A Guinea Pig is for life, not just for Christmas

Obsidian_WInter

Obsidian_WInter

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Hi everyone, I'm new and have questions!

My husband loves Guinea Pigs and had several while he was growing up. I'm considering getting him a pair for Christmas and I want to be sure that if I do then we will be able to care for them properly (before I surprise him)

I had a rabbit when I was young but I don't know much about Guinea Pigs so I have a few questions.

1) do they need a vet trained in exotic animals, like rabbits do, or will a normal vet be sufficient?
2) how much space so they need in their outdoor run in order to be happy and healthy?
3) do they need to come inside in the winter? if so, how big does their indoor cage need to be?
4) what kind of enrichment toys do they need?
5) which books do you recommend as carers manuals?
6) what should I look for when meeting them to adopt? (of course rescue centres will be my first port of call)

Thanks in advance!
 
1) Not necessarily, but it can be a massive help. I never used an exotic vet and I got lucky in that I never needed to seek one out, but our vet locator has a list of vets that have been forum approved as guinea pig vets: Vet Locator

3) Guinea pigs can stay outside over winter but they need to be well shielded from the cold, they don't deal with low temperatures well at all. If they're indoor guineas they can't go outside in a run in the cold weather because the temperature fluctuations can cause them to become ill. Our indoor cage size guide is here: Cage Size Guide

4) You can make your own toys. A paper bag (handles removed) and filled with hay is an option, also empty toilet roll tubes filled with hay. They love the simple things in life lol.

6) Our rescue locator is here: Rescue Locator . You can find many of them on Facebook, and many will have their own sites telling you what they'll want from you as an adopter. All the rescues we link to are again forum vetted, so we none of them are breeders posing as a "rescue", we know their policies are all for the benefit of the adoptee pigs, and we know they won't adopt any animal that hasn't been 100% passed as fit to adopt, they've had a mandatory pregnancy watch if they're a sow so no chance of surprise babies, and they've been bonded properly before they leave the rescue.

I haven't answered 2 & 5 because I don't actually know and somebody else could give you better advice than I. And welcome to the forum!
 
Thank you! I'll take a look at the links you have provided and get researching on indoor cages (it gets pretty cold here and I don't want to risk leaving them out in the winter given what you have said)
 
Guinea Pig Care & Information Guides

Take a look at these guides too, they contain some great info for new and returning owners. Also if you're a smoker (and I mention this only because I am one, so I know it's something I can run into) most if not all rescues won't adopt to a home with indoor smokers. I have to smoke outside for that reason.
 
1) I would recommend you get an exotic vet. The list is a fab place to start. I would strongly suggest you start up a vet fund as it can get expensive when they fall ill. There is insurance (one company) if you choose to go down that route. However there are limitations as with all insurer
2) A pair of boars needs minimum 150x60cm but we recommend 180x60cm. A pair of sows need minimum 120x60cm but we recommend you go bigger. If you get them around Christmas you won’t be able to house them outside. They don’t do well with large temperature changes.
3) As with 2, if they’ve been inside you won’t be able to put them outside if you get them round Christmas.
4) As above.
5) I don’t know any books and don’t know that many on here do. There are a lot of useful guides on here which I’ve linked below for ‘beginner’ owners.

It’s good you’re doing your research beforehand. Some just dive in and then are baffled by the fact that they’re not ‘cheapen or easy pets to have.

New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information
 
Obsidian_WInter said:
Hi everyone, I'm new and have questions!

My husband loves Guinea Pigs and had several while he was growing up. I'm considering getting him a pair for Christmas and I want to be sure that if I do then we will be able to care for them properly (before I surprise him)

I had a rabbit when I was young but I don't know much about Guinea Pigs so I have a few questions.

1) do they need a vet trained in exotic animals, like rabbits do, or will a normal vet be sufficient?
2) how much space so they need in their outdoor run in order to be happy and healthy?
3) do they need to come inside in the winter? if so, how big does their indoor cage need to be?
4) what kind of enrichment toys do they need?
5) which books do you recommend as carers manuals?
6) what should I look for when meeting them to adopt? (of course rescue centres will be my first port of call)

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!

We have got one of the best information collections to be found anywhere on this forum. Unlike a book, we can update and extend our guides at need.
You may find these guides here very helpful as they should answer most of your questions. The guides include housing, safe and unsafe enrichment, diet, care and extreme weather protections (guinea pigs need to be treated like tender plants); understanding behaviour and making friends with them (including a little course in 'piggy whispering'), learning what is normal and not, life-long health monitoring, how to spot illness early on, vet and emergency home care information, and links to our recommended and carefully vetted good welfare standard guinea pig rescues as well as recommended vets. The guides have been specifically for owners without experience. We have made them as practical and precise as the matter allows.
Here are the links to our information collections. You may want to bookmark the second link as it really makes a very helpful and also very interesting resource to browse, read and re-read at need. The experiences of nearly 15 years on a lively forum with a number of experienced long term owners and rescue fosterers have all gone into it.
Are Guinea Pigs For Me? - Wannabe Owners' Helpful Information
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Please consider keeping your piggies as indoor piggies all year round; they are a lot safer and you will get much more interaction with them. We have had so many owners whose piggies have never moved out again after the first winter... :)
The new C&C grid cages are much more flexible to adapt to individual space needs than traditional cages. You can find links to our members C&C cage gallery at top of our housing section. There is also a much wider choice of beddings available.
Don't go for pet shop toys; the best ones are brown cardboard boxes, paper bags or toilet roll inners with that you can serve their dinner or some soft hay in - turning feeding time into enrichment time also means that you are less tempted to overdo unhealthy treats.

The best rescues within your reach are Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley and Cavy Corner in Doncaster (Cavy Corner events - sadly none this year - are generally also an informal meet-up of our more Northern forum members for a good old old piggy chin wag).
Allow the rescue to recommend a bonded pair to you rather than going by looks; the greatest personalities are very often the less showy ones - but it is the personality that untimately carries the bond between you and your guina pigs. You want a pair that is suitable for new owners and ideally already used to a home and human interaction for an easier start. Don't be fussed about rehoming adults; they are advantages to that.

Guinea pig keeping has moved on a lot in the last decade if you are aiming for a good welfare standard. All our information on this forum is in keeping with or, more often than not, surpassing minimal welfare recommendations. You are of course always welcome to ask any questions you may have in our Care sections or if you and husband wish, join our friendly and lively community to chat about your piggies in the various Chat sections.

It is great that you are planning ahead and are doing your research. Please be aware that rescues are closed in the weeks over Christmas and the holiday to avoid impulse adoptions since a lot of their intakes are the result of not throught through impulse buys, so your 'Christmas surprise' cannot happen on the day itself - but I don't think that that really matters over the excitement and anticipation of getting pets. Perhaps instead of surprising your hub, you may want to involve him as the run up and all the discussions about homing, bedding etc. are actually rather part of the fun.

I hope that this helps you?
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

We have got one of the best information collections to be found anywhere on this forum. Unlike a book, we can update and extend our guides at need.
You may find these guides here very helpful as they should answer most of your questions. The guides include housing, safe and unsafe enrichment, diet, care and extreme weather protections (guinea pigs need to be treated like tender plants); understanding behaviour and making friends with them (including a little course in 'piggy whispering'), learning what is normal and not, life-long health monitoring, how to spot illness early on, vet care information, and links to our recommended and carefully vetted good welfare standard guinea pig rescues as well as recommended vets. The guides have been specifically for owners without experience. We have made them as practical and precise as the matter allows.
Here are the links to our information collections. You may want to bookmark the second link as it really makes a very helpful and also very interesting resource to browse, read and re-read at need. The experiences of nearly 15 years on a lively forum with a number of experienced long term owners and rescue fosterers have all gone into it.
Are Guinea Pigs For Me? - Wannabe Owners' Helpful Information
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Please consider keep your piggies as indoor piggies all year round; they are a lot safer and you will get much more interaction with them. We have had so many owners whose piggies have never moved out again after the first winter...
The new C&C grid cages are much more flexible to adapt to individual space needs than traditional cages. You can find links to our members C&C cage gallery at top of our housing section. There is also a much wider choice of beddings available.
Don't go for pet shop toys; the best ones are brown cardboard boxes, paper bags or toilet roll inners with that you can serve their dinner or some soft hay in.

The best rescues within your reach are Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley and Cavy Corner in Doncaster. Allow them to recommend a bonded pair to you rather than going by looks; the greatest personalities are very often not the showiest piggies - but it is ultimately the personality that will carry the bond. You also want a pair that is suitable for new owners.

Guinea pig keeping has moved on a lot in the last decade if you are aiming for a good welfare standard. All our information on this forum is in keeping with or surpassing minimal welfare recommendations. You are of course always welcome to ask any questions you may have in our Care sections or if you and husband wish, join our friendly community to chat about your piggies in the various Chat sections.

It is great that you are planning ahead and are doing your research. Please be aware that rescues are closed in the weeks over Christmas and the holiday to avoid impulse adoptions since a lot of their intakes are the result of not throught through impulse buys, so your 'Christmas surprise' cannot happen on the day itself - but I don't think that that really matters over the excitement and anticipation of getting pets. Perhaps instead of surprising your hub, you may want to involve him as the run up and all the discussions about homing, bedding etc. are actually rather part of the fun.

I hope that this helps you?
Click to expand...

not to hijack the thread but lengthy, detailed responses full of care like this make me smile. You do go above and beyond @Wiebke :)
 
Thank you for the help everyone!

I've had a think and if we go ahead I'll get a large indoor cage for them (I found one which is 12 ft sq, so it passes the minimum requirements), then an outdoor run for the summer months during the day. While there are no vets on the list near us, I have found one near by which is worth investigating. There are a couple of your recommended sanctuaries close-ish to us though so I will try to use one of those. We are a non-smoking house so that shouldn't be an issue.

Boxes and toilet roll tubes are never in short supply in this house so that's good. I'll work on some ideas for toys for them and maybe get my 7 yo to help me with it.

Having probed a bit with my husband (who is always willing to tell me about his childhood piggies) it seems that his parents weren't very good owners (outdoors all year round, not registered with a vet at all, just left in the garden with no enrichment etc unless my husband was there) so I'm glad I asked here rather than just relying on how they did things.

I've set him up with some youtube videos to watch about them on the grounds that it will entertain our 18 month old (who loves animals but needs to be supervised with them, obviously) and there is lots of care information there to start him off. I'll get him to join this forum once we actually get the Guinea pigs.

Having thought about it, what I will do is get the equipment for him for Christmas, then take him to the sanctuary around his birthday in January so he can choose his bonded pair. He and our 7 yo can spend the time in between setting everything up and making some toys for them.
 
This is the cage I was thinking of. I would go for the largest option with the wire lid and the stand with a shelf. It will cost a bit more than a large outdoor hutch but it is perfect for our requirements from what I can see.
*Link removed by moderator*
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Obsidian_WInter said:
This is the cage I was thinking of. I would go for the largest option with the wire lid and the stand with a shelf. It will cost a bit more than a large outdoor hutch but it is perfect for our requirements from what I can see.
Click to expand...

That's not a link we can see.

also, while i can't see it, is that 12ft space all ground floor space? The way you mention wire lid and stand with a shelf, I have to ask - because it's the ground floor space that matters. Guinea pigs aren't climbers, and many will ignore a ramp even to a loft space.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
How far away are the vets from you? There’s holly house and another I saw to the right of Leeds. I would try and register with one of those if possible. Unless the one you found has vets that deal with small/exotic animals.

Sounds like a good plan. I would speak to the rescue first before you get the setup etc. Sometimes they have their own requirements in terms of housing.
 
Obsidian_WInter said:
This is the cage I was thinking of. I would go for the largest option with the wire lid and the stand with a shelf. It will cost a bit more than a large outdoor hutch but it is perfect for our requirements from what I can see.
*Link removed by moderator*
Click to expand...

I have removed the link as there was something very dodgy going on with it (it redirected to a site asking to enrol devices to view which collects user data - not an Amazon page). Please try again. You should be able to open the Amazon app (if you are using a mobile device) and hit the share button, there should be an option to copy link to clipboard and then you can paste here. Sorry to be a pain but I don't want anyones details being stolen for fraud purposes
 
Obsidian_WInter said:
Thank you for the help everyone!

I've had a think and if we go ahead I'll get a large indoor cage for them (I found one which is 12 ft sq, so it passes the minimum requirements), then an outdoor run for the summer months during the day. While there are no vets on the list near us, I have found one near by which is worth investigating. There are a couple of your recommended sanctuaries close-ish to us though so I will try to use one of those. We are a non-smoking house so that shouldn't be an issue.

Boxes and toilet roll tubes are never in short supply in this house so that's good. I'll work on some ideas for toys for them and maybe get my 7 yo to help me with it.

Having probed a bit with my husband (who is always willing to tell me about his childhood piggies) it seems that his parents weren't very good owners (outdoors all year round, not registered with a vet at all, just left in the garden with no enrichment etc unless my husband was there) so I'm glad I asked here rather than just relying on how they did things.

I've set him up with some youtube videos to watch about them on the grounds that it will entertain our 18 month old (who loves animals but needs to be supervised with them, obviously) and there is lots of care information there to start him off. I'll get him to join this forum once we actually get the Guinea pigs.

Having thought about it, what I will do is get the equipment for him for Christmas, then take him to the sanctuary around his birthday in January so he can choose his bonded pair. He and our 7 yo can spend the time in between setting everything up and making some toys for them.
Click to expand...

Hi!

Adopting is not quite like shopping; you need to complete the adoption process first. But it is great that you are doing your research and that you are willing to do it right.

Have you had a look on zooplus for traditional cages? They generally have the cheapest 140 or 160 cm cages (the largest sizes you can get - guinea pigs are a ground roaming species that needs all the space you can give them.
The 160cm is currently on action for just £70 there: Ferplast Plaza 160 Small Pet Cage
 
Sancturies/rescues can be a wealth of knowledge and support - and can probably give advice about how the local vets are with guinea pigs :)
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

We have got one of the best information collections to be found anywhere on this forum. Unlike a book, we can update and extend our guides at need.
You may find these guides here very helpful as they should answer most of your questions. The guides include housing, safe and unsafe enrichment, diet, care and extreme weather protections (guinea pigs need to be treated like tender plants); understanding behaviour and making friends with them (including a little course in 'piggy whispering'), learning what is normal and not, life-long health monitoring, how to spot illness early on, vet and emergency home care information, and links to our recommended and carefully vetted good welfare standard guinea pig rescues as well as recommended vets. The guides have been specifically for owners without experience. We have made them as practical and precise as the matter allows.
Here are the links to our information collections. You may want to bookmark the second link as it really makes a very helpful and also very interesting resource to browse, read and re-read at need. The experiences of nearly 15 years on a lively forum with a number of experienced long term owners and rescue fosterers have all gone into it.
Are Guinea Pigs For Me? - Wannabe Owners' Helpful Information
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Please consider keeping your piggies as indoor piggies all year round; they are a lot safer and you will get much more interaction with them. We have had so many owners whose piggies have never moved out again after the first winter... :)
I have a Ferplast Plaza 160 cm and I can fully recommend it. It’s a good solid cage, ideal if you have young children and other pets😁
The new C&C grid cages are much more flexible to adapt to individual space needs than traditional cages. You can find links to our members C&C cage gallery at top of our housing section. There is also a much wider choice of beddings available.
Don't go for pet shop toys; the best ones are brown cardboard boxes, paper bags or toilet roll inners with that you can serve their dinner or some soft hay in - turning feeding time into enrichment time also means that you are less tempted to overdo unhealthy treats.

The best rescues within your reach are Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley and Cavy Corner in Doncaster (Cavy Corner events - sadly none this year - are generally also an informal meet-up of our more Northern forum members for a good old old piggy chin wag).
Allow the rescue to recommend a bonded pair to you rather than going by looks; the greatest personalities are very often the less showy ones - but it is the personality that untimately carries the bond between you and your guina pigs. You want a pair that is suitable for new owners and ideally already used to a home and human interaction for an easier start. Don't be fussed about rehoming adults; they are advantages to that.

Guinea pig keeping has moved on a lot in the last decade if you are aiming for a good welfare standard. All our information on this forum is in keeping with or, more often than not, surpassing minimal welfare recommendations. You are of course always welcome to ask any questions you may have in our Care sections or if you and husband wish, join our friendly and lively community to chat about your piggies in the various Chat sections.

It is great that you are planning ahead and are doing your research. Please be aware that rescues are closed in the weeks over Christmas and the holiday to avoid impulse adoptions since a lot of their intakes are the result of not throught through impulse buys, so your 'Christmas surprise' cannot happen on the day itself - but I don't think that that really matters over the excitement and anticipation of getting pets. Perhaps instead of surprising your hub, you may want to involve him as the run up and all the discussions about homing, bedding etc. are actually rather part of the fun.

I hope that this helps you?
Click to expand...
 
I have a Ferplast Plaza 160 cm cage and I can fully recommend it. It’s a good strong cage especially if you have small children and other pets 😁
 
I'm glad to see you're no longer planning to surprize him with piggy's. as good as it is that you're doing your research I never think it's a good idea to just give someone a live animal as a gift it's a much better idea to give him the equipment and permission to get them but give him time to plan and educate himself before you bring them home.
 
You should get a pair they are cute and not that hard to care for and you should always keep your guinea pig inside they don’t need to be vet trained they are easy animals I hope it helped you
 
Like dog need to be trained by a trainer guinea pig don’t need to be trained
 
Leos said:
You should get a pair they are cute and not that hard to care for and you should always keep your guinea pig inside they don’t need to be vet trained they are easy animals I hope it helped you
Click to expand...
You should NEVER have a single guinea pig, they are herd animals and need to communicate and live with their own kind. In Switzerland it is illegal to own only one guinea pig. Yes they are cute and whilst some are easy to care for (my first boar pair Lenny and Gizmo were lucky in that in 5 years of having them I only took Lenny to the vet once) the majority aren't. I had my current piggies outside for the first 3 years all year round as I didn't have room inside and while this is not ideal, sometimes it just has to be done as long as you can keep them warm enough in the winter (hard to do but manageable). Now my piggies are housed in a garage all year round I feel a lot happier that they are out of the cold and damp of winter.
 
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