New Daily Telegraph vet- I'm shocked!

I was reading my Daily Telegraph this morning and I always read the pet advice column. They have just got a new vet and this was the advice he gave:

"Q: Is it dangerous to allow rabbits to mix with guinea pigs? I read somewhere that they can give each other a disease, but I know some people who say this isn't true. I used to have three guinea pigs, but over the years two have died and I only have one, called Took, left.

I also have a friendly big rabbit called Snuggles. It seems a shame to have two animals in small runs in the garden and I would like to put them together in one bigger run. What do you think?

A: In theory, guinea pigs can carry the bacterium Pasteurella, which can cause illness in rabbits. For this reason, to be ultra-careful, the two species should not be mixed. On the other hand, both species are social creatures who love company and there are benefits to be gained from giving pets a healthy social life.

As long as you are aware of the small risk of a problem, and as long as Took is in excellent health himself, go ahead and try introducing them to each other.

I know many guinea pigs and rabbits who have become inseparable companions and I have only rarely seen disease complications as a result."

I was really surprised, even P@H now house guinea pigs and rabbits separately. Maybe I'm just being a bit OTT.

They used to have Celia Haddon doing the column and she was excellent and I think really raised the profile of rabbits as complicated but intelligent pets, that deserve better.

well to be fait to the vet i think he does highlight that probs ould occour and at least owner is trying to give bunny more room and a playfriend so on the right tracs eh?! i was under the impression that sometimes(tho not advisable) buns and guineas ould live ok together? am i being ignorant? (never had bun/guinea always bun bun combis)

That's awful advice :shock: Big adult rabbit plus adult guinea pig = dead guinea pig Fair enough they will accept each other when babies but that doesn't mean they should live together. And rabbits don't catch pasteurella from piggies - rabbits CARRY a bacterium that can kill guinea pigs (forget it's name now :roll: )

ALL that advice is wrong wrong wrong :shock:

sorry dont know much about it never having had guineas(more because thought buns would talk rabbit not guinea and so not enjoy the company as much)... you know like sticking us in foreign country with no language) sorry if sounded stupid! in that case could you write in and say about this? sounds like the vets not the expert he meant to be! education is needed. well done for pointing out his mistakes as i said would not have tried rab/guinea myself for other reasons but definatly glad i never did now!

ps i didnt mean the guinea/rab combi advice was right i meant that the lady asking q. was right to want to give her bunny a friend of some sort and to give her bunny more room!!!!! just realised you thought i was agreed the guniea and rab should be together!!! i think rabs should be with rabs! just to clarify! xx(meant dint know much bout rab transfer of guinea disease or how compatible they were)

Do you not think it's a matter of assessing the situation. My rabbit used to be housed with a piggie (before he came to live here) and he loved it. My mum even suggested we get one for Buster but I am not gonna risk it. Not all rabbits kill little piggies and some vets feel it's okay (not usually rabbit specialists). It's a tough one as we have a parrot, 2 cats, 3 dogs and Buster and they all run around together no aggression at all. So maybe it involves a careful process of bonding?

It is apalling that he doesn't even mention the risk of the rabbit killing the guinea pig!

Kylie541 said:

Do you not think it's a matter of assessing the situation. My rabbit used to be housed with a piggie (before he came to live here) and he loved it. My mum even suggested we get one for Buster but I am not gonna risk it. Not all rabbits kill little piggies and some vets feel it's okay (not usually rabbit specialists). It's a tough one as we have a parrot, 2 cats, 3 dogs and Buster and they all run around together no aggression at all. So maybe it involves a careful process of bonding?

Click to expand...

I agree that not all rabbits kill guinea pigs but I do think that this vet should have raised that potential guinea pig death was more likely to be a problem then illness.

All it takes is an accidental kick from a bunny doing a binky to cause broken ribs in a guinea pig......is that worth the risk? NO!

Besides, rabbits tend to be bullies, and I'd hate to be a guinea pig in with a rabbit, which I assume is not neutered, the male rabbit will probably hump him. Two intact Male rabbits fight, so I don't think theres much hope for a happy guinea pig.

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY do people still insist on housing rabbits and guinea pigs together! Its madness. They may both be socialable creatures but they are not even similar. To say putting them together gives the animals company is ridiculous. Neither animal can understand the body language of the other so there really is no point! If anyone is unsure go and watch 2 rabbits interact and then watch 2 pigs interact. A lone pig in particular is an unhappy pig. They are so nervy alone.
I currently trying to persuade a friend to get a baby male pig for her male youngster. I've argued that another pig would not be costly, take up space (as she has a spare hutch sat there!?! ) or be like the liability of another rabbit but she says the animals like each other and the rabbit BINKYS over the guinea pig!?! The guinea pig also has a nice hidey hole he can escape from the rabbit too. Funny how the animals are such good friends that when we visited the guinea pig was nowhere to be seen. :evil: :evil: :evil:

Lone piggy



Lone bunny



They look happy to me :shock: