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Original poster

Would you buy your kids a guinea pig pet? Be honest

88 replies

Rustygriswold · 13/04/2021 21:09

Rustygriswold Tue 13-Apr-21 20:56:44

Are they cuddly for kids (older kids age 11 and 13)
Can you keep them outdoors in winter
Do they have fleas
Are they noisy at night time
Buy as babies, or adopt from animal shelter
How much does their hay cost and where’s best to buy hay from
How much to buy a pair
Are certain breeds better for cuddles than others
Are they safe to let loose in the garden for exercise
Do they poop everywhere like hamster do if let loose in house

My kids had a dwarf hamster which only lived for about two years. We didn’t know they were crepuscular/nocturnal almost, so of course it started being active just as the kids went to bed. Blardy racket with its spinning wheel and so on. Never again grin It didn’t like being cuddled or handled at all either.

But the kids are getting pet broody, they keep asking for a cuddly pet.
So I’ve researched all sorts, chameleons, rats, rabbits, ferrets, nothing is standing out except guinea pigs. Don’t want anything exotic, non-tactile or requiring equipment like heaters and so on.

Cleaning, poop scooping, diet all the rest of it that’s fine, we have fish and it’s far more stinky cleaning them out, so all I really want to know is:

If from animal shelter, couldn’t we possibly inherit any health or behavioural issues that caused them to be dropped at the centre initially??

Also, there will be nobody home daytimes whilst everyone’s at school and work. Does that matter to them? Next door’s dog whines like a good un’ all day when they’re both out, I don’t want to put guinea pigs through that sort of daily trauma.

OP posts:

HairyPits · 13/04/2021 21:39

Don’t get a lone pig, they need company.

Please make sure they have lots of space (more than you would think.)

As others have said, only get them if you want them.

Neglected pets are such a sad thing.

Floralnomad · 13/04/2021 21:41

Having just read your update if you don’t have room for a rat cage then you don’t have room for guinea pigs .

theorangesisters · 13/04/2021 21:43

Guinea pigs are lovely pets but you need to invest in lots of time and patience (and hard work in cleaning).
-They need much more space than pet shops typically recommend - ours are free range in our dining room.
-They can be very sensitive and need regular handling and checking for medical problems - eyes, ears, claws and pads, teeth, fur, bottom, lumps and bumps, consistency of their wee and poo as they are very good at hiding illness.
-Ideally need to find a vet who specialises in exotic pets or a guinea pig specialist as lots of vets don't have lots of experience with guinea pigs.
-They need their nails cut roughly every 6-8 weeks which you can learn to do at home or be done at the vets.
-They need hay (largest proportion of their diet), veg (and a small amount of fruit) and nuggets.
-Many options available with regards to bedding - we use vetbed which lets liquid through and is then captured on newspaper underneath. They need to be cleaned often (ideally daily) to prevent them from sitting/standing in their wee, getting fungal infections or bumble foot. With their hay and large numbers of poos, they can be very messy!
-Ideally a rescue who would do a home check and give plenty of advice/can go back to them with any problems or a local breeder. Pet shops often source their small animals from large breeding farms, which are very cruel.

You could follow some guinea pig groups on facebook (e.g. Mason's Cavies) or Instagram (LA guinea pig rescue), as they explain/show all the realities of having guinea pigs and give lots of really good advice.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Other pets & animals

BrieAndChilli · 13/04/2021 21:50

Guinean pigs need a large cage. The ones sold in pets at home etc are not suitable at all and lots of ones with ramps are too steep for many guinea pigs.

The chew everything - cables/chair legs etc so you can’t really let them loose inside the house. We had a large playpen thing to contain them so the kids could sit on the floor with them but they couldn’t run and hide under stuff and pop and wee everywhere!
We have a c&c cage, much easier to clean, access all the cage etc when you need to.

The only downside is as they are in pairs if one dies you have a big dilemma about what to do with the remaining one and can get stuck in a cycle of getting a new pig to keep them company for that one to die and the. Getting another etc!
One of ours died at Christmas and as the remaining one is male and it’s much harder to bond boars and he is very old and not likely to last long himself we have reluctantly decided not to get him a new friend. It’s a decision I am really struggling with, I don’t want any more guinea pigs but I also don’t want to send him off somewhere else as I would worry about how he is being looked after etc.

Original poster

Rustygriswold · 13/04/2021 21:50

@Floralnomad
Having just read your update if you don’t have room for a rat cage then you don’t have room for guinea pigs

The garden, shed or garage are plenty big enough for a huge hutch with run.
We won’t be having them indoors in winter, they can be in a hutch in the heated shed.

OP posts:

BrieAndChilli · 13/04/2021 21:53

We got us from a rescue. They were 2 years old and had come from a nursery who didn’t want them anymore. Meant they were used to being handled but probably enjoyed the relative quiet of a house with 3 primary age kids rather than a huge room of toddlers!!
The rescue came to visit us to make sure we had a suitable cage etc and showed us how to care for them/cut thier nails etc.

twointhemorning · 13/04/2021 22:05

We have two males. They are a lot of work.

Guinea pigs have their own personalities and not all are cuddly. We have a 7 month old baby and he is definitely not a cuddly pig at the moment. I expect he will mellow with age though.

They need space - a big indoor c&c cage.

We have hay for bedding and then various types of hay for eating.

Our local rescue provides lots of support and help to adopters which you won't get from Pets at Home.

Do you have a local vet who is good at treating guinea pigs? At some point a piggy will get sick and proper care from a knowledgeable professional makes a huge difference. A rescue will have vets they recommend.

chickadeeee · 13/04/2021 22:13

Excellent website

Would you buy your kids a guinea pig pet? Be honest

Flaunch · 13/04/2021 22:20

[quote Rustygriswold]@Floralnomad
Having just read your update if you don’t have room for a rat cage then you don’t have room for guinea pigs

The garden, shed or garage are plenty big enough for a huge hutch with run.
We won’t be having them indoors in winter, they can be in a hutch in the heated shed.[/quote]
Definitely don’t get guinea pigs.

Original poster

Rustygriswold · 13/04/2021 22:32

@Flaunch why do you say that?

OP posts:

spaceghetto · 13/04/2021 22:33

We have two. They live in a hutch in an insulated shed outside. They come in the house a few times a week for cuddles. They're really cute and I find them easy to look after, I quite enjoy picking up their poo, I find it therapeutic!

Floralnomad · 13/04/2021 22:41

If you want them to be sociable pets they need to live indoors where they can join in with family life and get used to all the noise , movement etc of a home . Realistically in winter when the kids are at school and you are at work all day how much time are you going to spend in a shed / garage with them .

SummerSazz · 13/04/2021 22:42

Ours live outside in a non insulated hutch all year round with lots of hay and a fleecy bed with the front covered. In the summer they are in a run in the garden - i wouldn't let them run free but we have 2 cats and a dog. They like cuddles and are fine with fur trimming and nail cutting. They are cleaned out once a week so not too much work but are regularly topped up with hay.

SummerSazz · 13/04/2021 22:43

@Floralnomad

Ours are very sociable!

Bagelsandbrie · 13/04/2021 22:50

Advice amongst guinea pig rescues is generally don’t keep them outside. They’re social animals and don’t like the cold. Ideally they like to be indoors, in a large c and c cage (google these- 5x2 is a bare minimum size for 2 piggies) and around people. If you want them to be tame you don’t want them stuck in a shed. Part of the fun of them is their noises and watching them interact with each other. They aren’t really a cuddly animal. They’ll stay still if you pick them up and don’t bite but they won’t seek you out for a cuddle unless you have food and they think they’re getting a treat.

We have 5 in a huge c and c cage in our kitchen diner. It’s literally half the kitchen diner. (8x6 in c and c terms). You’ll need more space than you think, and it has to be flat - not with levels and ramps as they like to run about on flat ground.

Bagelsandbrie · 13/04/2021 22:50

kaveecage.co.uk/

Bagelsandbrie · 13/04/2021 22:51

@Floralnomad

This.

Beamur · 13/04/2021 22:51

Guinea pigs are very cute. But they do need quite a lot of attention and time.
They poop a lot.
The more attention and company they have generally the tamer they will be. But, personality is hugely variable. My current piggie (last of 3) is lovely. She's friendly and sweet but quite wriggly and not that keen on being handled. One of my others (now deceased) was really unfriendly and frightened of being handled and the other was incredibly passive and chilled..
They need to live in clean spacious homes, with lots of hay, pellets and fresh food and water. Nails need regular trimming.
I think they're good pets for slightly older children.
They can live outside, but preferably in a dry, sheltered place. Mine is outside as my asthma can't take them inside, but the hutch is in a sheltered spot, has been insulated and has a cover at night plus heated pads. Guinea pig is 6 years old, so doing pretty well.

clopper · 13/04/2021 23:02

Lovely pets. We’ve had two pairs over the years. Ours live indoors in a large cage and go out most days in a covered run. They are cute as the squeak when they hear the fridge open. We are down to our last one sadly but I won’t buy another now ( although they should be in pairs) as my DD is nearly 18 now. They have lived between 4 and 5 years. I wouldn’t get a long haired one as they require more brushing. We have found them to be lovely gentle pets with big personalities. They have helped my DD tremendously through difficult times at school when she was bullied and lonely. They do poo a lot but these are usually dried up little pellets, not like a carnivore poo! The wee is the smell problem. I think though the adults in the house have to assume responsibility. DD has been very good about looking after her pets but I know they are ultimately my responsibility. They can be very affectionate and purr like cats when stroked. Ours like to sit on little cushions in the evening and get stroked!

SoftSheen · 13/04/2021 23:02

Get two guinea-pigs, they must have company.

They are lovely pets and very friendly, but quite a lot of work to look after. Lots of cleaning out!

They do need some space to run around but not as much as rabbits. More important to have lots of hiding places and interesting (safe) things to chew.

SoftSheen · 13/04/2021 23:04

One of ours is semi-longhaired which means she needs regular baths and trims.

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo · 13/04/2021 23:09

My all time favorite pet. My last one was an attention seeker though. He would squeak at the top of his lungs when he heard us come in and didn't stop until we made a fuss of him. He'd also do the same if I was on the phone.
I ended up getting him rehomed as I just didn't have the time he deserved when I went to college as a single mum. :(

RizzleRazzle · 13/04/2021 23:09

@Floralnomad

Yep

Raeworth · 13/04/2021 23:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TimeIhadaNameChange · 14/04/2021 00:06

I live my guineas. Had them as a child and from my mid-20s, long before I had a baby.

As an adult I kept them in the house til I became pregnant (no room, and I'm allergic to them). They are now in a heated and fanned shed, kept at about 18 degs all year. They have an attached run for the summer.

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