Guinea pigs as pets

[Livedandlearned]

I'm wondering if guinea pigs would be a good pet for my dc. They are aged 13 and 14 and want a pet desperately. We've had hamsters and gerbils before which I loved more than the kids did, because I wasn't scared to handle them.

Have you had good or bad experiences and do you have any tips?

Thanks

Hi my daughter have 2 males they both have been handled a lot and like short cuddles.I have large cage for indoors and a 2 tier hutch with run for warmer days.I also set up a small garden patch for her to grow our own food for them.it's amazing how 2 small animals eat so much.

Guinea pigs are awesome :) I'm shocked at someone saying they smell and to get a cat

I will never forget the time I had someone round quoting up some house renovations and as we were chatting away, the most horrendous smell filled the house. The guy didn't say anything but I was mortified. It was the cat pooing in his tray at the other side of the house! 🤢

Cat poo really is something else!

Hey @Livedandlearned just wondering if you ended up getting your piggies and if so, how they've been settling in? I had pigs when I was young and just loved them! We lost our 2 beautiful dogs last year and while I'm still too heartbroken to take in another rescue dog, my son is so lonesome without a pet so considering getting him 2 lady pigs!

@Meggymoo777 I didn't! Although I'm still thinking about it. I'm so sorry to hear about your dogs, it really does break your heart, I can't bear to get another cat after losing our precious boy which is why I considered guinea pigs

Ah, thanks so much for coming back to me @Livedandlearned I've done a lot of research on them as it's a long time since I've cared for pigs and I've 99% convinced myself that they would be the right choice for us at the moment... just looking for the lovely people of MN to push me the extra 1%!

Thanks so much for your condolences, totally heartbroken after my two girls, stil grieving tbh but I think it's time for me and DS to share our love with a new pet! Will update once we've expanded our little family!

We have 2 cats now ( my DH had always said he wanted cats/a cat again and he coped with eight years of guinea-pigs !)

Our last old girl died in April , her original cage mate was PTS last October and our soppy boar (who we bonded with the last sow) was PTS in January after illness .

They break your heart

The cats are completely different . Far more independant . They do their own thing when they want .
They are jaggy at all corners

Not in the least bit needy (like the pigs) unless it's food time or DD shuts her door and they want into her room.

I maintain guinea-pigs are excellent in their own right and deserve to be a pet on this basis . They aren't a substitute for a dog or a rabbit .
I was really annoyed when I heard someone say that they are nasty and they stink. Only if they aren't kept properly .
They are messy and the hay smells , not the pigs .

Cat poo is something else but my two are now on grain free which has helped . And if they are kind and bury it , not as bad .
They are the family pets so we all scoop . It's only fair , they are clean little animals and need a clean tray .

We rescued two boars in August and they are fantastic pets. My DD is 6 so really they’re my pets too but she thinks they’re hers and her younger sisters 😂

We have a plaza 160 cage from zooplus (160cm x 60cm) and even then they could do with a bit more space (once we get an extension built they’ll have an addition the their cage). They live in our dining room and chatter away to us all the time. They don’t particularly enjoy being picked up but will come over for pats (food) and love to climb over us when they’re out for a run. We let them run around the kitchen with a couple of fleece blankets down to contain the mess and next year we will get them a big outdoor run for some outside time.

They do poo a lot but it doesn’t smell. The hay smells and I clean poo out daily then full cage clean every 3/4 days which only takes half an hour or so.

Guinea pig chatter is the best, it's what I miss most when they pass on. We have a solitary pig now and he doesn't chatter

We have 2 girl pigs, a cat, a dog and fish. The pigs are so cute!! I've moved the cage inside to out conservatory while it's cold and it's so nice having them in as the kids have got bored with them and they were getting forgotten about outside. They are lovely to cuddle but a bit of a pain with the cleaning out etc as I end up doing it all! Of the pets the guinea pigs and fish takes the most cleaning. The dog the most time daily with 2 walks and I would rate the cat as the easiest and my favourite pet! Lots of cuddles in bed but no walking or cleaning out. Perfect!

@Diddybags2 thanks for the insight! I've 110% decided to go ahead and bring guinea pigs into our home! I feel uneasy to be honest about getting my DS pets as a Xmas present, I know how much we'll love and care for them but still feels not quite right somehow to be gifting living beings for Christmas 🤷‍♀️ but none the less, I'm desperate for pets too having lost my beautiful girls two years ago so I think I'm more excited than DS will be on Xmas morning! I've ordered all our bits and set aside a corner of the living room to convert to our 'pig sty'! Can't wait for summer when we can have them chilling in the garden, have been looking at some really lovely runs that I'm gonna buy myself for my birthday in March in preparation! 🤗 looking forward to keeping ye posted on the newest additions to our small family!

Guinea pigs are absolutely brilliant pets. I'm surprised by the idea that they might smell. Ours certainly didn't (unlike the rats). I have had had cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. The guinea pigs were the least demanding and easiest to maintain of all of them.

@Scardanelli Yay! I don't remember them being smelly either when I had them as a (much younger) girl! And I remember being able to clear out and bathe etc with no problem so hoping my 9yr old will be able to pitch in a good bit 🤞🏻 (but I'm secretly confident I'll end up doing the vast majority!) 😂

Ours is sat with us now. Wonderful

We have a house full of piggies, they must be in at least pairs (they are herd animals) and need far more space than people realise. Majority of cages advertised for pigs are far too small. They make a huge amount of mess but we wouldn't be without them :D

I can only recommend them for older children and as long as you/kids put the time in for the pigs to trust you then you'll have a wonderful time with them.

I personally keep ours as indoor pets with outside space for daytime. They interact with us whenever anyone is in the room which has really helped to socialise them and build trust.

They are wimpy, scaredy little things and far too used to the finer comforts to be outside overnight

This is one of my girls having an evening cuddle under a blanket with me, who wouldn't want this each night

As for smell I find they only smell of they need a cage clean up, they don't smell themselves so I wouldn't worry about that.

Any excuse to share pig photos

I absolutely adore guinea pigs. Had them as a child (10ish) when I was old enough to clean them and look after them.
I would have them now as an adult in a heartbeat if I had outside space for a summer run etc (very central London here).
Your dcs might be at an age where they would enjoy a pet a little more active /interactive? A cat maybe? They are of an age that you are likely to end up looking after it/them when they leave for uni or to move away so think about that too.

Mine never smelled !

@meggymoo777 hooray for pigs! I got ours as the kids bday presents and I know what you mean about gifting living things. However the look on their faces they were so excited and as for me- very overexcited! I still love them and cant wait to get them out for cuddles. The cage is behind my desk where I work from home and they are lovely company. The chirping is adorable.

The noises are sweet and very varied , there are loads of YouTube videos that tell you what they mean.

We played some guinea vocals and my GP5 went striding off round DD bed to find the interloper that had the damn cheek to gate crash the cosy trio.
We played Animal Crossing (on the DSi ) tune to GP1 and he purred , really loud and brisk and chattering . .It sounds like a sitar . GP1 must've thought he was a mongoose like Rikki-Tikki-Tavi .

When they get confident they will chastise you every time you eat a bag of crisps, open the fridge or chop something . All these are a Klaxon for Food Piggies: Food

Ah Hobbit your piggies are gorgeous , lovely glossy coats and bright eyes .
They look so cuddly

It really is the hay that smells but there's no way round it . I sometimes gave mine Hay Cookies when they were indoors , it kept the mess down . But often, it was a case of
"Stuff it , what they want is a big cardboard box full of hay . So a big cardboard box full of hay is want they shall have "........ If it makes them happy you are half way there !

So... my little family of 2 just doubled in size... introducing Bubble and Squeak! ❤️ So insanely in love with them already, can't wait for my son to meet them 🥰

I have owned two guinea pigs in the past. I have had them since they were a very young age and they lived for around 5-7 years. Sadly they recently passed away form old age. They are perfect pets for teenagers. You need to feed them once or twice a day,Clean out their cage once a week or if they are living outside in a hutch 1 every 2 weeks. If you are leaving your guinea pigs in an outside hi hi in the winter time make sure it has some sort of insulation so they don't get cold! Guinea pigs are very loving animal who love affection and praise! You do need to pay them a large amount of attention so they feel loved! Hope this can help you out.