can anyone tell me how hard it is to look after guinea pigs?

[wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe]

went to pet shop yesterday and ds indicated that he wanted one of virtually every animal/bird they had on display .

he seemed particularly taken with guinea pigs, and while I know that eventually I'll soften and let him have a pet (he already has fish which he does help look after), I've never had guinea pigs before so have no idea how much work they are in the event I'm the one left to look after them.

so enlighten me please. I know about the lovely squeaks, and the personalities, and how easy they can be to handle etc etc, but how much cleaning do they require? how much do they smell? how easily are they going to die out in the cold?

I've already said he can't have a rabbit as I don't want it to dig up my garden, so will a guinea cause equal destruction?

give me the bad as well as the good before I soften and give in to his demands for yet another animal

bump

I keep mine indoors and clean them out every 5 days or so. I have 2 girls and they're a doddle to look after. Mine are fairly quiet.
Can't think of anything bad really? They're nice to cuddle and all have different personalities.

Oh and they're not that smelly unless they don't get cleaned out enough.

ours are indoors too-cleaned out every 3rd day...we do put them outdoors when it's nice and sunny but they will devour a small piece of grass into mud quite quickly..ours are two males, really cheeky can't go in the fridge (or the biscuit tin)without them squeaking.
The ch/n love them too bits and they love running around in the utility and downstairs loo-favourite hiding place is behind the loo and under the u bend- my loo has never been so clean
oh and we all eat a lot more fruit and veg as we pick up little treats for the piggies!!

Our GPs are also kept indoors. They have a big cage (& it is big) with sawdust in it. The sawdust needs changing every 3 days, but it is pretty easy to clear it all out & put new stuff in.
I get hay & food from Asda & steal dandelion leaves from neighbours gardens & local parks, as well as giving them fresh veg to eat.
They are very accommodating of the "lurve" of small children & only nip under severe provocation. They are best in pairs though, because they are sociable little souls and can be very lonely on their own.

I buy my hay and sawdust from a wholesale petstore as it works out so much cheaper. My sawdust is 4.99 for a massive bale that's sold for horses. Used to pay 99p for a tiny amount that only did one go.

We have two GPs also, kept outdoors in a big hutch which moves into the garage in severe weather. I love them they are so sweet when they squeak and are really pretty brainless animals when all is said and done. We also have two cats and a gecko. The GPs are the highest maintenance and expensive by far - though not hugely expensive. I also buy enormous bales of hay and sawdust.

If you want an exceptionally low maintenance pet I'd go for the gecko. The most useful is a cat - we've never had a mouse problem!

hmmm well can't really decide, I personally want a bird, but when we went to the shop ds was so taken with the guinea's that I found myself thinking maybe he'd like a pet of his own.

think we'll have to see.

my mate has an aviary and a budgie. The budgie belongs to dd (9) and can talk really well.
All dss mates like cuddling our guinea pigs though so it's a hard choice?

we had a rabbit that was depressed (no joke,it was!!) and the vet said to get a guinea pig as they make good company for the rabbit.

so we did,we called him squeak and he was lovely,really cuddly and sweet!!he used to pee on you though (not sure why!!)

but sadly a week after getting him we found him dead in the hutch.looked like the rabbit had kicked him.

never got another after that and now the bunny is dead aswell (natural causes not because of bunny depression!)

i wanted to just get another gp,and no bunny,but dh said no.my garden resembles pet cemetary!!!and dh said when we move the people who move in here will get a big enough shock as it is!!!

I was going to start a similar thread as dd is pestering us for her own pet (apparently the cat is mine - she wants her own. She did want 2 pigs but have convinced her that guinea pigs may be better!)
Those that keep them inside - how much space does the cage take up? And do you have other animals? I am a bit concerned about keeping gps with a cat - but would prefer them inside as having neglected a rabbit when I was a child, I feel that inside pets would get more attention.

Bunnies and guinesas do not unfortunately mak good hutch mates unless the rabit is neutered, but they do provide company if the hutches are side by side with the mesh sides touching.

I had a rescue guinea in my early teens. Easy to look after, not smelly, but must clean cage and change bedding regularly. IIRC I changed bedding daily, but my guniea was very sick when I got him. I don't think you need to change all bedding every day, but probably couple of times a week.

Unfortunately they don't do well out of doors. We didn't know this, and when he had been given the all-clear by the vet, we put him outdoors in a sunny sheltered spot. He died within a week. The vet at the animal hospital said that guineas can't cope with heat stress, especially as they get older, and, even in a sheltered spot, hot days and cool nights were too much for him. Apparently we should have brought him indoors at night.

Nevertheless I'd recommend a guinea as a child's pet.

PC my bunny and guinea were outside.the vet told us the gp would be fine in the hutch with the bunny.if id known that what you jsut said i wouldnt have put him in with mopsy,nd would have brought him in at night.even pets at home said he would be fine with bunny outside.shows how much they know!!

i think they do make great pets though (gps) and my kids loved ours for the short time we had him.

scotlou, our indoor cage is probably about 3ft long, 2ft wide & 1ft high. Our GPs are played with & petted soooooooooooo much because they are in the play room with the children. If you clean the sawdust out every 3 days, it doesn't get stinky.

Thanks, Bugsy2. THink I could probably fit that in our play room if I move the dolls house into dd's bedroom..just have to convince dh. THat's actually a good idea - was thinking about putting a cage in dd's bedroom but it gets very hot on sunny days (velux windows) so not ideal - also more chance of teh cat sneaking in there to check them out!

yep have read several artacles that say guinea pigs and rabbits should not be housed together because of rabbits' agression.

Think we'll be getting a bird anyway, but that's going to be mine not ds's (I want a parrot), but maybe see if he really wants a pet and perhaps leave it until he's a bit older.

am happy for him to have animals though - had lots when i was growing up and he has clearly inherited my interest of all things animal.

I had birds when I was growing up but didn't really feel I benefited from having them until I was about 7/8 when I tamed my own budgy and subsequent cockatiels. I think before that kids are just too fast and the potential to frighten small skittish birds is just too great.

we'll see.