guinea pigs - are they hard to look after?

[mistressmiggins]

have the opportunity to get 4 girls plus cage & run
have been wanting to get DCs a pet & this seems too good an opportunity

BUT.....

1. I know nothing about looking after guinea pigs
2. we go away most weekends in the summer - away friday night & back Sunday - it is local though so I could come back home on the Sat if needed

do you think either of these things should put me off?

No get them.

Easy peasy, easiest pets and very rewarding.

Got to go.....back later.

see here.

Re. weekends, someone would need to check and feed them, but I would say once on the Sat is fine.

I don't clean the hutch daily, I add fresh bedding daily and clean out once a week. They are susceptible to cold, and mustn't be left out in the rain. On cold nights I give loads of bedding and cover the hutch.

I love pigs, very easy for children to handle, no big sharp claws, and they smell lovely.

Go for it!

Is it a big hutch? Four girls would need quite a bit of room, but they do like to snuggle up on cold nights.

I wouldn't leave very young g pigs at the weekend, but when ours were older, we left them. Make sure you leave loads of dry food/hay and that you have 2 or 3 bottles hooked onto the outside run. NB this only applies if foxes/weasels/stoats etc don't visit your garden.

They are really easy to look after, are generally cuddly and rarely bite.

musn't be left out in the rain - presumably you mean stuck in a run wihtout shelter?????

We made our hutch and run so the pigs and access to either whenever they wanted, it was an all weather hutch and had 2 compartments to minimlise draughts (I think drafts are not good for them) in winter used to be covered over with layers of carpet, when it was very very cold the hutch came inside.

Foxes etc are your biggesst concern they are very determined and bold.

We have two of them, they are kept in my dd's bedroom so she can play with them when she wants to. Very easy to look after, need cleaning out more regularly when they are inside though. Have got an outside run for them too. They make lovely pets!

Thats part time working for you - missed out on the guinea pigs
BUT feel that I will go down that route anyway even though will have to now buy everything.

want my DCS to have a pet as I had lots as a child & loved it.

Cant have dog as work part time.
Cat - road behind house v busy
Hamsters too small.
Fish too boring.

Thanks for your comments about guinea pigs - will look into buying some. Feel v excited for DCS

Piggies are truely beautiful pets. We have three indoor girlies and the whole family totally adore them. Friendly, entertaining, lovable and the do smell lovely too...

I always read guinea pig threads and everyone always piles in and says how loveable they are.

You need pigs

I am going to get some.
My disappointment at not getting the ones from work as shown me that its what is right for my DCS.
Will be looking this weekend