Getting some new guinea pigs soon

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

dd last guinea pig died in the autumn aged 6 (the sister had died a year earlier)
Have been uhmming and ahhing about getting some more guinea pigs as they are more work and we already have 3 cats and a tropical aquarium.
Have decided that our cage looks silly sitting there empty, we've got all the equipment and dd has been asking every five mins when we are going to get more. I always have time for pet cuddles.

So...... we are getting two little girl guinea pigs sometime this weekend/early next week once their owner decides they are ready leave home. Part of me thinks 'oh no, what am I doing.....' and the other part of me thinks how lovely it is to have two little guinea pigs always running out to greet me in the morning.

Think I'm too soft!!

lucky you, i love guinea pigs, one of ours died in February and I was gutted, he was such a little character.

Fortunately, we have another two who are also little buggers.

We too have 3 cats and I was very tempted to get another kitten on Sunday but decided against it.

I love it when you tickle the guinea pigs bellies and they start rolling over and squeaking in glee.

I think I am also too soft

Guinea pigs rock!
They are so easy to care for, and are such fab pets.
I love their singing, and how they happily sit on the DCs lap and watch television!
Our two are the happiest, most gentle creatures you could ever meet.
Enjoy your two new ones - what are you naming them?

We were thinking of getting a rabbit, would a guinea pig be easier? Do they bite? I have never had either. I had gerbils when I was young and loved them. Have only a goldfish and would love cats but DP is allergic to them

We are currently looking after 2 guinea pigs for friends are they are gorgeous! They are so sweet and gentle and happy to be handled. They make this amazing squeaking sound as soon as the back door is opened and are lovely to cuddle and stroke. Our DCs are 9 and 6 and they think the pigs are the best pets ever. DS said wistfully on Friday after his first long cuddle "I wish they were ours!". I think they are the ideal first pets.

Our guinea pigs have never, ever bitten any of us.
They wriggled a bit when they were tiny and were picked up, so we always made sure the DCs wore long sleeved tops when they carried them, but the guineas are 3 years old now, and completely placid and friendly.

Thanks

The gerbils did bite and I don't think I could put my DD through the trauma of having one attached to her finger

So, can I keep them outside in summer then?

Ours are in a two-tier outdoor cage in summer

Thanks. I can feel a visit to Petworld coming on. Yippee!

aw thanks everyone I was beginning to feel a bit wobbly about the extra responsibility but you've reminded me how great they are!

Carnival - guinea pigs are much easier than rabbits - temperament is generally much sweeter. They are easier to hold as well. Also rabbits need vaccinations.

Our previous guinea pigs lived outside much of the year. For colder nights I put in a wooden box inside their sleeping area and stuffed around it with hay.

Need to get a new run for the grass as our old one died (from the cats sleeping on top of it mostly!!)

Will the hay that we bought in the autumn still be ok do you reckon?

dd will do the naming as technically they are hers! She doesnt want to name them til they arrive but as one is chocolatey coloured I predict it will be 'fudge' or 'caramel'!

Carnival - you might get healthier/sturdier ones if you can find a local breeder. We get our pets from a really fab local lady. A friend whos a vet gets her pigs from there so I know shes good. You could phone up your local vet - they might know someone who has surplus pigs!

Kitten, I'll give that a try, no good for anyone having a poorly one. Sorry for hijacking your thread with questions!!

Or have a look into local guinea pig rescue too - there are lots of piggies needing homes and people don't often think of a rescue one.

Our last two were rescue and they were very friendly, healthy sturdy creatures,

Carnival dont mind at all - makes my thread look less lonely. Theres only so many times people can say 'aww new piggies, how sweet!'

Guineas atre the best ever pets. We have 11 ( keep recuing the loney/ugly ones in pet shops) We have a very big walk in run and hutches.
They are really great pets, very gentle.
Absolutely the right decision OhYou!

Ours are out all year round. We stuff loads of extra hay in during the winter, and cover the crackes of their hutches, although they still come and go. they wedge together too for warmth; we brought them into a shed one winter and they were miserable. if they're used to it, they can be out all year.

11 - wow they must be very happy living in a proper colony.

!! wasn't meant OhYou... I'm just a sucker... and there are elaborarte arrangements where the run in divided so the father and son can have their own harem, ( even when they're done, if there are girls around, they don't like it) I don't think they realise how lucky they are, they sneer at non organic carrot tops for instance; have you ever witnessed a guineapig sneer? It's chilling

We have them
One tricoloured - named Cassiopeia (cos the white bits look like stars according to dd) and one many shades of brown - named Titania (cos she looks like a moon !! again according to dd) poor piggies, fancy having names like that!

We've had a quiet cuddle, for babies they are really calm once they are being cuddled. Now they are resting quietly and I'll go and have a peek in the morning.

I love the idea of a walk-in run with hutches! Any chance of a more detailed description? Or even a picture? Would love to give ours a bit more space.

We got three new guinea pigs today. I didnt realise how gorgeous they are. I think i have fallen for them hook line and sinker. They are fab with kids.

ds1 pig has already developed a little bond with him. She likes to nuzzle under his neck and make lovely little noises when she does it and when he talks to her.

I love our piggies - in fact im going to go lure one in now. We had rabbits and they were evil - my charlie and lola are little poppets .