r/guineapigs • u/NTaya • 8h ago
r/guineapigs • u/mercuryheart_ • Nov 20 '21
Help & Advice Are you thinking about buying a guinea pig for a child/teenager? Please read.
If you're planning on buying a guinea pig for a child in your life, these are really important things to keep in mind. Knowing this before purchasing can save yourself from being in a financial situation you can't handle, or a guinea pig that is not getting the care it needs.
Guinea pigs are a life style choice, and not for a child to care for. Care taking for animals isn't a responsibility that should be left for a kid. When you buy a guinea pig, you are taking on all responsibility for yourself and facilitating the experience of living with a guinea pig for your child. They may help care for them, but you will be the one to keep things clean, enrich their lives, and handle them the most.
They poo 100 times per day, meaning that you must clean those 100 poos every day to keep their habitat sanitary. If you wouldn't want to walk around in feces, neither do they. In fact they are extremely hygienic animals with fast metabolisms. I spot clean in the morning and at night, every day.
They are expensive. When you buy a child a guinea pig, you must be vigilant on checking for health issues by weighing them weekly and checking for other signs of illness, have an exotic vet near you and be prepared to shell out hundreds in a time of need. You must also buy fresh vegetables, and give them unlimited FRESH hay every day. Finding somewhere local to buy bales of hay can save a fortune. A child cannot afford the costs.
You need 2 guinea pigs. They are herd animals and shouldn't be kept alone. Imagine living with titan like predatory aliens, all alone in a cage your entire life. Guinea pigs NEED their own kind. We are predators and they are prey. We can and should spend time with them daily, but it isn't a substitute. So x 2 all costs right out of the gate.
Space. They need space, a lot of it. A minimum of 11 square feet for two guinea pigs. Pet store Cages are just that... Cages. If you wouldn't want to live in a space the size of a small bathroom your entire life, neither does a guinea pig.
You need to do research. It will be your responsibility to make sure your child's guinea pigs are eating the right diet, what signs of health issues to look out for, how to enrich their lives on a daily basis, and more. Pigs need stimulation and interesting environmental changes to keep them happy. You will need to get creative and teach your children how to offer that to them, after you have learned it yourself.
GUINEA PIGS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE. They are smarter than you think, and with the proper diet can live 7 years. They are not less work than having a dog. They require a huge time investment for those years. They are dependent on you in the same way your child is.
DO NOT BUY FROM A PET STORE. Scotty's Animals does a fantastic jjob explaining the impact you can have by adopting from a rescue. Adopting saves guinea pigs from euthanization. Covid pets are being abandoned and left to ultimately die unless we start adopting instead of shopping.
I love my guinea pigs and they have done so much for me and my children. My kids have benefited so much mental health wise, and I bust my ass for both the kids and the piggies. I do just as much laundry for guinea pigs as I do my kids it feels like. Just know what you're getting yourself into. They aren't toys, they aren't entertainment only. They're living, breathing beings that deserve love, dignity, respect and proper life enrichment and care.
r/guineapigs • u/SammysJungle • 7h ago
Pigtures Meet my little co-chef, he helps me chop the vegetables...mtho I feel like I am left with less veggies everytime he helps 🥦
r/guineapigs • u/Alarming-Molasses847 • 4h ago
Pigtures Excuse the mess, I’m moving soon. What is Theodore planning????
r/guineapigs • u/Alehandra01 • 3h ago
♥ Update: we adopted them
We went and adopted them and actually verified if they are girls. They now have a new nice home at my mother in law who loves piggies like i do. They are so cute, one has red eyes. Their name is Zorita (the one with black) and Nugget
r/guineapigs • u/ElectricalKiddo • 12h ago
Pigtures Today I tried feeding my piggy a whole tomato. He surprisingly liked being fed like that!
r/guineapigs • u/Fluffyybearrr • 7h ago
New Pigs on the Block New member ! She's so cute 😭 ( the black one )
I already love her, and it seems like muffin likes her ! Any name idea ? ( preferably food names lol )
r/guineapigs • u/Kuwarebi11 • 3h ago
Housing What do you think of my new cage?
Its for 3 guinea pigs, 3.6m2 (about 39 sq ft) area, toys and cuddle stuff is changed every few days to entertain them. They can use a self build stair case to get to the floor when I have time to have an eye on them.
r/guineapigs • u/Nanahtew • 7h ago
Old Timer Should I automatically give Peechee joint support because he will be 4 years old soon?
Hii everyone! I was wondering if the Oxbow joint support I originally got for my late pig should be given to my senior boy Peechee as a preventative measure. He currently shows no signs of arthritis or difficulty moving. In fact, he has the zoomies/popcorns almost daily. I'm curious if it would be best to hold on to them or it would be beneficial to give them to him daily and hopefully grant him a smoother transition to being elderly.
r/guineapigs • u/pingoutfits • 3h ago
Pigtures Beautiful eyes 💖 All my piggies have so different eyes! Sammet has kind of sad eyes. Yannis is odd eyed so he always looks terrified on his left eye. Sirenia has brown eyes with benmetaplasi/äggskalsöga (I don’t know the english word) and beginning of cataracts. Floor has almost purple eyes
r/guineapigs • u/MarbleRoc • 6h ago
Housing My Guinea pig tropical nature cage! Please rate it from 1-10. What should I improve on?
r/guineapigs • u/d3v0n_N • 4h ago
New Pigs on the Block Good morning! My husband cause one of our girls relaxing and thought you would LOVE HER. This is peanut!
r/guineapigs • u/Only_Virus_4390 • 9h ago
♥ Love you little Midnight, your three years on this planet were amazing
Yesterday my partner’s guinea pig has crossed the rainbow bridge 😢. He was my guinea pig as well even before we moved in together; I cuddled with him, fed him, and loved him like my own baby. In the end took care of him by feeding him his meds and syringe feeding him after his eye removal due to infection. It was hard to go through this process for almost a month of non stop vet visits, but in the end I am just happy he isn’t in pain anymore and he crossed the bridge at home next to his brother and his family. I love you midnight, you will always be loved, and I still crying after writing this 😭
r/guineapigs • u/Szelenas • 4h ago
Pigtures Plumpy (right) passed the rainbow bridge today after 5,5 years
r/guineapigs • u/Terra_Branford_FF6 • 4h ago
♥ He’s acquired a new skill 🤷♀️
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r/guineapigs • u/Little_Numbers • 12h ago
Pigtures Daisy has gone full sploot in my sleeve
r/guineapigs • u/Rare_Try1264 • 8h ago
New Pigs on the Block Meet Yuzu and Mochi
Adopted these sweet girls a couple of weeks ago. They are about 6 weeks old. They bring lots of joy!
r/guineapigs • u/tillyfleur • 16h ago
Help & Advice Rehoming a single, young boar
I'm sorry if these kinds of posts are not allowed.
This is Otis, he's a young boar, only coming up to 18 months old. I got him as a partner to my pig Sammy, when his cage mate passed away. Sammy was only 3 when I got Otis, so I thought they'd have a good few years together. Unfortunately, Otis and Sammy never got on, Sammy was always the dominant of his previous pair, and Otis is a feisty young pig. We tried bonding them a couple of times and it always led to blood being drawn, so for the last year, they've lived side by side. Sadly, Sammy died kinda just out of nowhere last night. Fed him his fresh veggie dinner, and by the time I went to top up his hay before bed, he was gone!
I found the process (and failing) of bonding quite stresssful last time, and I also just think that it's time for my cycle of owning piggies to end. Otis is so young, I'd love for him to go to a home where he can be happy amongst other pigs. I can't, in good conscious, keep him as a lone pig for the rest of his life.
I'm based in West Yorkshire, UK. I'm reaching out on here, because I know everyone on this subreddit will take care of Otis to the standard I would want. Please contact me if you're able to re-home.
Thank you for your time.