i need at least 50 answers about this!!! guinea pigs, yes, or no?

Question

i am 15 years old and am allowed to get a small pet. i have a few problems though. hamsters can be pretty mean, gerbils don't like to be held, ferrets are too stinky, ( but i love them to DEATH!), mice aren't as mellow as i'd like, and my mom HATES rats( these are all from experience). the only cheap choice left is a guinea pig. i need at least 50 people's Experience with guinea pigs. pros, cons, and any other info i should know. i am getting one for my birthday on Nov. 26, so i need to know soon. my mom thinks they're adorable so i need to seize the opportunity. please give me ALL the info you have from EXPERIENCE. no guessers please. thanks

update: i went to petsmart to look at thier guinea pigs. i hekd all three. 1) squrmed alot and was silent, 2) all black made some wiwiwiwiwi noises at first, but got used to me in about 1 minute and was still and quiet, 3) bit me twice, put it back. which one sounded like the best initial attitude? i want info ONLY FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD GUINEA PIGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^
|| go up, HELD NOT HEKED, sorry

go up again, squirmed not squrmd

UPDATE: my mom says i should have at least 100 answers, with research, to get truly educated

if i start with one, can i get another one later of the same sex?

Answer 1

I LOVE my hunea pigs! I would highly reccommend getting one. However, it is best to get them in pairs (make sure they are the same sex) and make sure they have a big enough cage that they can run around in! Hope that helps and I hope you get a pig, they're the cutest!

Answer 2

YES GUNIEA PIGS ARE THE BEST!!!! ive had four. Ive never been bit by mine and they do stink if you leave there cage dirty (didnt do my friend left hers) but they are really cute and nice animals. They are shy though if you have a house or something they can hide away in... they will. But you should have a house or something for them because they need to have somewhere they can feel safe. But i would recomend a house of plastic that you can lift up and the bottom is open so you can get the guniea pig. But they run fast around the cage when they dont want to be caught and kick up the bedding but are really great pets to have.

Hope this helped and you find the right animal :)


oh yeah and if you take them outside they enjoy eating grass (but make sure that there is no poison on it) and they really enjoy being outside but make sure you sit with them and if possible under a tree and not for to long they can get heat stroke. they are sensitive animals and need some attention which sounds like you are willing to give.

Answer 3

There lifespan is 4-8 years even more. They eat Timothy Hay, Vegetables, Fruit, and Dry Food Diet. You need to get 2 guinea pigs because there social and need a mate to play with. Everyday you need atleast 30-1 hour floor time for the guinea pigs, giving them exersice by running and playing outside the cage. They CANT use wheels or balls. Do not put a female and male in one cage when maybe they will mate and is a dangerous risk. They mostly dont bite or scratch. You need money for supplies like food and cage and vet bills. Nails have to be trimmed every once in a while. Squick a lot for different reasons like if hungry, sad, or confused. Cage needs to be cleaned atleast every week. Making a cage is better than buying one from pet store visit www.guineapigcages.com for instructions. Please adopt not buy from pet stores which may have sickness and maybe pregnant. Guinea pigs grow as long as 1 foot.

Answer 4

Guinea pigs aren't cheap, I can tell you that! Of the small rodents, they can run up the highest vet bills, because they are highly susceptible to health problems like upper respiratory infections, bladder stones, and teeth problems. These require visits to exotics vets and can be EXPENSIVE. They require a more specialized diet than other rodents: fresh vegetables DAILY, a high quality pellet, an UNLIMITED grass or timothy hay.

They live 5-7 years, so if you are off to college in a few years think about what will happen to them.

They need large spacious cages (guineapigcages.com) and floor time outside the cage. Please read through Guinealynx.info too before getting them.

It is better to adopt than buy from a petstore, where pigs are often harboring illnesses and mis-sexings are rampant.

Of course there are many great things about pigs! They are highly intelligent, sociable (you do want a pair rather than a single pig, though) and very talkative. I've had mine for 4 years. But as someone involved in the rescue world who sees many guineas dumped when their owners realize they aren't an *easy* (or cheap!) pet I'd like you and your mom to read through the 2 websites I recommended so you know what you are getting into.

I see so many people who don't think about costs and whatnot beyond the original expense of acquiring the pig, and it's the pet who ends up paying.

Answer 5

Okay so I have 15 guinea pigs and they are all teddies. At first it takes a while to get used to caring for them but then you pretty much have it down. If you want one you should go on your internet and find out when there is a show next to you. You can also pick one up at a shelter, but those cavies are more expensive, and their colors/varieties/breeds are more limited! Going to a show you can get nearly any color or coat type for as inexpensive as five dollars! You can also get younger ones there. You will need a cage big enough for them to run around in that is safe from children and other family pets. You will need pellets that don't have anything in them but pellets and the pellets must have vitamin C in them because cavies cannot produce vitamin C on their own. You will need a 32 oz water bottle, filled with water every time it runs low.
Make sure your cage has a solid bottom, not wire bcz that will cut up their feet and they can get broken toes or feet! The shavings MUST be pine not cedar!!!!
You can give them Timothy hay, grass hay, orchard grass, etc. Do not give too much alfalfa bcs that will give them kidney stones. So will KALE.
You can give them treats such as oatmeal, raisins, and fruits and veggies. Avoid anything pickled or spicy...
Hope I helped!!!

Answer 6

I have 6 guinea pigs at home and I LOVE them. They each have their own personalities. Snickers who is our original pig is very sweet to people but gets agitated and bited other guinea pigs if they run into her. Peanut Butter is blind and has cerebral paulsey and she won't ever bite anyone and is the sweetest pig we have. Blackberry and Lulu are sisters who are mean to everyone in the group and bite them for no reason. Truffles we've had for a couple of months and she still hasn't adjusted to living with us. S'mores we got about 2 weeks ago and she is already used to living with us and she is less than 2 months old. If you get one I would get a younger pig because they adjust easier and get used to you faster. Pros are they are really good pets if you want a pet that's laid back and sweet. A con is that when they are out a lot of times they pee on you without warning. I would say the pros outweigh the cons of a Guinea Pig. They are completly adorable.

Answer 7

The people who say their guinea pigs 'stink' kept them in cages too small for them, or did not change the bedding enough. Pigs pee and poop a lot, and they need a lot of space! Check out www.guineapigcages.com for all the info you need on guinea pigs, and how to build a cheap and appropriate cage!

Don't buy a store brand cage! Even the biggest cage you can buy is too small for even one guinea pig. You can build one that is cheaper than buying a cage (like $30) and will make your pig a lot happier.

Pigs are not "cheap" pets. They need at least a cup of fresh vegetables every day with their food, hay at all times and plain pellets (don't get the kind with nuts, fruits, or any other crud in it). You should also find a vet nearby that treats guinea pigs.

Don't buy a pig at the pet store. They often have mites or other problems. I should know, I adopted my niece's guinea pig last week who is suffering horribly from mites. The entire vet trip to get him well from this is going to be $175 by the time all the medicine is purchased and given to him. (And then I'll be paying $135 to get him neutered so he can be housed with my females)

Instead, go to www.Petfinder.com and adopt a piggie local to you. You'll save a life. A large amount of kids (like my niece) grow bored with their guinea pigs and give them up; so listen to the poster who said they were bored with their pig. A lot of people house pigs in these little cages and then complain that they're smelly and boring. How exciting could YOU be if you were locked in a tiny, litter box sized cage?

The truth is, pigs need patience and time to get used to you. They are quiet pets, not flashy ones like dogs or parrots.

But if you are patient, kind, and consitant, you'll be rewarded by a very sweet, gentle pet.

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One more thing :)

It really is too bad you can't get a rat. At your age, it would probably be the perfect pet. They're highly interactive animals.

You're 15 now, the rat will live about three years (which is perfect, since within three years you will probably be going to college or moving on to other things in your life).

I'm 37 now, and I got my first rat when I was 25 (I rescued it) and I was terrified of it (kind of like your mom). If this helps you any, tell your mom not to be scared. Within a few weeks of getting to know the rat she'll be thinking it's all cute and stuff. She probably hates rats because she hasn't known any domestic ones!

A wild rat is like a wolf, and a pet store rat is like a dog!

Answer 8

I got two guinea pigs, Fudge and Oreo, around 7 months ago because my parents said I could only get a very small pet and I didn't want fish. THEY ARE SO ADORABLE!! Guinea pigs are the best pet, they are cute, affectionate and won't bite you unless they are absolutely terrified and feel they need to protect themselves. They love fruit and vegies, and you can give them your scraps. They make cute little noises and I love them so much. They are the best small pet, in my opinion. You should so get some guinea pigs. They cage needs to be cleaned at least once a week, and their food pellets should be changed once a day and should be left in their cage all day as they like to eat a little at a time throughout the day. They are great pets.

Answer 9

Well, make sure you buy a healthy one. My first one i bought wouldnt eat and died in a month. They are really fun to play with but you need to gibe them a month of time for them to get used to you. If you dont let them get used to you, then they may never be used to and just sit in the cage wasting their life. Cleaning cages are not fun at all but if you love your guinea pig than it doesn't matter. They tend to chew on anything sticking through the bars of their cage. Bedding is costly and the guinea pigs do eat a lot if you get them used to it. I got my guinea pig pretty fat because i gave it a whole head of romaine every day.. That wasnt such a good idea as it got very annoying when it was hungry. The pigs will squeak very loudly when they want something. But other wise they are fun pets. They are very happy with another guinea pig in the cage btw...

Answer 10

Personally I have a guinea pig and I love her to death! She wouldn't bite if her life depended on it and has quite the attitude. All they need is some training. Though I have been told my guinea pig is smarter than others I have trained her to go back into her cage on command and other tricks. Guinea pigs need time out of the cage to run around Peanut (my pig) absolutely loves her time to run. If you spend enough time with her/him he/r will not need another pig to keep him company. I only have one piglet and she is completely happy by herself but I do know guinea pigs a extremely social creatures. Do not worry if you pig is not completely happy about being held. YOu can her to like it by giving her treats whenever she does something good. They only poop in one corner of the cage but their pee is toxic so do not let it get on anything, even wood. The stain will NEVER come out. I could ramble on forever. If you need more information ask another question and be specific . Good luck!

Answer 11

Guinea Pigs Club
http://www.guineapigsclub.com/gp_site/index.asp