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Original poster

Another Guinea pig thread, URGENT

207 replies

Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:02

A friend of mine on a whim bought 2 boy guinea pigs who she has now decided she no longer wants. They have not been together long as she has only had them a couple of weeks and has said that she'd be fine seperating them. If they don't get picked up today she will take them to a rescue.

I would quite like to adopt them but am generally clueless. Should I split them up? The cage was bought at pets at home and looks only big enough for 1 but friend said all pets at home guinea cages are suitable for 2 as they usually are bought as a pair?

DP has said he'd prefer to only get 1 to keep costs down, is it really that much more to have a pair?

They are both males, could this cause problems?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as DD and I have sort of fallen in love and need to know what to do ASAP!

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lancelottie · 31/05/2012 10:06

No, don't get just one, they need company. Two males that have been together from tiddlers will be fine together (as long as you don't add a female into the mix).

Most pet shop cages are far too small, though. You want a four-footer, and a run for the lawn (sorry). Grass is cheap, so is kale and value carrots. We go through a massive bag of hay once a month (about a fiver), plus guinea pig pellets, probably another fiver a month, plus veg.

HTH -- meant to be working but will check back.

ZZZenAgain · 31/05/2012 10:07

they are said to like companionship so they are not supposed to be single. This is what the vet told me and I have read similar, however I do know people who only have one guinea pig. If the pig is outdoors alone most of the time, it might not be great. If it is indoors with the family and there is a lot of coming and going at home, I think it would be ok.

They can fight, males in particular. If it gets too drastic, you would have to separate them but there is no way I know of to know in advance how they will get along.

I don't think they are expensive animals to keep but vets' bills can be expensive so you might have that to contend with at some time.

Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:10

The pig would be kept indoors with the family. Thing is we haven't got a huge amount of money and definitely not enough to buy a new hutch/run/cage today. Would the smaller cage be okay for 2 for a while?

I'm so overwhelmed but DD would just adore helping me with them/him.

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ZZZenAgain · 31/05/2012 10:12

if it is a small cage, you need to let them out for a run around. How big is the cage?

Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:15

It's the Cavie 80 cage by Ferplast. L77 x W42 x H42cm. The website says it's suitable for 2 juvenile piggies but it just looks far too small to me.

We do have a decent conservatory they could have a run in until I could afford a bigger cage/decent outdoor run.

It'd be so sad to separate them as they're proper little friends.

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tabulahrasa · 31/05/2012 10:22

If they're still young the cage they've got just now will do temporarily - I had two cages cable tied together with the doors open and connecting them together. That was because they grew and I realised the cage I was sold was too small, but buying another cage the same and extending would be cheaper for you than a new bigger cage instead of the one they have.

I suppose one would be cheaper to feed than two, but they're not massively expensive to keep, dry food is cheap, hay and sawdust are cheap, veg - well they eat a lot for the size of them, but it's not a vast amount really, about 1 of a person's 5 a day is plenty.

They also mow your garden in an outside run, so handy to have around, lol

ChopstheScarletduck · 31/05/2012 10:23

I think as a temporary measure and if they can have a run around the conservatory, it would be better to keep them in the small cage temporarily rather than splitting them.

You could then buy another cage and join them up rather than spend a fortune on a huge cage. No point in buying a hutch if u want them to live indoors. You won't be able to take them out in winter at all.

If you can piggie proof the conservatory and give them a good few hours a day out in there, they would be fine, too. You would need to think about cables, house plants, gaps, etc.

Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:26

That's good to know as I am quite keen on taking them both. It's just so much to think about. She currently uses sawdust as bedding but with 2 young children I'd prefer to use the fleece option. Would it be alright to temporarily use an old (washed) fleece blanket of mine?

Ahhh, so scary and exciting! They make the sweetest little noises but I'm terrified they'll start to hate each other as they grow and we'll need to separate them anyway. Do they reject each other often if they've been kept together since they were little babies?

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AlmaMartyr · 31/05/2012 10:26

Don't separate them, they need to be in a pair. I have 2 and I don't think the extra one causes any extra cost or problems. They are fab. The cage will probably do them for now, especially if you can let them out for a run. I sometimes put mine in the DC's paddling poll for a while to have a play. You could also google C&C cages, which is what we have, they're homemade.

AlmaMartyr · 31/05/2012 10:27

Old fleece will be fine. Megazorb also good.

tabulahrasa · 31/05/2012 10:29

That's a similar style to the cages I had, see the door on the long side...that's the one I took off and put another one the same next to it also with the door off. I put a house brick on either side and they could use both cages no problem, it also gave them a brick to sit on, for some reason they do like to sit on bricks.

They don't half look at you strangely when you go to b&q, but two bricks and say they're for your guinea pigs though, lol

ChopstheScarletduck · 31/05/2012 10:29

I dont know an awful lot about pigs, since I keep rabbits, but sawdust isn't good for eyes and respiratory systems. Fleece might work, but you may just have to watch them at first to make sure they don't eat it!

Ideally you want newspaper for absorbency then a nice thick bed of hay or short straw.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 31/05/2012 10:30

Whoah, stop, put the brakes on.
You've had this foisted on you really.

First of all- don't think about 2 boys unless you have room.
My indoor cage is 4'x2' which is a standard adviced minimum size. My 2 rescue adult boars find this size adequate - not good- just adequate. They only have this at night, in Winter.

During the day they have a 5'5" x5'5" playhouse. And a 7'x4' run.

Now they are babies I'm assuming, but they will need more room . One of the biggest causes of boar fights is lack of space.

Disclaimer: my boars are spolied ratbags


2- always 2 or more. So it would be unfair to have one
Cost- it takes the same time to feed and clean 2 .And minimal extra in food.
They don't need vaccines or neutered like rabbits (unless you have to stop a boar breeding)

If you want to take them on and you've got the space (and bear in mind they'll get the Terrible Teens)

If you really can't take them, then it's probably best they go to rescue. They will keep them until they get a new place (and yes people do take on boars, I did)
Your friend will probably have to search a bit and give them a donation. But then she should of this before she got them "on a whim". Unless there's a medical problem like an allergy. And you can get round that to a degree.
lancelottie · 31/05/2012 10:30

DH fell over our spare cage a few weeks ago and flattened it, or you could have had that! This is what we have for ours. Maybe you could sell the smaller cage at some point in the next month or two (or even get DD to sell a couple of toys and contribute?).

Male guinea pigs in particular need to run around when young, or they get muscle failure round the bum and can't poo properly when old and decrepit.

Try gumtree or freecycle, or the adverts at a local vet for old cages. If it's going to be indoors it doesn't need to be a weatherproof hutch.

Oh, and mind they don't overheat in the conservatory!

tabulahrasa · 31/05/2012 10:31

They're herd animals, they prefer to have pals, there's no reason why they'd stop getting on.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 31/05/2012 10:33

No sawdust
No shavings

Mine have newspaper, cardboard (make sure there's no staples or sellotape) and hay.
Cleaned out every day.

Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:38

I do understand I'm rushing things but I wouldn't say it's necessarily been "foisted" on me, I'd just rather they come to me than go to a rescue as they're gorgeous little things and after a recent bereavement/family troubles I think it'd be a lovely positive thing for me and DD to do and share together (even though I''l be doing all the work as she's only 4 Grin

I will make sure they get out for exercise regularly and will try and get a bigger cage/another connected cage and a run as soon as possible.

I do worry I'm rushing into it a little but I think I'd regret it if I didn't take them on....

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Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:39

The fleece blanket idea looks lovely and cosy for them though. Would I need to line the cage with newspaper first? Or is just newspaper and cardboard a better alternative?

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QueenBonkeyMollocks · 31/05/2012 10:43

Please please keep them together. I bought a lone boar, and even though he was inside, in the living room, plenty of space/cuddles etc, he was unhappy. Got him a friend and he was compleatly different. They get on well, but like others have said, they need the space!

2 doesn't cost me any more than one. Not really anymore work, but they do need abit more looking after than I originally thought. Mostly regarding cleaning out...I spot clean both their cage (which they are only in at night) and their playpen in the living room(which they are in all day)

That cage is far far to small! I have my hammy in a cage bigger than that! Ebay and freecycle are good for second hand cages.

Please make sure that you are committed if you get them. I.e realise that you will be doing most of the looking after if you dd gets bored.

If you can't make it work they will be fine in a rescue. They will be well looked after and they will find a home :)

Fleece may work for you but it needs a towel underneath to soak up the pee, and they need plenty of hay to eat. Maybe best to put the hay in a box for them so its off the fleece its a bitch to get off

They are great pets, but please think it through!

Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:45

I do really want them and feel I could commit to them, the only issue of course is the cage but I'd be able to sort them out a bigger one next month or even earlier if I can find something decent off of free cycle. I'm just worried it will become an issue before then.

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QueenBonkeyMollocks · 31/05/2012 10:49

Do you know what pisses me off! Angry

That P@H/ websites will let you but a shitty small cage for 2 pigs, because in peoples eyes P@H's word is bible. Any idiot with half a brain can see that those cages are too small but they still buy the bloody things because they are told that pigs are sold in pairs therefore all their cages are big enough for two!

....And that people but animals and then want rid a few weeks later, more often thatn not because they get bored! Angry

Ok rant over! Grin

QueenBonkeyMollocks · 31/05/2012 10:51

Sookeh none of that was aimed at you btw Grin

Might sound odd, but can you get hold of a few planks of wood and make a temporary pen/cage in your conservatory until you can sort a bigger cage?

They could spend all day in there and then sleep in their little cage.

Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:53

That's very true. A total clueless person like me would accept what the staff there told me as fact. As always mumsnet has set me to rights Grin.

I'm a bit pissed off at friend as well, she doesn't want them anymore because she's bored and they aren't as "cuddly" as she expected, but that's more likely than not because she wasn't patient enough when it came to handling them. They do seem quite skittish also.

She's lovely really but she's 25 FFS, I sort of feel she should have known a bit better.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 31/05/2012 10:54

GPs are fabulous critters.
If you've reeeeeeaaaaaallllyyyy fallen in love with them (and it's understandable) then go for it.
But you'll need to upgrade your GP living space - P@H cages are small. (I've seen a cage in the Range that had a picture of 3 bunnies in it.It didn't look big enough for even 1)

You'll need storage for hay (I buy The Range big packs) They need hay all the time. And if they don't have a rack, they'll wee/pooh in it (which is why I do daily changing of their bed area)

Veg- you'll have most of it indoors, read up on the posts of what they can't have.

Fleece is lovely, but you'll need something absorbant like newspaper . Some GPs eat newspaper though. Then you'll have to brush the fleece to protect your washing machine.

My DH has done up their Pighouse, put in a mesh and wire screen window. Put a light and heater in the Pighouse. I give them hotwater bottles in winter during the day- mine wouldn't tolerate their indoor cage day and night.


Your DD will love them, but yes, you're right. You'll be doing <strong>all</strong> the work <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Grin" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/grin-D7Eg_B6y.png">. My DS doesn't do anything for GP2. I'm working on 'reclaiming' GP2 for myself.
Original poster
Sookeh · 31/05/2012 10:55

I was thinking of using DD's playhouse as a run Queen Blush

It comes in when it rains but it's a huge solid plastic thing with big windows to let light in and it hasn't got a floor IFYSWIM so they'd be able to nibble the grass as well. It might do as a temporary measure.

I have quite a handy step-dad too who could probably knock a run together for me without much of a bother if I ask nicely.

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