Guinea Pigs

[boosmummy]

Boo is 7 in august and DESPERATE (like 'mummy my life literally depends on it') for a guinea pig!! She's been harping on about one for about a year now.

Now the problem is i have two big dogs and one of those well he would just see them as dinner (if hes not supervised) so they would have to live outside. They can live outside cant they? If so in my back garden i have an area which is completely penned off for chicken hospital purposes (and for chicks but they never went out there just straight to the allotment) which is about 3.5ft by about 10ft ish. it needs a roof on but that would be difficult. Im thinking of getting them a hutch so boo can lock them away at night but when she wants to play with them and for run time they have that big space.

My questions are:

are they easy?
what do i need for them?
im right in getting two arent i because they are sociable?
do i need to know anything else about this venture?

[Gwenoakes]

Guinea Pigs are lovely little creatures, they squeak like mad when they get to know you, but before you go ahhhhh, it is because imho they associate the human with food. LOL

They do need vitamin C every single day though unlike rabbits, so greens/carrots etc are a necessity. We had two when the girls were young and they were outside in a 6' hutch with some carpet to cover the wired area in really bad weather, plus an outside run for fine days which they seemed to love. They are prolific breeders should you get a male and female, but having said that the babies are born fully formed and able to eat grass etc almost straight away.......and breed at a very early age, so you have been warned. LOL

I think for the younger child they are ideal, so will look forward to the piccies. Oh, by the way their poos are oblong....I jest not. LOL

[rhubarb93]

They are quite cute, endearingly squeaky, and easy to keep, but be warned they pee a lot, and are not bothered if it is onto you!
You are right in saying they like company - ours lived with a bunny rather than another guinea. Obviously they need to be same s.ex (unless you want lots!)
They are fine outside as long as they can curl up together and have extra bedding when it gets cold. I seem to remember we put an old blanket over their hutch if it snowed.
Have fun with them!

[Linda S]

Hi Debs we have had indoor and outdoor piggies that have lived happily in both situations, they are lovely little pets.
My d.i.l and g.ds have 3 that live indoors so it proves they are great for any age, Boo(and you) will be smitten they are so cute Lindaxx

[kitla]

I have kept guinea pigs for some years & get am a member of a g/pig forum.
Guinea pigs definately like company, boars can live together without fighting if they've grown up together & they are often more friendly than sows. Mine live indoors in a
4' cage & go out in a covered run on nice days, but its ok for them to live outside
in a hutch & run so long as it is covered & safe from predators, but they need to be
indoors in winter even if its in a shed or garage, they cant cope with extreme cold, lots of people lose them in the winter.
They'll be happier with some tunnels & hidies, I find this also makes them easier to catch! They need hay everyday & dried food (for guineapigs not rabbits as g/pigs need vit c & rabbits don't), & veg & a bit of fruit. Daisys, buttercups & bulbs are poisonous
to them, I always check their run for these.
There, I've babbled on for ages, but there's one more thing I must say - guineapigs
are like cats, there are so many being bred & so many in the rescues, if you want
to keep a mixed couple its better to get a neutered male, most rescues home them neutered. guineapigs can breed when they're just 3 weeks old, you can start off with
a couple & end with loads!