Guineapigs?

[bbbarker]

Hi everyone, I am writing to ask for a bit of information about Guineapigs. My local rescue which I adopt hamsters from has recently rescued quite a few Guineapigs and was really interested in looking into adopting a couple. Of course before I do so I'm wanting some information about them. I did have quite a few as child but that was many years back and the difference now is that I would like to keep them indoor instead of outdoor.

So my first main question is can I keep them in my bedroom? I have a dog so I would need to keep them in my bedroom where the hamsters are.

If I can keep them in my bedroom will they be very noisy at night? I work 2 jobs and go to college so sleep is important.

What is their diet?

How often would I need to clean their cage?

What indoor cage would be suitable?

Any extra information would be greatly appreciated thank you

[Jenibelle]

Hi! I had six before I had to unfortunately rehome they due to college. They require a lot of time so no one in my family was willing to care for them for me while I was away I've also been an ADM a Guinea pig group, and I volunteer with the Guinea pigs at a local rescue.

1) always get 2. They're extremely social herd animals, and do better with a companion. In some countries it's even illegal to only own one. All the human love and affection can not amount to the companionship of one of their own.

2) they need a LOT of space. 8 sq. ft is the bare minimum, but that's honestly very tiny. The only commercial size cage that I know of that meets those standards (at least in the U.S), is the Midwest. The plus about this cage is that you can connect multiple together to make it larger. I suggest making a C&C cage though. You can buy these cages from guineapigcages.com or find them on eBay, but alternatively you can make them yourself! Bigger is always better with guinea pigs.

3) wheels and balls are dangerous for Guinea pigs, their spines are very fragile, and there have been many cases of piggies dying in them.

4) their dietary needs differ depending on age.
No matter their age, they need a constant supply of a long strand grass hay (Timothy, orchard, meadow...), 24/7. This is essential. Do not run out. Their digestive systems can shut down very quickly without access to hay.

All pigs need 1 cup of pig safe vegetables every day. That is a lot of salads, so make sure your budget is ready for that! Seeing as you should have at least 2, that is 14 cups of veggies minimum every week. The vegetables need to be high in vitamin C because they can't produce this vitamin themselves. They should get vitamin C from their salads, don't try the water drops because they're not effective.

They need a high quality, plain pellet food. No mixes. Just plain pellets. The mixes are junk... Seeds are a choking hazard, the mixes have way too much sugar and food coloring and they're just junk.

Guinea pigs UNDER 6 month need extra calcium. You can do this by supplementing alfalfa hay with their long strand grass hay (1/3 alfalfa to 2/3 LSGH), feeding them an alfalfa based pellet, or feeding vegetables high in calcium. Only do one of the 3.

Calcium for pigs ABOVE 6 month of age should be fed in low amounts, because it can cause bladder stones.

Sugar should be kept low or they can have tummy troubles or become diabetic.

5) They're prey animals and extremely good at hiding symptoms of illness and pain, so when you notice something get them to an exotic bet ASAP!

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Yes, they can be kept in the bedroom. The will take naps during the day, but they're mostly awake on the day and sleep at night.

The bigger the cage = the less often you need to clean. Bigger is always better. At one point I had two girls in a 16sq.ft cage and did a full clean once a month! Spot cleaning is needed every day because they can't be litter trained like hamsters. They will poop everywhere. They do tend to go most where they eat though, so you can get a "kitchen area" to help keep things tidy.

[flowerfairy]

When I had guinea pigs I kept them in my bedroom. I loved their little noises esp drinking from their water bowl (heavy ceramic dog bowl). They made lots of little whistles and squeaks too it was wonderful.

They look ever so sweet lounging around in tiny fleecy beds too!

[WinnieTheHam]

Jenibelle has given great advice. You can also use fleece blankets as their 'substrate', I've heard it's much more manageable and easily cleaned in the washing machine, and you won't have to keep buying loads. Though you will need quite a few blankets so you have a fresh one spare when the others are ready for a wash. They will need to be spot cleaned quite often, they make a mess quite quickly because they eat all the time.

They need a lot of mental stimulation, I've found piggies get very lazy when they have nothing to do. Food is a good thing to use, because you can stuff it in toilet roll tubes and plastic balls, they will have a fun time having a go at them trying to get the hay out.

They will also need their nails clipping because they're indoor piggies. It's quite easy though you have to be careful not to cut the quick in the nail, this is where blood is flown and if you cut it they can bleed out quite a lot - Hamsters have the same thing but it's 100x more difficult to cut hamster nails than it is Guinea pigs! Piggies usually allow you to clip their nails, and just sit on your lap.

In the summer they will benefit from having a run outside on the grass so they can have a fresh munch, also to allow them to absorb vitamin D from the sun, as all living things need it. Make sure they have a shaded area though

I absolutely love Guinea pigs and it's so lovely to hear them squeak when they're happy to see you and food! They also 'popcorn' when they're super happy, It's so cute to see.

[Munchalot]

Jenibelle and Winnie have basically got it all there! Great advice.

Do you know whether you would like to keep boys or girls? Both make lovely pets, and it's really a matter of preference.
Although they are highly sociable animals they can have their squabbles, so getting a pair that have bonded from a young age (e.g. siblings) is best, although adults can be paired to babies if done properly.
Girls tend to get on together a bit better than boys, but boys can still live together very happily. You have to bare in mind that boys can be more territorial, though all Guinea pigs pairs/groups have their own social hierarchies. You will often see them reminding eachother who is in charge, especially if you have boys, by making low rumbling noises and waddling on the spot/swinging their butts from side to side. They will also put their noses in the air, in a dispute over who can raise their heads the highest.
This is all just a part of their communication and they will do it daily, to reinforce their bond, but do be on the look out for squabbles. If you hear them chattering their teeth, that's the sound of an angry piggie.

Boys also tend to be a bit smellier, though all pigs can be pretty stinky if you don't keep on top of spot cleaning, and you have to keep their bottoms clean (because of the way their internal 'plumbing' is made, boys can get impactions if the aren't kept clean).


In the UK, some food brands I would recommend would be the Science Selective Guinea Pig pellet, or the Burgess Excel Guinea Pig. Both good brands.
You have to bare in mind that, like with rabbits, any pellet or food mix is only meant to complement the diet. Fresh, clean hay is the bulk of their diet, and it's good to give them a variety of good hays and some dried herbage to supplement. Don't bother with the prepacked hay you can get in the supermarket, it's usually dusty, old and of poor quality. Good hay is relatively free of dust, still green, and has a clean sweet smell. As Jenibelle said, fresh veg is also a necessity.

Here's a great source for safe fruit/veg/herbs: What Can I Feed My Guinea Pig - The Guinea Pig Safe Food List | The Guinea Pig Blog - Happy Cavy
Scroll down and you'll find a long list of plants with recommendations for how often to feed them.
Green leafy veg is great for pigs, because it's packed full of vitamins and minerals, but they are gassy and can cause bloat in your piggies when fed in excess.

The C&C cages are fantastic, as already mentioned. Would highly recommend them!
However, if constructing your own cage isn't for you, littlepetwarehouse (<-- clicky!) have some good sized cages. For a pair you want one at least 120 - 140cm long, minimum, though you will still need to let them out daily for cuddles and exercise. There is a good 160cm long one there. If you can set up a pen attached to the cage your pigs will greatly appreciate it, though if you do, I'd recommend putting something absorbent down on the floor. Guineas pee and poop A LOT, and they do it everywhere! Lol.
Just like hammies, the more space you can give them, the happier your piggies will be.

Guineas make lovely pets and it's so nice to watch them going about their piggy business, socialising and investigating. They're very talkative animals and if you keep them in your room you'll be hearing all sorts of sounds, but the best noise is the loud and excited 'WHEEK!' when they hear a rustling food bag!

[bbbarker]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone, I have decided to adopt 2 lovely guinea pigs from the rescue I adopt Hamsters from. The rescue are bringing the little guys tonight!
Meet Timothy and Larry!

[flowerfairy]

Congratulations on your new additions. They look lovely. Larry looks like my childhood guinea pig Tommy who was very very tame and loving.

What set up do you have for them?

[bbbarker]

A 120cm cage for now, in the future I'm hoping to get a C&C cage I'm not too worried about them being in a pet store cage because they will be out of it the majority of the day since I only work mornings during week days.
The rescue have said they are lovely gentle boys, I'm so excited to meet them

[flowerfairy]

That sounds good. When I had piggies they seemed to spend most of the time relaxing in their fleecy beds and tunnels! They had a large plastic cage with wire top.

[Jenibelle]

They are so handsome!

Are they already a bonded pair / how big is their enclosure at the rescue?
120cm is very small, and I know you say they'll be out of the majority of the day, but small enclosures (especially for boars) is the #1 reasons for fall outs. The recommended size for boars is a 2x5 C&C cage, which is equivalent to 178cm long x 71cm wide.... But some, especially males, need even more space to keep the peace!

If they're not a bonded pair let me know and I'll post the introduction process for you!