How to take care of a guinea pig?
Ok so, I wanted a dog, but I couldn't get one :( I heard guinea pigs are basically Like dogs and they live a pretty long time too, so I'm getting a guinea pig! :) Questions: How do I take care of them? Tell me EVERYTHING How do I groom them? Do I have to clean their ears, trim their nails? Comb them? Cut their hair? I need info about grooming. What kind of cage should I get? I want to get 2 guinea pigs but my parents aren't sure yet. If I do get 1 guinea pig, can I leave it alone for 7 hours while I'm at school? How do I prepare the guinea pig to be left olive for 7 hours And if I get it during summer will it have anxiety when I go back to school because it's gotten used to me? How do I keep the guinea pig warm in the winter and cool In the summer? Can guinea pigs swim? Can I take my guinea pig out on the grass/hammock on summer days and sit down many read a book? Can I let my guinea pig run around in the grass? Can they eat grass? How would I play with the guinea pig? Any toys I should get? Any treats I should get? What food should i give the guinea pig? I'm also going to be at the lake from 7am to 10-12pm how would I prepare my guinea pig to be left alone this long? What's a good daily schedule for a guinea pig? *this one is important!!!* Any other Info? Btw Im 13 and I have a little bro that's 5 the rest of my family is older than 16
Would you ever regret getting your guinea pig ??? why??
I'm guessing by your string of questions that you're really interested in getting a guinea pig. So heres the best advice I can give you...Most of the people answering your questions have owned guinea pigs at some point or another. Some of them loved the animals and will tell you that theyre the greatest things on earth...some of them probably werent so fond of guinea pigs and will tell you that youre better off not getting them....so what does this say? it says that its really based on you and your personality, whether or not a guinea pig is the right pet for you. If you want a super playful pet with tons of personality, a guinea pig may not be the best choice.. If you want something more laid back and calm, then maybe a guinea pig is for you, but only you can make that choice. So I suggest getting online and researching guinea pigs. Visit sites, do your research, gather pro's and cons, go to the library, get books, etc. Read up on everything you can and dont base your opinion soley on those who have guinea pigs, loved them and will tell you that you should definitely get one. In the end youre the one who has to own it and care for it, so you're the one who has to decide if its right for you or not. If you get one and decide you made a wrong decision, you either have to get rid of it or live with your decision for the next 3-6 years, maybe longer. After you've done your research, and you know all the good, AND the bad that comes with owning a guinea pig, and you still think you want one, then maybe this is the right pet for you..go to the pet store, play around with them for a while, get one that you really connect with. I've picked out guinea pigs soley because I liked how they looked and these were the ones I found rather boring after a month or so. The first time I got a guinea pig, I didnt go for looks, I played with them for over half an hour and one really stood out to me. I decided he was the one, and i picked him. He was my only guinea pig that really had personality. Good luck with your decision.
What are the tradeoffs between getting one guinea pig for my kids or two?
Because the advantages of having two guinea pigs are obvious (as many here have already stated) I am going to make the argument for having only one. Our son has owned a single male cavy for nearly five years.As others have mentioned, guinea pigs are social animals, so having only one requires paying extra attention to providing companionship. For this reason ours is kept not in a bedroom but rather in our living room where we spend the most time. From his spot he can also see and hear activity in the kitchen. His cage is kept atop of a large ottoman, so he is at eye level with our dog, who sleeps on a bed right next to his cage and will make “nose contact” with him from time to time. Thus he is never really alone.In addition we make sure he gets daily time being held. This is easy with a guinea pig because unlike hamsters or gerbils they are very calm and will sit contentedly in a lap, sometimes even falling asleep. It is easy to hold ours while watching TV, and even I enjoy visiting with “Mr. Winks.” (I first fold a towel across my lap first to reduce the risk of accidents.)My concern with having two pigs is, first, it would require a very large cage — sincerely, one that you would not be able to purchase at a typical pet store. Putting two pigs in too small of a cage would, in my opinion, be as stressful and unhealthy as one living alone.Secondly, and more significantly, guinea pigs have a tremendous amount of output. They eat and thus poop nearly continuously. I think I read once that a single pig can produce 300 turds in a day. I cannot imagine keeping a clean environment for two pigs. It is hard enough with one. I am certain there are devoted cavy owners who are successful at it, but for the average pet owner I just don’t think it is manageable long term. Thus, owning two pigs would probably double the odds of either or both developing health problems, such as cauliflower feet, from living in a dirty cage.All the advocates for owning more than one guinea pig certainly have their hearts in the right place. I guess I’m just much more of a realist. In my opinion, one pig who is healthy and well-loved is better than two pigs who are neglected because it’s assumed that they are happy together.Our Mr. Winks has lived five long years! I have had various concerns about him from time to time, but loneliness has never been one of them.
My dad won’t take my sick guinea pig to the vet, and I can’t do it by myself since I’m 14 and have no money. My guinea pig has lost a lot of weight. What should I do?
As a minor, a veterinarian cannot accept you as the legal owner of the pet unless your parent or guardian will take you. Perhaps you ask your grandparent or other relative to take you and your guinea pig to a veterinarian. Perhaps tell them this is what you want for your birthday or Christmas. Perhaps someone will help you and your pig take a trip to the vet and see if there is something that can be done to help it.you may be able to find a sympathetic vet or veterinary nurse / technician to come to your home, or ask your teacher in school if you can do a field trip to the veterinarian? You may have to get creative, show initiative and perhaps give up something you like to save and make some money to help pay for your piggie’s care. Perhaps you could do chores to help generate money for the care of your pig.good luck
How should I convince my parents to get me a guinea pig?
First, how old are you? I was 10 when I got my first guinea pig and I had to do some convincing with my parents in order for them to allow me to get one.Here is what I did back then:I made all of my friends write essays about how responsible I was and why I deserved a guinea pig. Looking back, I can't believe they actually did this. I would have them print the essay and then when my mom was in the bathroom, I would slip these essays under the door and make her read them.-I read up on guinea pigs, bought a ton of books on them and educated myself about them. Every question my parents had about them, I knew and was able to show I was serous about it.-If you have an allowance or a job, make sure you tell your parents you will be willing to help pitch in or pay for all of it. The food can cost 8-11$ per bag, and the bedding is expensive (15-27$ per bag) and the cage needs to be cleaned about every 10 days. Make it a point to save up a little and show responsibility and that you will financially care for this animal. Also, make sure you tell them that you will help clean the cage or will do it by yourself if you're old enough. -Explain why you want one and what benefits it has. It will teach you love and care for another living thing, it will provide great joy to you and your family, and it will allow you to learn financial responsibility.
Pros and Cons of having a Guinea Pig?
I'm a female who is turning 18 in January for my birthday I'd like to get a guinea pig or more likely 2 since that is the recommended thing to do. I have posted a question here before and got good replies so I hoped to ask for more advice. The pros and cons of owning guinea pigs. If it helps I'm not planning to move out and I own a lab-border collie cross dog who's hyper but usually pretty harmless to other animals
I rescued a guinea pig..?
Guina pigs are great pets to have. I've had a few of them and one of them lived for 10 years. I got her on my 5th birthday and she passed away soon after my 15th birthday. She was the best pet I ever had. Where did you rescue him from? All guinea pigs whistle and make different squeeky sounds. This is just their way of communicating. Guinea pigs are very social animals, so it's best to have 2 of them. They will still bond quite well with you, but they will be much happier when you leave them alone. It doesn't cost that much more to own 2 of them. You'll need a good sized cage. The guinea pig cages at pet stores are ok as long as you make sure to take them out every other day for enough exercise. Bigger cages are much more preffered. Some people choose to make their own, which is much better because you can make them as big as you want. Don't buy exercise balls or wheels for them. Guinea pigs don't have the same flexibility in their spine as other rodents and it will cause serious damage in the long run. Carefresh bedding is the safest and healthiest bedding to use. Cedar or pine shavings are bad for your pet's health and can cause respiratory problems, skin and eye allergies, kidney failure and even cancer. Clean the cage at least once a week. You need to have plain guinea pig pellets and timothy hay or alfalfa and fresh water available to your pig at all times. There are some chew toys or guinea pig houses you can buy at any pet supply store. You can feed them a variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts. Feed these in moderation. Too much fruits and vegetables can cause diarrhea which will lead to dehydration. As soon as you notice diarrhea, stop feeding them the fruits and vegetables (until it has stopped completely) and be sure to give them enough water during this time. You should keep your guinea pig's nails trimmed. Trim them once every 4-6 weeks. If you don't know how, a vet or pet groomer can do it for you. You shouldn't bathe your guinea pig unless they absolutely need it. When you do, make sure to use guinea pig shampoo and put the guinea pig in a towel right away. They can catch drafts quite easily and they will become sick. Good luck on your new pet! :) http://www.cavyspirit.com/care.htm http://guineapigcages.com/ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/gui... http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?art_key=568ed708-4b88-4855-9bd3-bc051236bb51