Hi Barnyard
Is there anyway you can take the cage back and get a refund? You don't want to have spent money on something that isn't suitable?
I know you were planning on getting guinea pigs as a suprise for your childrens birthday but sometimes these things don't always work out the way you had hoped.
My daughter was desperate for guinea pigs for her birthday but I got them four months early. Firstly I was lucky to find a great hutch and knew someone who had baby piggies and secondly I didn't feel it was right for an animal to be given as a gift (each to their own on this one
)
You also need to make sure that you have EVERYTHING in place before you get any guinea pigs so this means having adequate housing, food, bedding etc, not easy to do as a suprise
I would have a look at the options you have and decide firstly if you actually have room to provide your guinea pigs with the space they need, if they are going to live indoors or if they will live outdoors in the summer and indoors in winter. Remember they live a long time.
I have kept guinea pigs outside for most of the year, moving the whole hutch into a insulated shed with windows in the colder months (no shed now so they are coming inside). Putting them in a garage is certainly an option providing you don't keep a car in there and there is some light from somewhere.
Also bear in mind that young children need prompting and encouragement to help care for a pet. I say help as the guinea pigs will be your responsibility. My little girls loves her piggies but has to be reminded every day to feed them, cuddle them etc otherwise she'd forget. Iif they are in a chilly garage where there is not much space to get them out for a cuddle the appeal can soon be lost for a child, especially if you have a garage like we do that isn't accessed from inside the house - its a cold dash down the garden when its throwing it down
Have a think about your options and I am sure you will find something that works for the whole family. If not then the guinea pigs may have to wait for a while. Perhaps mention the idea of guinea pigs to your children, my daughter had so much fun setting up the hutch and deciding on which guinea pigs she wanted that we felt it was better than a suprise. I think its lovely for children to have pets and I am so glad we have our boys but its certainly not easy!
good luck and HTH
X
its a meter in length and has a little upstairs with ramp. not sure what to do as havent really got much more space for anything much bigger in the house but wanted to get a bonded pair for company.. should i not get any piggies or have them outside in a hutch and garage for winter?
