[WendyAnne]

Yes, it is definitely best to keep a pair (usually females, if you don't want babies) of guinea pigs, as they are social ('herd') animals and fare much better that way. There is a good guide as to cage size on the guinea pig cages or guinea pig zone websites. C&C cages are the way to go, and they are not extremely expensive. You can be very creative with them, too. I used to have my first two piggies in a 2-story C&C cage (4 grids x 2 grids on the first level, with 2 2x1 lofts connected by a catwalk). As far as cage cleaning, I have to say that there's more cleaning involved than in hamster care (probably because piggies are bigger than hammies, and the cages are larger). It's also a bit more expensive. I used Piggy Bedspreads in my cages (pre-made fleece liners), but you can make your own fleece liners or use a litter/bedding like Carefresh. The liners are more costly initially, but the Carefresh/litter bedding turns out to be more costly in the long run. I really did love piggy ownership, but it was more work for me than hamster ownership. I poop-scooped (a lot!) and changed cuddle cups/tunnels/sacks/etc. daily, and I cleaned the cage (a pretty involved/long process) at least once a week. Please feel free to message me or post any more questions you have. Also, Wheekers is a great site for guinea pig owners. Good luck, and I'm sorry about your little Petunia.