Considering adopting some guinea pigs.....anyone got any advice for the novice piggy owner

[LackaDAISYcal]

I am considering taking on two 6 month old boars, and have been scouting round the threads here looking for tips etc. I am now a mixture of worried (they seem such fragile little things), daunted (they seem to need quite a bit of specific looking after, never heard of megazorb, worried cage is too small etc etc), and grossed out (spiky cheesy willies and impacted poo).
They will also need to be transported by car for about an your and a half and I'm worried about the journey stressing them out and how best to get them here safely

Any advice would be great :)

Tip 1: DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT-they are FAB!

Tip 2: Careful what you read!

I didn't know about spikey willies and I kept GPs (admitedly mainly females and some baby/young male)

If you take the little boys, they will be going through their arsey stage at 6 months (Mine were a year old when I got them -missed all that )

As much space as you can give them. There's a website that gives you a minimum cage size.
Mine have 5'5" X 5'5" outside (Playhouse) with a ramp and haybox.
Inside 4'X2'X 18". They don't think the indoor cage is good enough.We had a fight incidence last year (No blood but nasty) so the indoor cage is seperated into 2 .
They've got a big rabbit run for summer (IIRC 7'X4') but not used it yet.

Make sure they always have hay, pellets and water.( GP pellets have Vit C, so don't give them rabbit ones)
There's lots of food threads what they can/can't have (some things are toxic for GPs)
Megazorb is a horsebedding- it's made of wood pulp (I bought from Farmway online). Don't give them sawdust or shavings-it's an irritant.

You'll find what works for you .Fleece(nice but you have to really shake the bits off before you wash them) Hay-to sleep in and eat. Shredded paper.

We give ours dog bowls, big enough to share without squabbles and don't get tipped up.

They are usually healthy if their diet is right, just be aware of cold and damp.They can have respiratory problems and don't lke extremes of hot/cold.

Boys have agrease-spot that needs a wash. Nails need cut. Check for bites/mites/abcesses (especially if they argue). Check their teeth, but eating keeps them trim.
Impaction is usually older boys ( Am I looking forward to that ) vom face.

They are lovely little ceatures. This is our first pair of adult boys, and are very spoiled. We got them from a local rescue, only 10 minutes.
Your journey will be fine if you get a big carrier (or 2 if they travel seperate) put in a towel for accidents and hay to keep them busy.Add some cucumber to quench their thirst

Computer stuck.

Give them settling in time and handle regularly.

Did I mention I love Guinea-Pigs

Thanks 70 :)
I am having a crisis of confidence, as I don't think I can dedicate the time they will need. And I am still grieving for my cat who got killed recently, so I'm worrying that my decision to take them is purely on the basis that I'm missing a furry thing to cuddle (DH just doesn't appeal at the minute )
I worry as well that my DC will lose interest pretty quickly when they realise that they aren't as amenable as a cat.
It's a bloody hard decision. I don't want yo take them and realise they're not the pet for us.

Daisy, do give it time, but if you decide they aren't the right pets for you, I will take my hat off to you for being so responsible in your decision. So few people give it a moments thought before buying a pet, particularly for a child, without thinking of what it involves.

I would dearly like to have a dog, but I know at the moment it wouldn't be fair. I'm on Boars 7 and 8 (succession planning has to be involved! :) ), adore them and know they "fit" more into our lifestyle. Mind you, DBoar 1 has totted up about £800 in vet bills lately (he's better now - nasty recurrent cystitis, poor chap!) so it's not like small furries are always a cheap option, either.

Really sorry to hear about your kitty. Take time to decide what's right for you and your family, when it's right.

(But piggies are amazing! :) )

TBH our GP boys are alot more ameanable than our cat ever was. They don't bugger off out the cat door when they hear the key in the door for a start. And neither of them have left anything dead/half dead on my kitchen worktop .

But, yes, if you are in two minds then think long and hard. There are plenty more guinea-pigs in the sea, and it wouldn't be fair to your DCs or the piggies to uproot them again if you decide they aren't for you.

My DD desperately wanted a pet last year and I didn't like hamsters or rabbits, so we agreed on GPs.She wanted a boy, so we got the 2 boys. I was secretly hoping that my DS didn't want the other pig so that I could have him, but they are the DCs pets, officially adopted by me .
I do all the cleaning out and buying hay/food/veg because I said right from the start that I would. I didn't want the DCs to promise to do it then back out, leaving 2 animals not cared for properly.

In the winter, I put their heater in their shed at 6.30am then filled up all their water bottles to make it snug. I did think "I must be raving mad" but it gives me a nice glowy feeling knowing that they are fed and snug before we do the school/work day.

GP1 and GP2 wave to <strong>KRITIQ</strong>s  Briefcase Guinea and Pink Bow in Hair Guinea <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Smile" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/smile-iCO8d7ST.png">

KRITIQ daft question but how do you know if a GP has cystitus??

Our GP1 is a 'marker'- he goes into his clean pen and deposits a few drops of his pungent boar wee in chosen spots. He's always done it, no pain in passing, no blood, and just a normal boar smell.They don't drink the lovely fresh water I leave for them, but in their indoor cage they leave large pee stains on the bottom paper.

Was his wee nasty, or was he in pain when he peed?

Thanks KRITIQ and 70 :)
I am really hankering after another cat, this will be the first time in my life, apart from at Uni, where I haven't had a cat. DH is not a cat person, though he did have a real bond with our kitty. He was the one who found him by the road and I think that's what's putting him off.

My thinking with a GP was that they wouldn't be roaming around getting swipe by cars, but I'm know the novelty for the children will wear off pretty quickly, and it wil be me taking care of them, and as you say, it wouldn't be fair on these boys to uproot them, only to do it again in a few.months.

Such a big decision, but I really miss furry cuddles :(

My advice is prepare to fall utterly in love, that is all.

Ds got out of bed last night and came downstairs at 10pm, in tears. He was having a dream about Nibbles, our lovely guinea pig who died unexpectedly when she was still young. I sat him on my knee and we had a cuddle and chat about her and darnit there were big fat tears rolling down my cheeks by the end of it too. She died in August last year!!! .

We still have two of our original three and we all love them, including big strong rufty-tufty 6'4" dh.

LacksaDAISYcal - it sounds like you'll be heading down the Cat Route soon .
Cats are much more self sufficient and damned selfish independant than GPs ever could be, (but ours was never a cuddly cat, it was all on her terms. Typical tortoiseshell behaviour)
We had our furbaby feline for 15 years (she was second hand from a rescue) and she had to be PTS about 2005, so we were furry cuddleless for 6 years!

There will be loads of kittens in rehoming by summer, you might find yourself looking for your new moggie................?

A quick update...

I took possession of a mahoosive indoor cage today, from someone who used to have a piggy boarding service. She has given me lots of advice on what type of midgies to get, so am now looking for the perfect pair to share our life :o

I'm very excited :o)

And if anyone knows where I can buy babies in Yorkshire I'd be grateful. Cage lady advised to steer clear of a particular major pet chain store!

Did you decide against the original pair of boars?

Are you looking for baby furbabies or is it the 'boar' part that puts you off?
2 sows are easier in many ways providing they are sows and not sow+boar = unexpected litter; or sow already pregnant= unexpected litter.
I've had both happen to me when I was a child.

I don't know Yorkshire, but if you search on Guinea-Pig Rescue/ Rehoming, it'll bring up loads by area. Though if you want really babies you might be better with a breeder.

Was it Pet@Home they adviced against by chance?
DD and I often occasionaly pop in to buy food or hay and ogle the pigs. They seem a bit skitty (I know they are babies and I've got adults) I know alot of places don't handle them, to allow them to 'bond' with the owner. But then they are very 'green' and scared. They are tiny as babies and a well handled one is an easier prospect to one that runs up your sleeve or tries to leap out of your arms.

Good luck

Hi 70 :)
The existing owner decided that she wanted them rehomed closer as she felt the journey might be too traumatic.

It's taken me ages to convince DH about another pet, and as dogs and cats have been ruled out by him, he had to finally relent in the face of constant haranging from me and the dc :o

I'm not fussy whether we end up with boars or sows, but I think sows would suit us better. I'm looking for an outdoor hutch as well, and DH is going to get his dad to help him make a decent sized run.

The cage is a fair size, but I think only when they are babies. But there will be time to source another one before next winter.

I can't wait, and I'm sure I'll be back for more advice at a later date :)

And it was pets at home. She said they are from piggy farms and that welfare may not be top priority.

She also said that Rexes have great temperaments and would make great pets with young children about.