What do i need to buy/Cage setup...

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JackyB

JackyB

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Hi All,

I'm sure this information is available somewhere on the board already and I have already checked out the sticky threads but it's hard to fins all the information I need so hope you all don't mind me posting a new thread as I could do with some help/info/advice of you all!

Well I shall start of by explaining my situation, I don't yet own any Guinea Pigs but am hoping to take on two baby sows in the next month or so, I have just moved into my own home and don't have any other pets as previously rented a house and also have no children. I work in the day but apart from that I am rarely away from home and my mom will look after then so I consider my circumstances to be suitable for looking after guinea pigs.

Now to get back onto the point of me posting this thread, I’ve already decided on the cage I am getting and have made sure it will be big enough- just to add I will be keeping the piggies indoors in my kitchen/dining room.

I have a few questions so I will get started: -

Do i need two houses, bowls and water bottles so the piggies have one each?
My Cage setup will be as follows- is this suitable: -
Fleece with old towels and newspaper underneath (Tip picked up from other board members- thank you!)
Litter tray underneath where the hay rack will be- will plenty of newspaper be ok in this?
List of other things I will need- please post if you can add anything else you think I would need: -
x2 houses?
x2 food dishes
x2 water bottles?
Guinea pig food Pellets
Good quality Hay
Snooze bedding to put in their houses? Or should i just use hay?
Indoor/Outdoor run with base: [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Galvanized-Outdoor-Rabbit-Guinea-Playpen/dp/B00178HJGM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=garden&qid=1264002303&sr=8-1[/ame]
This will be used indoors in winter and outdoors in summer.
Guinea pig Brush
Guinea pig Shampoo
Please let me know what you think of this and of any ideas you have, thanks in advance! :)
 
Please consider rescue guinea pigs - you do sometimes find babies, but there are lots of deserving pigs out there. Boars need more space then sows.

This is a great website for c&c cages
http://www.guineapigcages.com/

ebay is the best place in the uk to buy the grids if you do not have a costco card.
correx you get from signage shops

there is a forum member on here who will sell you the kit for a little bit more than if you source it all separately
 
You seem to have a good list going there. For two guineas, you would need a 4' cage. These usually come with one big house that they can jump on and lie under. You could always put hidey boxes, or chubes in there too. Not necessary to have two of everything. Just put the food dish where one pig can't hog it, and not let the other have access. With regard to food, pellets are good, but if the piggies you get have been used to meusli style food, you will need to keep them on this for a while and make the change gradually to pellets if you want to use those. For shampoo,look at the gorgeous guineas website. Not sure what the bedding is you mention. I wouldn't put hay in there if you are using fleece, they will be happy sleeping on that, and have hay to eat either from a hay sock or hanging loo rolls etc. The hay racks that you often get with cages are awful, as much goes on the carpet as in the cage. Good quality hay is a must. Try the hay experts website, or find a good animal feed/horsy type place and they usually do really good quality hay, not the bitty stuff, very cheaply, and finally, as people have already said, please consider rescue guinea pigs, there are such a lot lookingh for homes. xx
 
CAge

Hi there we supply c & c cages any shape any size pm if you would like any information thanks from Steve
 
If you have two boars, then I understand that you are better off having two bowls, two water bottles, two hideys, etc., to prevent any fights. They will also need a bigger hutch (as somebody has already mentioned).

If you are going to stick with two, then boars can make lovely pets (it's just harder to get them to live in a herd, like you can with females).
 
I'm not sure whether you're thinking of getting boars or sows, but I just wanted to champion boars for minute:

Although I have mainly sows, I do have one neutered boar (who is in with the girlies), and he has buckets of charm and character. Boars are frequently overlooked at pet shops and in rescues - please don't automatically rule them out - they can make great pets.
 
Furries said:
I'm not sure whether you're thinking of getting boars or sows, but I just wanted to champion boars for minute:

Although I have mainly sows, I do have one neutered boar (who is in with the girlies), and he has buckets of charm and character. Boars are frequently overlooked at pet shops and in rescues - please don't automatically rule them out - they can make great pets.
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Yea, let's hear it for the boys! Love 'them.
In my experience of bonding boars, no amount of dishes, toys, houses etc will stop them. If they're going to fight they will fight. That is why it is good to get piggies from a rescue, you know they will be bonded, rather than picking two random ones from a shop and hoping for the best. x
 
come on the boys!! there the only men aloud in my house :)p

the 2 boys i have living together have 1 big home 1 gerty bowl 1 water bottle but 2 bowls of nuggets one on top of home & one on the floor of cage think i'm lucky as no falling out xx
 
Hi All,

Just wanted to say thanks very much for your replies they are much appreciated- I need all the help and advise i can get :)

I haven't yet decided where I would get the piggies from though I am looking into- I have thought about both breeders and rescues and as I won't be in a position to take them until in a month or so I’ve no idea of what is a available and where. If you know of any rescues in the Birmingham area the please let me know so I can consider it closer to the time.

My main concerns about a rescue is that a lack of experience with piggies would go against me (I've never had them before) and is also a reason why I don't think it would be a good idea to take on piggies that have a few problems- hope that doesn't sound to harsh to you folks, I also thought it would be better for a first timer like me to take on two sows rather then boars as I read that boars can be more difficult then sows, taking on piggies is a big responsibility- one that I feel I am more then up to and can give them a lovely home but I also don't want to bite off more then I can chew.

I hope you all understand where I am coming from and if you have any advice/suggestions on any of my concerns they would be much appreciated :)
 
JackyB said:
My main concerns about a rescue is that a lack of experience with piggies would go against me (I've never had them before) and is also a reason why I don't think it would be a good idea to take on piggies that have a few problems- hope that doesn't sound to harsh to you folks, I also thought it would be better for a first timer like me to take on two sows rather then boars as I read that boars can be more difficult then sows, taking on piggies is a big responsibility- one that I feel I am more then up to and can give them a lovely home but I also don't want to bite off more then I can chew.

I hope you all understand where I am coming from and if you have any advice/suggestions on any of my concerns they would be much appreciated :)
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The fact you are already on here, reading and learning about piggies shows you are going in the right direction. I just got my Fred last year and believe me they train you well :)). Fred was a rescue from pets at home adoption now he is very timid and shy but is coming out his shell this is so rewarding to see.

My girls who are rescues that I keep with my boar, they are spayed are the most gorgeous, friendly piggies I have ever met and so cute. Not to mention friendly, if they were from a pet shop I bet they would be nothing like they are now.

I have had them a month in this video. They are 100% not damaged!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKMBjXpeBTU[/ame] The 2 black ones are girls.
 
I think any rescue would be happy to rehome with you. You are obviously taking piggy ownership seriously with all the research is doing.
With regards to Breeders versus Rescues, Breeders mass produce in often poor conditions, and do it to make money. There are no guarantees that you will have a healthy pig. Rescues are by no means 'problem' pigs. Of course we do have guineas with issues, but these are either kept as long termers, or rehomed to very experienced homes, with the full knowledge of their health history. There is less chance of problems, I would think, as we ensure that all pigs are healthy before going out. Boars can have dominance problems, and again, this is where a rescue would be more advantageous, as we ensure that our boys are bonded and getting on well before they are rehomed. From a shop/breeder, you could just pick two random lads and they may well not get on. Girls too argue, and have fights. I have had two this week that would just not tolerate each other, although I think it is fair to say not as prevalent as in boys.
No one on the forum here would ever recommend a piggy from a breeder, and there is a huge amount of experience here. Please don't write off rescues, you sound like just the type of caring home we are looking for. x
 
Well having 6 boys I definately think boys are more fun, they keep me on my toes and have me wrapped round their little feetsies.

I'll go with the above consider rescue piggies, if you decide on boys older/younger pairings are far more stable.

As to the concerns about piggies with problems from rescues, in my limited experience I've found that most "available for rehoming" pigs in rescue are in perfect health and there for no fault of their own. The pigs that do have health or behavioural issues generally are kept by the rescues as sponser piggies, because it's unfair to rehome them again.

If there's no big rush for you, you can wait for the right pigs to find you, well that's what I keep telling myself and now have 8. Every time any new ones come in I say no more.;);)

Good luck.
 
Well I’m glad you all think i can give them a good home from what I’ve said it's lovely to hear.

After what I’ve read about the positives of re-homing piggies from a rescue- even with boars I’m going to seriously consider taking on two sows or boars from a rescue that have already been bonded- which is obviously better for them and me! And hearing that rescues wouldn't discount me for not having any experience also helps.

I've been looking on the RSPCA website for Birmingham and Walsall so if you folks know of any other rescues in these areas please let me know!

Thanks again :)
 
JackyB said:
JoanneG111 thanks for the video- they look really adorable :)
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Your welcome... Glad me and the girlies could help :)). They are my pride and joy afterall!

YAY, best of luck finding your piggies.. they will have you well trained in no time xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>.
 
Hi,

I foster for Walsall RSPCA, the fact you haven't had piggies before wouldn't be a problem, you just need to show you have done some research on them, which you have. We always have a number of pigs in so when you are ready you can always have a look in the rehoming section on here or on the website.
 
I can highly recommend a neutered male and one or more females. Married couples are usually the most stable constellation (not that two bonded boars/sows can't get on splendidly too, it's just super foolproof :) )

Why not Maddie and Jasper from Walsall? They are both super cute!
 
Cozmo said:
JoanneG that video is so cute thanks for sharing!
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Thanks isn't it just! MY girlies are a new breed of pig. They are so confident it is unbelievable! I have only had them 6 weeks but they have always been super confident! They are rescues 18 months old! xx
 
Yeah they are aby x, don't know whats in them.

I just call them a new breed of pig... because I've never met pigs like them they are so cheeky and confident! xx
 
Hello:) Just wanted to say I got my Melvin and Parsnip from the Walsall RSPCA and they were a bonded pair of boars - brothers. Apart from one mini argument they are the most chilled, placid boys. The whole process was great - someone local to me came and did the homecheck and then once paperwork was done I went to collect them from the foster home in Walsall.

Ive had guineas since I was 6 so 30 years now - use to have pet shop ones but once I found out about rescue ones they all come from rescues!

Had a lot of girl pairs in the past but got 3 boys now.

Id say please go for the rescue ones - you will get so much more time/info too that way and a bonded pair.

Midlands wise there is the RSPCA and Hopper Haven at Redditch, Walsall RSPCA have some very cute guineas on their website!

Great that your doing your research first:)
 
i think you sound like you will be a great owner. :)

the run - obv would need to be supervised in that outdoors but i am sure you already know that! :)) i had a friend who put all the buns and piggies out in runs with a bit of net over the top and went out for the day mallethead (not saying you would by the way!) :))

i got chesney and maisie from two different rescues and they are amazing. nothing wrong with them health wise. love them to bits x)x)x)

good luck, sounds like you have researched well. :)
 
biscandmatt said:
i had a friend who put all the buns and piggies out in runs with a bit of net over the top and went out for the day mallethead (not saying you would by the way!) :))
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Oh my goodness! I'd be too afraid it could start raining or something worse would happen!
 
biscandmatt said:
i think you sound like you will be a great owner. :)

the run - obv would need to be supervised in that outdoors but i am sure you already know that! :)) i had a friend who put all the buns and piggies out in runs with a bit of net over the top and went out for the day mallethead (not saying you would by the way!)

i got chesney and maisie from two different rescues and they are amazing. nothing wrong with them health wise. love them to bits

good luck, sounds like you have researched well. :)
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Lol i know i'm daft sometimes but i ain't quite that bad :)

There is no way i would leave them unsupervised- I learnt my lesson about doing that when i was younger, i had a rabbit that had a big run with his hutch in it that was against the fence (Which we thought was pretty secure) but next door had one of these dogs that kills anything smaller then it (Like the rat catcher dogs so was in it's nature) this dog ripped a whole through the fence and unfortunately got my rabbit- not that anyone would tell me what actually happened to my poor bunny- they didn't want to upset me more then i already was i don't think :(
 
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