|
|
Post by newpiggieparent on May 22, 2013 15:39:28 GMT
Hi Everyone.
I decided to get a pair of female guinea pigs. I am doing all my research before hand. I have never owned them before. I have a lot of other pets and have had a lot of pets throughout my life. I currently have 2 dogs (black lab and German shepherd mix), a Bengal cat, a Saltwater fish tank, a Fresh water fish tank, and 5 laying Hens (various breeds). In the past I have owned Rats, Mice, and Hamsters. My family jokes that I should open a petting zoo. If we had more space we would probably have more.. lol
For the pair of piggies I plan to get I have ordered a C&C cage (2x3 to start off) and am going to make my own Fleece Flippers to go in it for bedding. I do not actually have my babies yet. Any advice or helpful information everyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and have a great day.
|
|
|
|
Post by Orlaith on May 23, 2013 15:08:03 GMT
Your piggies should be just fine. Where are you getting them? Will they be already bonded or will you have to bond them?
The biggest piece of advice on can give you is triple check that they're both girls! You'd be surprised how often a pair of girls or boys turns out to be one of each and a litter of pups. Don't take their word for it, even if it's a breeder.
Will their c&c have a roof? If not, I recommend keeping your cat and dogs out of the piggy room, at least when you're not there to supervise.
|
|
|
|
Post by Orlaith on May 23, 2013 15:15:16 GMT
Oh, also, I'm sure you already know, seeing as you're doing your research, but be aware that guinea pigs need unlimited access to a good quality hay 24/7 (timothy and meadow are the most common). Generally pellets are better than muesli-type foods, particularly if the muesli has bits in it that are brightly coloured or has a lot of seeds. Fresh vegetables every day is a great way of providing treats AND the essential vitamin c that guinea pigs need. Avoid yoghurt drops or sugary pet-shop treats. Your guinea pig will much prefer a nice slice of cucumber or bell pepper, etc. than those artificial ones, and it's much better for their health. Kayleigh has a great list of veg to give you ideas of what they're allowed to have (basically, no potatoes, no iceberg lettuce, nothing spicy like chillis, nothing that grows from a bulb, e.g. onions, daffodils, but it's always best to check first) but I'm in my phone right now and can't find the link. I'll post it next time I'm on from my laptop if no one beats me to it. Otherwise you'll find it stickied in the feeding and nutrition section.  |
|
|
|
Post by newpiggieparent on May 23, 2013 16:06:09 GMT
Thanks for the advice Orlaith I haven't decided yet on where I'm going to get them. I am having a really hard time finding any breeders in my area (Phoenix Arizona, usa), there is 1 rescue that has piggies available but I don't really like the colors. I'm not sure if we'll get a bonded pair or un-bonded. I think a bonded pair would be easier. My only other option of places to get them is pet stores. I've looked at the piggies in a few pet stores and they look healthy and happy so I might go that route. But then they wouldn't be a bonded pair. What is involved with making them be a bonded pair? Could I just put them both in there at the same time and hope for the best? If I do get them from the pet store should I get them both from the same store or does that matter? I have done a ton of research about their food and the fresh veggies won't be a problem for me. We have a garden in our back yard and regularly give our chickens fresh greens and veggies and fruit treats. We have lots of options on where to get hay. I'm not sure if we are going to buy bales or just a bag at a time. I don't know how to properly store bales and I wouldn't want it to go bad. Their cage will have a roof, and I think our cat will do ok with them. When we got our Chickens they had to be in the house until they feathered out (in a brooder) and he left them alone. He just stared at them. My dogs are older and could care less, they ignore the other animals. lol I will always keep a vigilant eye on them. Thanks again for all the great advice |
|
|
|
Post by shewolfsilver on May 24, 2013 5:20:32 GMT
Welcome! You are so going to enjoy having piggies! We have so much fun with ours! We did our research and saw that they do better when they have a friend so we got two bonded females and they get along great MOST of the time. Although they do have the occasional squabble. It wouldn't be that much trouble to put a top on your cage in my opinion it's better to be safe than sorry later but that would be your call of course. That's what I would do though. Our piggies are in my son's room and the other animals do not have access to that room.
|
|
|
|
Post by newpiggieparent on May 24, 2013 14:48:05 GMT
Shewolfsilver, our cage will have a cover. I don't trust my kitty that much..lol
I also want to get 2 females. I'm just not sure if I want to get them from the shelter in my area where they would already be bonded. Or if I want to get to younger ones from a pet store or breeder. I'm having a hard time finding a breeder in the Phoenix, Az area. We're going to put our piggie cage in the living room.
|
|
|
|
Post by shewolfsilver on May 24, 2013 16:19:30 GMT
Oh, that's awesome! I want to put mine in the living room eventually! I plan on expanding the cage and moving them there soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by newpiggieparent on May 24, 2013 18:49:51 GMT
Do you use the c&c cages? That's what I plan on using. I love that I can expand it as they grow and need more room. I am going to make my own fleece flippers. I really like all the stuff I've read and heard about them. From my experience with rats, mice, and hamsters the bedding is the messiest part.
|
|
|
|
Post by Orlaith on May 26, 2013 8:23:18 GMT
For hay, so long as you keep it bone dry it should last indefinitely. You can store it in a big duvet cover, that should keep bugs out while you have it. I would love to buy by the bale but I live in an apartment and have nowhere to store it. So I buy a few bags at a time. (I forgot to say, don't make alfalfa hay their main hay. It's very high in calcium so it's a good supplement for young babies and pregnant and nursing mothers, but it's too rich to feed as more than a treat to everyone else).
If there's no other option, pet shop pigs are just fine. Try to find the most knowledgeable pet shop you can; some are much better than others. Always double and triple check their genders.
If you get pigs from a rescue they're more likely to have a pair to give you, and also more likely to take one or both back if things don't work out. If there is a reputable rescue near you, you can also ask for their recommendations for a good guinea pig vet. You'd be surprised how little some vets know about pigs, and the time to discover that is NOT in an emergency!
Introductions aren't too hard. There are things you can do to help, but ultimately it's up to the pigs themselves whether they get on or not. It's all about their personalities and, like people, some will click right away and some just don't mesh.
Some people prefer to introduce the pigs in a neutral space, like a run, and see how they get on. Others just pop them into their new home and watch them. Since both pigs are new, this option would be okay for you because neither pig thinks of the space as hers yet.
Just pop them in with plenty of hay and a big pile of vegetables to distract them and sit with them for at least an hour. A bit of squealing and chasing and mounting is fine and normal. If they draw blood at any point separate them immediately. (Throw a towel on them to pick one up as you might get bitten by sticking your hand in the middle).
You can help reduce friction by making sure there are at least two water bottles, pellet bowls and houses. That way one pig can't guard everything from the other.
Just about houses, they can be a source of tension no matter how many you have in there. Most pigs will settle and not mind but you'll get the odd one that will insist on fighting over them, and in that case you can take the houses out. You can throw in some cut-up fleeces to snuggle into instead.
I use c&c and I can honestly say it has changed my life. It's fantastic! There is no comparison with how much space you can give them and it can be expanded as much as you want. I love it!!! It's relatively cheap as well, as any decent sized cage I've ever seen has been wicked dear, far more than I'd ever want to pay.
|
|
masha
Junior Piggy
Posts: 50
|
Post by masha on May 31, 2013 16:42:58 GMT
In my experience, it's much easier to find males in a rescue since more people prefer females. So if you want to have a choice of more breeds/colors, I would recommend just getting males. Somehow males got reputation for fighting, but it all depends on the personality. You can get an older boar and a baby so there's no dominance issue, if that's your concern.
|
|
|
|
Post by shewolfsilver on May 31, 2013 17:55:26 GMT
Do you use the c&c cages? That's what I plan on using. I love that I can expand it as they grow and need more room. I am going to make my own fleece flippers. I really like all the stuff I've read and heard about them. From my experience with rats, mice, and hamsters the bedding is the messiest part. Yes, I do have a C&C cage! I'm a little unsure about moving them during the summer because I have my grand kids a lot and I feel better having them in another room right now. |
|
