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Small pets

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Original poster

Any advise on keeping guinea pigs? Is indoor or outdoors best and do they make good first family pets?

41 replies

sails · 17/04/2011 21:23

Also my mum said they are nocturnal is that true? Any guinea pig advise gratefully received my dc are 3 and 5 and would love a guinea pig!

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mercibucket · 17/04/2011 21:28

you need at least two or they get lonely
they're not nocturnal but prefer early mornings and late afternoons for running round and chill out a bit over lunch times
they make gorgeous squeaky noises and are very affectionate and loving
be aware that like all pets, the children will have very sporadic interest in them so you will end up doing most of the cuddling and cleaning up after them!

Beauregard · 17/04/2011 21:32

We had 2 females (now just 1) which live indoors.we decided to keep them indoors so we would not forget them Guineas are lovely pets,they squeak when they hear you or the fridge door.We have never been bitten but they pee and poo a lot so if handling you might need a towel on your lap.They need to eat constantly and love hay.Our's seems partial to grapes,Romaine lettuce(only sort they can eat i believe?)cucumber ,dandelions etc.
They are wonderful pets to have ,but if indoors be prepared to let them run around(our's runs round the kitchen)never seems to like the outdoors lol.And the hay will make it's way around the house .

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:33

thanks! Also indoors or outdoor?

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Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:35

xposts sorry! Can they be housetrained?

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mercibucket · 17/04/2011 21:35

ours are both - indoor for winter and outdoor for spring/summer. we have different cages for both. outdoor is nicer for them in summer but also easier to forget about them! indoor they get more cuddles but less running round time

mercibucket · 17/04/2011 21:36

no they can't be housetrained sadly although some are tidier than others. my boys are very neat and tidy and have special areas for poos and never ever wee on you. the girls on the other hand .....
we bought little fleece 'bags' on ebay for the kids to put them in for cuddle time - might be an idea at first when kids are younger - the gp stay put and any wees and poos don't end up on the kids knees

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:37

Do you use proper guinea pig cages or rabbit ones? Can rabits and guinea pigs be kept together or is that a myth?

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Carrotsandcelery · 17/04/2011 21:37

I have heard that they can be house trained but I think the success rate is few and far between.

They can be taught party tricks - have a look on youtube - very amusing.

nancy75 · 17/04/2011 21:38

we are guinea pig sitting at the moment - the one we have seem to hate being picked up, by do squeek alot when we go past the cage - should i be cuddling them? (they try to run away when you pick them up)

Carrotsandcelery · 17/04/2011 21:38

Rabbits can do serious damage to guinea pigs with their back legs.

I wouldn't recommend rabbits for very small children. We have 4 lovely ones but it is a lottery - they can be moody and give nasty bites and nasty scratches.

bibbitybobbityhat · 17/04/2011 21:39

You need two.

They need a run for the garden plus an outdoor hutch (roughly April to November depending whereabouts you live in the UK) and an indoor cage for winter.

They are not nocturnal.

They cannot be housetrained (ie they pee and poo everywhere).

Carrotsandcelery · 17/04/2011 21:39

nancy try to pick them up with a hand under their bottoms so they are supported.

If you enjoy it then do cuddle them.

mercibucket · 17/04/2011 21:40

don't think it's generally a good idea to mix gp and rabbits - they need different food and rabbits can hurt the gp. having said that I do know people who have and who didn't have any problems
you need large cages - the tiny 3 ft ones are far too small - try for at least 4ft and preferably 5ft either indoor or out - or 3ft with a large attached run

nancy75 · 17/04/2011 21:41

Thank you - the teacher (they belong to the school) did show us how to pick them up, but they seem to hate it so we have just been talking to them instead! I hope we haven't been neglecting them.

mercibucket · 17/04/2011 21:42

they usually run away when you try to pick them up - don't take it personally . try feeding them at the same time as stroking them and they'll soon start to love you. gp are very food obsessed

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:42

Yes I used to have rabbits and I remember that the female one was very tempermental and constanly making nests. I have no experience of guinea pigs but they always seem to me to be much friendlier! :)

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Carrotsandcelery · 17/04/2011 21:43

nancy They will be fine with each other. They probably react like that because they are handled by children a lot if they are school g pigs.

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:46

I wouldnt have the space indoors for such a large cage do they have to be kept indoors during the winter? My rabbits had a two story hutch with a run at the ground floor and hutch above the ground.

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nancy75 · 17/04/2011 21:46

Thanks for the advice - only another week before they go back (its more stressful than having a baby!)

Sails be prepared to buy alot of fruit and veg - these g pigs don't stop eating!

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:48

I used to do that for the rabbits especially carrots. I missed that when they died :(

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bibbitybobbityhat · 17/04/2011 21:49

They definitely cannot be kept outdoors in freezing weather such as we had this winter.

Do you have a garage or shed that you could move them in to in emergencies?

If not, then please don't get guinea pigs.

Summersoon · 17/04/2011 21:52

I would agree that gp's can't be housetrained but my last two have been very good about giving fair warning when they are sitting on me and need to go - this usually manifests itself in sudden fidgeting and then you know that have between 30 seconds and one minute! You just have to learn to read the signs.

They do make wonderful pets - especially if kept indoors, IMO.

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:52

Would def not want to keep a guinea pig in the shed or garage as out of sight out of mind and I wouldnt feel they were part of the family iyswim! Could they go in a slightly smaller cage than suggested ie not 4 or 5ft but allowed to run around the house? If kept indoors wheres a good place?

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Carrotsandcelery · 17/04/2011 21:53

Guinea pigs are easier to keep than rabbits and less smelly too. Do you still have your rabbit hutch and run or were they house rabbits? If you still have it then it would probably do for the g pigs - the accommodation is the expensive bit.

Can I please ask you not to buy guinea pigs but to get them from a rescue centre. Guinea pigs are over bred and it seems wrong to fuel the trade. There are nearly always homeless guinea pigs in rescue centres, and often babies too. It would be a first lesson in good animal husbandry for your dcs.

Original poster

sails · 17/04/2011 21:54

I meant slightly smaller hutch when kept indoors but a bigger one for outdoors.

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