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Original poster

Advice please on guinea pigs

19 replies

Justers · 30/03/2008 22:48

I am a complete novice when it comes to having g pigs and think I may of been a bit hasty in my purchase yesterday. I bought a 9 week old male however I really wanted to get 2 at the same time as I heard that they like company but there was only one left and looked sooo cute. The pet shop owner said that I would be able to introduce another male if I did it quickly enough. However i went to another pet shop today and they said that you should only keep them together from the same litter. I now feel quite sad as I wouldn't like to think my gp is going to be bored and lonely all on it's own. I am keeping it indoors. Has anyone else had any experience of introducing gp's from different litters. Many thanks.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 30/03/2008 22:51

sorry only girls

JossStick · 30/03/2008 22:54

We had two brothers whom we had to separate after a few months as they fought and big one bullied little one. So don't feel too bad. Love the one you've got and he won't be lonely.

CarGirl · 30/03/2008 22:56

I kept a female on her own for a couple of years but handles her loads, lots of attention and cuddles. They will sit on your lap like a cat if you let them. They are sociable so as long as you give him your time and attention he'll be okay.

cadelaide · 30/03/2008 22:57

You could get a neutered female.

I believe you have a better chance of success with a neutered female than another male.

I have two neutered brothers living with a female, they were introduced when they were all about 12m old, so there's hope

RiaisMaLarkin · 30/03/2008 22:58

I believe that male only from the same litter will fight to the death. That is the advice I was given for rabbits as I wanted to get two but not have babies so thought males. Also my aunt got two male puppies from the same litter and had to rehome one as they started to fight as they grew up.

So anyway, I got a male rabbit and a male guinea pig. The rabbit is evil and scares my cat, but the hutch-mates seem to like each other (I saw a gorgeous thing today at a kids "zoo" - a rabbit grooming a guinea pig. That would not happen here - unless the rabbit then ate the GP!)

Mine live outside in a lovely hutch and have a run. I would be ready to re-consider the indoor keeping as they do smell a bit!

www.i-love-guinea-pigs.com/Guinea-Pigs.shtml?gclid=COz6mPzptZICFQhE1Aod-hMwQg

CarGirl · 30/03/2008 23:01

it is generally not recommended to keep rabbits and g-pigs together.

Original poster

Justers · 30/03/2008 23:02

Thanks for your replies I don't feel so bad now. It's just that everything i read says that it better to keep more than one. It will get a lot of handling and it's in the kitchen where we all congregate most of the day. Is it also quite normal for them to be really nervous for a wee while as I've tried to handle him today but he's not having any of it.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 30/03/2008 23:04

yes he'll be nervous especially if he's not been handled much before. I would try to handle him 2 or 3 times per day - let him bury his head in your elbow (if he can't see out he may feel safer). Wait until he's used to it before you let dc handle him.

Original poster

Justers · 30/03/2008 23:06

Yeah my dh had a rabbit and gp when he was younger and he said that the rabbit killed his gp!

OP posts:

katwith3kittens · 30/03/2008 23:06

He will be fine and will probably prefer his own company. Its a falacy that they need company. A lot of males will fight even if brought up from the same litter or from an early age. Its just their nature.

This was the advice of the lady whom we got ours off, when we were wanting one for our kids.

She ran a rescue centre for abandoned guinea pigs and had about 200 of them in here garage so I guess that made her quite an expert in my opinion.

Original poster

Justers · 30/03/2008 23:11

I have just been stroking him when he's inside his cage today as he seems totally stressed when I go to pick him up. My ds is only 17 months so we'll definately be doing most of the handling or the poor gp will certainly be doomed if he gets his hands on him!!

OP posts:

RiaisMaLarkin · 30/03/2008 23:17

I'm sure he will be fine on his own.

BTW my vet suggested keeping rabbits & Gpigs together, rather than having 2 rabbits.

Original poster

Justers · 30/03/2008 23:21

Thank you all very much for your advice. I've been on mumsnet for a couple of years now but don't really post much - can't believe that the first thread that I've started has been about a gp and not about my son .

OP posts:

RiaisMaLarkin · 30/03/2008 23:27

They are lovely and cute and I hope you have a happy life together

Christywhisty · 31/03/2008 00:07

Give him something to hide under on your lap.
It makes them feel safer. DS has a sweatshirt that has a pouch pocket on the front and our gp's love to climb into the pocket and sit n there.

floaty · 07/04/2008 00:13

We have two males ,we have had them since about 6 weeks and they are devoted to each other we have never had aany problems with them fighting

CountryGirl2007 · 07/04/2008 00:17

I'm sorry, but it is cruel to keep a single guinea pig. You can get him neutered then buy/adopt a female guinea pig to keep him company. Guinea pigs are sociable animals and are not happy when they are kept alone.
No matter how much attention you pay him it's not the same. You need to get him a companion ASAP. If you have to wait to get him neutered, you can put the female in a separate cage but put the cages together so they can see each other.

also, you said you intend on keeping him indoors, that is good that he will be safe from predators, the cold etc, but you should also build him a little run outdoors so he can go outside and eat grass etc in the warm weather.

NutterlyUts · 07/04/2008 01:21

See if the local RSPCA has any neutered guineapigs looking for homes cause then you can see who gets on with him and who doesn't and save a little life

Surreynanny · 10/04/2008 10:36

One way of introducing another male in is to bath them both together and then dry them using the same towel. A tiny amount of baby shampoo , and I mean tiny but just to mask each others smell helps. I would keep them indoors even if only at night, as you want him to get used to being handled and they are easily forgotten about just living a lonely life in a hutch in the garden. Mine are in by night and out in dry weather.
They are social animals so I do recomend you get him a friend. Mine run around the living room if it has been wet for several days.
You could take yours back to the pet shop and go and rehome two from somewhere else as I think it was wrong of them to sell you just one.

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