Can somebody please tell me about guinea pigs? Are they hard?

[Boco]

I don't mean in consistency or anything. Just, like, to look after.

My dd is six next month and really wants guinea pigs. A friend of a friend is trying to find homes for two female babies. I'm swaying.

So, are they relatively easy to care for?

Are hutches expensive - what type is best - with the inbuilt run or separate run. Do they make nice pets? Will they suddenly die and cause terrible trauma or are they quite tough? What do they do? What do they eat? I like their faces, is that enough?

My friend has had g/pigs for years and highly reccomends them as pets for children, infact she has persuaded me to get two for the dd's son.

Have you got them already? What kind of hutch / run have you got?

Well 'ard

Outside, now !

this is quite informative

Oh on sorry, we don't have any yet so not the best person to advise.

I have looked at hutches etc and ebay seems to be the cheapest place to buy them. I don't think they are expensive to care for really.

You do need them in pairs though else they get lonely.

no not on

Thank you mumsnet, I have learned that guinea pigs are vaguely aggressive and up for a ruck, can sing and dance and don't wear pants.

I'll take a dozen!

O yes get them ! Guinea pigs are great for kids. We had them as our first pets, and carried them about all the time,played with them in our rooms, and yes were devastated when they died (can live about 5-6 yrs)
I got three for my dc, and they are one now. The kids love them.
Easy to keep, like grain from the pet shop but also eat bread,cornflakes, rice krispies etc if you run out.
All your lefotover salad,veg, and grass and dandilions, they adore.
Ours are in a large hutch on legs inside the shed. (Much safer from foxes,rats etc and the cold. Would prob die in winter if left outside.)
They go outside in a kind of cage run, with sticks into the ground at each corner, so you can eaisly lift it and move it around the lawn.
They nibble away all day so we do not need a lawnmower !
They like places to hide, so buy or make tunnels, hidey-holes etc, ours have a long tunnel with holes in it, and a bent wooden arch they hide under.
Love kids if kids handle them nicely.
Hope that helps !

LOL! I thought you meant - as in will they head butt another guinea pig in a pub for no good reason type hard.

No. Is the answer to that question.

we have 2 girlie pigs adn they are dead easy. they aren't nocturnal like so many other pets and they sort of squeak & sing when you pick them up. I was very resistant to the idea but they are no trouble - the bloody dog, of course is another whole story

can stay outside all winter (in devon at least) they have fur coats fgs and you provide straw and a hutch!

Our guinea pigs live outside all year round (we live in the north of England). In cold weather we cover the hutch with an old piece of carpet at night and make sure they have plenty of hay and an old shoe box to sleep in. During the summer is a good time to get them accustomed to it before the cold weather sets in.
They are now 2 and a half and are very friendly. The eat a mix of fresh veg (especially celery and brocolli stems) and dried food.
The only thing is that at six your daughter is quite young to handle them and you'll have to be very careful she doesn't squeeze or drop one especially as they will wriggle.
Make sure they are both girls!

I loved my guinea pigs.
They were called Charlotte and Mr Pudding.
Go for it.

Oh they sound nice.

Only thing i'm worried about are how delicate and easily breakable they are. I have a three year old too - do you have to be very very gentle?

I would say wriggly rather than delicate or breakable. When you pick them up they kind of quiver happily.

Surely they only go hard when they are dead.

Hardy yes, hard - nah not too bad! Personally if my small kids want pets as they grow bigger apart from our dog and cat, then guinea pigs will be the choice. Live longer than hamsters, good for handling, not desperately expensive to keep and rarely bite if ever. All pretty good in my book. Make sure you use good quality food to keep teeth healthy and keep them regularly cleaned out. Also fox proofed and weather proof accommodation and you are sorted. [enjoy]

....also loved the singing piggy chorus!!

cor, they're 'ard. Just listen to them talking, all that high pitched shouting they do
We had two - then two more, they are great pets and i always had them around from being 6 or 7 yo. Am also planning to get some soon, once DC3 is old enough to treat them gently.