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Original poster

Dd2 wants some guinea pigs - good idea / any advice?

413 replies

ElectraInExcelsis · 23/12/2008 23:10

The only thing I know about them is that you should get two because they otherwise get very lonely...

Anyone have them? I had hamsters as a child but don't know about humane ways to keep guinea pigs, etc which is important to me. Dd2 is 5. I don't mind cleaning them out for her etc.

Any advice? TIA...

OP posts:
whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 10:29

If she's is only 5mths old and is quite timid I would definitely look at getting her a friend - go for another one of a similar age or younger...something she could mother.

Pigs also like to be together to keep each other warm. On their own and they can get quite cold. If yours are only 5mths I would definitely look at bringing them indoors, with the weather we're having, even if its just for overnight. Give them plenty of hay so they can burrow in it if you don't bring them in. Cold can kill pigs especially young ones. They don't have the body fat that adults have.

FioFio · 05/01/2009 10:35

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whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 10:38

Good idea. I would bring them in esp, like I say, bearing in mind how young they are. You'd never forgive yourself if they died due to the cold overnight.

I'm sure the rest on this thread will help you re getting a friend for your female but if I were you I'd look at doing that too.

Good luck!

FioFio · 05/01/2009 10:42

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electra · 05/01/2009 10:45

We are going to keep ours outside so I'm wondering if it would be unkind to buy them right now?

Are there any measures you can take to make sure they are comfortable outside?

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 10:46

Fio - My pigs live indoors (in DD's room) and will do so all year round.

Jux - I would think it is too cold to put them in their run in the garden at the moment. Mine certainly won't be going outside for a play until the weather is much milder.

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 10:47

You need to give them extra straw and stuff to cosy into. You can buy covers for the hutches which offer more protection from the cold/rain.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 10:49

electra - why not just keep them indoors until the weather gets warmer?

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 10:49

Most piggy folk recommend bringing the pigs indoors in bad weather.

I thin kyou are right to wait until it warms up a bit before getting outdoor pigs if you are unable/unwilling to bring them in.

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 10:50

Hints from CavyRescue site

Top tips on keeping your pets warm this winter
Winter has suddenly arrived with a cold shock. Make sure your outdoor rabbits and guineas are kept warm and cosy with these following tips:

-Make sure the hutch is in a sheltered position (eg against a fence or wall) and protected as much as possible from the wind
-Use PLENTY of hay to keep them cosy and warm
-Pin bubble wrap or a thin sheet of plastic across the wire bit of the cage (leaving a space for the water bottle). It's a cheap way to offer extra insulation and give them their own double glazing
-Cover hutches up at nightime with blankets/tarpaulin even old carpet
-Check water bottles haven't frozen up
-Once a week, add to guinea pig water bottles a quarter of a soluble Vitamin C tablet - this will help keep their immunity up
-If you have a shed, or a garage you DO NOT use (as exposure to fumes can kill), consider setting you hutch up in there until Spring. It'll be warmer for your pet and warmer for you when you feed and clean them out!

whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 10:50

Mine will never live outside again. In the Summer they have their runs outside but other than that they are now indoor pigs - I enjoy them a lot more indoors and the kids love nothing more than helping me clean them out, feed them etc. I don't have the worry of wet, windy, cold weather now and I don't use anywhere near as much hay to keep them warm with them being indoors so much cheaper to keep!

whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 12:26

Check out my profile!!!! Managed to get three out of the five pigs photographed!

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 12:56

Oh, they are gorgeous, whispy. How could anyone say they didn't like Hugo's colouring ?! [boggle]

I love their little piggy noses/lips when they look up. I am now a total obsessive

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 12:57

Just the thought of the rejects section @ PAH makes me well up

Poor little things

thumbwitch · 05/01/2009 13:40

Jux, one good thing to know is that it's not a good idea to let your piggies get wet as they can catch cold quite easily, and it is sometimes fatal as they can't cough properly (although they can sneeze - so funny when they do!). So letting them out on the grass on the winter is quite risky.

Do you have a garage? They would be better in there than outside. Shame about your DH being so intransigent!

thumbwitch · 05/01/2009 13:43

whispy, your piggies are lovely! HUgo has fabulous colouring - I can't believe people extend their gingerist tendencies to pets!!
I had one who was even more orange than Hugo - she used to jump A LOT, even as an adult, far more than the others ever did so she was called Kanga. She had brown and white patches as well.

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 13:49

Hattie jumps around like there's no tomorrow

Jux · 05/01/2009 16:57

We don't have a garage but we do have a shed which chocablock atm but I might be able to clear a space for them. Will look into it. Will also do the bubble wrap thing.

I;'ve heard that they like chickens. We're intending on getting a couple of chickens this year, in which case they could have the hutch open in the chicken enclosure. I'm feeling much less hopeless and gloomy about them, thanks to you all.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 17:46

NDP..whenever I go into PAH I'm always drawn to the rescue bit - there's always the odd rabbit, guinea, hamster, gerbil in there...even stick insects! All PAH ask for is a donation and I gave them a fiver for Hugo...a fiver very well spent imo. I was sat with him this aftn and the tv was on with the noise of a siren on the tv...he whistled back to it! Amazing. I can't work out why no-one wanted him because of his colouring...he's a mixture of ginger, white, black and the most gorgeous coffee coloured brown and his coat goes in all directions. A very handsome boy indeed.

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 20:02

lol @ whistling back to siren ! I'm glad he's found a friendly home now.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 20:12

NDP..yea, he's only just started doing this too! DD1 was rustling a carrier bag in the kitchen today and he was squeaking at that too because he knows cabbage comes in carrier bags! Needless to say I had to give him some!

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 20:12

How sweet. I can't wait until ours are that responsive

whispywhisp · 05/01/2009 20:15

He's always been quite an alert and with-it pig. He's not even a year old yet too. Mind you I do sit next to him during the evenings cos he has his own corner in the lounge, by the window (so he gets a bit of Winter sun!) and with an armchair next to it so I tend to sit and talk to him - mad or what?! The girls, Peggy and Olive, live in the kitchen and they're just as noisy - quite often chasing each other around their cage or up and down the log cabin they have - its like a relay race with hurdles in their cage! Whereas the 'old boys' I have, who live upstairs, are in retirement and are quite content plodding around watching each other, exchanging a few words here and there....

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 20:17

Ours are in DD's bedroom. I'd like them downstairs to hurry their socialisation but I can't as we have 2 cats. One of whom is a very cheeky, nosy, naughty young man who would try to scoff them.

NomDePlume · 05/01/2009 20:18

Obviously they do come downstairs in their 'playpen' for a good 2hrs a day every day (apart from today as I've been at work all day). Hopefully that's helping.