New guinea pigs, some help needed!

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bluetrooth

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Heya

We just got two male guinea pigs, they're really young/small but seem perfectly healthy so far. I got them a large plastic "cage bottom" with two wooden houses, lots of hay, pellets, water and some fresh vegetables; but I'm just wondering how I should handle them and what I should look out for.

It has only been one day, but they're mostly cuddled up in their little house, and barely come out (just to eat/drink.) When one comes out without the other, he usually makes this wheeking sound - the kind they tend to make when they beg for food, or perhaps get a little annoyed. What does this mean?

Is he in need of something, or just calling out to the other one?

Also, how fast should I handle them, and what are the definite do's and don'ts? Is it ever a good idea to remove the house/shelter to pick them up, if they hole up in it too much, for instance, or do I just wait patiently for them to come up to my hand (with a treat) etc.?


Thanks! :)
 
Hey there! :) Welcome to you and your boys. :)
Just a few quick things, exactly how big is the cage, because pet shops are notorious for selling ones too small, and if they have infact sold you an inadiquit one the sooner you take it back to get a refund, the better (the minimum for a pair of males according to the RSPCA is 2ft by 4ft :) ) (and does it have a top or high sides to stop them escaping?)
Sounds like your doing everything right! :) Be carefull when introducing new veg and try to only introduce one at a time so as not to upset little tummies. :)
As you are giving them everything they need, i suspect the squeaking is just them talking to eachother and being happy in their new home :)

As far as handling goes, everyone starts at different times. I like the method that involves letting them settle for a day or two, then starting cuddles. One thing to be aware of, is that you will have to catch them to have a cuddle, VERY very few piggies will just sit still and wait to be picked up, that kind of trust takes a long time. However if you sit by the cage and speak softly to them, offering veg they will learn to come and take it. :)

Please excuse all the questions, you seem to be doing all the right things! We just ask lots because were very used to pet shops giving out lots of wrong advice :)

Welcome to the fourm!
 
Thanks for the welcome!

Guinea pig slave said:
What are your piggies names and where did you find them ?
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Zami and Dex are their names, we bought them at a local pet shop just cause we felt more sorry for those than for the ones we could get from a breeder actually.

Connie said:
Just a few quick things, exactly how big is the cage, because pet shops are notorious for selling ones too small, and if they have infact sold you an inadiquit one the sooner you take it back to get a refund, the better (the minimum for a pair of males according to the RSPCA is 2ft by 4ft :) ) (and does it have a top or high sides to stop them escaping?)
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I think it might be 'just' under those requirements, actually, it's a little over a meter in length, and half a meter in width, but we got the biggest available cage, plus a metal fence to give them floor time (larger than the cage.) At the moment they're really small though, so it seems big enough for them for now at least, and they'll get plenty of floor time since there's always someone home here. The sides are really high, luckily, so I took the metal cage construction off of the bottom.

Connie said:
As far as handling goes, everyone starts at different times. I like the method that involves letting them settle for a day or two, then starting cuddles.
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I just think that even after a few days they might not come out of the little house much; so I was wondering what I should do in that case.

Is it okay for me to just lift the house off of them, and pick them up? Would that be traumatic for little guinea pigs? Cause I'll need to clean it too, but they might not be lured out easily. :D
 
First of all, that cage will be fine as they are still babies, but as they are boys, if they are left in a cage that size as they hit their hormones (4 months+) they may well fight. You will be wanted to prevent a fight as once blood has been drawn they may never go back together :(
As you obviously dont have a problem with an open topped cage, it might be worth investing in a C&C cage (you buy the grids, and a plastic sheet, incredably easy to make and can be made to whatever size/shape you require.) Here is a link to show you all sorts of members indoor home made cages :) http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=53210

Please be carefull RE sides, I would not recomend anything much lower than 14 inches, 12 at a push, especially for young ones as they get more confident they will explore and may very well try to make an escape. :) As i dont have a shop bought cage I'm not sure how high the sides are, so just thought i would give measurements :)

Lifting up the house to catch them is fine. It probably will be a litte scary for them, the best way to limit this either to get yourself a cosey sack, if that is part of their cage furniture, they will be able to snuggle in there and you can just scoop them up inside it. :) Easy peasy. Alternativly, and for now, try to just pick them up once a day, and have them on your lap for as long as possible (instead of picking up little and often, because this means repeating the traumatic catching phase) When you have them out on your lap you may want to have a towel under them as babies particularly will piddle :)

Just to give an idea, a 100cm by 50 cm cage gives 5.4 square feet of space, a 120 buy 60 cms cage, gives 6 square feet of space.. so when you think of it that way it sounds much more :) But like i said, you have time to think over your housing options as they are still little :)
 
Cheers!

I hope they won't fight, so far they seem the best of friends though, and I think they came from the same litter. One also seems to be the brave leader and the other the shy, cowardly follower; so if they would ever get less friendly, it looks like one might just back down.

So far they're adorably nice to each other though, I'm glad about that. :)
 
Thats great :)
Being from the same litter makes little difference to how piggies get along, contrary to popular belief. :))

They definatly shouldnt be fighting yet, you wont have to worry about that untill they get to about 16 week, but at that point the more space the better, as often a pair will live very harmoniously with the right about of space, but a smaller space causes them to fight, and once a fight has happened and blood has been drawn, you have two seperate piggies you need to find new friends for :)

Dont hesitate to ask in our housing section, if you have any questions as loads of people have experiemented with many different set ups :)
 
Hi :) You have already been given loads of great advice! Just wanted to say hello and welcome to Piggy slavery ... its a very happy place to be :(|)
 
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