Guinea pigs

[dss62467]

After thinking and thinking of what to get dd for her 5th birthday, I may have decided on a pair of guinea pigs. However...I'd really rather not get them at a pet store and go to a breeder instead. Darned if I can't find any information about breeders in my area. Does anyone have a clue where I could find one?

I know she's only 5, but I really don't expect her to take the responsibility of caring for them herself. I know that will fall on me...

 

[scm]

Good luck with them Donna. When my son turned five a few months ago, he really wanted a rabbit. I'll be darned I take care of anything else. I don’t even have time to watch tv (I never even heard of half the shows you listed yesterday) let alone clean rabbit poo.
Once he starts taking more...make that some, responsibly for his toys, then we'll see about another animal.

Susan C.M.
Nothing should be jiggling, unless it's jiggling off. - Cathe in HSC

 

[purple_magada]

Good luck Donna.

I have a "no pet" list for my son and guinea pigs are on that list. Along with rats, hamsters, and gerbils. Nothing from the rodent family in my house. LOL

 

[dss62467]

Oh you "guys"...you're party poopers!

Actually, dd had a hamster about a year ago. The poor thing wound up being a snack for one of the cats. That's why hamsters are no longer allowed. Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are not quite so chewable for the kitties. Although...I have no doubt if they were really determined, they could take them down. The guinea pigs will be in a much more secure home, though.

They aren't so difficult to keep clean if you use the right type of bedding. Stay away from the cedar, which just gets drenched. There's a nice bedding that's made from recycled paper. That was great when poor Grumpy was still alive.

I am a HUGE animal lover...and I can see that developing in my dd too. She actually wanted me to get her a lizard, but I've had an iguana and didn't think it was a particularly good pet. I told her that an iguana will live with you, but he will never love you.

 

[macska]

Guinea pigs are so quite! We had several pigs in the past few years. I would not buy one in a pets store, they are ususally sick. They are so easy to keep, and if you keep them clean ( I change the cage twice a week) they don't smell at all. I give mine fresh salad and carrot in the morning and Timothy hay in the evening, plus the guinea pig food all the time. They are pigs, they love to eat! They make all sort of funny noises and pop when they are happy. They need their nails to be clipped, but it's not a big deal. Best of luck!
PS, How many are you planning to have? One tends to get lonely, and it is just as easy to have two as one. They are so nice when they cuddle together! Two females are much better than two males. Mari

 

[dss62467]

Oh, I'm glad you told me that about the females. I'll definitely have 2 of them. I went over to Petsmart this afternoon to check out their cage prices and I talked to the sales guy about their pigs. He told me where they get theirs (from some place called Mid South - or something like that. I couldn't find any information online about them). He also said they only get males.

I didn't like any of their cages. They all have wire floors. I found a site off About.com that has nice cages for a fraction of the price that Petsmart was charging. Plus they have solid floors.

Where did you find yours if not at a pet store?

 

[lorihart]

Anotehr party pooper here! I have two pigs as well and they are the messiest things ever!
I bought two for my daugther for christmas 2 yrs ago,thinking they only lived for 3 yrs.Apparently they can live for 7 yrs...long time.

Your gonna have to keep them in a big area b/c they stink.Even if you change the cage frequently.Have a broom close by b/c they like to flick their shavings everywhere.
You can keep two females together but not two males. Mine are seperated but in the summer they can go outside together and they are alright.Not great....but o.k.
Good Luck...
Lori

 

[dss62467]

I wouldn't use wood shavings. Those are stinky. I'd use the same stuff I used for the hamster. Never had any sort of odor with that.

 

[lorihart]

I live in a small town so its hard to get shavings. I don't think its the shavings as much as it his their pee.
I like taking them out of their cages and letting them walk around but they pee and poop non stop.to bad you can't train them....then again , I can't even get my puppy trained, never mind two rodents!

 

[macska]

I use odorless (?) wood shavings with chlorophil. It does absorbs the odor real good. Try to buy the best cage you can get, don't try to save money on it. I have a very deep cage, so they can't push the shavings out. I put a few layers of newspaper on the bottom, and a LOT of shavings. Doing that twice a week I don't have any smell problem.
You can buy shavings on line too, I *think* it's www.petsmart.com -- or very close to it. Male pee smells more than female, btw. Again, they are just wonderful, cheerful little creatures - really worth going through that little trouble they cause. Mari