Buying first cage. Advice?

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MIZ

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Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and I was thinking about getting a guinea pig for my new apartment. I was searching for cages but they are all so expensive!
I found this one

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Homes-for-Pets-171GH/dp/B001NJ0DPY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top[/ame]

Let me know what you think about it, and if it would be suitable for a pig. I had a guinea pig about 5 years ago that my mom got me as a present. It lived in a large aquarium and I still have the aquarium. He lived for three years before he stopped eating. I took him to the vet who said he could not do anything about it and he euthanized my pig. I was so upset that I have not adopted since. But about a week ago I went with my friend to buy some fish and a 7 month old black and brown guinea pig was also at the store. He may be the most friendly guinea pig I have ever seen! I would really like to adopt him but I am hesitant.

I do not know if the aquarium made him sick but I kept it very clean.

Also if anyone has any good care books that they could suggest that would be great too! I need to brush up on my pig knowledge before adopting again.

Thanks
 
MIZ said:
Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and I was thinking about getting a guinea pig for my new apartment. I was searching for cages but they are all so expensive!
I found this one

http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Homes-for-Pets-171GH/dp/B001NJ0DPY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Let me know what you think about it, and if it would be suitable for a pig. I had a guinea pig about 5 years ago that my mom got me as a present. It lived in a large aquarium and I still have the aquarium. He lived for three years before he stopped eating. I took him to the vet who said he could not do anything about it and he euthanized my pig. I was so upset that I have not adopted since. But about a week ago I went with my friend to buy some fish and a 7 month old black and brown guinea pig was also at the store. He may be the most friendly guinea pig I have ever seen! I would really like to adopt him but I am hesitant.

I do not know if the aquarium made him sick but I kept it very clean.

Also if anyone has any good care books that they could suggest that would be great too! I need to brush up on my pig knowledge before adopting again.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The more room the better, I'd suggest building a C&C cage for your guinea pig, as you can change the sizes, sort of customize it to you liking. They're more inexpensive and suitabe than commercial cages. Definitely a better investment of your money.
 
Hi and welcome MIZ to the forum :)
Piggies do prefer to be in a herd, so if you could manage to get two it would be better.
As for cage sizes i'll put a link on for you re recommended sizes. Sunnypig suggested C & C she's right they're not as expensive as the bought cages.
I'm sure you have other questions, but if you like to look at the top of each section you'll see some really helpful threads/stickies.
Would love to see pigtures when you do get your piggie/s :)

Glynis, Velvet and Onyx x

http://www.guineapigcages.com/
 
Midwest cage is a good alternative to C&C for one or two pigs. It's 2 x 4 ft. It's the only commercialized cage in the US that's big enough.

Please don't buy guinea pigs from a pet store, unless the store is working with a rescue center. Some stores do not actually sell them but house them for rescues. I would ask them if the guinea is for profit or not.

There are so many homeless guinea pigs in US. You can search for them on www.petfinder.com

Not sure where you are in US, but if you're near Southern California, they could really use your help.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-guinea-pigs-rescue,0,3687557.story

Here are some good resources for guinea pig care.
http://www.guinealynx.info/
http://www.guineapigcages.com/
http://www.cavyspirit.com/
 
I got a cage when I first got guinea pigs and I wish I knew about c and c cages. They are so much better. They are also easy to expand as you will end up getting more!
 
Two piggies are much happier than a lonesome one as they are herd animals. Much more fun to watch them interacting as well. ;)

Cage wise, go as big as you can! I think 4 foot by 2 foot is the minimum recommended for a pair of piggies, but def go larger if you at all can. This measurment relates to ground floor space, second stories or lofts aren't counted in. Piggies need room to zoom around doing their laps of their home.

I'd def recommend looking into making a C&C cage. We have one and find it much easier and accessible to use compared to the shop bought cage the piggies came to us in from their previous owner.

Have a look around for the nearest rescue to you for guinea pigs; so many of them are in need of caring homes and I really wouldn't encourage anyone to buy from a pet shop knowing the stress and conditions guinea pigs are put under for the sake of making a bit of money.

Book wise, anything by Peter Gurney or the Piglopedia are useful. You'll learn lots through forums like this, as well as others online to boot; such as guinealynx, jackiesguineapigs, Peter Gurney's website, guineapigcages.com

Good uck!
 
This is all great advice!

There are no guinea pigs on pet finder near me. The closest one is 200 miles away. I am going to wait until our local animal shelter opens then I am going to call and see if they have any for adoption. On their website, they just list dogs, cats, and horses that live at the shelter. So I doubt it but I will call just to be sure.

I live 4 hours from my parents and I just got a call from my mom that said she is on her way with the aquarium and a piece of furniture to lift it off the ground. I can not really tell her I don't want it anymore but I figure once I get things figured out I can buy the C and C cage or the midwest cage and use the aquarium for somewhere to put the pig when I am cleaning out his cage Both places take some time for shipping but I figure I can buy all the other stuff in the meantime. Until I can order a new cage I guess he will have to go in the aquarium. It is about 4 feet by 2 feet. So pretty large, it will do for now.

Any suggestions on bedding? I usually use pine shavings only but I would be willing to try other things.
 
Hi and welcome!

Please get two guinea pigs - they are not really wired to be single! You will also miss out on the lively vocal interaction that makes guinea pigs so unique.
http://www.guinealynx.info/companionship.html
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=37654

I would recommend using fleece with an underlay of cheap towels or - if you can seam - a cut to size watertight padded mattress cover. The second option is slightly more expensive, but really speeds up cage changing and cleaning and the bottom of the cage will stay completely dry. The disadvantage with fleece is that you either have to pick up the many poos by hand or with a little hand hoover once or twice daily.

You will need to prewash any fleece several times to get all the softener out that seals the fabric (available from the internet, as acrylic or polyester bed throws or baby blankets in supermarkets). Don't overfill the washing machine (the washing will come out REALLY stinking) and if necessary wash in a pillow or duvet cover to prevent hair clogging up the filter. Shake the fleece out well before washing and never use fabric softener.

Get a shallow plastic box with up 4 in sides for the hay/toilet corner, so you don't get all the mess on the fleece.

The problem with pet shop piggies is that many don't separate/sex them properly, so pregnancies in females are sadly a real problem; guinea pigs can start as early as 3 weeks (boys) and 4 weeks (girls). Boars go through a rough patch between 4-12 months old when they hit the big hormones and can end up with fall outs if they have not been bonded properly. Health problems are also not uncommon, due to the stress the animals are under.
Please always check your piggies' sex at home! http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

Best of luck! I know that it is not as easy to rehome from a shelter in the US as it is in Britain.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

Please get two guinea pigs - they are not really wired to be single! You will also miss out on the lively vocal interaction that makes guinea pigs so unique.
http://www.guinealynx.info/companionship.html
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=37654

I would recommend using fleece with an underlay of cheap towels or - if you can seam - a cut to size watertight padded mattress cover. The second option is slightly more expensive, but really speeds up cage changing and cleaning and the bottom of the cage will stay completely dry. The disadvantage with fleece is that you either have to pick up the many poos by hand or with a little hand hoover once or twice daily.

You will need to prewash any fleece several times to get all the softener out that seals the fabric (available from the internet, as acrylic or polyester bed throws or baby blankets in supermarkets). Don't overfill the washing machine (the washing will come out REALLY stinking) and if necessary wash in a pillow or duvet cover to prevent hair clogging up the filter. Shake the fleece out well before washing and never use fabric softener.

Get a shallow plastic box with up 4 in sides for the hay/toilet corner, so you don't get all the mess on the fleece.

The problem with pet shop piggies is that many don't separate/sex them properly, so pregnancies in females are sadly a real problem; guinea pigs can start as early as 3 weeks (boys) and 4 weeks (girls). Boars go through a rough patch between 4-12 months old when they hit the big hormones and can end up with fall outs if they have not been bonded properly. Health problems are also not uncommon, due to the stress the animals are under.
Please always check your piggies' sex at home! http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm

Best of luck! I know that it is not as easy to rehome from a shelter in the US as it is in Britain.
Click to expand...


I am just wondering but do they really use the shallow box for the bathroom? I did not think they could be trained like this. I actually have some old fleece blankets that I could use for the pig. So all it takes is towels and fleece? That sounds great! I will be able to clean his poo daily.

The shop that I was talking about is owned by a really nice lady from town. She really knows her stuff too. I feel like she is one of the few pet shop owners that is not in it for the money. She mostly does fish but there are other little pets that you can buy there. Unfortunately there was 2 guinea pigs in 2 separate cages, both male. I did not like the other pig... I don't think I would want to adopt him. I would like to adopt two but for now I only have found one pig that I would want.

But for sure I will call the animal shelter first before I buy.
 
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Do you have Bed Bath & Beyond or Walmart near you? You can buy storage cubes from there. Then you won't have to wait for shipping.

BB&B:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16719773

Walmart:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Whitmor-Black-Wire-Storage-Cubes-Set-of-4/5005199?findingMethod=rr

*** Do not get from Target. The ones from Target have wider space between the bars
*** Only get the ones with 9x9 squares across
*** If you have babies or piggies under 6 months, you will have to baby proof. Either by overlapping the grids to make the holes smaller, or make the plastic sides higher.

You can get coroplast from this place. I bought mine for only $10.
http://www.sabicpolymershapes.com/polyshapes/PShapes/branchlocator/branchus.jsp

You can also get coroplast from sign shops. Some people get them free from politic signs.

If you can't find them, try locate them here:
http://www.guineapigzone.com/supplies

Here is how to build C&C.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/howto.htm

Males can get along, consider adopting 2. Please don't put intact male and female together. Read this on how to introduce males.
http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46468

Since you are considering getting your pig from the pet store, if you get them from different place, you will need to quarantine them in separate room for 3 weeks.
http://www.guinealynx.info/quarantine.html

Other useful info:
http://www.guinealynx.info/healthycavy.html
 
I actually got a cage that is exactly like those from a friend so he is living in a great environment. The lady at the pet store knows the breeder personally he did not come from a commercial line.

I called the shelter.... no guinea pig. But they said that they would call me if they got one in. I told them it had to be a male. I stopped by our local pet co and OMG the guinea pigs there are sick looking! one looked like it was losing hair. I would never buy from there.

One other question:
I got the flease and I lined the cage with puppy pads. The only thing is he moves the flease around when he is in his little house. Is there any way to keep the blanket from moving around so much? I put two food dishes in his cage one is full of oranges and vegetables and the other one is his pellets. I bought him a salt ring, a water bottle, hay, and a paper towel roll to chew on. Any other suggestions?

He is already running around and looking great!
 
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Take out the salt ring. Guinea pigs do not need them at all. You could always secure the fleece using velcro strips. Be careful giving fruit. It is only as a treat a few times a week and just a piece. Some guinea pigs cannot eat apple as it hurts their little lips.
 
piggyfan said:
Take out the salt ring. Guinea pigs do not need them at all. You could always secure the fleece using velcro strips. Be careful giving fruit. It is only as a treat a few times a week and just a piece. Some guinea pigs cannot eat apple as it hurts their little lips.
Click to expand...

ohhhh ok. I took out the salt ring. I gave him one slice of orange. I hope that ok. And a small bit of mixed veggies. It looks like green beans, carrots, peas, and corn.

I think my mom is in love with this guinea pig. I have never seen one so calm! Looks like we will defiantly be expanding. She is talking about building a cage with different levels.

Now if I could just find the perfect piggy friend.....
 
He is still nervous as everything is all new to him. He will not eat yet and not when you are there. He will eat when he is alone and all feels safe. :)
 
piggyfan said:
He is still nervous as everything is all new to him. He will not eat yet and not when you are there. He will eat when he is alone and all feels safe. :)
Click to expand...

Oh ok I think I just freak out a little too much. He is drinking water though. He fell asleep on my lap earlier :)

I hope everything works out and I am doing the right things for him!
 
Oh and I have another question. Is it ok to let him run around my room while I do homework? I know you can let ferrets do that I just didnt know for the guinea pig
 
Make sure the room is pig safe you would be amazed what small gaps they can fit into and also no cable's for them to eat. Be warned young pigs can be quite hard to catch!
 
flintstones said:
Make sure the room is pig safe you would be amazed what small gaps they can fit into and also no cable's for them to eat. Be warned young pigs can be quite hard to catch!
Click to expand...

It is pretty safe. He is slowly making his way around the room and squeeking :))
 
I have that EXACT cage and another forum member on here does to that I know of. I love my cage and my boys love it as well! There is plenty of room in there for both boys and also room for two of everything so that no unnecessary fighting occurs. With double of everything in that cage there is still PLENTY of room to run around. If you can build a C&C cage then I would do it just because you can design it the way you want it and change it around where this one is just stuck in a rectangle. Goodluck!
 
lissie said:
Midwest cage is a good alternative to C&C for one or two pigs. It's 2 x 4 ft. It's the only commercialized cage in the US that's big enough.

Please don't buy guinea pigs from a pet store, unless the store is working with a rescue center. Some stores do not actually sell them but house them for rescues. I would ask them if the guinea is for profit or not.

There are so many homeless guinea pigs in US. You can search for them on www.petfinder.com

Not sure where you are in US, but if you're near Southern California, they could really use your help.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-guinea-pigs-rescue,0,3687557.story

Here are some good resources for guinea pig care.
http://www.guinealynx.info/
http://www.guineapigcages.com/
http://www.cavyspirit.com/
Click to expand...

Lissie do you mind if I ask you more advice about building a cage? I think I am going to try and build a two level one but since I have never done this before I may need help.
 
lissie said:
Have you look at this link? The corrugated plastic I got from them is only $10 for a 48x96 inches (4x8 ft)
http://www.sabicpolymershapes.com/polyshapes/PShapes/branchlocator/branchus.jsp
Click to expand...
Yes I looked but I do not live anywhere near one of those towns. My parents do but I wont be back to that city until at least thanksgiving.

With the measurements though.... don't I need 12 inches all around the border so I can put up sides? Or is that not necessary?


Another problem I am having is floor space. I don't think I can have anything wider then 5x2. But I can make it taller so that will give me some extra footage. It just wont fit in my apartment...
 
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So basically the link I posted would be perfect if I could somehow put two together. That way they will have a 6 inch border around the edges and it should work. Just wondering if tape will last?
 
It is fine to let him run around your room as long as you make it piggy proof. Make sure there are no wires he can chew or little gaps he can squeeze into. Guinea pigs should have floor time everyday as they need exercise. :)
 
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