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Original poster

Guinea pigs and rabbits living together

16 replies

Racingsnake · 21/02/2009 13:47

I jsut read on another thread that guineas and rabbits should not be kept together. Why? I had a guinea and a rabbit living very happily together. (I presume, they didn't say.) Rabbit has just died of an abcess and going to replace him with either a guinea or a rabbit.

OP posts:
Original poster
Racingsnake · 21/02/2009 13:49

And before I get told off for neglecting rabbit, I did take him to the vet and I was giving him the antibiotics. And the vet said abcesses are difficult in rabbits.

OP posts:
SlartyBartFast · 21/02/2009 14:06

well i am trying to introduce my baby guineapigs to my rabbits,, it is a 50/50 split as far as i can see

SlartyBartFast · 21/02/2009 14:06

i.e one girl in pet shop said no, next girl said, yes, i did!
and you do see them together.

Hermit · 21/02/2009 15:03

My dsis is a vet and keeps hers together BUT it is a small rabbit. The argument against keeping them together is that the rabbit could seriously injure the guinea pig if it kicked out with it's back legs or bit it (have seen a case of this). If they have a huge hutch and can get away from each other when they want to, it can be OK. Also, guinea pigs are not supposed to eat rabbit pellets as there is some ingredient that's good for rabbits but toxic for g.p. Can't remember what it is now, but our vet told us.
Ours go in the run together but sleep in separate hutches.

SlartyBartFast · 21/02/2009 15:15

that's a good idea hermit

Flightattendant27 · 21/02/2009 15:20

Also heard the thing about kicking

MayorNaze · 21/02/2009 15:22

i think it depends who was there first - if you try to put a guinea pig in with a rabbit who is used to other rabbits or living alone, then you might have trouble, especially if an old rabbit.

guinea pigs AFAIR tend to be pretty easy going and will live with anything, its the rabbits you might have to watch out for.

i had loads of guinea pigs and rabbits when i was wee and never had any trouble (13 guinea pigs and 2 rabbits all at the same time at one point!)

Original poster
Racingsnake · 22/02/2009 07:48

OK, I'll see which I find first, a miniature rabbit or a guinea pig.

I had read that it wasn't that rabbit food is toxic to guineas, but that rabbit food does not contain vitamin C, which they can manufacture, as can other animals like cats, and which guineas cannot manufacture (like humans) and so must get in their diet. So I have been feeding rabbit foot and lots of apple cores, vegetable peelings and weeds.

OP posts:
mamanurse · 18/03/2009 01:33

I have 2 guinea pigs male to boot living with a female rabbit a mini loop. i got them all when they were little, and raised them all in the same cage, they sleep together,eat together and even play. the rabbit doesn't kick the pigs either i think she thinks she is a guinea pig.lol

for food i put in both rabbit pellets and guinea pellets along with fresh fruit and veggys. Also, you can't forget hay and grass or their treats. if they are good i give them yogurt drops.

Original poster
Racingsnake · 19/03/2009 04:32

DD insisted we got a guinea but I like rabbits and hope to add a baby mini lop at some time in the future.

I wonder what a guinea pig does to 'be good' ...

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 19/03/2009 06:47

The only problem that we ever had was when rabbit and guinea pig were in their outside run on the grass in summer. Rabbit would dig holes and the guinea pig would escape.

Original poster
Racingsnake · 19/03/2009 07:33

So that pair were not 'being good' ....

Does anyone know if guinea pigs dig? I wasn't going to bother with a wire on the bottom of their run.

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 19/03/2009 10:08

No. I don't think they dig.
Haggis does not have wire on the bottom of his outside run.

smurfgirl · 20/03/2009 11:13

Everything I have read has said no to pigs and rabbits together.

Apparently rabbits can hump guinea pigs and they can break their backs doing that.

Also pigs are low to the ground so their tummy is very vulnerable and rabbits kick them accidentally when they hop and if they get kicked in the tummy they can die from the injuries.

Compared to friends rabbits my pigs are much more gentle and slow (mouth biting aside ) I think my boys would struggle with a lively bunny.

bronze · 20/03/2009 11:22

A large number of rabbits carry a bacteria commonly called bordetella which is not noticable in a rabbit but is a killer for guinea pigs and frequently the only sign is a dead guinea pig in the morning. Playgroup just lost both of theres as when they went home they got put in with somones rabbit.

BoffinMum · 21/03/2009 19:03

Ours lived happily together and the guinea pig was the one who humped the rabbit, who generally just sat there with a bored expression as if to say "Go on mate, you have one if you must".

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