Guinea Pigs

[trac]

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Awww trish he is lovely :wub:

 

[Trish]

Awww trish he is lovely :wub:

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trac why arent you asleep at that hour :wacko:

 

[littlenell]

(w00t) Toby is lovely - hes got such a cute little face :thumbsup: :huggles:

 

[trac]

Awww trish he is lovely :wub:

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trac why arent you asleep at that hour :wacko:

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couldnt sleep trish

 

[Rae]

We've got 5 piggies at the minute they are lovely little people - I love opening the door first thing every morning and hearing the gpig chorus. They squeek till they are fed- one day last week I gave them some pepper (ran out of greens & carrots) they are supposed to love it but they just looked at it and started squeeking again, it was hilarious!

I've kept 2 boys together before they got on well as there were no females about - now I've got a castrated male in with his 2 sisters, and 2 girlies that we got from the RSPCA. (Dont be tempted to keep him with a rabbit for company)

Well done for taking Toby on Trish, you'll be hooked (they are nearly as addictive as whippies :* )

I've always bedded mine on wood flakes - never had a problem and they've lived to a good old age (youngest to die was 5) but saw dust it best avoided. I use hay to bed them on as I've had 2 eye injuries with straw.

If you've never had small furries before Trish dont be tempted to buy the hay from pet shops as it's sooooo expensive and they eat loads of it. You should be able to get a bale of hay for £3 ish compared to a tiny bag of hay for the same amount which equals about 1/20th of a bale!

 

[Trish]

We've got 5 piggies at the minute they are lovely little people - I love opening the door first thing every morning and hearing the gpig chorus.  They squeek till they are fed- one day last week I gave them some pepper  (ran out of greens & carrots) they are supposed to love it but they just looked at it and started squeeking again, it was hilarious!
I've kept 2 boys together before they got on well as there were no females about - now I've got a castrated male in with his 2 sisters, and 2 girlies that we got from the RSPCA. (Dont be tempted to keep him with a rabbit for company)

Well done for taking Toby on Trish, you'll be hooked (they are nearly as addictive as whippies  :* )

I've always bedded mine on wood flakes - never had a problem and they've lived to a good old age (youngest to die was 5) but saw dust it best avoided.  I use hay to bed them on as I've had 2 eye injuries with straw.

If you've never had small furries before Trish dont be tempted to buy the hay from pet shops as it's sooooo expensive and they eat loads of it.  You should be able to get a bale of hay for £3 ish compared to a tiny bag of hay for the same amount which equals about 1/20th of a bale!

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thanks for the advice rae,hes come with some stuff so will check things out with the hay :thumbsup: ,theres straw alreadey in the cage so will get that removed :thumbsup:

 

[Nicola]

We've got 5 piggies at the minute they are lovely little people - I love opening the door first thing every morning and hearing the gpig chorus.  They squeek till they are fed- one day last week I gave them some pepper  (ran out of greens & carrots) they are supposed to love it but they just looked at it and started squeeking again, it was hilarious!
I've kept 2 boys together before they got on well as there were no females about - now I've got a castrated male in with his 2 sisters, and 2 girlies that we got from the RSPCA. (Dont be tempted to keep him with a rabbit for company)

Well done for taking Toby on Trish, you'll be hooked (they are nearly as addictive as whippies  :* )

I've always bedded mine on wood flakes - never had a problem and they've lived to a good old age (youngest to die was 5) but saw dust it best avoided.  I use hay to bed them on as I've had 2 eye injuries with straw.

If you've never had small furries before Trish dont be tempted to buy the hay from pet shops as it's sooooo expensive and they eat loads of it.  You should be able to get a bale of hay for £3 ish compared to a tiny bag of hay for the same amount which equals about 1/20th of a bale!

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My neighbour has two boars (brothers, so introduced very early on ) and two sows kept separately. She has to make sure she feeds and cleans the males first, otherwise if they catch a whiff of the sows on her hands they fight and have to be carefully re-introduced :sweating:

Different piggies like different foods. My friend's piggies like grapes, but mine don't really like them. :blink: Mine are partial to a small wedge of apple (too much causes mouth ulcers) but my neighbours tend to leave them if i give them any (we have reciprocal care arrangements when we go away).

A bale of hay (w00t) Good advice, but if Trish is anything like me, she probably hasn't got the room to store a bale of hay. We've got an old outhouse as a shed, and you can barely get the door open to go in, it's so tiny. Hay has to be kept dry otherwise it will go mouldy.

i'm loving this topic......could natter on for ages about cavies :teehee:

 

[Trish]

We've got 5 piggies at the minute they are lovely little people - I love opening the door first thing every morning and hearing the gpig chorus.  They squeek till they are fed- one day last week I gave them some pepper  (ran out of greens & carrots) they are supposed to love it but they just looked at it and started squeeking again, it was hilarious!
I've kept 2 boys together before they got on well as there were no females about - now I've got a castrated male in with his 2 sisters, and 2 girlies that we got from the RSPCA. (Dont be tempted to keep him with a rabbit for company)

Well done for taking Toby on Trish, you'll be hooked (they are nearly as addictive as whippies  :* )

I've always bedded mine on wood flakes - never had a problem and they've lived to a good old age (youngest to die was 5) but saw dust it best avoided.   I use hay to bed them on as I've had 2 eye injuries with straw.

If you've never had small furries before Trish dont be tempted to buy the hay from pet shops as it's sooooo expensive and they eat loads of it.  You should be able to get a bale of hay for £3 ish compared to a tiny bag of hay for the same amount which equals about 1/20th of a bale!

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My neighbour has two boars (brothers, so introduced very early on ) and two sows kept separately. She has to make sure she feeds and cleans the males first, otherwise if they catch a whiff of the sows on her hands they fight and have to be carefully re-introduced :sweating:

Different piggies like different foods. My friend's piggies like grapes, but mine don't really like them. :blink: Mine are partial to a small wedge of apple (too much causes mouth ulcers) but my neighbours tend to leave them if i give them any (we have reciprocal care arrangements when we go away).

A bale of hay (w00t) Good advice, but if Trish is anything like me, she probably hasn't got the room to store a bale of hay. We've got an old outhouse as a shed, and you can barely get the door open to go in, it's so tiny. Hay has to be kept dry otherwise it will go mouldy.

i'm loving this topic......could natter on for ages about cavies :teehee:

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toby loves grapes too,and no we dont have any room to keep a bale of hay :lol:

 

[~Sarah~]

Mine piggies love little bits of apple and grapes. Lettuce is apparently not good (or only in very small quantities). Be careful with the dried food as I think most Guinea Pig food has extra Vitamin C ,which they need, but rabbit food doesn't.

In the past I had 2 spayed females (done by Rescue before I got them), and I have also had males neutered, so if yours is a male he could be neutered and could then live with a female :wub: , or if it is female then another female is fine. :huggles: As Nicola said, males can often fight unless introduced at a young age.

I always feel guinea pigs are such great pets for children (if handled properly) as they rarely bite, unlike hamsters, and they seem easier to handle (IMO) than rabbits.

Here is a pic of one of mine - Squirrel Nutkin (wrong name as it's a girl :- " ). She came from a pet shop and I bought her as she and her sister were soooo tiny I felt they shouldn't have been for sale. :huggles: She is a Rex I assume.

 

[Trish]

Mine piggies love little bits of apple and grapes. Lettuce is apparently not good (or only in very small quantities). Be careful with the dried food as I think most Guinea Pig food has extra Vitamin C ,which they need, but rabbit food doesn't.
In the past I had 2 spayed females (done by Rescue before I got them), and I have also had males neutered, so if yours is a male he could be neutered and could then live with a female  :wub: , or if it is female then another female is fine.  :huggles:   As Nicola said, males can often fight unless introduced at a young age.

I always feel guinea pigs are such great pets for children (if handled properly) as they rarely bite, unlike hamsters, and they seem easier to handle (IMO) than rabbits.

Here is a pic of one of mine - Squirrel Nutkin (wrong name as it's a girl :- " ). She came from a pet shop and I bought her as she and her sister were soooo tiny I felt they shouldn't have been for sale.  :huggles:   She is a Rex I assume.

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oh sarah shes gorgeous :wub: ,she as a beautiful coat :huggles:

tobys getting very cheeky and think hes getting use to been watched by the cat :lol: brian the cat is very fasinated by him

 

[Flowerpot]

Hi !! I had 10 piggies but down to 8 now...4 boys and 4 girls. I`ve kept them for 30 years or more !!

About the lettuce....Green leaf lettuce is loved as well as romaine which is sweet...it is ICEBERG which shouldn`t be given.

Boys shouldn`t fight if brought up together but will definately fight if girls are around anywhere near. Two of my boars are neutered ( RSPCA before I rescued them ) but I don`t agree with this generally as it is still risky having the anaesthetic as with all small rodents. I feel they shouldn`t be neutered unless for a medical reason.

My four boys live in a huge hutch divided in to two by a mesh barrier...Two boys one side and two the other..In effect they all live together for company and warmth but can`t fight !! This is a good alternative to neutering.

As with most of you mine are all bedded on newspaper and fresh meadow hay which I buy from a farm about 4 miles away...It`s gorgeous stuff and much better than bought from the pet shop. Hay is absolutely vital to a piggy as it aids their digestive system as well as keeping their teeth right and being cosy to `burrow` in !!

The dry mix should be good quality with added vit `c` which they need. On another forum a while ago , we did a survey on dry mixes.....WAGG came out near the top and Tesco`s own brand too. MIne are fed on Wagg and they all do well.

I`ve had pigs all these years and all lived to a good age with no illness. ..except Conker who I lost at 3 years old a few months ago with a suspected tumour in his throat.

I agree that they are delightful little animals and great for kids. They were the first pets my boys had when they were little ...apart from the dogs.

I love my rats too and I think they make fabulous pets...Like little mini whippies !! hahahahaha !!

I`m really pleased to see how many of you have pigs ! Mine are called...

Doughnut, Pecan, Rhubarb, Ginger, Maggie May, Polly Anna, Clara and Tilly !

 

[Jaydiiee]

are they like hamsters?

do they poop everywhere?

 

[Trish]

are they like hamsters?do they poop everywhere?

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jade someone told me that you can train them to use a litter tray :thumbsup:

jill any chance of some pics of your piggies :wub: :wub: :wub:

 

[Flowerpot]

Now Trish....When you know me better, you won`t ask me that !!! :wub: I am terrible at photos..Don`t go there..However... :unsure: come summer when they are all out in the run I`ll take some pictures for you :- " :- "

`" do they poop everywhere?"..........YES !! hahahahaha ! And WEE too !!!Rolls eyes ! I`ve tried to toilet train them but all they do is play with the toilet !!! :b

My hamsters are toilet trained though and always wee in the same place...Do yours ?

On the piggy forum I frequent, some of the girls have tried to train their pigs but it is difficult , I think !!! I tried with my Doughnut who is a Himalyan and a real character !....He used to pull out the litter tray and put it on his head...I gave up !!

 

[Flowerpot]

TRish....Have you managed to litter train yours ?....I`ve put doughnut as my avatar to let you see him !! I`ll cahnge it later for Polly and her babies Clara and Tilly.

 

[Flowerpot]

Doughnut, Pecan and Conker in the summer before I lost Conker. These three boys lived together.

This is baby Clara at two days old.

Baby Tilly at two days old.

 

[rainbow rising]

hi there

i was just reading all the messages about gpigs i have got three. all are females sadly i have an old girl who is very independ and wont be in the same run with the other two.

they are young and they are sisters. :huggles:

squidge is about 4 and is a short coat tri colour and bibble and pebble are 2ish and are rexes.

they are really wonderful and noisey and they really tolerate chip and amber barking at them. and jumping up at the hutches. in fact i think they stick their fingers up at them. :lol:

i wouldnt be with out them i love them to bits

 

[midlanderkeith]

hi where aquiring a guinea pig today as the people that have it havent been looking after it properly,poor thing didnt even have water yesterday when my daughter went to the house :rant:   :rant:   :rant: . its disgusting how some people treat animals,wish i could string them all up :rant:   :rant:   :rant:
could someone give me some info on what they eat and best bedding etc as ive never had a guinea before :wacko: ive only ever had rabbits,rats,mice and hamsters,so any advise would be great :thumbsup:

think i will need to buy a bigger cage as my daughter says two steps and its at the other side of the cage so sounds tiny .

will put some pics on as soon as we get it here(dont know if its male or female yet either)

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Love these little chaps i do, i remember as a lad my parents going to the pet shop, bought a guinea pig for my brother, and a tortoise fer me, huge bugger it was, the torty, i had to tether the bugger to the dustbin to contain it, we had metal ones then, my brother used to do early paper rounds, and i remember on his way home we could hear my brother whistling, so i let roger the piggy out the cage, up the yard it would run and down the back street to follow him home, russet in colour, called roger

keith

 

[Trish]

Doughnut, Pecan and Conker in the summer before I lost Conker. These three boys lived together.

This is baby Clara at two days old.

Baby Tilly at two days old.

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oh them babies are beautiful jill,as for toilet training he does go in one place in his cage and i was told he went in a litter tray when he was out in the room at his other house where he lived but dont know how true that is.

 

[Trish]

hi where aquiring a guinea pig today as the people that have it havent been looking after it properly,poor thing didnt even have water yesterday when my daughter went to the house :rant:   :rant:   :rant: . its disgusting how some people treat animals,wish i could string them all up :rant:   :rant:   :rant:
could someone give me some info on what they eat and best bedding etc as ive never had a guinea before :wacko: ive only ever had rabbits,rats,mice and hamsters,so any advise would be great :thumbsup:

think i will need to buy a bigger cage as my daughter says two steps and its at the other side of the cage so sounds tiny .

will put some pics on as soon as we get it here(dont know if its male or female yet either)

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Love these little chaps i do, i remember as a lad my parents going to the pet shop, bought a guinea pig for my brother, and a tortoise fer me, huge bugger it was, the torty, i had to tether the bugger to the dustbin to contain it, we had metal ones then, my brother used to do early paper rounds, and i remember on his way home we could hear my brother whistling, so i let roger the piggy out the cage, up the yard it would run and down the back street to follow him home, russet in colour, called roger

keith

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what a lovely story and such good memories :thumbsup: my grandma always had tortoises,i remember going to grans and looking in the garden for them as they was always roaming freely in the day.