Second Time Piggy Slave

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XbeccaX

XbeccaX

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about getting myself some guineas again... We had three many years ago and they were our babies, now I feel like I need piggies back in my life again.

Our last girls lived outside, but I want these piggies to be indoor so I can keep them in my room (my parents have said that although they loved our last girls, they don't really want anything to do with these new ones so I want to keep them out their way!). Does anyone have any good recommendations for indoor cages? I'd seen the rabbit 100 cage in Pets at Home which looked enormous, but apparently thats too small and the rabbit 120 is the minimum recommended size?

Also, as much as I love piggies, I'm a little concerned about the smell as they will be living in my room. Apart from the obvious keeping them clean, any suggestion son how to minimise the smell? Maybe a certain type of bedding?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated! I know I may sound a little like a novice here but our last girls had a great life with us and were dearly loved, the eldest living the just a month off 7 years! I'm just after some advice on how to keep indoor piggies rather than outdoor :)

Thanks!
 
I would say from experience get a 120cm for 2 piggys any more I'd make a c&c cage we had 2 piggys in a 120cm cage and as soon as I got a third we immediately got a c&c cage (3x4) they argue more and there's just not enough room for them in a 120cm cage. When we first got the 2 piggys as baby's we got a 100cm cage and we regretted it straight away it's just not big enough when they start to grow and they grow fast we got a new one in about 2-3 weeks.

Also we have them living inside with us we had sawdust bedding until recently but I don't recommend it for indoors it's too dusty I'd say go for fleece and towels as a underlayer. You will have to clean them out at least twice a week depending on how big your cage is. We also have hay boxs which help for the smell which we line with newspaper then put loads of hay in and clean them and refill once a day which helps with the smell but you will need one for each piggys so it would probably only be viable if you built a c&c cage.

Hope this has helped
 
Hi! Glad you are thinking of having piggies again!

Keeping them indoors is really rewarding and you get to know them so well as you can spend time with them so easily. 120cm is the minimum for 2 piggies but bigger is always better so if you can manage something bigger, space wise inside then go for it. C&C cages give you the flexibility to make a cage that fits the shape of your house/room and is usually bigger than most standard shop bought cages.

Bedding wise it depends what suits you. Cleaning regularly will minimise smell and so does a good absorbent layer. So if you want to use fleece or vet-bed then lots of people use puppy pads underneath as the absorbent layer.I use Back 2 Nature litter under Vet-Bed. It's a bit coarse but very, very absorbent and doesn't smell hardly at all. But you could also use bedding like Fitch, Finacard or Auboise which are all good and absorbent but don't need washing like fleece and Vet-Bed.

Hope that helps :)
 
Hello there and hope you have enjoyed looking at all the information topics on the forum. Things in the Guinea Pig world have advanced a lot recently with things like diet, accommodation, veterinary treatments, bedding and exercise/enrichment. The forum is a great source of useful info and manned by guinea pig fans and experts who are happy to answer questions. Can I put in a request for you to consider getting your new piggies from a rescue centre if you live within range of one! We have a list of recommended rescues on the forum. Reputable rescues can help you choose a well bonded pair who will be healthy, correctly sexed, and probably neutered in the case of male piggies. Rescued guinea pigs will also have been regularly handled and the staff can tell you all about their characters/likes and dislikes etc. The larger the cage the better, plus allow them access to an enclosed and secure floor space to have fun stretching their legs. good luck with your piggy search xxxxxx
 
Thanks for your advice everyone!

I like the idea of using fleece for bedding, it sounds like its a lot easier to manage than sawdust and less mess! A couple more questions - is any type of fleece ok? Like can I just buy a load from a fabric shop or are there types where the fibres are not safe for piggies? Also would you recommend hay in the bed area as well as fleece?

I had another look in Pets At Home today at cages - the 100cm length one did look pretty small for two piggies (I think I must have looked at the wrong one last time!) so I will probably go for the rabbit 120. I had a look at C&C cages online but am I right in thinking they don't have lids?! I'd be waaaaay too paranoid about my piggies jumping out! :P

AuntyC I very much like the idea of getting rescue piggies and giving them a second chance! But I looked on several rescue websites around my area (I live in York) and none of them have any piggies available :(
 
We have a c&c cage without a lid but my piggys have never attempted to get out :) but you can have lids on them made of the grids and I have fleece in there bedding area and 2 hayboxes I don't have anything extra in the bedding area other than the fleece on the floor. You really want to try get anti pill fleece but anything that's 100% polyester.
 
My piggies haven't moved in yet but I have a 2x4 c and c cage with a 2x2 loft. I am using fleece liners on the floors with towels underneath. Fleece from a fabric shop is about £6 a metre, i found it was cheaper to buy fleece throws from wilko or QD. Fleeces need to be washed a few times before use as the coating on them stops them wicking: Cali Cavy Collective: a blog about all things guinea pig: 4 Easy Steps to Preparing Fleece for Your Guinea Pig

I have bought 5 blankets in total which have so far been washed 3 times and will be sewn into cage liners, pigloos, lap pads and tunnels shortly!
 
Oh how exciting! If you could I'd go for a c & c or ask your parents to make you a cage. I have a home made wooden one, like a c & c with no lid and they've never tried to get out! I have fleece from wilko and primark with newspaper underneath and have never had an issue with smell :-) good luck and hope to see pictures when you get them
 
Hi there. Keep an eye on rescue websites like Cavy Corner and Milhaven Guinea pig Rescue( your two nearest recommended centres) as often they have piggies just waiting for their mandatory quarantine to end before they go up for adoption, or babies to be weaned from their mothers.:love:. They may also have second hand cages for sale, which will have been expertly cleaned and disinfected. I have used both the larger Ferplast 140cm cage and C&C cages. The C&C set up can be easier to clean and no, piggies can't get out!
 
Thanks so much for your advice everyone! Definitely going for the rabbit 120, probably with newspaper and fleece as bedding as this seems like the cheapest/cleanest option! AuntyC I will definitely have a look on the rescue sites! Thank you!

May have even got mum keen on the idea... she was suggesting options of how to rearrange my room to fit the cage in! I knew she wouldn't be able to resist the idea of piggies again..! :P
 
So I just ordered my guinea pig cage! Got the rabbit 120 :) Going shopping for fleece on Friday eeeep!
 
Good luck for fleece shopping! all sounds exciting.
i live fairly near you so know that you do have to travel a bit for rescue guinea pigs but I can recommend both BARC (Barnsley / Sheffield) @pig in the city and also Milhaven (Keighley). York RSPCA occasionally have guineas but I have not rehomed from them so don't know what they are like. Really good to be able to know you will get a healthy bonded pair and you will get support from the rescue if you have any worries after they arrive.
Good luck with everything!:)
 
hi, we have a gorgeous pair of year old boars needing an indoor home, they are very tame and friendly and very well bonded. Ozzy is a lovely chunky pig, he is long haired, but keeping his hair trimmed means he only needs a moderate amount of grooming. Bumble is a lovely cheeky boy who has a habit of sitting in the food bowl! Please message me if you are interested in adopting these boys, they really need a home where they get the attention they deserve.ozzy and Bumble.webp
 
Aw, Ozzie and Bumble look lovely. Long haired piggies are not difficult to care for if you keep up with the combing ,and give an occasional trimming session. :love:
 
Its here! My guinea cage is here and all set up in my room! Minus the fleece which I should be getting today! :D I just have one question.. the water bottle is a bit high when placed on the lowest gap because of the high base of the cage and I'm concerned my new piggies won't be able to reach it, especially if they are young.. any ideas?!

pig in the city Ozzy & Bumble are gorgeous boys, especially Ozzy's hairdo! Unfortunately though I was looking for female piggies rather than males as the ones we had before were females... best of luck finding a loving home for them though!
 
Very exciting :) bet you can't wait to get some piggys. I've got girls but I wouldn't be put of males :) they are just as lovely as girls :) if I'm honest I'm looking for a neutered boy as I would really love a boy.
 
You can pop a little step underneath the water bottle - those little log bridges work very well as steps. Adult pigs should not have a problem as they can prop their front legs up on the cage edge when drinking from the bottle. If you get very young piggies putting a small water bowl in the cage very close to the bottle will give them access to water until they work out what the bottle spout is for:). Well bonded boys are just as cute as bonded girls. I have looked after both and if the bonding/pairing is long standing boys will not be a problem.
 
Got some girls arriving tomorrow, will let you know, but boys are more fun in my opinion! Especially ozzy and bumble!
 
Demi said:
Very exciting :) bet you can't wait to get some piggys. I've got girls but I wouldn't be put of males :) they are just as lovely as girls :) if I'm honest I'm looking for a neutered boy as I would really love a boy.
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We will have a neutered boar available soon! Carlton in the previous post has an appointment to be neutered next week!
 
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