Could someone explain the realities of keeping guinea pigs inside?

[Willmouse]

Still haven't got around to getting guinea pigs yet and it strikes me that now it is getting colder we are going to have to keep them inside.

I know lots of people here keep them inside and am wondering how noisy/smelly they are .Obviously I will have to clean up a bit every day, and I am wondering if they will drive me nuts squeaking.

Also, once they are indoor pets will they ever be able to go outside or will they become acclimatised to being indoors.

I am wondering whether to wait until spring now although I'd rather not

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

You're right about the shavings (though lots of people use them- including Pets@Home).
They smell quite pungent, make the fur and feet/skin dry and can be dusty.

I put catlitter in the boars trugs at the moment (the base is about 24-26" across, wider at the top), because they pee in their bedding or on the newspaper on the floor.

In their indoor cage, I'd completely fill the base (it's a 4'x2') so would need most of a bag. But I'd make this last by taking the newspaper and the soiled bits.

I put newspaper on Catsan, but the wooden or paper litter is softer (I've seen rabbits with deep wood litter, they make little nests in it). I'll use newspaper because it'll be easier (and it's me that does the Pig Cleaning so I need easy)

Have you tried some of the 'nice' hay? Mine like the Marigold and Camomile at the moment.
I've got some tiny dandelions still, they scoff them (they are a laxative though)

[HauntingMyWay]

It's NotInMyDay here btw. Can I apologise for the awful spelling in my last post - my phone is having a laugh

Am I right in think that shavings are not a good idea? Would you cover the whole floor with wood cat litter? Wouldn't this hurt their little feet? I'd do towels or vet bed but I'm not washing for guinea pigs everyday. I have quite enough of that already thank you very much

Btw I asked a question about grass substitutes last week. I got a bag of dried dandelions which they get as a garnish which helps me feel better about the grass becoming rubbish

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Haunting I think these once-a-week-guineas are actually mythical

My 2 boars are 2 yo now (I've had them a year), They are the mankiest little blighters in the world.
When I got them, I bought a huge bag of Megazorb, it is absorbant (I used it in their outdoor house) but indoors (at the time) I used fleece and towels with hay cookies. It was a nightmare to get off.

Mine aren't in yet. They have a small heater in the Pighouse and SnugglePad/ Pet Hotties (microwaveable squishy pads)


I clean every day at the moment. If I give them deep hay it will last 3 days with daily poo/pee picking. I gave them daily fresh hay in summer and I think it spoiled them

Some people use fleece (the pee wicks through) but you need something absorbant underneath. But pigs like to burrow through hay, and hay + fleece is a nightmare.

<br />
At the moment my boys have got: their wooden lidded 'haybox' - (about 3' square) with a rubber mat, cardboard, newspaper, a bathmat (cotton,non rubbery one) a banana box with a blanket/pillow or fleece (depending on what I've got) and their heat-pad tucked in. I change the blanket daily, the whole box weekly.<br />
<br />
And they have 2 of those rubber trugs (IIRC one is 45 litres and one 80 litres) with a 'door' cut in.<br />
It's got cat litter+newspaper+hay in each.<br />
That gets changed daily.<br />
<br />
When they come inside they'll have catlitter +newspaper+hay. And I'll change the hay+paper daily.<br />
<br />
Have you tried wooden or paper based cat litter. Many of them say they are suitable for furries. <br />
I used to use Catsan + newspaper but it's ??. I found one in The Range (can't remember the name but it's a yellow bag). Or Bio-Catlet is good.<br />
<br />
Mine are staying out as long as possible (Wooden Playhouse accomodation)

[HauntingMyWay]

Can I ask a bedding question?

GPs have been indoors for about a month now. They go out in their run during the day if it's sunny. Indoors I use newspaper in the cage and their bed area stuffed full of hay.

But... the blighters sure can make a mess! They are in it for no more than 18 hours a day and it is COVERED in pee and poo. I clean the whole cage EVERYDAY! Even the hay rarely lasts more tan a day as thy seem happy to pee in their bed.

Can I use anything over than newspaper to help soak up the pee a bit better?

I read about people cleaning out their GPs once a week - the is inconceivable to me!

Oh I should say - the cleaning everyday is not what others me its that I feel ty spend most of their time in a dirty poo and pee filled cage.

[DizzyHoneyBee]

Ours climb, both can go up the stairs and one will bash his cage to get out and go and climb onto DD's bed and wake her up.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

WRT guinea-pigs jumping.
We gave our boars a bath (more of a bum dip as DD calls it) on Sunday.
We used the bath, nice warm water, a towel in the bottom, Gorgeous Guinea shampoo, lovely soft towels waiting...
GP1 (who is DDs pig) was foisted onto me to wash.
He was looking very judgey and kept staring at the wall.

I know for a fact (and previous experience) that guineas are quite capable of leaping out the bath -and expecting to be caught.

So you get a soapy, sodden rodent land on your shoulder

[DizzyHoneyBee]

Ours goes to nip if you touch under his chin but doesn't hurt just lets you feel his teeth IYSWIM. Other than that he never bites.

[Supertex79]

Oh and I meant to say Guinea Pigs do jump!! Our Fudge will happily run up to the door to the bottom of the cage and jump in by herself!

[Supertex79]

Ours 4 girls live indoors all year round, couldn't bear for them to be outside. They live in the children's playroom (not as posh as it might sound, used to be the dining room till we moved it out to the conservatory!) As lots of other people have said they really don't smell unless overdue for a clean! I do agree about being careful with draughts though, woebetide anyone in our house who leaves a door open in the cold weather!!

They have a two tier cage and I have just got them a new run. It is a bit bigger than I'd planned but I intend to use it indoors in the winter and in the garden in the summer. They love it, as it is so much bigger. Lots of squeaking and pop-corning!! Our carpet is in reasonable condition, so we use puppy training pads covered with an old sheet.

I think mine have become a little spolit though as we only have to rustle a bag in the kitchen and they are whistling for food!! Very cute though :) The cat has always been very tolerant of the Guinea Pigs that have come in and out of the house, prior to these we had two boys and often "pig-sit" the school's two girl pigs.

Totally agree about p@h, shockingly awful place, I try very hard NOT to frequent that shop

[Miltonia]

I have two indoor piggies and we live where it is hot and humid and they can't go outside at all because of the snakes. I change the newspaper twice a day and the cotton bedding once a week, which keeps them smelling sweet.

I like the smell of hay as it reminds me of home. When I open a new bag I always stick my head in and breathe deeply.

[MrsShrek3]

GPs don't jump? nobody told GP2. She can't read the book, though . She jumped out of the run when ds1 opened the door (the run is on grass, door about 6" up from floor height and GP2 hurdled the blardy thing) GP had a nice trot across the garden before hiding behind the planter and waiting for me to get her because the dses were screaming too loudly to go and pick her up She was eyeing the open door again today so I shut it again pronto!

[alemci]

ours sometimes bites when he wants a wee and is sitting on you. he pulls at your clothing.

[BonkeyMollocks]

Hmm the biting mostly happens when his legs/feet are touched. Blood was drawn whilst trying to but nails!
Sometimes its a lick that goes to far iykwim. I must taste nice to Gpigs because Big Pig has the occasional nibble too.

Always, always heard potatoes are bad!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I've always been told no potatoes especially bad if green bits.

We have to really clamp the boars down to our shoulder- I won't trust GP1 with DD now (to take to the Pighouse, he's a lamb the rest of the time). I can carry GP2 with one hand, but GP1 is a big wriggly blighter.

The biting is 99.99% a response to pain or fright. Or in our GPs case if we annoy their greasespots (but maybe they think it's the other pig and they give a 'naff off' warning. It's not a real bite TBH just a tooth/skin kiss.


The digging water - no idea why.
Virtual glare at LittlePig

[BonkeyMollocks]

*he

[BonkeyMollocks]

Little Pig is a jumper.

As soon as we are near the cage he gets all wriggly .
Has jumped out of my arms(standing height) and if the sofa onto hard floors !

Fine both times but what a arse !

He is also very mouthy . Drew blood once...close to it again a number of times!
Then he looks at me with those doey eyes as if to say 'what?' .

Oh and get digs water!

Screw loose!

[sleepingbunnies]

When I was checking pepper's mites she bit me :-(

One of the books I got said you could feed GPs potato peelings but everywhere else iv looked says NO WAY!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

When I first got GPs (in 1975) I bought A Guinea-Pig Book. Too bad the GPs didn't read it:

GPs don't jump- yes they flipping well do. But not up they jump down
GPs don't climb- we had one that climbed upstairs and 2 that climbed downstairs
GPs don't dig- I'd agree with that, mine are all too lazy
GPs don't have tails- one of ours had a tiny tail/long spine
GPs don't bite- yes and no. My mother was badly bitten when one of our GPs was dying (literally half an hour before she died. So forgivable)

Throw the books away, my GPs said. We'll tell you what you need to know

[sleepingbunnies]

One of our girls jumped out of my dads arms when they were looking after them for us while we were on holiday... Made an escape to their next door neighbours garden... My dad was mortified!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

alemci my GP1 jumped out of my arms early this year (I was stooped so from my shoulder but not full height) but he didn't fall on hay. I still 'see' his little back legs as he landed on his front paws on the wooden floor.

He was a bit . I kept an eye on him (after DH and I gave him a thorough check). Nothing was broken, no bleeding, no teeth damaged.

We put him in his cage with the soft pet bed and his brother next to him for company.

I was torn between "OMG, do I stress him with a vet visit? What will they do?"
and scientific neglect ie do nothing.

A couple of hours later he was moving gingerly, and getting off his bed to eat parsley, so we didn't go down the vet route.

Poor DD had to go to school worrying all day.

Daft little bugger (GP1 not DD) didn't learn his lesson, and about 3 months ago jumped from DD arms onto the lid of the haybox - much less distance and it's carpeted.
He walked off , she was in tears.

Blardy creatures.

[MrsShrek3]

Bookmarking to read tomorrow- our piggies are still out in the hutch but plan to clear out the porch and have them in for the winter.

[alemci]

the watchdog was awful.

our piggy is coming in very soon. he lives outside in the Summer.

i put him away tonight and left the door ajar which was daft whilst i grabbed some hay and he fell out from a height. the hay broke his fall but it is so upsetting.

my son cuddled him and he seems ok but feel really mean.

[sleepingbunnies]

70 that's awful :-( makes me so fucking angry!!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

P@H -
they have a ridiculously short 'guarentee' on their animals (something like 24 hours)
they sell VIP Rabbits which are imported, neutered and vaccinated- but at a really young age (I'm not a bunny person, but I did read up on the age they should be done)
their 5 week old guinea-pigs were imported from Spain. Why? What do they have to endure in transport?

I've reported GPs will stuck-shut eyes and waited till they were removed to be treated. To be told they were 'tired'. No they are not tired, there's something wrong with it's eye
Shavings in pens.
Animals past their 'cute-by' date shoved into rehome ( and what then?)

The Watchdog prog showed dead fish in tanks, guinea-pigs with ringworm, rabbits with health problems.
Not giving the right information and advice sheets but getting buyers to sign that they had.

Ludicrously small cages that the sell as suitable for small furries.

[sleepingbunnies]

Am I missing something about pets at home?! Don't get me wrong I know they are shit but has something specific happened?!