Guinea pigs, two pigs or not two pigs? That is the question.

[HannahHut]

Hi guys, thinking of getting a guinea pig and not sure if to get two or just one. It doesn't make a difference to me either way but my thoughts were it is easier to tame one guinea pig rather than two. I plan on handling it for hours a day and money is no issue when it comes to buying the best.

I've had advice from people in the store either way. This would be an indoor animal if that makes a difference.

Absolutely more than 1, they genuinely need a friend and companion. I've had single piggies but wouldn't anymore now I've had groups. I've males who live in the kitchen and females in the living room.

This should be mad elaw everywhere :)

www.zmescience.com/other/feature-post/guinea-pig-switzerland/

I'm now completely pig obsessed

Get 2, just make sure they’re definitely the same sex. I’ve seen too many stories where people discovered a “male” guinea/hamster/rat was actually female when they gave birth.

I bought two young guinea pigs from a reputable source, both females and it wasn't long before i had 10..

Both must have been pregnant when they were bought. It turns out guinea pigs can get pregnant at 2 months old!

Definitely, definitely, definitely more than one- shocked that anyone has recommended otherwise! They are incredibly sociable (same with rabbits) and no reputable rescue or supplier would suggest keeping them alone- so whoever has advised you that it's ok is certainly one to avoid.

Guinea pigs will be much happier in pairs or groups. They are sociable little creatures who like to chatter and appreciate a response, preferably in their own language! They also often snuggle together at night, and seem to gain more confidence from having a companion. Don't worry about taming them, if you start when they're young and handle them frequently (& especially since you will be keeping them indoors where you will naturally be interacting with them more), you will soon have tame and cuddly guineas. Parsley helps a lot with the bonding process!

There’s no question about it. They are herd animals and need at least a pair.

Please research as much as you can. People think they’re easy animal you can shove in a cage and let them be. They need a lot more room than people think and are susceptible to sudden illness, you’ll need a capable exotic vet who knows what they’re doing too.

Loads of good info on guinealynx

Thanks, you've confirmed what I thought! The bloke who said one is ok said his parents bred guinea pigs for show. He said it depends on the pig but I was sure that wasn't right.

We had pigs before for my brother but they were kept out. Came down one day to 8 instead of two! Any more advice you could have for me would be great as it's been awhile and they weren't mine to look after.

There's a two their cage in pets at home called the 200. Or there's a 120cage there too which I'm thinking about getting.

I think the 120 cage is the bare minimum space for 2 female pigs. Personally i think it’s too small. Is the 200 the multi level? If so Guineas pigs aren’t natural climbers and would be happier with a larger one level space.

We have a C&C cage which you can configure into its own shape/size. Most pet shops sell cages far too small for the needs of animals, especially pets at home.

I’d be wary if you’re buying the animal form pets at home too they are notorious for poor breeding standards, mis sexing and selling pregnant animals.

200 is two tier, yes. What is c&c ? Is it the mesh square things?

They will need a secure run for outside so they can eat the grass on sunny days. This will need a lid (to keep cats and birds of prey out, as well as piggies in). It will also need an area that is slightly raised and enclosed, so they have shelter from the rain and somewhere to nap in peace.

You will also need a run for the house, as guinea pigs need to get out of their cage and stretch their legs every day, including those that are too cold or wet for them to go outside. They wee a lot so it will need a waterproof base to protect your floor. They will also enjoy a few toys such as tunnels and plastic "igloos" (from the pet shop) to explore. They enjoy little tunnels/ huts made of woven hay or grass, which they can nibble on. You can line the run with newspaper and hay, and hide chopped veg in the hay so they have to search for it - this helps to stop them getting bored. Remember to remove any leftovers at the end of the day so they don't go off!

Both indoor and outdoor runs, as well as their cage, will need water bottles and food bowls in. Guinea pigs need to have access to hay and food all day, as their digestive systems stop working if not in constant use. They also need plenty to chew th keep their teeth from growing too long. And fresh veggies daily, in addition to special guinea pig muesli or pellets.

Use hay rather than straw for bedding. Straw is too sharp, and can cause eye injuries.

They do huge amounts of wee and poo so their cage will need to be spot-cleaned daily and probable completely cleaned out every couple of days.

Oh yes, and get the biggest cages/runs you can afford and have space for!

2 or more In a Scandinavian county it’s illegal to have one as they are herding animals

I got ferplast 160 cages for my pairs from Zooplus as they were cheapest, definitely get the largest cage you possibly can. They really love & need space. You won't regret having pigs :D

We have always had 2 at a time but be mindful that you'll get into the cycle of always having piggies as the never both die at the same time ... and then you worry about the one left being lonely etc

However, when we lose one of this current pair the remaining one will be an only gpig as it is time for us to stop being piggie slaves.
Have you thought of getting your pigs from a rescue?

I feel bad that our neutered boar lives apart from our sows but it's for his own safety , GP8 doesn't like him (understatement) Mind you GP8 only gets on with GP7 (her original cagemate)
So he can chat to the girls and has his space but he did have GP5/GP4 so he's had pigwives before.

YY to the huge cage. It is so much better to have the room, they need space. Our sows can be snippy in season so its not just boars that need room.

Personally , my pigs don't do ramps (lazy) but the shop cage ramps are steep and narrow, not easy for some pigs to manage . And sadly , they'll stay put rather than try, which means you might get one trapped out of their bed,

Ours have a wooden playhouse (divided for the 1:2 )
Rabbit runs (8'x4' and 4'x4' )
C&C and an indoor 2x4 cage for winter (they sleep in the small bedroom)

Hay gets everywhere
Guinea-pigs like to be noisy at 3am then at 6am , demand breakfast .

I got a c and c for mine, they love it and are much happier than they were in their two tier cage.

Think carefully about long haired breeds. I adore mine (I don’t have kids 😂) but I hate sitting in meetings picking their hair off my suit...

Last winter mine were in all the time (it was really cold and my piggies are 4yo now)

I made the sows C&C as big as I could (the grids are 14" square , IIRC it was 5 squares long and 3 squares wide) . I got a cardboard grid (divider from Costco packaging) cut 'doors' so they had lots of little rooms to run through. They pretended to be in Ninja Warriors or something (easily pleased )