Guinea pigs....should I? New owner.

[Illbefinejustbloodyfine]

I'm considering getting a pair of Guinea pigs. I have 2 DC, and they would absolutely love them. I've had and cared for many types of animals over the years (cats,dogs,ponies, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks....)

Basic questions. Can they live outside? I've known some people keep them in and some out , some a bit of both.

Cats - I do have a cat. But also, there are several others around. Would a cat hanging around bother them?

What are the general "running costs". I still have geriatric ponies so used to pets costing a bloody fortune!

Give me the pros and cons please!

I'm well aware that the dc may well lose interest.

Personally we have our pig ( used to be piggies) indoors . Outdoor pets tend to get overlooked a bit and piggies are very sociable little things . They also would need at least a shed / garage in the winter and you’d have to be really vigilant about fly strike in the summer , which is less concern indoors . I think they like to be able to hear a fridge door opening ! WRT cats if the cage is secure it depends on the individual piggie , the one we have left would probably fight a cat if it threatened to take her cucumber .

Do you put them outside at all? I saw a cage in a pet shop and thought it wasn't very big for a full time residence.

We have two guinea pigs and we keep them inside permanently. The cages that pet shops sell are all too small - have a look at c&c style cages which are great as you can expand them and shape them however you want to fit in with your space.

They can be kept outside, but they are such sociable little things that I really feel they (and we) would be missing out on so much if they were outdoors. They chat to us constantly whenever we walk past, it's so cute! I don't have a cat so I'm afraid I'm not sure about that aspect.

They're brilliant pets, are really friendly, and have such funny personalities 😊

I really want some, I've been close to it for a few years now but I'm worried about the smell!

We used to have 7 in a huge indoor c and c cage that was 6ft by 10ft in our kitchen diner. The ready to use cages you can buy off the shelf as such are never big enough, not even for 2 pigs. Look up c and c cages. Kavee cage online sells them direct but you can also buy the components separately elsewhere.

People will tell you that you can keep them outside but the common thought amongst Guinea pig specialists now is that they do better inside, they don’t cope with extremes of weather well. If you do keep them indoors you can get a large outdoor run with hiding houses for them to go out in when the weather is nice (not too hot though). People will say “oh my Guinea pigs always lived outside and we’re fine” how do they know?! Existing is not the same as having a comfortable life.

Look into pet insurance - you can now get pet insurance for Guinea pigs. They can be very expensive vets wise - they are classed as exotic pets which makes even the initial consultation expensive (more so than dogs or cats often). We had one of ours that had a tumour and needed an eye removing and it cost £700. If you can’t afford these sorts of costs then Guinea pigs aren’t for you - they often have eye and respiratory infections and issues.

Having said all this, I adore them. They make funny and interesting pets. They wheek to get treats and are very sweet little things. They may not mind the cat but the cat may be VERY interested in them!

If you use incontinence bed pads or puppy pads to line the cage instead of sawdust (which is bad for their lungs anyway) it really helps with the smell. It’s okay for them to chew the pads.

https://exoticdirect.co.uk/small-mammal-insurance/guinea-pigs-insurance/

Mine lived outside from around May - September/October, then we brought them inside for the winter. One thing to keep in mind is when one of them dies you end up having to get them a new friend as they don't like being alone, and the cycle continues so you really are stuck with them for a LONG time!

Another downside is they do smell the house out and require a lot of cleaning out. They are amazing pets though if you have lots of time to dedicate to them.

We have a pair of adopted pigs. To be honest I won’t be getting anymore when they die. They live outside in summer and in the garage in winter but we don’t have a huge house and I didn’t want them in the kitchen downstairs as they can get quite smelly.

They're cute but prey animals so they run away and hide a lot. They are VERY incontinent and need changing a lot. My kids like them but they prefer the dog.

The only smell we get from our indoor ones is hay. They are on fleeces washed weekly and a bathmat in the kitchen area washed twice weekly.

Ours don’t go out , when she had company she used to go out in a run but now she’s an only if you put her in a run she just sits and waits to come back in . She has a huge indoor cage and comes out to run round . We use a carefresh type bedding and as a pp said the only smell is hay , she is cleaned out a lot

They can live outside but you need to put them in somewhere in very cold weather. I would suggest a shed or a conservatory rather than a house as the temperature difference is too big.

Ideally, they need to be put out everyday on grass (especially important when in shed). You can get a large run, and preferably, a hutch with a run in the bottom so that they can get outside when you don't have time. Too many guinea pigs end up neglected in hutches.

I'm thinking of having a decent indoor cage, abd then a small hutch outside with run attached for nice daytimes.

I remember looking after a couple for a couple of weeks snd being amaziled st how much they wee. How does this work with the fleeces?

Also, and difference in temperament boy vs girl?

Also, fleece liners - £100! Is it worth it??

We always kept them outside apart from when it was very cold. They had a huge run and loved being on the grass all day. They are handy lawn mowers! We did keep about four at a time in a little group. Our cat is a proper hunter but she never touched adult guinea pigs (I wouldn't have completely trusted her though). The children used to sit in the run to cuddle them when the weather was nice as it was easy to climb in and when it wasn't so nice they would bring them indoors for a while to cuddle and give them treats. My eldest daughter loved them, she fed them and cleaned them out without prompting from quite young. One of them lived until she was about 8/9 years with us and had been an adult when we got her.

Ours were £35 each (C&C 2x4) but we have 4, 2 on and 2 off.
I think they have paid their way in terms of only needing hay for eating not across the whole enclosure, and they are quick and easy to change and wash. We have had GPs for 3 years or so now and they are lasting well.

Boys tend to be a bit more confident/friendly in my experience.

If you have young dc please supervise them closely and make sure they are sitting down when handling etc. I know someone whose guinea pig ended up with a broken back after being dropped by dc.

I was persuaded into getting a pair for my DS and I love them. We bought a play pen for him to sit in with the piggies as they prefer to move around and quickly get bored of just being held. I think it's really helped him stay interested as he gets to play and cuddle them while also watching tv and there's no risk of them escaping and hiding under furniture!

Mine are inside oct-april. I found fleece smells so ours are on aubiose bedding. They need a big cage.

I line their run with puppy pads for easy cleaning

Ours were outside in the day from April to October, inside at night and over the other months.

We had chickenwire across the top of the extended run so cats and other predators couldn't bother them. They do need several igloos and hiding spaces available at all times, being prey aminals and easily frightened.

A group of 3 is better than a pair because they can't live alone, they need a flock or herd or whatever the collective noun is. You've got a better chance of them living a good long while together with a 'spare', if you see what I mean, rather than two and keep having to introduce a new one when one dies. (The endless roundabout of guinea pig ownership did have us trapped for a while.)

Lovely natured little things; a bit 'rodenty' of aroma but it wasn't hard to keep on top of it.

I had 6 pigs at one stage. All indoor, but I had a run for them to go in the garden during the day in warm weather.
They are very delicate creatures and I don't think it is fair to keep them outside.
As others have said most cages / hutches are way, way, way too small for them. They need space and the more the better.
They only smell if you don't clean their cages often enough.
Lovely animals, but not suitable for small children in my opinion.
Also, you'd be better off with girls - and definitely only get boys if they are brothers. I'd recommend two or three females or two males.

We have just adopted a couple from my friend who was rehoming them last weekend.They are lovely little things so cute and chatty! :) Much easier for my girls to handle than the hamster we had before them.My 3yo and 7yo love them.
They are coming in at night at the moment/staying in if it's really cold below about 8 degrees during day.
When it warms slightly they will be in the hutch day and at night.They have a thermal cover and heatpad.We have a garage so will pop them in there when needed.

Thanks all. Thr DC are well versed in how to behave around animals, having had a particular opinionated cat and also chick's. They know how to hold with a firm but gentle hand (so as not to drop or allow them to just launch themselves!)

I want them to be happy wee things so will get a decent cage.