What do I need for my guinea pig

Helencork

Helencork

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Hi all,
We will be getting my daughter a guinea pig for her birthday this year and would just like some advice.
We will be keeping the guinea pig indoors and will be getting a c&c cage but I wondered what people's options were on fleece liners Vs other linings? It will be in our front room so really want something that will give the least smell and easy clean.
Also what things would people say are essential other bits to get as opposed to things that are not needed?
Thanks x
 
Hello! So glad you are planning on getting a guinea pig!
I would recommend that you get two guinea pigs. Guinea pigs do much better and pairs. I personally think that fleece works better. I have liners from the guinea pig dad they are a bit expensive but they do the job.
you will need a good sized C&C cage (I have a 4 foot by 2.5 foot for my two, who are now seperated cause one was a male :hb: ) Please get a lid if you haveother pets like cats and dogs. You will need two hides, a water bottle and maybe a water bowel. You will need hay and pellets. I give mine unlimited hay and they have pellets throughout the day. I give veggies every other day. Also i you get two piggies PLEASE confirm that they are both females. Trust me I have made this mistake and now I paying the price with one very pregnant piggie:eek::D
 
Definitely two guinea pigs - they must never be kept alone. They are highly social herd animals.

Two females need a cage of a minimum of 120cm x 60cm/4ft x 2ft. That is the rspca minimum but bigger than that would be recommended. Two males need a minimum cage of 150cm x 60cm/5gt x 2ft but we recommended 180cm x 60cm/6ft x 2ft as two boys need a lot more space

You will require two of every item (bowls, bottles etc) but I would recommend at least two hidey houses - more hideys than piggies can help stop territorial issues.

Hay is the most vital food for them but pellets must be kept strictly limited and they must never have a constant supply of them. Too many pellets can cause health issues. This is our guide to pellets Nugget Comparison Chart

Don’t be tempted to buy too many commercial toys, chew toys etc often get ignored.

The best way to get two piggies is via a rescue centre where at all possible. Buying pet shop piggies can bring risks, it’s fine if that is what you need to do, but you must be aware that pet shop piggies are often just put together rather than being correctly character matched which can, not always, but can cause problems further down the line.

This is a collection of guides for wannabe owners which will hopefully help you with further information

Quick Information Bundle For Wannabe Owners
 
Helencork said:
Hi all,
We will be getting my daughter a guinea pig for her birthday this year and would just like some advice.
We will be keeping the guinea pig indoors and will be getting a c&c cage but I wondered what people's options were on fleece liners Vs other linings? It will be in our front room so really want something that will give the least smell and easy clean.
Also what things would people say are essential other bits to get as opposed to things that are not needed?
Thanks x
Click to expand...
Hello, your daughter will love him/her they are amazing pets but please get 2 as they need to have a friend. Although they would appear happy they must have another pig or they will be terribly lonely. It hurts my heart to think of lone pigs. I’m a new owner & we got our girls together at 6-8 weeks old. The happiest thing is to watch the 2 of them together. They are sisters x
 
Helencork said:
Hi all,
We will be getting my daughter a guinea pig for her birthday this year and would just like some advice.
We will be keeping the guinea pig indoors and will be getting a c&c cage but I wondered what people's options were on fleece liners Vs other linings? It will be in our front room so really want something that will give the least smell and easy clean.
Also what things would people say are essential other bits to get as opposed to things that are not needed?
Thanks x
Click to expand...
Hi! I would recommend a fleece liner with an absorbent pad such as a puppy pad underneath. This is what I use and it's never smelled particular and only needs changing once a week. As everyone else said, please get 2 piggies because they are sociable and need a friend no matter how much time you can spend with them. Don't buy pet shop treats that are said to be for guinea pigs. They contain lots of sugar and ingredients piggies don't need that aren't good for them. They would much prefer their favourite veggies.
 
Thank you for your replies. Yes I read about getting 2 and we will be 😀 it's not until July but wanted to get the the other bits for them now so it's all ready for them. I know some things are more gimmicky and didn't want to buy things that they do not need or are unlikely to play with. Thanks for all your advice. I shall definately try for 2 girls and do not plan getting them from a pet shop. I was wondering the best place to get them....we will try a rescue centre like you suggested 😊
 
The things they offer my two most amusement are simply cardboard boxes with piles of hay, Carrot cottages and haycubes.

A rescue centre will want to see your set up to approve you for adoption so it is great to get everything ready in advance. With the current restrictions, most are not rehoming at present (some are though) so I’d advise you to get in contact with a centre and get your name on a waiting list
 
Neville's Nest the rescue I got mine from are still letting people adopt and they will deliver your piggies to you too. I would definitely recommend them they were very friendly and helpful. I don't know where you are from but they are based in Leicester. They have a Facebook page with an owner's group and a website you could look at if you're interested. I've linked both pages for you. I hope this is helpful 🙂🙂
https://www.nevillesnest.org.uk/
https://m.facebook.com/NevillesNest/
 
Helencork said:
Thank you for your replies. Yes I read about getting 2 and we will be 😀 it's not until July but wanted to get the the other bits for them now so it's all ready for them. I know some things are more gimmicky and didn't want to buy things that they do not need or are unlikely to play with. Thanks for all your advice. I shall definately try for 2 girls and do not plan getting them from a pet shop. I was wondering the best place to get them....we will try a rescue centre like you suggested 😊
Click to expand...
Morning, Iv spent a fortune on chew toys, bits & pieces like that & tunnels & my girls aren’t interested. They much prefer cardboard boxes to chew & I made them tunnels with some thin cardboard they live to chew & go through. They also like the cardboard chew tunnels they are cheap also. think most pigs don’t use the toys but could always try. My girls also love my daughters old tent, the one that you get in Argos that pops up & has a tunnel. We had it here & tried it & they love time in the living room popcorning through it & sleeping inside with old cushions x
 
A cardboard box is the best enrichment you can give them! and it costs nothing, avoid those chewy treats, a couple of dandelion leaves will go down a treat instead x
 
I have a giant collection of boxes for my piggies which I set out for floor time. It gives them something new to explore eveytime and I hide bits of veggies around as well. They love it and you don't need to buy anything either!
 
As above.. go via a local rescue, get the biggest cage you have room for... cardboard boxes are fab and free!

Re bedding, loads of advice on here.. ours are in our front room and I use fleece cage liners and IKEA bath mats... all I ever smell is hay but that's due to me having hayfever...it only bothers me when I am taking hay out of the bag and putting it into my box .

Do lots of research and start saving now for a vet fund! All the best...
 
Welcome to the forum.
It’s great to do all the research and preparation beforehand.
I can only echo what others have said about cardboard boxes full of hay. A paper bag full of hay is also fun for piggies.
Tunnels and hides are great for sleeping and playing.

Start a vet fund. That was one of the best bits of advice I picked when I joined the forum.
Vet costs can mount up very quickly so it’s good to have the money saved and hope it’s never needed.
 
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