Guinea pigs

[discoo]

Ok so my 2 DDs have became obsessed with guinea pigs after visiting a friends house who has some and now were considering getting a pair.

I've obviously researched online but I'd love to hear from people who have actually owned/own them for a first hand perspective.

What do you feed them day to day, what is it like honestly owning them? Do the make good pets?

Any tips or advice? Thank you!

Ah they are lovely. Very sweet pets for primary aged kids, and younger.
We gave ours all our green veg scraps and a dish of kibbles every day.
We got some when dd was 3 , and her daily job was checking their water bottle was full. Then she advanced to filling it and re attaching it. She helped to clean them out and could do this independently by about 7.

They got a lot of stroking and cuddles so were quite mellow.
We never brought them in in the winter, just made sure they had enough hay To burrow deep . They eat their hay as well as use it as bedding , so if it’s going to be frosty they need a top up.
In the summer they had a run on the lawn, and the kids made obstacle courses for the guineas to meander through.
Happy days!
You have to have a willing neighbour to feed them when you are away, and somewhere to store a hay bale. Actually you can get bags of hay in supermarkets, but it’s not a cheap way to buy it.
Good for teaching care, responsibility and hand washing

We have 3 and they are gentle pets. They aren't as interactive as dogs and cats, but aren't as much work as a dog. Ours are inside and I think that helps us remember them. I do wish we'd got boys as I think they are a bit friendlier, but ours were sort of rescues, so maybe that's why they are quite timid.

They are sweeties, but my goodness they produce so much wee and poo! I have 3 girls and they need a constant supply of fresh hay, veg once daily and high quality guinea pig nuggets. They need as much space as possible and protection from the cold and heat. The Little Adventures guinea pig videos on You Tube are excellent.

We have two boys and they are lovely, but they are very loud. We are used to pet rats and guinea pigs do squeak a lot, usually when I walk past with lettuce for them.

Check what veg and fruit is safe for them, things like green beans, spring onions are bad for them. Also useful to get them used to having their nails clipped as they grow quickly.

Lovely pets though, ours are great.

I recently got 2 baby girls for my 10yr old DS... and I've honestly fallen so madly in love them it's crazy! 🥰 Have a look for my thread pre Xmas this past year when I had been considering getting them and the great advice the MNers gave!

They are completely adorable pets, currently housed in a big cage indoors but hoping they'll enjoy being outdoors in the day time when the weather improves.

We take them out every evening and they have a run about the living room and then loads of snuggles on the sofa. (Both me and DS have conked on the sofa at various times with them because they are just the cuddliest creatures.)

I use shavings as bedding, they poo and pee soooo much for such little cuties! Require spot cleaning through the week and full clean and disinfecting once a week. Our girls keep themselves exceptionally clean though and the only smell from them is the shavings and hay... which thankfully I quite like.

Constant hay, water and high quality pellets and then a mix of fresh veggies each evening - kale, romaine lettuce, peppers etc. Love getting them little treats every week - blueberries, watermelon, herby hay mix! Apparently they are completely spoilt 🤷‍♀️🙄

Their nails need clipping and a good eye kept on their feet, eyes, ears and coat and regular check ups with the VET.

Cant recommend them as a pet more and I'm so glad I took the plunge and added them to the family! Go for it! 🙌🏻

Pictures definitely expected if you decide to

You must get them. We've been hand tearing these two since they were ten days old, they are gorgeous and so tame and sociable.

We have 3 girls. I must admit that I thought they would be a bit boring but they have such big personalities.

Mine eat lots of hay. They also have pellets every day and a selection of vegetables. Their favourites are green leafy vegetables and green peppers but parsley seems to be their version of crack cocaine. o

If I had to give advice it would be to be patient.Ours seemed to spend an eternity hiding away from us but will now come running and squeaking as soon as they catch a whiff of green veg. The bravest two will even feed out of my hands.

Ours start squeaking for us each time they hear us come home, they've got used to me shopping daily for their veg.