Thinking about one

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Bakerguys166

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Hi I'm thinking of getting a guinea pig is it ok to get just one ? And second I hate to ask this question I'm a smoker is it still ok to get a guinea pig?
 
:wel: Well done on doing your research before jumping in feet first. Guinea pigs are highly social and need constant my companionship of their own kind. So it’s not okay to get just one. They also need a lot of space, especially boars. Their minimum cage size is 150x60cm. A pair of sows or a neutered boar and sow need minimum 120x60cm.

The biggest cost you have to think about is vet fees. These are even steeper in the US.

Lastly, they have narrow airways and so you shouldn’t smoke in the same room as them. Preferably not indoors at all. Have a read of the guides in the link below.
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information
 
Siikibam said:
:wel: Well done on doing your research before jumping in feet first. Guinea pigs are highly social and need constant my companionship of their own kind. So it’s not okay to get just one. They also need a lot of space, especially boars. Their minimum cage size is 150x60cm. A pair of sows or a neutered boar and sow need minimum 120x60cm.

The biggest cost you have to think about is vet fees. These are even steeper in the US.

Lastly, they have narrow airways and so you shouldn’t smoke in the same room as them. Preferably not indoors at all. Have a read of the guides in the link below.
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information
Click to expand...
Ok thanks I'll look at.that
 
Hi and welcome

Good that you are asking before you go and buy a piggy...

Unfortunately, living in a room with smoke or incense is a big no no for any air breathing pets, but especially rodents with their small and narrow airways and their much more developed sense of smell. :(
Irritants to Avoid Around Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are also group animals that are not wired to live on their own. The US is one of the countries that have officially accepted the five animal freedoms (basic animal rights) - the 4th freedom is the right to be able to express normal behaviour and companionship.
Sadly, Switzerland is still the only country where it is expressly forbidden by law to own or sell single guinea pigs, as well as other listed group species since 2004.

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To find out more about guinea pigs as a species: Guinea Pig Facts - An Overview
 
If you're looking for a solitary pet look at hamsters - I think it's the Syrian hamster that actively dislikes others as they are very territorial. They are pretty much nocturnal so better for the night-owl types although my friend's one did wake up for treats and was busy in the evenings. Unlike piggies they can also be toilet trained to an extent which makes cleaning out the accommodation much quicker. We have 4 piggies - who we love - but I do think on occasion that for the amount of time I spend 'mucking out' the enclosures I might as well have had a horse!

The smoking will still have to be worked around I'm afraid...
 
Free Ranger said:
If you're looking for a solitary pet look at hamsters - I think it's the Syrian hamster that actively dislikes others as they are very territorial. They are pretty much nocturnal so better for the night-owl types although my friend's one did wake up for treats and was busy in the evenings. Unlike piggies they can also be toilet trained to an extent which makes cleaning out the accommodation much quicker. We have 4 piggies - who we love - but I do think on occasion that for the amount of time I spend 'mucking out' the enclosures I might as well have had a horse!

The smoking will still have to be worked around I'm afraid...
Click to expand...

All hamsters are solitary animals. Some dwarf hamsters can be cohabited under very specific circumstances but it is generally agreed in the hamster community that all hamsters are happier living alone.
 
As a hamster owner, I must say that their solitary nature appealed to me. For me, I prefer having only 1 pet, would consider 2 but certainly not 3-4 (which rules out rats). The thing with social pets is that when one of them inevitably dies, you have to seek out a new companion asap.

This can be a problem because social animals are typically sold in pairs and the rescues would try to pair them up too so they can go to their new homes together. So if you can accommodate 3 or more, you basically have a larger pool of potential candidates. Yes there are lonely boars and sows in the rescues, i have seen them, and you can do boar dating but whether you can find a suitable one would depend very much on the rescues in your area. So i feel that given that I don't ever want to have more than 2 pets, this does make guinea pigs less suitable as you would continually have to search for new piggy friends for the bereaved..
 
As others have said, guinea pigs are social animals and really should be kept with another guinea pig. And honestly, the relationship between your pigs is part of the fun (I have loved watching our pairs of pig 'sisters' over the years- you see so much more of their natural behavior this way and they really do form a unique bond to each other, as well as to you. I also have Syrian hamsters, who are solitary by nature, if you only want one pet. They are also great little pets. Good on you for doing your research first before coming home with an animal who may not be the right match!
 
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