To get guinea pigs as a Christmas gift

[SaveAHorseRideAHighlander]

Fully prepared to be flamed (even if just for mentioning the C word before August!) but bear with me! My DD is 9 and has been asking for a hamster for the past few years, we've fobbed her off by saying if she keeps her room tidy until Christmas she can and she's never kept it tidy until now. I don't really want a hamster due to a number of reasons. Our DD and DS (6) both love our friends guinea pigs, are very caring with our cat and spend a lot of toke outdoors/in the garden. I have had guinea pigs before as well. So have started thinking about getting them two guinea pigs for Christmas. I'm fully prepared and willing to look after them myself (in fact it's most like a gift for me which DH has clocked on too ). They would be in a loving, responsible forever home. I'm wondering if it would a good idea to buy a hutch and essential items (hutch is a big 6ft hutch with a run attached and thermal cover) and build it and wrap it for Christmas Day, with two vouchers inside for each child saying that they can choose a guinea pig each, then take them a few days after Christmas. This is so that 1) It is less stressful for the pigs admidst al the excitement of Christmas Day, and 2) I'm not sure if reputable places would let me buy them as actually Christmas gifts. Will I be able to buy them just after Christmas does anyone know? So, AIBU to consider doing this? Thanks

I’m allergic to hay/sawdust when my piggies were indoor I kept them on cat litter or washable fleece.

We got our sons guinea pigs three years ago for Christmas. They lived at my mums the week before Christmas and were transported to ours on Christmas Eve. The boys faces were pure delight and the guinea pigs really are a part of the family. They were meant to be outdoor pets but as it was winter we had them indoors and when summer came I couldn’t face putting them outside 🤦‍♀️😂

I couldn’t imagine letting our guinea pigs have free range of the house. When we let them run around indoors they wee and pop everywhere and try and chew everything (so I don’t let them run around inside!!)
We have a C&C cage that is 4x6 cubes and a 2x1 cube side bottom that is covered and we fill with hay. They then have a run and small hitch outside that we put them in on sunny days for a couple of hours.
Ours were rescue pigs. They were 2 years old and had come from a nursery who didn’t want them anymore. Meant they were used to being handled and we weren’t encouraging pet shops/breeders to continue trading in breeding animals.

My guinea pigs have a double story hutch - it's great and they have no trouble with it. Much better than a small single story one. Have no idea why the rescue place have such an issue with a double story one

How long do Guinea pigs live for?

@ConcentricCircles I agree it is cruel to keep them caged. OP, could you build a massive run in the garage for them?

We have a double storey hutch, too. Took them a few days to figure out how to go downstairs, but once we put food down there there was no looking back!

YABVU to talk about Christmas in July 😱

Why does your DD so much want a hamster?

Because she might not actually want a guinea pig. Difficult to broach the subject without spoiling the surprise, but if her longheld dream is for a hamster then a different rodent might need t be such a good idea

We got our DD guinea pigs for her 10th birthday and did it in the way you’re suggesting - we bought a hutch and then wrapped up a “How to take care of guinea pigs” book. Inside we put a voucher saying it entitled her to 2 guinea pigs which we then bought the next day.

Our piggies are mainly indoors. Can get a bit stinky, but that’s quite helpful because it reminds me to clean them out!

I was going up say similar to @UnmentionedElephantDildo

If they have spent time with guinea pigs and know they can be pets but asked for a hamster I would be inclined to think maybe it's the hamster they want. So maybe try and suss that out. Else they'll be disappointed and you'll have pets no one other than you really want.
Will they be able up playbwith them properly without having to be constantly vigilant about the cat? Will the cat lurk around them and stress them out? As you can probably tell, I don't know ow much about cats, just wondering.

This should have been posted on the small pets board.

There are loads of experienced GP owners there - one I recall as being very knowledgeable is @70isalimitnotatarget.

Our guinea pigs are fine outside in the winter.

Guinea pigs can live for around 8 years (in answer to the previous post).

We have 4 in a huge c and c cage in our kitchen / diner. It’s lovely having them inside as they really do become part of the family. Wheeking non stop at the fridge opening (great alarm!) and we chat to them all the time. I personally could never have them outside again, they really enjoy the constant family interaction of being inside and the weather can be so harsh for them. Ours only go outside when it’s a decent day (but not too hot) for a chew on the grass in a run.

They don’t particularly like being handled, they’ll tolerate it and rarely bite, but they’re scared of everything being prey animals so mostly they just want to hide and eat!

Go for it

You’ve obviously considered the long run and your happy to take over the care for them too.

I agree you can’t keep them outdoors . As long as the garage is heated and dry, you could keep them in there during the winter and move outdoors when it warms up

Guinea pigs should not be outside in winter. The c&c cages are brilliant. A lot of rescues don't like double storey hutches as it takes away open space for them to run around. Keep them inside and the more space the better. But with the cats and DH allergies I wouldnt advise guinea pigs

Guinea pigs can be house trained.

Can they??? You can keep them outside in the winter as long as they have adequate protection. If you have a shed or similar keep them in it but if you have to have them in the house I wouldn’t get them unless you want your house to stink.

As for not liking being handled I haven’t found that to be the case at all, they loved been stroked.

Have you thought about sea monkeys?

@DollyDoneMore

Have you thought about sea monkeys?

Just don’t flush them down the toilet when you’ve had enough of them or mn will lose their heads

@DollyDoneMore 🤣🤣🤣

We had guinea pigs at a similar age. During the winter I put the cage inside the garage overnight and brought it out during the day. We also had a run which they could use regularly during the day.

Good if your children can carry the cage by themselves

[quote WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo]@ConcentricCircles, you gave your Guinea pigs free run of your house? Do you live in a midden?

I'm not houseproud in any way, shape or form but given Guinea pigs can't be toilet trained I can only imagine the smell. 😳[/quote]
In your house maybe but not in mine!

My dsis keeps hers on Carefresh bedding and cleans them out very regularly and they hardly smell at all , it is expensive though and she gets through tonnes of the stuff . Her piggies are all very happy being handled .