Divorced Parents + Guinea Pigs

[maddieu]

Hi! Recently I have been doing a lot of research on guinea pigs but I decided to come here to see if some people could help me find answers!

My hamster just recently passed away and since then I have been contemplating getting another small animal, and guinea pigs have been a large interest of mine lately. Through my research I learned a lot but one thing I couldn’t find answers to is travel with divorced parents.

If I end up adopting, I would of course get 2. The thing is though that I travel from my Mom’s house to my Dad’s house every 2 weeks and they would have to come with me.

I read something that said as long as I learn to travel them safely and comfortably it would be fine to travel them, but I wanted to know what the logistics were of that (if anyone here knows)!

Would I be able to get two separate pens and then just move their toys and other things back and forth or would I have to move the whole thing like I did with my hamster? I know they’re much different than hamsters and enjoy travel more and aren’t as territorial I think? Would having to sleep and be in a different place every two weeks stress them out or would they be okay with that?

It would be super ideal if they would be fine with it because that would save me having to set up the enclosure every time, but again, I don’t know and I would only do that if it was 100% fine!

I guess I just wanted to know if that would be okay and if they were less stressed territorially and travel-wise?

Thanks in advance!

Maddie

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Welcome to the forum! It's great that you're doing your research before getting guinea pigs, and that you're wanting to adopt
How far apart are the two places they would be living? Guinea pigs generally travel well, indeed some members of the forum take their piggies considerable distances regularly for specialist vet treatment. You obviously have to prepare properly for the journey with pigs, especially if it's going to be a long one.
To save carrying enclosures, you could keep one at each place, but it would probably be best to move some of their bedding with them. That would help it to seem familiar to them and less unsettling. Fleece tunnels and cosies are good for that; or even fleece cage liners if you decide to use them.
I don't know whether change of place would "stress them out", but as you would still be with them it should be fine I think.

 

[Siikibam]

Hi and welcome. Piggies do travel well, but if I were you I probably wouldn’t do it. Moving them every two weeks is to me quite disruptive for them. But it’s up to you.

 

[maddieu]

Welcome to the forum! It's great that you're doing your research before getting guinea pigs, and that you're wanting to adopt
How far apart are the two places they would be living? Guinea pigs generally travel well, indeed some members of the forum take their piggies considerable distances regularly for specialist vet treatment. You obviously have to prepare properly for the journey with pigs, especially if it's going to be a long one.
To save carrying enclosures, you could keep one at each place, but it would probably be best to move some of their bedding with them. That would help it to seem familiar to them and less unsettling. Fleece tunnels and cosies are good for that; or even fleece cage liners if you decide to use them.
I don't know whether change of place would "stress them out", but as you would still be with them it should be fine I think.

Thanks for your response! The houses are 10 minutes away from each-other so not bad at all! Thanks again for all the info!

 

[maddieu]

Hi and welcome. Piggies do travel well, but if I were you I probably wouldn’t do it. Moving them every two weeks is to me quite disruptive for them. But it’s up to you.

Hi thanks for your response! I was wondering if I decide to adopt what I could do to make it less disruptive? Would bringing the same bedding and stuff like that help? It’s only a 10 minute drive too by the way, I don’t know if that changes anything.

Thanks again!

 

[Zanzan]

I would try to have two cages set up exactly the same so moving between the two would be less disruptive for them

 

[Mo & Stubbins & Vani]

Hi! Recently I have been doing a lot of research on guinea pigs but I decided to come here to see if some people could help me find answers!

My hamster just recently passed away and since then I have been contemplating getting another small animal, and guinea pigs have been a large interest of mine lately. Through my research I learned a lot but one thing I couldn’t find answers to is travel with divorced parents.

If I end up adopting, I would of course get 2. The thing is though that I travel from my Mom’s house to my Dad’s house every 2 weeks and they would have to come with me.

I read something that said as long as I learn to travel them safely and comfortably it would be fine to travel them, but I wanted to know what the logistics were of that (if anyone here knows)!

Would I be able to get two separate pens and then just move their toys and other things back and forth or would I have to move the whole thing like I did with my hamster? I know they’re much different than hamsters and enjoy travel more and aren’t as territorial I think? Would having to sleep and be in a different place every two weeks stress them out or would they be okay with that?

It would be super ideal if they would be fine with it because that would save me having to set up the enclosure every time, but again, I don’t know and I would only do that if it was 100% fine!

I guess I just wanted to know if that would be okay and if they were less stressed territorially and travel-wise?

Thanks in advance!

Maddie

Hi!
You have been given some great advice above!
I just have one question:
All members of this forum (I believe) have to be 16 years of age or older. Guinea pigs can live 4-7 years, some even live longer. Do you have a plan for the coming years (for your guinea pigs)? What will happen if you decide to attend college, move out, etc?
Just trying to help!

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Hi! Recently I have been doing a lot of research on guinea pigs but I decided to come here to see if some people could help me find answers!

My hamster just recently passed away and since then I have been contemplating getting another small animal, and guinea pigs have been a large interest of mine lately. Through my research I learned a lot but one thing I couldn’t find answers to is travel with divorced parents.

If I end up adopting, I would of course get 2. The thing is though that I travel from my Mom’s house to my Dad’s house every 2 weeks and they would have to come with me.

I read something that said as long as I learn to travel them safely and comfortably it would be fine to travel them, but I wanted to know what the logistics were of that (if anyone here knows)!

Would I be able to get two separate pens and then just move their toys and other things back and forth or would I have to move the whole thing like I did with my hamster? I know they’re much different than hamsters and enjoy travel more and aren’t as territorial I think? Would having to sleep and be in a different place every two weeks stress them out or would they be okay with that?

It would be super ideal if they would be fine with it because that would save me having to set up the enclosure every time, but again, I don’t know and I would only do that if it was 100% fine!

I guess I just wanted to know if that would be okay and if they were less stressed territorially and travel-wise?

Thanks in advance!

Maddie

In all honesty it depends on your Guinea pigs. My crested boy Steve (white piggy in profile photo) and the ginger one (sadly passed now called Mo) are 100% bomb proof.

Honestly could do anything with them or take them anywhere and they do not give a damn. They think they’re dogs to be quite honest. Though I had both from a very young age and from the vet go they got used to noises like: hoover, dogs barking, kettle, tv etc so all things that can spook them. Every now and again they’d travel across to my nans when I went away to be looked after and again they were excellent- my grandparents have parrots so that’s another noisy thing they are fine with.
Steve has also just been up and down the vets with me recently due to his episode of bloat so I could syringe feed round the clock and again HE WAS EXCELLENT. Not fazed in the bloody slightest

my other boy Bellamy is a bit different and I wouldn’t say he gets stressed, but he does take a little longer to settle in the new environment. I wouldn’t say that length of journey would hurt. Guinea pigs like a change of setting and to explore just as we do so I reckon the odd change might actually do the good. You might think about girls as opposed to boys however just because of the fact males can get that hormonal period and squabble over dominance. Changing the cage would likely set this off again However if you got two older boats you’d be okay

 

[LMPigs]

Hello,

Guineas do travel well so I think it's really whether they'd be stressed by the change in surroundings. It's not something I've tried but my suspicion is that actually they'd actually probably be fine provided they have a permanent home in both places that they are moving between. I can't see that this would be very different from say moving them from a shed at night to an outdoor run in the day, or having them in the conservatory in winter and the garden in summer, which are things plenty of people do.

If you were getting two pigs that have not lived together before, I think it would be better to keep them in the same place for as long as possible while the initial bonding settles down - two weeks should be enough if you time it right. I also agree with the recommendation above about bringing their bedding across the first few times to avoid "new territory" bonding issues.

The other alternative, if you have a big enough car, would be to get one of those large cages like a Midwest cage, and bring it along with you when you switch locations. This may not be very practical though.

 

[Guinea Slave]

I think they’d be fine. And fantastic you are thinking about all these things before you get them too.

Before lockdown mine would go over to my parents every Sunday for our family roast dinner and they would have a separate cage set up for that and they loved it. This has been going on for over 15 years and not one has had an issue with a variety of Guineas coming and going over this time. They just fall asleep!

They do love variety and when they are familiar with you they won’t be stressed. Mine seemed to understand this was their ‘other place’ and settled fine. Sometimes they even stayed overnight or if we were away a weekend would stay over, never an issue. Same with boarding, somehow they remember their holiday home and settle very quickly. I honestly think you will be fine.

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Good for you doing the research first, that’s a sign of a very caring owner.
I can’t add to the advice you’ve been given.
Do keep us posted about how things work out for you.

 

[maddieu]

Thank you all so so much this has truly been so helpful. I’m so grateful for all of the information you all have given me, it will certainly help me make my decisions to ensure the best health for my guinea pigs if I end up getting them.

I will hopefully update if I get them!

Thank you!