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Original poster

House guinea pigs

16 replies

nappyaddict · 16/08/2010 16:47

Does anyone have a house guinea pig. Have heard of house rabbits but never guinea pigs and was interested to find out if anyone actually had one.

OP posts:
5inthebed · 16/08/2010 16:55

We had a lovely one, she died last month aged 7. Kids loved her, she was very easy to look after and we let her have free roam of the living room. She would come out of her cage and lie on the carpet in front of the fire when the kids were in bed.

You might want to get two though to keep each other company.

silver73 · 16/08/2010 22:56

House piggies are wonderful. We have four and the whole family are besotted with them. Always have two or more as they are very social animals.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 17/08/2010 01:26

silver Does yours have a cage?

5inthebed Did they just go in the cage at night time?

OP posts:
differentnameforthis · 17/08/2010 04:28

You need to make sure that when you are out of the room/out the house they are in their cage.

They chew anything & everything! We forgot to out one in it's cage when we popped out & it , chewed a hole in the carpet! They also love to chew electrical wires, so make sure they can't get to any.

We put plastic bin liners under the cages, to stop leaks getting onto the carpets.

And be careful....they poo & wee anywhere too! They are not as fussy as some would have you believe!

FleurDelacour · 17/08/2010 04:49

We use the base of a huge cage for our two piggies and they live in a corner of DD's room. They could climb out if they wanted to but never do. They like snoozing in their igloos. They are very shy and don't really like running round the room much, though they like cuddles. I don't let them out in the garden here as they would soon be breakfast for a passing snake.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 17/08/2010 11:39

Fleur So yours is a bit like having a dog or cat bed cos it is open? I like the idea of that but would shut them in the laundry when we went out (no wires/carpets in there)

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FleurDelacour · 17/08/2010 13:50

It is a big plastic cage base- like a giant seed tray 1m long, 0.75m wide with three inch sides. We put pet bedding in it then they have a pile of hay in one corner, bowls of food and water. They wander round in here and hide under plastic igloos which they have. They are lovely pets. If the sides are 5 inches they can't climb over. Then your cables would be safe.

5inthebed · 17/08/2010 13:59

She had a cage that looked like a giant hamster cage and we left the door open for her. We closed the door if we went out or when we went to bed so that she couldn't run around and chew things. She was very tame though, the kids could handle her without her jumping around.

silver73 · 17/08/2010 23:32

We built a cage out of corex - fabulous and you can build to the size and shape you need. Not very expensive either.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 17/08/2010 23:39

Fleur Can your piggies climb out of their cage?

Would a guinea pig get on with a rabbit or do I need to get two guinea pigs if they are sociable animals?

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FleurDelacour · 18/08/2010 02:37

They can't climb over five inches, they used to climb over three inches when they were younger. They are old now so that is why they don't move as much now I suspect.

Be careful if you have a rabbit near a GP as rabbits are usually so much bigger and can hurt them. Little dwarf rabbits are less of an issue if they've all grown up together but I'd still be wary.

Personally I'd go for two guinea pigs. I like the long haired ones best and especially the ones with fluffy rosettes. Real cuties.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 18/08/2010 16:20

Was thinking of a netherland dwarf or rex rabbit.

OP posts:
FleurDelacour · 27/08/2010 01:43

IME the Netherland dwarf rabbits are calmer and friendlier than the angorra lops. However these are the only two breeds I have had. I don't know what the rex rabbits are like. One of my ND bunnies would run up my legs and sit on my lap when I sat in an armchair. He was the friendliest rabbit I've ever known.

giraffesCantDanceInBrokenHeels · 27/08/2010 02:37

Had a house rabbit and now have GPs. I would rather have a rabbit - run and greet you as come in the door! Grunt and run round feet in excitement in mornings. GPs squeek when you come in room/move. Cute but very noisey. I wouldnt let me GPs outwould pee everywhere but rabbit was toilet trained.

hidetheelephant · 28/08/2010 00:30

Has anyone managed to litter train a guinea pig?

seaturtle · 28/08/2010 00:39

Had seven house pigs over nine years. When they get used to human company and being handled they make wonderful pets.

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