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Guinea pig experts - I need you!

bridget

Alpha Buck
Right. Brian has seen a piggy at P&H - yes, I hate that place too. This one is in the adoption centre.

I just need to know what sort of care is involved. Can they live outside or best indoors? If we got him we would get him a chum. Can 2 boys get along? I have heard too much heartbreak with regard to neuturing - I know its for the best but so many small animals die under anaesthetic... it makes me so worried.

Do any of the rabbit rescues have piggies?

Or maybe I should just forget about him/her - not even got a sign up about him/her... I just can't bear the thought of it going to another home and being an unwanted pet! :evil:
 
They can live outside but in the winter their hutch must either be put in a shed (or similar) or they can be brought indoors, best be consistent as they are more sensitive to cold than bunnies. Males can be kept together but will be more accepting if you choose a baby male and introduce him. It is very common to get male piggies neutered and then you can have a male/female pair or even male/lots of females group. It is nice for them to have a run on the grass when the weather is nice and they won't dig so you don't have to watch them quite as carefully for escapes.

Lots of rescues do have piggies so it would be worth asking. If you are looking for a female I would suggest getting him castrated sooner rather than later as it is less common for female piggies to be spayed (they don't react well to the combination of GA and the major op) so he would need a few weeks on his own so he is not fertile anymore. I rescue would insist you do this first as with buns.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. :wave:
 
It's hard when you see one and can't stop thinking about them... I know how you feel - I hate pet shops completely.. but then you think how better off the animal will be living with you!

Care wise they are similar to bunnies.. they can live either indoors or out.

Neutering wise - female guineapigs are not usually spayed as it's such a traumatic op for a small animal. But males can be neutered. Our Boar (male) George is neutered and he lives with a sow (female) who is not neutered. Two boys can get on, usually an older boar and a young boar.. but need a lot of space and several hidey holes, food bowls, water bottles etc so as they do not need to be territorial.

I know Honeybunnies have guinea piggles for adoption if this helps..

Usually the PAH only put the sign up when they are ready for adoption/sale if there is no sign ask them - but it's usually cos they are in "quarantine" type holding for a couple of days after arriving..

I don't think you should forget about him, no.. piggles are lovely creatures with just as much personality as bunnies.. and they even have their own version of a binky.. some call pop corning! They do get vocal at feeding time - singing and squeaking for their supper :lol:
 
Sorry forgot some important points.. like feeding etc!

Foodwise ours have science selective guinea pig.. and veggies for supper.. lots of hay and a water bottle. Usually bottle with a longer spout work better for piggies.

Accomodation wise woodshavings irritate piggles respiratory systems so newspaper topped with hay, or megazorb/carefresh is ideal for them. Soft straw is also great especially in winter time. Ours have vet bed/fleece blankets to lie on especially in winter.

A small shed/play house or a hutch (or a large indoor cage) are all good housing. Not sure on min. size as our have the wendy house loft area and previously had a custom made level in the summerhouse. Originally we had a Sage House PAH 2 storey hutch. With the Hutch Snuggle and layers of blankets on for winter.

We don't bring ours in for winter etc but we do over bonfire (fort)night.

Our patio position is protected from the elements in winter as it's sunken to the rest of the garden. The piggies loft is well insulated and will ahve extra insulation added coming upto winter. They have heat pads for the cold weather (snuggle safe) and freezer blocks / frozen water in pop bottles in the summer with battery operated fans. I guess it all depends on where you are - whereabouts in your garden/house they are going to live etc.

Ours love to run on the patio and play in the lavendar bush! Like buns they need their exercise.

Not sure if I'm going into too much detail here.. depends on the extent you want to know I guess.. :D:wave:
 
Right. Brian has seen a piggy at P&H - yes, I hate that place too. This one is in the adoption centre.

I just need to know what sort of care is involved. Can they live outside or best indoors? If we got him we would get him a chum. Can 2 boys get along? I have heard too much heartbreak with regard to neuturing - I know its for the best but so many small animals die under anaesthetic... it makes me so worried.

Do any of the rabbit rescues have piggies?

Or maybe I should just forget about him/her - not even got a sign up about him/her... I just can't bear the thought of it going to another home and being an unwanted pet! :evil:

Hi there bridget we've got 2 female piggies indoors and there fine together 'as said already jill at
HONEYBUNNY where we had our bunnies from also rescue piggies its in liecester .
 
my guineas live in a shed, it was for one of the buns it is a 6ft 3 hutch and they have a huge covered run for the lawn, guineas are wonderful pets, they can`t make their own vit c, so have to have a plentiful supply. my piggies seem less stroppy than my buns.:wave:;)
 
I know the shelter I volunteer at says a minimum hutch size for 2 piggies is 4ft x 2ft and a run size minimum of 6ft x 4ft. If you want more than a pair or trio then definitely go bigger. Basically of you can afford something larger go for it just like buns the more space you can offer the better it will be for them. Free ranging is also a good idea if you have a secure garden but you can't leave them alone while you pop inside for something as cats and birds of prey can kill them easily.
 
Yep we have piggies for adoption.
and I would usually recommend having a boar neutered by a good vet and then getting him a sow or sows for company,,introducing adult boars is not always successful

and worrying about him going to another home is a bit un necessary as he is in the adoption centre so people looking may be just as caring as yourself:D
 
I know it is hard to walk away but that's the best thing to do I am afraid. There was a guinea pig the other day in Pets at Home that was being bullied by the others and I so wanted it. I think it would be a lot easier to get them from a rescue and it would free up space for more unwanted piggies. My local rescue neuters their males to so you could get an existing bonded pair or group.
 
I have successfully bonded non related boars on two occassions, but always older to younger - that way when the baby gets hormonal the older boar tends not to compete so much.

However whilst my first bonding was very cosy and loved up the second do not fight but aren't buddy buddy and I think next time I would consider a sow or sows.

A good vet should be able to neuter without too much risk. With Males its not as invasive.

Mine live outdoors all year. I just double bedding in winter and use loft insulation around the hutch. It is draughs and damp that causes piggies more problem than the cold itself so as long as you keep the hutch in a sheltered spot and well weatherproofed he would be fine. Of course they also make great indoor pets.

The main thing you prob need to know is that they need a good pellet and plenty of veg to maintain their vit c level. They are unable to naturally produce this as are we so it must be obtained from the diet.

Some sites are:

http://www.cavyspirit.com/care.htm

http://www.guinealynx.info/

http://www.guineapigcages.com/
 
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