What works best?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Spang

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
233
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
London
Sorry if this is in the wrong section! Was not sure where to post it.

What I am wondering is I would like to get either 3 or 4 piggies. The enclosure I have is large enough for 4, I have measured it. I have been doing a lot of reading about what sex would be better to get and it seems that theres less chance of females falling out?

So yes, I would like to hear from people who keep 3 or 4 together successfully and what sex I should get.

Thank you!
 
Boars are best kept in pairs - a trio rarely works so 4 boars I wouldn't hold high hopes for.

If you want a group either 3 females and a neutered boars or all females.
 
i prefer even numbers... but thats just me...!
i think if you have a threesome theres always one that will be slightly left out... i think 4 would work well... girlies are definatly the best of your having more than two as a group of 3 boys tend to be a bit wobbly...
i have a herd and i find it facinating to watch the dynamics of the herd and how the pecking order is...
but if your getting more than two be prepared for some ups and downs... :)
ive recently had some herd dynamic issues btu they seem to have sorted themselfs mostly out...
good luck...!
x
 
WOW! Can't believe how quick you both replied!

So yeah, it does look like what I thought has been confirmed. As I would love the larger group than just 2, I think I will have to go with 3 or 4 females, knowing me it will be 4! It is a shame as my whole tribe are males! I last owned a female hamster years ago and found that I had to clean her cage twice a day due to the smell. That did put me off of getting females.

As it is going to be a few weeks before I end up getting the piggies, I have plenty of time to decide. Just one other question, for tonight anyway, does either sex "smell" more than the other, as that could be something that may change my mind about getting 2 or 4 piggies.
 
Spang said:
WOW! Can't believe how quick you both replied!

So yeah, it does look like what I thought has been confirmed. As I would love the larger group than just 2, I think I will have to go with 3 or 4 females, knowing me it will be 4! It is a shame as my whole tribe are males! I last owned a female hamster years ago and found that I had to clean her cage twice a day due to the smell. That did put me off of getting females.

As it is going to be a few weeks before I end up getting the piggies, I have plenty of time to decide. Just one other question, for tonight anyway, does either sex "smell" more than the other, as that could be something that may change my mind about getting 2 or 4 piggies.
Click to expand...

haha... :)
i have 2 pairs of bores aswell as my herd...
and my 6 month old boys smell worse than the whole herd of girls...!...i have to clean the boys out twice as oftern as anyone else...
but the baby boys dont smell bad...
i'd highly reccomend getting a neuterd bore like flinstones said... i have a bore and he has his wifeys... :))

hamsters are smelly creatures... guinea pigs are no where near as smelly... :))
x
 
claremw92 said:
haha... :)
i have 2 pairs of bores aswell as my herd...
and my 6 month old boys smell worse than the whole herd of girls...!...i have to clean the boys out twice as oftern as anyone else...
but the baby boys dont smell bad...
i'd highly reccomend getting a neuterd bore like flinstones said... i have a bore and he has his wifeys... :))

hamsters are smelly creatures... guinea pigs are no where near as smelly... :))
x
Click to expand...

Well that has definatly confirmed girlies for me then!

I find that my most smelly animal right now is the snake! This is out of 2 kitties, 2 gerbils, 2 hamsters and obviously snaky. Luckly he don't poop often! I find the hamsters only ever smell if I don't clean out the poop area for a week, which has only ever happened once! Its amazing that you say hamsters smell more as everyone who I know, who I admit, know nothing about pigs, say they stink. And the only one who has ever kept piggies, keeps it, yes only 1, in a cage that is smaller than my smallest hamster cage, with no hide! I have tried countless of times telling them, but they just say its been in there for years and has always been happy! I hope that my enclosure will show them a better and healthier way to keep their piggie.
 
Spang said:
Well that has definatly confirmed girlies for me then!

I find that my most smelly animal right now is the snake! This is out of 2 kitties, 2 gerbils, 2 hamsters and obviously snaky. Luckly he don't poop often! I find the hamsters only ever smell if I don't clean out the poop area for a week, which has only ever happened once! Its amazing that you say hamsters smell more as everyone who I know, who I admit, know nothing about pigs, say they stink. And the only one who has ever kept piggies, keeps it, yes only 1, in a cage that is smaller than my smallest hamster cage, with no hide! I have tried countless of times telling them, but they just say its been in there for years and has always been happy! I hope that my enclosure will show them a better and healthier way to keep their piggie.
Click to expand...

some people just wont change... i'd have a major talk with her... although in those kinda situations i dont do alot of talking... ;)
pigs dont smell really... if you clean them out on a regular basis there pretty good... i clean everyone out every 5 days... and i do there toilet corners every morning before i put the food in.. .:))
and the boys i end up doing a whole hutch clean every other day... they are minging...!
i use as bedding megazorb... its an equine bedding... not sure if you've ever heard of it before... its brill... i really like it...
thats a pretty impressive zoo you have... :))
x
 
I have been looking at both Auboise and Megazorb bedding, but the problem I am finding is shipping is just too expensive. It don't help that I live in the middle of London:)>>> and don't drive!
 
Spang said:
I have been looking at both Auboise and Megazorb bedding, but the problem I am finding is shipping is just too expensive. It don't help that I live in the middle of London:)>>> and don't drive!
Click to expand...

surely as you live in london... there should be some kind of equine shop...?
theres always the big bags of shredded cardbord...?... ive heard good things about that... and is silly cheap...!
dont blame you for not driving as you live in london... dont think i'd bother if i did...!
x
 
I had a group of 4 girls going, but unfortunately Rosie passed away last week so there is just the 3 of them now. I put together 2 pairs and it worked out perfectly. They were all so happy together, they still are but there seems like a little void! The hutch is absolutely huge so there was space for them to all get away from each other if needs be which I think helped initially. The 3 are still fine now as it is, but Rosie wasn't the dominant one so not much shifted within the herd. Lola is the big boss and she evidently intends for it to stay that way.

I'm hopefully getting a couple more baby girls within the next few weeks. drool I'm so bad! So might even up the group again who knows.

My girls do make a lot of mess, but they don't particularly smell. I have 3 boars, they don't all live together, Eddy is neutered and is in the process of choosing a wifey or two and the others live on their own. Nemo absolutely stinks, he's a lovely pig but the fact he is a boar coupled with his impaction problem make for a not so pleasant time. I do like boars, but you have to keep on top of cleaning their cage and cleaning them. I hardly bath the girls but Nemo seems mucky again 2 weeks after having a bath!
 
thats a good point... boys do need feet and bum baths quite oftern... becuase the poo and pee everywhere... and then walk and sit in it... :)>>>
x
 
Boys can be messy lol. And i agree my 6mth old boar (before he was neutered) used to stink so much more than the herd of girlies. :)

Good luck with finding piggies! We want piccies when you do lol. Theres a few rescues about around and in London. And I know RSPCA near me have had a large amount of piggies handed in from a breeder that all need good homes, boys and girls of all ages and breeds. Its only a 20min ride from London on the train. :)

x.
 
Well after reading what everyone has to say, I have decided on getting girls, but not sure how many.

Still not sure where I am going to get the piggies from, but currently, there are a few maybes around my local area, but before I decide, I have the wait for all my bits and bobs to come.

As for the bedding, and tonnes of research, they will be on wood shavings until I find some cheap towels. Already have loads of nice fleece blankets! It will save the worrys of finding enough bedding for them!

Its just annoying waiting for everything else to come now!8...
 
Here here with the boys being much smellier. My two boys hate each other and are caged alongside each other and constantly scent marking there own territory....it HUMS lol. But then again boys will be boys, I wanted to get them neutured but apparently it doesnt make them less aggressive :(
 
Hi,

I have had in the past both girls and boys. Girls generally tend to get on better.
But I think as long as you dont get a mixture of both sexes you should be ok.

Boys dont normally fight if there are no girls to fight for.

I have 3 boys there is about 6 months in age between them. They get on really well like brothers although they are not.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top