Need Advice: Should I Adopt Them?

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phoenixx

phoenixx

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Hello :)
I'm new to this forum and I'm in need of some advice. I'm looking into getting my first piggies, a lady has told me that se has a herd of four sows that belonged to her daughter but she has lost interest. Her and her husband are allergic so they cant keep them, they are between 2-3 years old. Do you think I should get them?
I'm just looking for a lovely lap piggie that loves cuddles haha. I dont know what to do.
 
I think as long as you can give them a big enough cage, and can afford the food and vet bills for 4 pigs then go for it. Please note though that not all pigs like cuddles.
 
I have C&C cubes ready to build. How big do you think it needs to be?
I know :) I'm just hoping, but of course I'll respect what they want.
 
C and C would be great. I think for 4 pigs you would need at least a 2 by 5 C and C, but someone may correct me on that. Welcome to the forum.
 
Hi :wel: to the forum

A C & C cage for 4 piggies minimum 6 * 2 grids but the bigger the better..
 
I'd adopt them! Of course making sure you can afford any bills and stuff. If you can provide a better loving home go for it :D
 
Thank you all for your help :) I'm going to take them, they should be arriving Wednesday afternoon :D I'm so excited. Just need to come up with four names for them now haha.
 
Hi! If you feel up to give them a home, then that would be great. You'd have the advantage that they are already bonded and - as no male is in the picture - guaranteed not pregnant. At 2-3 years old they are at the peak of their life and should have at least another 2-3 years still to live. But you need to get into this with your eyes open!

What you cannot judge until you get the girls is how well they have been cared for, so you will have to book them in at piggy savvy vets for a MOT first thing. It can be quite a learning curve, especially if the piggies have not been cared for to a good standard for any length of time.

You will also have to find out how much they have been handled and are used to human contact (probably not much from the sound of it). It may take some patience, but most piggies appreciate a loving home and will eventually happily interact with you, even if they may never become very cuddly. Not all piggies are!
 
Thank you for all of the advice! :D
I'm looking for a piggy vet near me, I cant seem to find one in Liverpool. The lady said she's had the girls since they were 3 months old and her daughter gets them out everyday, although she did say that she has lost interest in the past month and hasnt bothered with them. Even if they dont turn out to be cuddly pigs as long as I can see that they're happy and healthy everythings fine :)
 
I have four girls in a 5x3 and they have loads of space. Remember a hidey each and two water bottles and hay racks to stop arguments.arethey going on bedding or fleece and are you using litter trays.Two food bowls could stop trouble as well
 
They need a cup of veggies a day as well and constant hay.The veg is where I find it expensive
 
Here is the link to our vet locator; there should be a recommended piggy savvy vet in Liverpool. Click on the link and put in your location, and it will come up with your closest recommended vets.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/

Many of my piggies are not very cuddly as they live in groups of sows with a neutered boar each, which are their main focus, but I enjoy watching them and interacting with them. They love coming up to me across the room for a herby or pellet treat, and the boldest will even climb on my lap - incidentally, those are the ones that like it least to be petted! So I don't feel like I am losing out... I make sure that they are OK with being handled and groomed though and they will all stand a short petting session! If I want a cuddle I get one of my cuddly piggies.
 
madguinealady said:
I have four girls in a 5x3 and they have loads of space. Remember a hidey each and two water bottles and hay racks to stop arguments.arethey going on bedding or fleece and are you using litter trays.Two food bowls could stop trouble as well
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Thank you so much! I was just debating how many I needed of everything. They're going on fleece :) what veg should I make sure they get every day?
 
Thank you :
Wiebke said:
Here is the link to our vet locator; there should be a recommended piggy savvy vet in Liverpool. Click on the link and put in your location, and it will come up with your closest recommended vets.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/

Many of my piggies are not very cuddly as they live in groups of sows with a neutered boar each, which are their main focus, but I enjoy watching them and interacting with them. They love coming up to me across the room for a herby or pellet treat, and the boldest will even climb on my lap - incidentally, those are the ones that like it least to be petted! So I don't feel like I am losing out... I make sure that they are OK with being handled and groomed though and they will all stand a short petting session! If I want a cuddle I get one of my cuddly piggies.
Click to expand...
Thank you :) I'll do that now and hopefully find one.
Awh! I think its amazing how they interact with each other as well as how cheeky they can be towards us haha! I cant wait for them to arrive :D
 
There is a thread somewhere about veggies.Mined have bell pepper every day for the vitamin c and broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumber, green beans, mini sweet corn, lettuce ,(not iceberg), tomato Now and then and Apple now and then
 
Thank you, I'll try and find it. I'm not really sure how much to give them so I'll have to have a look and see what information I can find.
 
A cup of veg per pig per day split into twice a day and hay is topped up three times a day.They have a bowl of nuggets a day.
 
Thank you for your help :) I actually thought it was the other way round... Oops. My poor pigs would have been getting veg once a day and nuggets once... Thank you for correcting me haha
 
This is the thread that you are looking for re. food. It also gives you the amounts of all foods (ca. 75-80% hay, 10-15% veg - including one veg or herb high in vitamin C daily - and 5-10% pellets with fresh additive-free water daily). As your girls are mature adults, please go easy on the pellets. Half to one hand full per piggy per day is enough (ca. 20g).
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...veg-and-fruit-list-with-vitamin-c-grading.42/

It doesn't matter in how many portions you feed veg and pellets; as long as you create a firm routine that is integrated in your own lifestyle and that the piggies can adapt to. you may find that your new girls are very critical on new veg. Best ask the previous owners when and what they feed and switch the piggies over slowly.
 
The girls have just arrived, I'll post some pictures in a little while. Unfortunately it does look like they werent looked after very well. The bottom half of them and underneath is stained yellow and their nailes are curling under. They also seemed extremely hungry when I fed them but that might just be normal. I feel so sorry for them.
 
Just be careful not to overdo the veg at first, in case their guts are not used to them. Provide them with plenty of hay and unlimited pellets.

Not surprised at all - allergy should not be an excuse for not feeding and cleaning! :(
Hopefully, there is nothing major wrong with them and all they need is a good bath, food and tlc.
 
I'm just hand feeding them a little bit of veg for now and I'll gradually increase :) it's so nice to watch them, they look so excited they're popcorning in their cage and running up and down. I dont think they're used to having so much space :(

They said hey had an allergy but when they brought them he just picked them up out of the box and was stroking them, I'm so confused.
Hopefully you're right :) I'm going to sort them out and make sure they get lots of love and tlc x
 
You'd be astonished at how many people use the "allergy" excuse to get rid of piggies they just can't be bothered to look after anymore! The true cases usually have well cared for and looked after piggies, and they often go to some length to keep them! :mal:
 
I know what you mean, it does look like they just stopped bothering with them :( its quite sad actually because they're lovely girls but, they're with me now :)
 
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