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Original poster

Complete novice thinking of getting a rabbit or guinea pig

52 replies

TotalChaos · 18/02/2008 18:43

As the title says, I'm a bit clueless about pets, so wondered if a)you could recommend any sites/books and b)what the likely expenses are - how many jabs/vet visits etc are likely, how much weekly food bill etc is.

Thanks for any advice you care to offer

OP posts:
cornsilk · 19/02/2008 18:23

I read somewhere that rabbits don't like being picked up, I think it hurts them. Mine will tolerate it for a minute or so but clearly doesn't like it. He loves having his nose tickled though, he'll sit there for ages.(until I get bored!)

CarGirl · 19/02/2008 18:39

you lot are all sex crazed, she was just very tame and friendly and she was mine and we both knew it she was instead of a dog and lived up to my expectations. great companion for me much cheaper running costs and no long walks although she did go to school with me a few times........

marmadukescarlet · 19/02/2008 18:41

CS, you are right as a prey animal being picked up by a larger creature is un-natural for them, but there are times when it has to be done. I would like to be able to do so without being torn to shreds.

If they are picked up correctly it won't hurt them, a rabbit should not be picked up by the ears or scruff.

southeastastra · 19/02/2008 18:46

my rabbits are lovely, no way would i swap them for awful boring guinea pigs, who really stink and squeak.

northernrefugee39 · 19/02/2008 19:11

South
How dare you!
Guineas are no way boring!
And they absolutely don't smell.
They do lovely little vegetarian choc drops.

northernrefugee39 · 19/02/2008 19:12

And at least thay make a noise.
Rabbits just look menacing and thump their legs.
Menace menace thump.

northernrefugee39 · 19/02/2008 19:13

Car- so- did your parents tell you she was avery small breed of dog?

northernrefugee39 · 19/02/2008 19:14

Like a sort of guinea terrier?
But such a special breed it sqeaked instead of woofed?
And you believed them?
I would have.

northernrefugee39 · 19/02/2008 19:29

Marmadukes- ours stay out in the winter- but I line the hutch with carpet, then lots of newspaper, then stacks and stacks of hay...

We used to bring them into a shed, but they didn't like it.

One of our families...( we have 11 guineas in a large walk in run..) all wedge up in the sleeping compartment- five of them , at night.
They can go to another hutch- they have two, but they choose to wedge.
Cute.
I suppose in the wild in burrows they would wedge together too.

Nappyzone · 19/02/2008 19:35

We had 2 rabbits yrs ago (pip and pop) and i gave them away in the end - they were possesed by the devil and were ungrateful scrappers and in the end i had to handle wearing garden gloves!!! We now have 2 lovely gpigs charlie and lola and they are adorable and tame and like being handled and squeak when they hear me coming to open the hutch which they tootle in and out of all day and go in as it gets dark unlike the sodding rabbits i would have to chase for 2 hrs with an upturned laundry basket to cage them in! The rabbits also stank wretched and these dont smell half as bad, piggies rock!

northernrefugee39 · 19/02/2008 19:45

I think we should start a piggy appreciation thread.....
But I have to say, at risk of offending people, I really don't like those tufty ones.
We had one we'd rescued.
She wasn't very nice.
And tufty.

tatt · 19/02/2008 21:33

well I was going to say don't get a rabbit -but after all the rude things that have been said about them someone needs to put the positive side.

Not all rabbits bite and scratch. I have only been bitten when introducing new rabbits to each other. They are territorial creatures and introductions can be tough. I've not had one scratch deliberately but if they don't get enough exercise their claws may need trimming and they will jump at their hutch if you don't hold them firmly. If you get a rescue rabbit you an see in advance if they are hard to handle - we had one that was extremely wriggly.

As they are prey animals and their attackers normally swoop down on them they don't like being picked up. Sit down near them and they will often come to you as they are curious creatures. Their fur is very soft and they can be trained as you would train a dog. They are fun to watch and as they eat a LOT of grass you may never need to cut a lawn again

Both sexes mount each other, it's a dominance thing. It is really funny watching a female rabbit mount the male's head!

Don't guineas poo all over you?

Original poster
TotalChaos · 19/02/2008 21:36

Many thanks ladies, keep the advice coming. Guineas still seem to be the majority vote here

OP posts:
Colinfirth · 19/02/2008 21:39

How old are your kids TC? Our children paid very little heed to our guinea pigs (they were 2 and 4 when guineas were acquired). Guineas are very dull, like fat furry sausages.
I suggest cats.

Original poster
TotalChaos · 19/02/2008 21:42

DS is 3.11. He is generally very interested in animals - particularly dogs, but I don't really feel up to a dog.

OP posts:
BigBadMouse · 19/02/2008 21:51

My DDs are 21m and 3.8 and they love our guinea pigs - they fight over who gets to feed them carrots. The guinea pigs love the childrne too and are suprisingly tolerant of the noise and excessive posting of stickle bricks through the cage bars.

Only just skimmed through the thread so sorry if I'm prepeating things here. Guinea pigs are easier to look after, have fewer health problems, require no vaccs and are generally friendly. Rabbits are the opposite. I've kept both for over 20 yrs and the guinea pigs were never any trouble.

They are best in pairs, I have two brothers (unsnipped) who live together happily. They must access have hay all the time as well as fresh water. They do eat a lot of hay.

They are best kept indoors in the winter IMO, if you get a young one now you really should keep it indoors until May and then grudually let it get used to the outdoor weather. Don't let them onto grass if it is frosty / wet or they get a chill.

BigBadMouse · 19/02/2008 21:52

excuse poor grammer and spelling typing at a funny angle due to kicking bump!

northernrefugee39 · 20/02/2008 07:58

BigBad- it probably depends on the outdoor thing. Ours have always been out and are generally miserable when brought in in cold weather.
We do really bulk them up with loads of hay, carpet (under all the newspaper) and they snuggle up with each other.

OOh- I used to love moving bumps.
When is bump due?

tatt · 20/02/2008 08:17

for a complete novice I'd also say get a cat. They are soft to cuddle when you are angry at your parents, don't need to be taken for walks all the time and seem to know when you're miserable and come to comfort you. If your lad wants a dog he may only be happy with their sort of dumb devotion and willingness to play with him but then you need to chose your dog carefully, train them very well and never leave them unsupervised.

Rabbits can be trained like dogs, if that is his interest, but unless you're willing to have a house rabbit it is hard to do much with them in the winter. I've heard of a house rabbit trained to use a cat flap and spend a lot of time outdoors. Don't really recommend rabbits to a novice, though, because many people get bored with them, especially if they are outdoor rabbits.

Guinea pigs can nip if children hold them badly.

RubyRioja · 20/02/2008 09:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marmadukescarlet · 20/02/2008 10:22

RR, are they their names or the styles of their coats?

RubyRioja · 20/02/2008 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BigBadMouse · 20/02/2008 16:30

pmsl at suggestion of a cat...if anyone wants mine.......

My cat is very cuddly and pretty and is suprisingly tolerant of naughty DD2 pulling her tail - wish she would be less tolerant tbh. However, she has wrecked most of our furniture, sleeps in the babies cot despite all my efforts at keeping her out and best of all likes to wee on beds, the carpets etc etc rather than go out in the cold at this time of year or use her cat box.

Also, unlike a guinea pig, she needs vaccinations, spaying, insuring and is much more likely to need the services of a vet in her lifetime than my guinea pigs are.

northernrefugee bump is due in 12 weeks. I think his first words might be 'that blimen cat' .

BigBadMouse · 20/02/2008 16:33

RubyRioja My mum has a silver agouti. He is called 'argente'

northernrefugee39 · 21/02/2008 09:52

Bigabd - agree about cats yours sounds delightful. They get really jealous too, ours used to do nasty things to my dh 'cos he thought I should be giving him the attention. Oh yuk.

I'll try to get a pic of ugly pig, mostly white with a tiny brown bit on her head , which looks like a NASTY tiny brown bit that shouldn't be there.
Big PINK ears (oh dear) and poiny ratty snout.
She's called Petal.

We have two rex ones too, teddy guineas their called. Very fuzzy and cuddly.
I like those lilac ones.
But all ours are bog standard pet shop ones that no one else wanted...

Where we live they have a hilarious club called Fur and Feather, where grownups get very serious about guinea pigs. It's fab. very serious old men with their guinea pigs.

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