Guinea Pig Advice please BOY or GIRL?

[Mumsaysno]

We are going to get a pair of guinea pigs on Friday and want some advice on whether to get two girls or two boys.

We have read on the internet that boys can have problems with their bottoms getting impacted and needing their anal glands cleaning out (which we are not keen on having to do), have also read that boys can be more smelly as they tend to mark their terrority their wee smells stronger, also that they can fight and try to dominate each other, but that they also make better pets.

We mentioned this to the breeder and said that we were keen on girls but she said that boys are better pets as girls can bite and be grumpy at certain times (PMT like).

Can anyone with any experience of piggies give me some advice please before we go and choose some.

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

We have 3 females.... they are very friendly, lovable piggies. Great pets

We've had loads of guinea pigs over the years....

I'd say the boys do tend to make their cages a bit messier, though we've never had any of the other problems you mention, at all. The boys, I think, are easier to tame as they tend to be greedier and lazier.

We've had lots of girls too and they have made lovely pets as well, but possibly slightly more inclined to be bitey or skittish. The few more difficult characters we've had have all been girls!

Guinea pigs of either sex need a lot of cleaning out - they poo like nothing else on the planet! If they smell, you're not doing it enough. I've never known any of ours to smell, girls or boys.

In balance, if I had to choose two as a family pet, with no experience of guinea pigs, I'd probably go for boys, because the docility and tameness would win for me.

our boys are prob braver and friendlier so perhaps better suited as family pets altho the girls are cute and squeaky too. our girls are really messy and the boys very tidy and neat (but can be smelly when they're 'scenting' or whatever it's called - not their poo, it's the glands thing - is gross). the girls are just as aggressive with each other at times as the boys have ever been

Anymore advice? Really confused now.

We have two boys and they have been fine. They aren't brothers but were together from a young age.

One vet suggested we neuter them 'in case they fought', but thankfully the next said there was no need to.

They do sometimes show dominant behaviour to each other, but have never actually fought - they seem perfectly happy with each other. I've assumed a bit of dominance is normal, even when it seems one-sided.

I've been told making sure they have plenty of space / hideys for them is key to preventing aggression, basically they need space to get away from each other when they want to.

They live in a large open-topped cage in the living room - right next to the dining table - and the smell has never been too much, but I do do a bit of cleaning out every day (easy to do when they are accessible).

I hadn't heard (or had forgotten) about the scenting thing but that makes sense - very occasionally I've been conscious of a 'sharp' smell, when I know their bedding is clean & dry. Its not an offputting smell though, bit like slightly pungent damp straw.

No experience of girl guineas so can't compare, sorry.

Not looking forward to the prospect of impacted bottoms at all, but the vet has said we can bring them in for that if it happens, & then take over ourselves. It may not happen...