help! Cage advice please

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The2DsMum said:
Aww, thanks guys, you are a lovely bunch! PopcornPigs - we are in south east London. Would definitely consider rescue piggies. Sorry if this is a dumb question - but do rescue piggies have 'behavioural' issues, in much the same way as dogs, perhaps due to neglect?
Re. the bedroom housing issue - My lightsleeping 2 year old usually ends up in my bed anyway so she wouldn't be disturbed! There are a couple of other options...We have a space under the stairs (open plan, not a blocked in cupboard) which is right in the middle of everything but would it be too dark? Or we have an internal side storage room but this is not heated, although it is safe and dry and does have natural light from a small window.
I guess I want pets that are part of the family but I don't know if I'm kidding myself how interactive piggies will be? One poster mentioned they do not like handling. This is the opposite of what we are looking for! We are keen on pets that can be regularly held and stroked and who will be responsive.
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I think it is generally thought that boars are friendlier and can make better lap pets (though of course there are exceptions to every rule) Also,as with any pet they will become calmer with lots of gentle handling and patience - it is better to have your cage sited in a living area so they are exposed to family noise and of course you will get more enjoyment out of them if you see lots of them.

The piggies in my avatar are Rex (from a breeder :red) and they are known to be a particularly docile piggy - certainly they both LOVE to be handled, aren't at all skittish and really are very interactive and ideal for children. Most piggies can be well tamed but I believe the abyssinian types (no doubt lots of aby fans will be coming along to tell me I am wrong!) might be more prone to being feisty and can nip when having nails clipped so possibly less idealfor children.

I am not sure about behavioural issues (I believe they are pretty forgiving) but the piggies that been recuperated from bad health might go on to have more health issues cropping up further down the line - I am sure a rescue would match you to the right pigs for you and your family though so it's definitely the right place to go for your piggies


finally I saw your post about a C and C cage being 'too techno' for you - I wanted to say that my own c and c was entirely built by my 9 year old - he loved doing it too. His Dad cut the correx. It really is that simple. My own personal feeling is that the large c and c cage (ours is 5 by 2 foot) will help you get the best fun from your pets - my son (recently turned 10) loves re-arranging all the toys on a daily basis - the cage is like adventure world! And the piggies are hilarious - they chase and explore and chutter away - I just don't think you would get to see the full range of behaviour in a smaller cage. (though many people on the forum get their piggies running all about for extra exercise - that is often not practical with young children - you really have to tidy your area before you let them loose and though I do do this 2 or 3 times a week - with a house full of kids it's not practical to let them run about daily.


Would be lovely to have a spare room to run around in!


Anyway - piggies make the most wonderful pets - my dd is 5 yrs and I must get some pics on here of her playing with Stanley - she REALLY loves him!
 
I think the under the stairs is a good plan too and a little shady light wise might help them settle in initially.

My herd are not cuddly pigs, they are perfectly fine once caught bar one pig who is just a right madam and would rather be off eating food. The others are handlable but their personalities are such that two (including the madam pig) will take food from my hands and will come to the front of their pen, they will interact with me when in their pen and are great fun to watch and have.

My pair of boars however are very cuddly and much more laid back on the whole, the difference in the girls and the boys is remarkable and while other people have cuddly girls I would recommend you look at nicely paired up boars from rescue, especially if you want interactive pigs. On the whole boys seem to be more laid back and more cuddly towards their slaves, but its more about getting the right personality that suits you and your situation which a rescue pair can be easier to find.

And rescues are not problem pigs in the same way dogs or cats can come with issues, most will be well handled once in rescue and happy and healthy pigs just waiting for their second home. An example again is the boys, from a rescue taken place of 285 guinea pigs from one place (who couldnt cope any more), the pigs were found rescue places up and down the country, the two boys came from Gleanneath GP rescue and when I met them I fell in love completely with them, both cuddled into me and were happy to be around me - something I wasnt used to from the herd. These would not have originally had this much handling in the original home, my neutered boy came from the same place (but rehomed from Walsall RSPCA) and he would rather hide from me, a sweetie once I catch him, but he likes being part of the herd. None have behavioural problems, all are healthy and happy but the single boy suites his life with my non cuddly pigs, the boys are my cuddle monsters.

Not that any pair of pigs once handled regularly cant get used to being handled and enjoy it and it will take time even when you bring them home for them to get used to you, your family, your home and all the comings, goings and noises that come with it. I do strongly feel if you want cuddly, as I said, rescue is your best bet.

Piggies are interactive, they are great fun to have around but they are not dogs - I should know I have one of them too :)) Pigs do require some looking after, in a different way than a dog of course, spot cleaning each day, veggies daily, handling and some "run time" which is time out of the cage/pen which can be grass time in the summer or just a pen set up on the floor with hides and fun things for them to explore and more importantly eat. One thing is for certain, my life would be dull without the piggies in my house, I would never be without them now.
 
tabelmabel said:
The piggies in my avatar are Rex (from a breeder :red) and they are known to be a particularly docile piggy - certainly they both LOVE to be handled, aren't at all skittish and really are very interactive and ideal for children. Most piggies can be well tamed but I believe the abyssinian types (no doubt lots of aby fans will be coming along to tell me I am wrong!) might be more prone to being feisty and can nip when having nails clipped so possibly less idealfor children.
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Thought I would add to this, abbeys are a peculiar breed, quirky in their own way, I have two and I love abbeys x) both of mine do not like being caught but are cuddly once caught and are quite the divas, however would rather I left them alone to eat anything I can offer. But not all abbeys are like this, come are feisty, some are sweeties, but they are all quirky.

I also have a rex, she is one of the ones who will take food from my hand and has gotten used to being handled better than the other girls but rex piggies can be one of the most allergic types to have - I react to mine so I wear long sleeves and wash my arms, hands and face after handling.

My two boys are coronets - long haired, for the first time owner I would not be looking at long haired piggies as coat care is a must, mine dont mind their regular hair cuts, they are ticklish which can add to the fun while trimming their skirts rolleyes:))
 
Ah - that's really interesting. Luckily I don't have any allergies to the rex themselves (I do get hayfever but keep taking the tablets!) I didn't go looking for any specific breed - it just so happened that when we wanted piggies, we couldn't find any and we got these through our vet.

I definitely wouldn't have taken on any long haired piggies - but I did have a fancy for an aby til I found out about this bad reputation of theirs - it's put me right off!

these piggies are supposed to belong to my 5 year old daughter - she is really cross that I have taken them over - I even changed Benson's name (she named him Ben and gets mad when she hears me call him Benson!) I am hoping to get some pigs of my own next year from a rescue
 
I would highly recommend going to a rescue for your new additions, for the following reasons:

1. You and your family can pick or be matched with a pair of guinea pigs that suit your lifestyle

2. You are guaranteed that any new additions will be healthy and free from any illnesses - if you choose a pair of girls or indeed a girl/bot combination you can be sure that any girls will not be pregnant, so no nasty surprises down the line

3. Your new pair will either have come in to rescue with s strong bond or will have been specifically bonded and monitored to ensure they 100% get along - any future fall outs are greatly reduced.

4. You will have the backup of the rescue for life - any problems present or future, you have a support network in the form of the rescue you rehomed the pigs from.

My neutered boy came from a rescue and out of my 10 pigs he is one of the friendliest pigs i have - he loves nothing more than falling a sleep on you - he also loves the hoover and goes crazy popcorning all over the place x) He comes when called and loves to be fussed.

In terms of breed and their temperament ive got a mix of abys, short hairs, peruvians, i also have an abyruvian, coronet, sheltie and texel. I'm not sure breed means much when it comes to how friendly they actually are, i just think it's down to the individual pig.

Abyssinian guinea pig: Ive got two abys, both girls, both are happy to have a cuddle and not at all flighty, my one girl was a pet shop pig while the other was the result of that particular pet shop purchase mis-sexing, so both have very different personalities, my younger sow (the daughter) gives proper kisses for fun (and for treats) and will always come to the side of the cage for a fuss. She doesn't like the action of being picked up and panics, so not ideal for a child to be handling.

Peruvian guinea pig: both my peruvians much prefer the company of their own kind, they dont mind having a fuss/cuddle but could take it or leave it - in other words we are not really that important to them - they are also the two pigs that have taken the most work to 'tame'

Short haired guinea pigs: these are your run of the mill piggie - my one boy is our human guinea pig and is so friendly, he'll come when called, loves a cuddle and enjoys pottering around the house checking everything out. His son (the pet shop mis-sexing) is very much like him

Coronet guinea pig: my coronet boy is the friendliest pig ever, loves cuddles and had the funniest ways ever - can you tell i x)x) him sooooo much...

Sheltie guinea pig: my sheltie boy is a dream, just like a little baby, comes to see me every time i walk past the cage, talks to himself all the time, doesn't care too much for out of cage cuddles, but he loves being spoken to/fussed - he's another dream piggie x)

Texel guinea pig: my texel girl mostly keeps herself to herself - however when food is involved she'll sit with you for hours - she is a gentle girl and is happy to just be stroked all day in/out of the cage, she's a little fuss monster - it did take a while for her to get to thos stage though as when i got her she weighed a tiny 200g and was in the worse state health wise.

Abyruvian guinea pig: totally not a childs pet! they are so fidgety, love being stroked/fussed/cuddled, but cannot keep still for 10mins. My girl is just so full of beans she frequently popcorns in to one of the other pigs or the wooden house/snuggle bed
 
Here is a video I found on youtube of a "laughing" guinea pig.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh_yt2JGjJk"]Guinea pig purring - Gus eating lettuce whilst purring when being stroked! - YouTube[/ame]

It's the best noise :)
 
Welcome to the forum, and wahey for doing research!

I've read through the thread and will just comment on a few things.

Cage size:
Although 120cm for a pair is the RSPCA recommended minimum, it is just that; a minimum. I'd strongly advise going for at least a 140cm cage. By the time you have a food bowl and a hidey or two in a 120cm cage, there really is very little room left. I have 2 pairs, each in a 140cm cage at the moment due to restricted space, and they're quite a bit bigger than the 120cm cages. I previously had my pigs in these http://www.cagesworld.co.uk/p/Liberta_Extra_Large_Rabbit_Retreat_-_Cage_and_Stand.htm - they are huge - the base tray pulls out, to make cleaning easier, they have a front opening and a top opening. They are also on a frame (the frame makes up part of the cage) and are on castors which is handy!

Pigs in a bedroom:
I have my pigs in my bedroom, again due to space problems! Last year I lived in a bedsit, so had no choice, this year I am lodging with a family that has two terriers, so it's the safest place for them! I'm a very light sleeper, and they do wake me up occasionally. Guinea pigs are crepuscular; they're most active at dawn and dusk (supposedly!) but I find that mine are very active during the day, and they do settle down at night. I find that some veggies and fresh hay keeps them quiet long enough for me to get to sleep! Jeffrey tends to get a bit excited at around 5-6am as though he knows the breakfast is coming, and starts getting lively and popcorning, but other than that, and the water bottle, they're fairly quiet on the whole.

I find that they don't smell (mine are bedded on a layer of hay, on top of huggies dry nights pads) and I can easily go a week without cleaning them out - no smells or anything (other than hay!).

I would have my concerns about having them in a childs bedroom though - as already mentioned, although they may not mean to, children could potentially hurt them etc. either through deciding to get them out the cage, putting things in the cage that they shouldn't, leaving the door open, even trying to reach up and pulling the cage off of a surface that they're on. I think that the space under your stairs sounds perfect! Piggies really do get to love the hustle and bustle of every day life, and the attention they get by being around their human family.

Rescue pigs:
I've currently got 4 pigs, 3 of which are rescues. I can safely say, that my rescue pigs have the biggest characters! They each have different backgrounds and stories to tell, but Maggie was a real neglect case. This is her in April (taken from the Glynneath GPR website http://guinearescue.blogspot.co.uk/)
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and of all 4 of them (and the 6 pigs I've had), she is the biggest character of them all! She chatters to you, she's funny to watch, she's just a joy!

(this is her now...much happier!)

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The great thing about going via a rescue, is that they all have so many pigs with so many different back grounds. They come in all ages, shapes, colours and sizes, and a good rescue will be able to pair you up with pigs that meet your needs - you could get some adult pigs that are used to being handled, rather than scatty young pigs for example. I got Jeffrey from the RSPCA after his previous owner could no longer keep him. He was clearly a much loved pig, and he's so tame you can do anything with him. If you want to pick him up, he'll just sit there and let you pop a hand under him and lift him up. He even comes up to the side of the cage if you're passing, and expects fuss in the form of a chin rub or an ear scratch :))

You can find your nearest reputable rescue by taking a look at the Piggy bank UK map here https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?m...ll=52.643063,-1.230469&spn=6.775737,19.753418 and if you're on facebook, you can take a look at the piggy bank UK facebook page http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...00000150017800&type=1#!/piggybank.gpr?fref=ts (you'll probably find the piggy bank mentioned quite often as you navigate your way around the forum!)
 
Rescue is only one way.Alternately hundreds pigs for free on gumtree Details removed by admin as we do not promote free ads.
 
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i would SERIOUSLY discourage any new owner wanting to adopt some piggies to go 'searching' gumtree/preloved/freeads the horror stories are just too great and certainly not something the less experienced would be handle emotionally or otherwise.

You gave BAD advice there.....promoting gumtree/freeads and similar on a rescue forum that is bursting to full with pigs looking for somewhere to call home is bad practice.....

I have reported your post, pointing an in-experienced owner to a potential disaster waiting to happen is shocking....
 
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What are you doing Kotov.


If you are looking for an indoor cage I would go for something like

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/rabbit_cage/140_cm_cages/95921

Although it will need something to cover that shelf and ramp as the wire wont be good for their feeties.

Or there is C&C cages if you feel up to it. I have one myself and it came to about £60 for all the bits and pieces (35 wire grids and 3 pieces of 8ft correx, most of which is for the rabbits run lol). I could make something 6 or 7 feet long if I wanted. They are simple to put together I swear

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Either way good luck :)
 
Sodapops said:
i would SERIOUSLY discourage any new owner wanting to adopt some piggies to go 'searching' gumtree/preloved/freeads the horror stories are just too great and certainly not something the less experienced would be handle emotionally or otherwise.

You gave BAD advice there.....promoting gumtree/freeads and similar on a rescue forum that is bursting to full with pigs looking for somewhere to call home is bad practice.....

I have reported your post, pointing an in-experienced owner to a potential disaster waiting to happen is shocking....
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This is you civil right, personally I did not see any difference between poor pigs in rescue and poor pigs in hands of bad owners.I'm not promoting any websites, I can spell as gamtree if it easier for you to read,from promotion point of view gamtree belong to ebay,which people linking 100 times a day...

Hers is the main problem,guinea pigs quite hard to keep on normal level special in big towns, eg in small flats.This is reason why too many abandoned guinea pigs.Cover problem with shine stories is not way to resolve such situation.
 
kotov said:
Sorry,I didn't give any advices, I only share my experience as person who live in London rescued 4 guinea pigs from bad owners.

Which one is bad ?
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As a fairly new piggy owner myself, i find your post to be highly irresponsible. Buying from preloved is really risky. Someone totally new to pigs (like our op) will not know the signs of a sick piggy and will have no option to return for advice or to surrender the piggy if things don.t work out. New owners need assurance that the pigs they get are fit, healthy, bonded and with a back-up care package. I was lucky to get all that from a breeder but there's no chance of getting it from an owner placing a preloved ad. Plus it.s against forum rules to link to preloved.
 
tabelmabel said:
As a fairly new piggy owner myself, i find your post to be highly irresponsible. Buying from preloved is really risky. Someone totally new to pigs (like our op) will not know the signs of a sick piggy and will have no option to return for advice or to surrender the piggy if things don.t work out. New owners need assurance that the pigs they get are fit, healthy, bonded and with a back-up care package. I was lucky to get all that from a breeder but there's no chance of getting it from an owner placing a preloved ad. Plus it.s against forum rules to link to preloved.
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Sorry you mistaken me with someone else,I did not mention pre*oved anywhere and did not say about to buy pigs or did not placed any links in my posting.
I mean you can take it for free and try to keep try to bring love and warm and love of of your heart to them.

Back to the problems - only one web site :
487 ads for 'guinea' in United Kingdom in Pets
 
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And this thread is starting to get out of control :( The OP is a new member to the forum who simply started this thread to ask advice on a cage as she is doing the responsible thing and doing her research before adopting a pair of guinea pigs.

We are all quite aware of how many piggies there are waiting in rescue and I am sure the OP is aware too.

This is not the thread to have this discussion! Lets please not start a debate and let's get the topic back on track :)
 
My mistake. Gumtree. Gumtree? Preloved? Aren't they all the same? Not the place for our op surely? I don.t understand what you are saying.
 
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kotov said:
This is you civil right, personally I did not see any difference between poor pigs in rescue and poor pigs in hands of bad owners.I'm not promoting any websites, I can spell as gamtree if it easier for you to read,from promotion point of view gamtree belong to ebay,which people linking 100 times a day...

Hers is the main problem,guinea pigs quite hard to keep on normal level special in big towns, eg in small flats.This is reason why too many abandoned guinea pigs.Cover problem with shine stories is not way to resolve such situation.
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Please do not patronise me....your contribution to this thread has been 0, your posts are not only very un-helpful they are very condescending in their nature and something i dislike - your replies have implied that i am stupid or cannot understand things....

Gumtree is not Ebay - ebay do not allow the sale of livestock, whereas gumtree do, just because people shop on ebay does not mean we should all start shopping for guinea pigs on gumtree - you gave bad advice, telling someone to get their guinea pig from an un-safe method[ and you did this where there are already many guinea pigs looking for home, please see the re-homing boards - there are hundreds of pigs looking for homes!!

The OP came here for guinea pig and cage advice (look at the thread title) they did not come here to read silly posts from you. You are part of a rescue friendly forum - please respect that and follow the forum rules accordingly.
 
Claire W said:
And this thread is starting to get out of control :( The OP is a new member to the forum who simply started this thread to ask advice on a cage as she is doing the responsible thing and doing her research before adopting a pair of guinea pigs.

We are all quite aware of how many piggies there are waiting in rescue and I am sure the OP is aware too.

This is not the thread to have this discussion! Lets please not start a debate and let's get the topic back on track :)
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Wise words! I was just thinking that myself. I won't engage any further with this silly distraction.
 
kotov said:
Sorry you mistaken me with someone else,I did not mention pre*oved anywhere and did not say about to buy pigs or did not placed any links in my posting.
I mean you can take it for free and try to keep try to bring love and warm and love of of your heart to them.

Back to the problems - only one web site :
487 ads for 'guinea' in United Kingdom in Pets
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This is a useless post - please read the thread title.... We and the op do not need a lesson on how many pigs are listed on Gumtree/Preloved/Freeads - they simply wanted cage/guinea pig advice...

And for the record YOU DID advise the op that there are loads of guinea pigs for sale on gumtree - you even said some of those pigs come with cages and food - so your reply above is incorrect...

The very least you can do now is appologise to the OP for ruining her thread with your useless information....
 
The2DsMum said:
Hello
I am considering getting my soon to be 9 year old a pair of piggies for his birthday. They will live in his room and I've been researching cages and driving myself insane looking for the right one!
Will a 120cm cage be big enough or do I need a 140cm? Also the bigger (lengthwise) the cage it seems it has a deeper base so is more suited to rabbits and isn't suitable for piggies as they can't reach the water bottles etc

I am bordering on a 120cm cage with 2 platforms and a stand or a 140cm Ferplast. Trouble with the latter is it doesn't open from the top which I would prefer.

Have been looking at second hand cages on ebay too - does anyone have anything to sell or can recommend where to look? I am in London.

Thank you!
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Really hope you have the info you need to make a decision that suit you and the piggies best, would love to see pictures of your newbies when you get them. Godd luck xx
 
Thank you all so much for your advice and help. I really appreciate it and your piggies are very lucky indeed to have such caring owners. I'll definitely post a pic(s) when we get ours.

PS Amanda - your girlie is just beautiful. Kissable little nose!
 
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The2DsMum said:
Thank you all so much for your advice and help. I really appreciate it and your piggies are very lucky indeed to have such caring owners. I'll definitely post a pic(s) when we get ours.

PS Amanda - your girlie is just beautiful. Kissable little nose!
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Is that your mind made up then? :)) ;)
 
and to help you further, my home made c&c cage

The basic shell, took just 30 mins to put together, on a wallpaper paste table (with a base as its wider than the table is, plus for added stability, personal choice).
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size is a 5 x 2 - in grids, thats 5'9"x 3' (I think :red have momentarily forgotten the width measurement)

two correx sheets inside - designed so I can pull the top one towards me when cleaning out, and full cleaning out time is just 30 mins. Fleece for the long haired boys poo picked each day, fully cleaned every 4 days. Litter trays underneath the hay rack (the mesh on the side)
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ready for pigs
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with piggies
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my two rescue coronet boys, beautiful in every way
 
and if you are still worried about making your own, the herds pen made up from puppy panels and grids, I did this one in stages over a few weeks as I had to adapt it to suit the needs of them, keep the girls away from the boys, make it easy for me to keep clean and provide space for 4 piggies.
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colour coded so i know what has been used for females, yellow grids and yellow correx

adding a second level
8005892697_91812222b0_z.jpg

the finished pen - sorry my photos are a bit blurry, phone doesnt like the light
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and lastly my neutered boar in with the girls, another rescue and an abbey
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Who wouldnt want piggies 8;)
 
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