Guinea Pigs being left

[Bs3thl]

Hi, apologies in advance if this has been asked before, I did try to find an answer to my question.

Basically I’m a new owner and I have 2 outdoor guinea pigs…something has come up unexpectedly and I need to go away for 2 nights/3 days. I’ve considered taking them with me but it’s just not feasible as the drive is long-6 hours.

A family friend has offered to look after them which is great but I can’t expect him to tend to the guinea pigs twice a day as I would do. I feed fresh veggies and check the pellets in the morning and if it’s really cold I reheat the snugglesafe too then in the evening I check the hay (they have unlimited hay in big piles), give them ready grass (our sows are only 8 weeks old and the breeder gave us this as she said they were used to it) and reheat the snugglesafe again then. I also check there is plenty of straw in their bedroom and they have enough pellets and hay.

I’m very concerned about leaving them but wondered what your thoughts on them being tended to once a day? My plan was to leave first thing Monday morning heat the snugglesafe, check the hay and give them the fresh veggies and ideally my friend would go in on Monday evening, then potentially Tuesday and Wednesday at some point for me to be home in the early hours of Thursday morning.

My worry was more about them being cold and heating the snugglesafe but the weather looks quite mild next week where we are 10°C-11°C.

I know this isn’t ideal but any advice or reassurance would be much appreciated, thank you.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

A few things to note first of all - readigrass is very rich and should only be given in small amounts.

Straw isn’t suitable to be used. They are best fully bedded on hay. Straw is too sharp and has no nutritional value.

Do note that pellets should only ever be one tablespoon per pig per day and no more. Make sure they aren’t being left with constant access to them. They are not a necessary part of the diet and can contribute too much calcium which can lead to bladder problems and stone formation.

10-11 degrees is a bit on the cool side for such young piggies. Ideally they are kept above 15 degrees at all times. While they do get used to cooler temps, youngsters are particularly susceptible.

The issue is that their hay may run out or become too soiled for them to eat if only refilled once a day. Also, and fingers crossed it wouldn’t happen, but their health can go downhill very quickly so once a day check can mean things are missed.

I would actually ask your friend to go twice a day. Or perhaps find another friend to do the second trip of each day. They may not mind.
Once a day isn’t ideal but it is better than nothing if the friend really can’t do it twice. These unexpected things happen and sometimes you just have to do the best you can.

Thread 'New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection'

Apr 10, 2022

Contents Overview
1 What This Collection Is About
2 Guinea Pigs as Pets
- Family and Classroom Pets
- Sourcing Your Guinea Pigs, Common Pitfalls and Your Customer Rights
- Human Pet Anxiety: Practical Tips for Sufferers and Supporters
- Naming and Finding Out the Breed
- Guinea Pig Facts: An Overview
3 Living Environment
- Housing (with sourcing tips)
- Bedding (with...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 8
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

 

[Bill & Ted]

Have you looked on the internet and tried boarding? (Just the same as cats and dogs, only some people specialise in small pets) Then you’ll have no worries about them while you are away. One cage is generally around £10 per night, some are even cheaper. The boarders usually provide hay and veggies, you just take their pellets along

 

[Piggies&buns]

to add, piggies travel very well with some regularly travelling 6 hours to get to a specific knowledgeable vet so the distance and journey alone does not rule out taking them.

 

[Bs3thl]

Thanks for your input, seems to be plenty on conflicting information when it comes to guinea pigs.

 

[PiggyintheMiddle]

Thanks for your input, seems to be plenty on conflicting information when it comes to guinea pigs.

I always rely on The Guinea Pig Forum for advice, because there is so much misinformation online - or even in pet shops - and most people don't know how to look after them properly.

 

[fluffysal]

This is one place where the advice is consistent.

 

[Bs3thl]

Welcome to the forum

A few things to note first of all - readigrass is very rich and should only be given in small amounts.

Straw isn’t suitable to be used. They are best fully bedded on hay. Straw is too sharp and has no nutritional value.

Do note that pellets should only ever be one tablespoon per pig per day and no more. Make sure they aren’t being left with constant access to them. They are not a necessary part of the diet and can contribute too much calcium which can lead to bladder problems and stone formation.

10-11 degrees is a bit on the cool side for such young piggies. Ideally they are kept above 15 degrees at all times. While they do get used to cooler temps, youngsters are particularly susceptible.

The issue is that their hay may run out or become too soiled for them to eat if only refilled once a day. Also, and fingers crossed it wouldn’t happen, but their health can go downhill very quickly so once a day check can mean things are missed.

I would actually ask your friend to go twice a day. Or perhaps find another friend to do the second trip of each day. They may not mind.
Once a day isn’t ideal but it is better than nothing if the friend really can’t do it twice. These unexpected things happen and sometimes you just have to do the best you can.

Thread 'New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection'

Apr 10, 2022

Contents Overview
1 What This Collection Is About
2 Guinea Pigs as Pets
- Family and Classroom Pets
- Sourcing Your Guinea Pigs, Common Pitfalls and Your Customer Rights
- Human Pet Anxiety: Practical Tips for Sufferers and Supporters
- Naming and Finding Out the Breed
- Guinea Pig Facts: An Overview
3 Living Environment
- Housing (with sourcing tips)
- Bedding (with...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 8
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

Welcome to the forum

A few things to note first of all - readigrass is very rich and should only be given in small amounts.

Straw isn’t suitable to be used. They are best fully bedded on hay. Straw is too sharp and has no nutritional value.

Do note that pellets should only ever be one tablespoon per pig per day and no more. Make sure they aren’t being left with constant access to them. They are not a necessary part of the diet and can contribute too much calcium which can lead to bladder problems and stone formation.

10-11 degrees is a bit on the cool side for such young piggies. Ideally they are kept above 15 degrees at all times. While they do get used to cooler temps, youngsters are particularly susceptible.

The issue is that their hay may run out or become too soiled for them to eat if only refilled once a day. Also, and fingers crossed it wouldn’t happen, but their health can go downhill very quickly so once a day check can mean things are missed.

I would actually ask your friend to go twice a day. Or perhaps find another friend to do the second trip of each day. They may not mind.
Once a day isn’t ideal but it is better than nothing if the friend really can’t do it twice. These unexpected things happen and sometimes you just have to do the best you can.

Thread 'New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection'

Apr 10, 2022

Contents Overview
1 What This Collection Is About
2 Guinea Pigs as Pets
- Family and Classroom Pets
- Sourcing Your Guinea Pigs, Common Pitfalls and Your Customer Rights
- Human Pet Anxiety: Practical Tips for Sufferers and Supporters
- Naming and Finding Out the Breed
- Guinea Pig Facts: An Overview
3 Living Environment
- Housing (with sourcing tips)
- Bedding (with...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 8
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

Thank you for the advice. I don’t think I made my post particularly clear as they are fully bedded on hay. I have however added a piece of cardboard to the bedroom area to lower the ceiling and I’ve packed barley straw between this cardboard and the hutch roof, I’ve also used a bigger cardboard box around their hideout and in between I’ve added barley straw for extra insulation. I read barley straw was most insulating but also the softest variety but happy to be corrected. I’m aware it lacks nutritional value but there is such a small amount in the bed.

And yes that is correct with the pellets I offer a tbsp per day per pig and lots of times they don’t eat them anyway. The readi grass I wasn’t ever aware of until our local pet shop told us this is what they were used to but to be honest when we’ve used up what we were given I won’t buy more. I did lots of research for months before purchasing and had never seen readi grass mentioned.

Unfortunately it’s not feesible to take them with us, we are staying with family and there isn’t a safe solution to where they can be kept. My mother in law lives in a flat with no outside space and also I feel it’s a bit of an ask to ask her to have the guinea pigs in her home. There is a small furry boarding near us and we have booked them in for holidays next year but unfortunately they are closed until January.

I feel like I’ve explored all possible options and I can only hope they will be ok for a couple of days. A close family member has been given weeks to live after a diagnosis of oesophageal cancer and we have to visit for a last time, if it was any other reason we probably wouldn’t go.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Merab]

Thank you for the advice. I don’t think I made my post particularly clear as they are fully bedded on hay. I have however added a piece of cardboard to the bedroom area to lower the ceiling and I’ve packed barley straw between this cardboard and the hutch roof, I’ve also used a bigger cardboard box around their hideout and in between I’ve added barley straw for extra insulation. I read barley straw was most insulating but also the softest variety but happy to be corrected. I’m aware it lacks nutritional value but there is such a small amount in the bed.

And yes that is correct with the pellets I offer a tbsp per day per pig and lots of times they don’t eat them anyway. The readi grass I wasn’t ever aware of until our local pet shop told us this is what they were used to but to be honest when we’ve used up what we were given I won’t buy more. I did lots of research for months before purchasing and had never seen readi grass mentioned.

Unfortunately it’s not feesible to take them with us, we are staying with family and there isn’t a safe solution to where they can be kept. My mother in law lives in a flat with no outside space and also I feel it’s a bit of an ask to ask her to have the guinea pigs in her home. There is a small furry boarding near us and we have booked them in for holidays next year but unfortunately they are closed until January.

I feel like I’ve explored all possible options and I can only hope they will be ok for a couple of days. A close family member has been given weeks to live after a diagnosis of oesophageal cancer and we have to visit for a last time, if it was any other reason we probably wouldn’t go.

Thanks for the advice.

So sorry about your family member.
Holding you in my heart.

Sometimes life is not ideal and for a such a short trip someone coming in once a day to replenish hay, food and water will be ok.
Your friend will need to remove soiled hay and add another mountain of fresh hay so leave a receptacle for the soiled hay.
As @Piggies&buns said, your friend may be prepared to go in twice a day if you ask