Guinea pigs

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Hi
I've finally given in to the children and have agreed they can have 2 GP"s.
The problem is I've never had animals like this before so don't have a clue
Would be very grateful of any advice re:cage,type of GP'S,food,where to keep them,do I get 2 ect.
Do you think gp's are easier than rabbits?I'm really not keen on anything so they will have to be easy to look after.Luckily I have three very keen and willing children
Thanks in advance

guineas are gorgeous we have 2 males together in doors but they must be of same age otherwise one will fight to dominate mine were babies together and dont fight at all

they need a vit c tab half in each bottle of water as they dont store vit c so have to have it added

one site

here

they are real easy and loving mine have never bitten and from what i read they dont and are recommended for pets for there calm nature

they love fuss and to be held mine aren't so keen but were ill when we got them so couldn't be handles so much so thats probably why

as long as cleaned regular then they dont smell i keep mine in doors they feel cold easy and this can harm them but can be kept outside but i prefer mine in they love to see whats going on around them

Guinea pigs are lovely, placid animals. Rabbits are lovely, but not as placid and not good as pets to be looked after exclusively by children. They require a lot of care to be happy.

Guinea pigs need to be handled a lot and are easy to keep. They don't need a vit C tablet if they have fresh greens every day - mine live on apple cores, the outside leaves of cabbages, carrot peels, etc, with some dry food. They also need hay and fresh water.

My DD (aged 2) loves carrying them about in a bucket, pushing them around in a pushchair, etc. The only problem is that she can't always remember where she left them. (And that they pee everywhere. But it is not smelly - just put an old towel on your lap for prolonged cuddling sessions.)

We have a cage as shown at the top left of the link here

Easily made from grids that you buy from B&Q or ebay. Coroplast available from sign shops

If you have a look at the other Mumsnet threads about guinea pigs you will find loads about them and links - quite a few of us have them!!! My posts always link to that sight and home made cage as it is by far the largest (and therefore kindest!) and cheapest £36!!!

Another question
Do I get 2 boys or 2 girls?
I keep getting mixed info(girls don't get on as well,best to get just 1 boy)
Any advice appreciated
I plan to get two of the same sex at the same time

Best to get 2, one piggy will get bored and lonely. If you can stand the initial fights then 2 males will eventually settle down, but IME 2 females are usually easier to settle.
Having said that one of my females was a right little madam and would snap at her friend all the time.

Pellet food is also better than the mixed variety. Mine have supa-guinea (orange bags). It looks boring but they can't select just the bits they like and therfore it works their teeth harder and they get all the nutrients. They don't waste it either.

The cambridge cavy trust are amazing if you are nearby and your piggies have health problems. They also train some vets in g-pig care so there are a few more experts dotted round the country. I'm miles away from cambridge but having seen how well they treat piggies I wouldn't hesitate in driving all that way if mine had a serious problem.