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Guinea Pigs - thoughts? (1 Viewer)

nirad3

Footballguy
Anyone ever owned a guinea pig(s)?  Wife and kids want one. 

Research indicates you're supposed to get at least 2 (if you get only 1, they get lonely and studies show they die early because they're bored...  :shock: )

Do they stink?

Kids are 9 and 7 and I fear that I will end up being the one cleaning out the cage at some point.

We have a very old dog.  She probably won't give a crap.

Thoughts/schtick?

 
Never owned one.  I think they’re pretty cool though.  My sons 3rd grade class has one, I think the teacher takes it home every night though.  As far as I know it’s an only child, but I have heard they like to be in groups

 
We have 3.  All hairless, and new as of Christmas.  The oldest was born on Halloween.  Wife and kids take care of them.  They dont really stink too much, as long as you keep the cage clean.  

ETA: I'm allergic to dogs.  My wife is allergic to cats.  Kids wanted pets, so here we are.

 
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Get a goldfish.  Best part is that they die before you get attached to them.  And if you do get the guinea pigs, plan on being the one that cleans up the cage and any other mess they make.  The one stipulation I made when we got a cat 18 years ago was that I was not, under any circumstances, going to be cleaning the litter box.  If you need any hints on how to clean a litter box, AMA, after 18 years (yes, this cat is still living  :sadbanana: and has a 15 year old "brother") I am a pro.  FML

 
Get a goldfish.  Best part is that they die before you get attached to them.  And if you do get the guinea pigs, plan on being the one that cleans up the cage and any other mess they make.  The one stipulation I made when we got a cat 18 years ago was that I was not, under any circumstances, going to be cleaning the litter box.  If you need any hints on how to clean a litter box, AMA, after 18 years (yes, this cat is still living  :sadbanana: and has a 15 year old "brother") I am a pro.  FML
I'm a cat guy.  My parents had a cat when I was born and that thing lived forever, so I grew up with one.  Then parents got another one.  Then I had one in my early 30's.  Broke my heart when I had to put it down (kidney disease, only 5-6 years old).

I have no problem selling the thing away if the kids/wife don't keep the cage clean. 

 
my sister has two.  I was just at her place for a few days.

she let's them run around on the couch and rugs and stuff....and they drop little turds everywhere.  Didn't notice any funk. I held each of them a few times and they didn't stink.

 
my sister has two.  I was just at her place for a few days.

she let's them run around on the couch and rugs and stuff....and they drop little turds everywhere.  Didn't notice any funk. I held each of them a few times and they didn't stink.
Mmm... little turds everywhere?  I'm sure my dog will eat them.

Seriously?  Do you have any idea the aftermarket value of a used guinea pig is?  The depreciation is huge. 
:lol:     I think I can handle the $80 in sunk costs.  

 
Unpack please?
It's like any other pet. Everyone in the house gets all excited about the new pet....they promise to help....blah blah blah.....

6 months from now you'll be cleaning a stinky rat cage and being pissed off about it and you'll yell at the kids to help and they help once but then it's back to you taking care of it......

And you'll be taking care of a rat that if you are lucky will run around on a wheel once in a while so you can be mildly entertained while taking a bong hit.

But at the end of the day, it's a rat. You'll be taking care of it. For 4-8 years. 

 
We bought one for our oldest daughter.  There were no noticeable problems with it being the lone occupant of the cage.  The gp whistled and was cute and cuddly.  I helped my daughter with the cleaning but she did all the feeding and hydrating. 

A few months later, the place where we bought it was going out of business and they had another guinea pig that needed a home. So, we bought that one for our youngest daughter.  We put them in the same cage together, and the first one that we bought started trying to nurse off of the second one.  Come to find out, the second one is the mother of the first.  She wasn't having it, so we had to go to two cages.  Ugggghhhh.  Double the cleaning and supply cost.  About a year and a half later, the mom passes.  Our youngest daughter wasn't too broken up about it. 

The first one is still alive and kicking after about 5 years.  Our oldest daughter kept caring for the gp, but is more into her cat (as far as pets go), and she stopped giving face/play time.  So, we've now moved the gp into our youngest daughter's room.  And guess who gets to pick up more cleaning duty?  Between the chickens, the cat, the dog and the guinea pig, I've had my fill of pet cleaning. 

Bottom line:  get a guinea pig or two, and watch your kids enjoy and care for them... and get ready to do some cleaning.

 
We got one because where we lived at the time we couldn't have cats or dogs.  My daughter has multiple allergies, and guinea pigs are the only small, furry pet that doesn't eat seeds or nuts.  I was skeptical at best, as I grew up with dogs and cats (and chickens and ducks and geese) and really only bonded with the dogs.  But the little guy became a nice part of the family, particularly because we kept his cage in the living room next to the couch so we were always around him.  He'd squeal and squeak when we came home or when we opened the fridge (where the kale and carrots were kept) so there was some level of "interaction".  And we took him out pretty much daily to hang out with us on the couch, on the floor, etc.

You do have to clean the cage at least weekly (probably more if you get two of them), or it can stink.  But it was a pretty easy process that took 5 minutes or so, and it became the step-sons chore to do.  

We had him for almost 6 years and then he got kidney stones (pretty common in guinea pigs) and eventually we had to put him down as he just stopped eating and drinking.  I was really surprised how emotional I was about it, for a little rodent.

Now don't get me wrong - it's nothing like the bond I have with my dog now.  But he was a cool little pet.

 
Had a few guinea pigs as pets growing up. Not the most exciting pets - just kind of sit there and do nothing but eat and poop. Kind of funny that when they hear the opening of the refrigerator or the rustle of plastic vegetable bags, they squeal knowing they're about to be fed.

Guess I'm just jealous of them.

 
We got one because where we lived at the time we couldn't have cats or dogs.  My daughter has multiple allergies, and guinea pigs are the only small, furry pet that doesn't eat seeds or nuts.  I was skeptical at best, as I grew up with dogs and cats (and chickens and ducks and geese) and really only bonded with the dogs.  But the little guy became a nice part of the family, particularly because we kept his cage in the living room next to the couch so we were always around him.  He'd squeal and squeak when we came home or when we opened the fridge (where the kale and carrots were kept) so there was some level of "interaction".  And we took him out pretty much daily to hang out with us on the couch, on the floor, etc.

You do have to clean the cage at least weekly (probably more if you get two of them), or it can stink.  But it was a pretty easy process that took 5 minutes or so, and it became the step-sons chore to do.  

We had him for almost 6 years and then he got kidney stones (pretty common in guinea pigs) and eventually we had to put him down as he just stopped eating and drinking.  I was really surprised how emotional I was about it, for a little rodent.

Now don't get me wrong - it's nothing like the bond I have with my dog now.  But he was a cool little pet.
Very good info.  Our family has had guinea pigs for years and I'll stress everything bolded above.  And you do really want to get 2 since they do bond and tend to get lonely by themselves.

 
They stink to high heaven but if you don't have to clean up might as well get them.  Just make sure the wife changes their bed at least once a week.  My kids love the guinea pigs, just make sure you get two,.    male/male or female/female so they can play with each other.    just one will whine a lot until you get it a playmate.  At least ours did.  GL.

 
If you get 2, the best bet is getting them at the same time.  If one is older and more settled in, it can get violent towards the younger one.  They live 4-5 years so it's not as much a commitment as a cat or dog, but way more than a fish.  

I had a pen like this one:  https://www.chewy.com/midwest-guinea-habitat-guinea-pig/dp/131306?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=MidWest&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInMTT4uHK5wIVjLbICh1C1QrAEAQYAyABEgKhtPD_BwE

It gave them room to scamper around.  They get to be a decent size and I thought it was cruel jamming them in a small cage.  They do poop a lot.  I didn't find mine smelled at all and kept the pen layered with fresh Timothy hay.  They do squeal/whistle and it's cute.  

Last thing?  They are a human garbage disposal.  Apple skins, carrot skins, carrot tops, celery scraps, lettuce, etc, etc.  They're like a compost heap.  Toss it in and they go nuts.  

I couldn't get a dog or a cat for my kid and she loved her GP's.  I thought they were a decent middle ground pet.

 
Had them as kids. Funny squeal.  I cant recall if they are nocturnal like gerbils but I remember it make a lot of noise when it went running around the cage sometimes.
 

They do smell unless the cage is cleaned daily.  
 

Good luck getting your kid to always do that.  

 
Some replies say not stinky at all.  Others say stinky.  You can tell which posters didn't clean the cage often enough, as opposed to those who stayed on top of it.

 
Anyone ever owned a guinea pig(s)?  Wife and kids want one. 

Research indicates you're supposed to get at least 2 (if you get only 1, they get lonely and studies show they die early because they're bored...  :shock: )

Do they stink?

Kids are 9 and 7 and I fear that I will end up being the one cleaning out the cage at some point.

We have a very old dog.  She probably won't give a crap.

Thoughts/schtick?
Please don't get guinea pigs unless you are willing to keep up with cleaning. Yes you. Kids will get bored and it'll be your pets. They poop tons. Please research proper size and type of cage, dietary needs, etc. I could write a book on proper care.

Visit guineapigcages.com forums and research. Ask questions BEFORE getting any. They are work, and a commitment. Not cool to pass them off if you can't take proper care anymore. Vet bills are just as high as dogs. And they need to see a certified exotic vet, not just a vet who says they see gps. They are very unique from cats and dogs. GPs are known to get UTIs, URIs, and stones. They hide their illnesses well. If you don't spot it quick and get proper treatment, it'll be too late.

If you are serious, feel free to pm me. Otherwise visit guineapigcages.com and the forums there for proper care.

My advice for kids? Stick with dogs and cats. Much less stressful and easier, for proper care that is.

 
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I have no problem selling the thing away if the kids/wife don't keep the cage clean. 
Just saw this. Please don't get gps. They are not objects to be passed around. Stick with cats and dogs.

If you want to see what they're like, visit LA  guinea pig rescue not too far from LA. Visit the website. They have a great fb page too. They have videos on proper care.

https://www.laguineapigrescue.com

 
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Hard pass.   Things crap everywhere.   PITA to clean their cage every week.   The two we had hated to be handled but ymmv.   They also need to be fed fresh veggies daily.  A cat is gonna be a lot less maintenance.

 
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Maybe a hairless cat would solve the allergy issue?  Rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, etc. almost never turn out to be good pets.  Kids will play with them for a month or two and then get bored with them.  Then they'll just sit in their cage for the next 5 years.  But you'll be cleaning up after them the entire time.

 
I made a custom cage a essentially a 2x6 box using 2x4, plywood and those metal wire closet shelving as the sides (turned them upside down and secured them in place.) Worked perfect. 
 

Larger cage means more forgiving cleaning. I lay a sheet of poly on the base and then cover with the wood shavings. Every two weeks I pick up the poly at the corners and toss in the trash, rinse and repeat. 
 

When we got them we thought they lived 4-5 years. One died about 2 years in. The second one is still kicking. We looked again and read they live 5-8 years!!! 

I never wanted them and guess who cleans them? Me. 
 

It won’t be easy to get rid of them if you change your mind. We tried giving them away a few years in but couldn’t find anybody. Recently somebody agreed to take them but after all these years and despite me not wanting to deal the remaining one we didn’t have it in our hearts to move him from the only place he’s ever lived. 

They’re cuter than rats and better pets than bunnies but that isn’t saying much. 
 

 
Oh, something I haven’t seen mentioned...

You have to trim their nails which I can’t do. I’ll take any huge dog on but little animals freak me out. I would likely freak out and toss it against the wall. 

 
Oh, something I haven’t seen mentioned...

You have to trim their nails which I can’t do. I’ll take any huge dog on but little animals freak me out. I would likely freak out and toss it against the wall. 
I don't trim them. Too easy to hit the quick. Either the vet does it or my gifted friend. 

 
Guinea pigs like bunnies at Easter time are usually bought on impulse. Oh the are cute. I want. People don't research the work and proper care. While they bond with their buddies, they bond to humans too just like cats and dogs. Sadly exotics are commonly mistreated and not cared for properly because it was an impulse I want they're so cute transaction.

What you see in the pet stores and products they sell is all ####. Cheap inappropriate stuff including food and treats. It took a long time to get cats and dogs out of pet stores and we're trying to get the exotics out as well. There are tons of guinea pigs who have been dumped or let lose which unless rescued quickly, they are as good as dead. I'm all for adopting like at LA guinea pig rescue. They don't just hand them to you. You need to be educated first. That's how it should be for all pets. Not this I'll pass it on if I get sick of it. That's why shelters are overcrowded with animals. People got sick of their pets or didn't realise the vet bills are so high. Getting a pet from a reputable rescue means you're starting off with a healthy pet. Animals in pet stores tend to have issues because of how they are housed, what crap food they are fed, and not having clean fresh water. They don't bother or know because goal is to sell. The products are the money makers.

I can't help people who are cruel to animals. I've been into exotics like birds and gps all my adult life. They do get the short end of the stick. We can't save them all but I will always be an educator and hope people think and research before getting a pet.

 
My daughter just got 2 about 6 months ago, started with a smaller cage, and decided to go bigger. It was originally going to be a project funded by my daughter (13 y.o.) but my wife decided she needed a second one (for reasons mentioned above) and it is curious how the costs have shifted away from daughter. Hmmm...

The cage we moved to is this, more designed for rabbits, but it gives them some room.

They don't smell that bad, as long as you maintain the cage (it is also tucked away in daughter's room!). They also toss stuff everywhere, so make sure that you have something underneath to catch!

We went from traditional savings for the floor, but were told by vet that those were bad for feet because of cuts. We then went to towels for a while (disgusting!) and have finally set on a different shaving that is better for their feet. I'll check with daughter later today for what they are exactly.

We also give them some fresh veggies every night (carrots, broccoli stems, lettuce, etc.) so that adds some costs.

She loves them, I refer to them as 'the rats' even though I know they aren't. They shouldn't last longer than her going to college, so we have that going for us!  ;)

If you have more questions, post them and I can ask if I don't know!

 
My daughter just got 2 about 6 months ago, started with a smaller cage, and decided to go bigger. It was originally going to be a project funded by my daughter (13 y.o.) but my wife decided she needed a second one (for reasons mentioned above) and it is curious how the costs have shifted away from daughter. Hmmm...

The cage we moved to is this, more designed for rabbits, but it gives them some room.

They don't smell that bad, as long as you maintain the cage (it is also tucked away in daughter's room!). They also toss stuff everywhere, so make sure that you have something underneath to catch!

We went from traditional savings for the floor, but were told by vet that those were bad for feet because of cuts. We then went to towels for a while (disgusting!) and have finally set on a different shaving that is better for their feet. I'll check with daughter later today for what they are exactly.

We also give them some fresh veggies every night (carrots, broccoli stems, lettuce, etc.) so that adds some costs.

She loves them, I refer to them as 'the rats' even though I know they aren't. They shouldn't last longer than her going to college, so we have that going for us!  ;)

If you have more questions, post them and I can ask if I don't know!
I'd like to see what the etc is on veggies you give. Broccoli isn't advised. Gps don't pass gas. They also don't throw up. Cruciferous veggies, spinach and other like veggies can cause bloat. No way for the gas to be relieved. It can be deadly if you have a bloated gp.

This is the chart on the guineapigcages.com forum. The yellow is what's ok to feed daily. Vitamin C is critical to receive daily. Bell peppers are the best source. They can get scurvy if difficient. Fruits have too much sugar which their systems don't process well. They aren't us. I may give a small piece of fruit occassionally. Take proper care of them and your exotic pet vet bills will be lower. My first gp I got on impulse years ago cost me around 5k in her 5 years. Found guineapigcages.com forums and quickly changed things. 

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/22156-READ-ME-Cavy-Nutrition-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List

 
I just don't see the point of having a guinea pig as a pet.  Actually any small vermin type animal (rat, mouse, hamster, etc).   As other's have mentioned it's a novelty thing that has the excitement go away after a short time and then it's just a chore.  It really makes no sense to me. 

 
I'm in the don't get them camp.

Daughter wanted pets at my house, I'm never home, so we thought guinea pigs would be a good solution. This was about a year ago. Bought two males, because of all the talk of loneliness. Bought the biggest cage possible from the pet store. That means for more bedding, more cleaning. And as cute as they are when first bought, mine tripled or more in size. The cage feels too small now. I clean the cage once a week and it stays in my daughter's room, but I think it still can be stinky at times. Also, when bored, they love to mess with the water bottle until it floods the cage. Bedding I finally found cheap, and the grass that they eat non-stop I'm buying in 10 pound bails from Amazon. Still the cost is more than a cat or dog, especially if you are cleaning a large cage on a regular basis.

I'm counting down the days until they die, and spend too much time thinking of a way to tell my daughter "they escaped, so sorry".

 
I'd like to see what the etc is on veggies you give. Broccoli isn't advised. Gps don't pass gas. They also don't throw up. Cruciferous veggies, spinach and other like veggies can cause bloat. No way for the gas to be relieved. It can be deadly if you have a bloated gp.

This is the chart on the guineapigcages.com forum. The yellow is what's ok to feed daily. Vitamin C is critical to receive daily. Bell peppers are the best source. They can get scurvy if difficient. Fruits have too much sugar which their systems don't process well. They aren't us. I may give a small piece of fruit occassionally. Take proper care of them and your exotic pet vet bills will be lower. My first gp I got on impulse years ago cost me around 5k in her 5 years. Found guineapigcages.com forums and quickly changed things. 

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/22156-READ-ME-Cavy-Nutrition-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List
Intersting. We only give the stalks of the broccoli, not the tops. One of the veggies that we give them is small cucumbers. These don't have seeds that are as 'heavy' as normal cokes. They are either 'larger' ones the are about 1/2-3/4" in diameter and about 6 inches long, or we can get 'petite' cakes that are less than 1/2" in diameter and 2-3 inches long (think tiny whole pickles). We know not to give celery (strings are bad) and spinach, but the broccoli is news. We don't give it to them often, we try to rotate the veggies, which I think is correct.

 
Anyone ever owned a guinea pig(s)?  Wife and kids want one. 

Research indicates you're supposed to get at least 2 (if you get only 1, they get lonely and studies show they die early because they're bored...  :shock: )

Do they stink?

Kids are 9 and 7 and I fear that I will end up being the one cleaning out the cage at some point.

We have a very old dog.  She probably won't give a crap.

Thoughts/schtick?
I've got 3.  They smell despite a weekly cage cleaning.  They're not people friendly and will not show any affection despite our best efforts to win them over.  One doesn't get along with the other two which has resulted in needing a separate cage.  They're expensive.  They eat and #### all day.  They live to be 5 or 6 which means you've got a decent length commitment.  Other than that they're great pets.  

Honestly, I think you're better off getting a pet rat or hamster. They're much more people friendly, less costly, and less smelly.  

If you do decide to get guinea pigs, I'd suggest at least 2 and make sure they're all female. 

 
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Had them as kids. Funny squeal.  I cant recall if they are nocturnal like gerbils but I remember it make a lot of noise when it went running around the cage sometimes.
 

They do smell unless the cage is cleaned daily.  
 

Good luck getting your kid to always do that.  
They're not nocturnal or diurnal.  They never really fully sleep and just kinda lounge most of the time.  You'll see them most active a dusk and dawn.  I would not want to sleep in a room with them because they will make a bit of noise at night.   

 
Intersting. We only give the stalks of the broccoli, not the tops. One of the veggies that we give them is small cucumbers. These don't have seeds that are as 'heavy' as normal cokes. They are either 'larger' ones the are about 1/2-3/4" in diameter and about 6 inches long, or we can get 'petite' cakes that are less than 1/2" in diameter and 2-3 inches long (think tiny whole pickles). We know not to give celery (strings are bad) and spinach, but the broccoli is news. We don't give it to them often, we try to rotate the veggies, which I think is correct.
Broccoli is high in calcium like kale. Up to 6 mo no worries on parsley, kale and other high calcium veggies. After, you need to be aware. I use fleece over uhaul pads for 3/4 of the cage, carefresh small animal litter in the kitchen area where the hay, water and pellets are where most poop and urine goes. The fleece allows me to see if there are any white spots. If so, they are passing calcium. The danger is if it's gritty it may signal a bladder stone may be forming. That would be for an exotic vet to take xrays to see. If it's big or moves to block somewhere, it could be deadly.

I give mine the same veggies daily. They don't know any different unlike us. Bit of roma tomato or cherry tomatoes, green or red leaf lettuce, radicchio, endive, cilantro as long as I don't see calcium deposits on the fleece and bell peppers. If you need to choose 2 bell peppers and lettuce. Never iceberg lettuce. 

A good pellet brand will take care of minerals they don't get in veggies and vitamins. Oxbow and Kms hayloft are the best. I use Kms hayloft timothy based since they are over 6 mo old. Can only get online.

Timothy hay or orchard grass hay are a must to be freely available at all times. Hay is the most important in diet. It keeps teeth ground down otherwise it would continue to grow and you'll have major problems. Also to keep their gut moving and not go into stasis which is also another huge problem. If I see mine aren't chomping mostly on hay, veggies are given smaller portions or maybe we skip a day. Getting the high quality pellets covers this if a day or more is skipped, like if they have loose or malformed poop. You get a lot of info from the quantity and consistency and shape of poops. The pellet brands I listed are top quality. Has the lowest calcium in it and stabilised vitamin C. The other brands are rubbish. Kms Hayloft makes pellets in small batches so it's fresh, unlike those sitting on store shelves. I don't go in pet stores. Everything of quality can be found online among the trash. 

 
I've got 3.  They smell despite a weekly cage cleaning.  They're not people friendly and will not show any affection despite our best efforts to win them over.  One doesn't get along with the other two which has resulted in needing a separate cage.  They're expensive.  They eat and #### all day.  They live to be 5 or 6 which means you've got a decent length commitment.  Other than that they're great pets.  

Honestly, I think you're better off getting a pet rat or hamster. They're much more people friendly, less costly, and less smelly.  

If you do decide to get guinea pigs, I'd suggest at least 2 and make sure they're all female. 
They should be in pairs. With 3 there is an odd man out, especially with males.

Females have a minuses too. 75% will develop ovarian cysts. When they get large they can burst and instantly kill them. Or you can get them spayed but unlike neutering, it's much riskier and more difficult. My exotic vet has done 2. I found one that has done more. Cat and dog spaying is not hard. Not the case for gps. Mine have small cysts felt upon their physical exam. That's why it's important to take them for an annual check so things like this can be caught. Finding a certified exotic vet should be the first thing you do before you get any exotics. There aren't many who are truly certified and don't just say oh I see exotics too. They are completely different than cats and dog vets.

Bottom line, there's a lot to them and are certainly not starter pets. No exotic is. A hamster lives about 2 years so shorter life. I believe it's the Syrian hamster that needs to live alone and are friendly. Otherwise they too need a buddy.

 
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