to match. Rescues have all ages and personalities. We needed a very young boy (not bothered about colour) our adult boar chose.
When the piglet was 1yo, the older boar died. We decided to get females (same Rescue) , we got two bolshy sows who had been seperated from their piglets.
Boar was neutered (obviously not without risk and cost about £58 , we kept them in 'chat' distance till he was sterile, they bonded.
My little sow (always the little ones) is the stroppy one of the group, but they are all lovely.
They are hard work. My DD and I share (she cleans the night cage, I do the Pighouse, feed them , put them out, bring them in)
We clean both houses daily (in the Pighouse, just the haybox daily, main house weekly at present). They don't smell, (hay does more than pigs), but they don't thrive in dirty or damp bedding. And 3 adults pee, oh yes
We love our pigs. If you buy some, go to a Rescue. They can match you up and you get a back-up. Any reason you can't keep them, they will re-adopt them.
Check your DD isn't allergic to their fur or hay, my DD (now 12.6) was fine with her first two boars, allergic to the 3rd boy. He's a Rex (coarse coat) if she kisses him she'll get a reddish rash.
Good Luck
Don't look at Gumtree (that way heartache and high blood pressure lies)
ooh replies
I won't be breeding them, though I get why some people would, I'd feel too guilty with all the ones in rescues!
70 - that is a serious load of info, thankyou!
I've read about those hutch dimensions... I'm struggling to find something I think would be good enough quality at the moment though!
Quite like this one www.cagesworld.co.uk/p/Hutch_n_Fun_Single_Rabbit_Hutch_%281.52m_x_0.61m_x_0.91m%29.htm
Which I think would be ok size for two? Its hard to tell about quality online though, and wouldn't buy from PAH or similar - always been crap for anything I want!
Am thinking of going down to the rescue at the weekend to talk to the lady, I've already emailed her but it was so waffly she's probably given up reading it!
I'm fully expecting DD will regularly help with cleaning / feeding/ general looking after / cuddling, and DS will like the idea but not bother really... she is a mini vet in the making (though she currently wants to be a penguin keeper at the zoo! He would like to be a paleontologist - unless I can give him unlimited facts, he won't be that bothered )
I don't think I have any issues in sorting what they need - when the rescue homechecks I will ask their advice on best siting for the hutch in the garden - its nicely enclosed, and I have one area at the back where the garage backs onto it which I think will be the most sheltered place, but we'll see
Not too worried about the DC being allergic, they aren't particularly allergic kids, though DD had a little hayfever as a toddler. I'm the allergic one and probably will be mildly to the hay - but not bothered, always have antihistamines in the house anyway as get hayfever for at least 6 months of the year anyway!
How much should I expect the rescue to ask / check ? Bit nervous about the idea of a home check haha!
Go smooth or Abbysinian (sp)
I've had smooths, Abbys, a Rex, peruvian.
Abbys have the firm rossettes, little short muzzles, more prone to cataracts, bit smaller
Rex are huge , rough fur, like little fuzzy hedgehogs, big claws (and he's the one that gives my DD an allergic red rash)
Peruvians (and all the new fangled breeds that have long hair) need daily combing
Have a look on Rodents with Attitude- Breeds (and check any sites you're on because USA have different names)
You will see an assortment of pigs - my DD originally saw 'her' pig as a tricolour black/white/ginger boar. Of course , he looked nothing like it
Now she has a tricolour sow , I've always steered away from white guineas, now I have a Himmy (like a Simanese cat marking, white fur, pink eyes).
We love them.
WRT cages/hutches - the Rescue might have some to sell (people sometimes rehome their hogs with everything). They might be able to recommend someone who makes them. And importantly how to weatherproof and vermin proof them (Most hutches I see have woeful bolts and securings )
They need a good sized sleeping area with their hay bedding.
Pigs don't tend to like ramps but some will climb up/down (mine are too idle) but they need to feel secure.
Go for the biggest you can, it makes a huge difference to them.
Our three get on fine, but yesterday one of the girls was in a hidey house (she hadn't been there long, no droppings in it) I think she got 
at the Red Eyed Devil.
Thanks 70 - have found a few hutches I think might be good, I will go down to the rescue on saturday and talk to them - if they sell some, great - if not I'll ask their advice on the ones I've found
Fingers crossed I am getting closer to G-day
You'll need to decide what you'll do with them in winter before you go looking.
Depending on what part of the world you are and how cold/wet .
Do you have a garage (without car fumes) or shed that you can put them in when you need to (you can put the entire hutch in) and you'll need somewhere to store hay, bedding, newspaper etc.
In summer they'll need to be in shade .
In winter they are best indoors (you might decide when you meet them that you want them inside all the time )
If you get piglets you'll need to acclimatise them to outdoors when it's warm enough, and build up their grazing time when it's dry enough.
Have a look at C&C cages , lots of photos and ideas. C&C panels are about 12" square, you fasten with ties and line with a plastic liner . You can adjust the shape . (I build a lovely huge one this winter but my hogs stayed in the basket of hay and still managed to get hay and droppings on the outside. So I gave them back their 4'x2' Judgey Cage. I know it's small for 3 but they just sleep in it. Should be 5'x3' really )
Or a solid based plastic and bars cage .
And if you find the Holy Grail of bedding, let us all know 
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