is a guinea pig a good pet to have for a child?

Answer 1

Depends on the age of the child. My son got his at 8 and he's 10 now. And he loves him. Of course keep in mind it will be you changing the cage and doing the feeding. My son tends to over feed him. He puts him on his bedroom floor and plays with him,brushs him. I think he's a wonderful pet.

Answer 2

It Depends, I have a friend who had a guinea pig when she was about seven and she adored him (he died two years ago) I think one of the main reasons that she liked him was that he was "hers" and not anyone else's therefore she took pride in cleaning his cage etc. she also enjoyed playing with him and was very sad when he died. If the child you are talking about is the sort of kid who likes something for a week then moves on then a guinea pig isn't a good pet, quite frankly NO sort of pet would be good for that type of kid. But if the kid you're talking is someone who will be dedicated then yes, a guinea pig would be a good pet but before you buy one make sure they know what they would have to do, clean the cage regularly etc. hope this helps and good luck with the guinea pig!!!

Answer 3

It depends on the child. I usually say no, unless they're over the age of 12. A guinea pig is very skittish and requires someone who is calm and quiet..who will cuddle them and speak softly. They get scared very easily. They also require more upkeep than most people know. I'm 22 years old and find it very time consuming to take care of my two guinea pigs. They require HUGE cages. Pet store cages are not large enough so please don't buy a cage from a place like petsmart, even though they claim they're for guinea pigs. You need to build your own...which is wayyy cheaper than anything you'd buy at a pet store and 50 times bigger. go to www.cavycages.com for more info.

Guinea pigs are herd animals and have to be with another of their own kind. They get lonely and depressed if they do not have another animal of the same sex to be with. Either a male with a male or a female with a female. Males can be with females as long as one or the other is neutered. Are you willing to have two guinea pigs and a huge cage? Do you have the time/room for that kind of commitment? Often times, it's not what is convenient for the owner, it's what is best for the guinea pig.

They also eat a lot of vegetables. 1 to 1 1/2 cup of vegetables per day, per pig. They need to be given .05 cc of liquid vitamin c (500 mg I believe) because they cannot produce their own and will die of scurvy if not given. They need unlimited amounts of timothy hay/ orchard grass to wear their teeth down.

Male guinea pigs need their anal sacs cleaned out once a week to avoid impaction (loosening of the anal muscles that are required to push out their waste). They will die if not cleaned out once a week.

They also need their nails clipped as often as possible. They grow fast. Baths will be needed every couple months. They are very talkative.

More work for the parent than anybody. They may seem like a great pet for a child, but really they're not. They have cost me just as much if not more than keeping up with an animal like a dog or cat. I love them to pieces, but they are much more than I expected. Please prepare yourself for that.

Answer 4

i have a guinea pig that i bought for my daughter when she was one something for her to look at now she is two and my guinea pig will let her hold it. they seem to get less skiddish as you mess with them and they dont bite as often as some of the small cute cuddlies.

Answer 5

Poops 24/7 -needs new bedding always. Be prepared to spend and work at keeping them clean. Kids love em though..

Answer 6

probably not for a child, they tend to be skittish, depending on age the child's age, but i would suggest, if you are looking for....
small pet- gerbils
bigger pet- ferrets

Answer 7

It is still a big job. Your child might make you do things.

Answer 8

yeah. they're adorable, don't smell, and don't wee-wee all over your house.