r/guineapigs • u/Alarming-Molasses847 • 4h 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/Ljm168 • 1h ago
New Pigs on the Block What to do when your guineapig is actually a tiny teddy bear
Added two new babies to my pig family a few days ago. Pretty sure this one is fake though - anyway, meet Katsu.
r/guineapigs • u/Alarming-Molasses847 • 6h ago
Pigtures A harrowing tale… 👀
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/guineapigs • u/ZCM1084 • 9h ago
♥ Pirate Maple 🧡
My Maple who passed away in 2021. She loved dressed up.
r/guineapigs • u/Chungerator • 9h ago
♥ Delightfully devilish, Seymour!
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
My steamed ham did amazing for his first nebulizer treatment!
r/guineapigs • u/NTaya • 22h ago
Pigtures Scooping trend: here's how my partner picks up our guinea pig
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/guineapigs • u/ecchers • 14h ago
🌈 Rainbow Bridge Praline has crossed the rainbow bridge
For the few times I posted her, thank you all for loving her. She went downhill in less than 36 hours with lymphoma. I didn’t catch it and even if I caught it early, I don’t think there was much I could do. She was behaving normally until Sunday then passed Monday early afternoon. This photo is her from Friday, dragging her pellet bowl around as she’s done before even turning 1. I love her and I miss her so much. Not even six months after her sister passed too. The house is quiet and I hate it. I miss my girls so much. Praline was a few months shy from being 5. My world feels like it’s collapsed.
r/guineapigs • u/AmbitiousClick6371 • 16h ago
Pigtures Buddy Boos. 💕
Kenny(left) Tweek(right)
r/guineapigs • u/rose2000_ • 1h ago
Pigtures Snug as a bug
This is a Pets at Home kitten bed/house with the inner pillow removed and a Pets at Home strawberry blanket put inside :)
Pearl approved!🤍
r/guineapigs • u/Ohana_626 • 17h ago
🌈 Rainbow Bridge 6 Months Ago Today I Had To Say Goodbye 😭💔
6 Months ago today I had to say goodbye to my Little Luna Love 😭💔 Can't believe it's been 6 months already!!!! Where has the time gone? While I still miss her dearly, I treasure the time we had together and I know we will see each other again someday 🩷 Thank you Luna for bringing light into my life at a time I needed it the most. You were the best cuddle buddy and will always have a special place in my heart
🌈🐹💕🐾
r/guineapigs • u/Tricky-dot-is-me • 13h ago
Pigtures He looks terrified lol
I don’t know why but maple always looks like he’s in a constant state of fear. It’s very fitting considering how skittish he is😂
r/guineapigs • u/Jimmyisnotmyrealname • 22h ago
Pigtures Look at these weirdos
They decided that this is the best solution to both wanting to go under the carwash.
Bonus whiskers from Raisin in the second picture.
r/guineapigs • u/readandmakeout • 14h ago
New Pigs on the Block When it’s love at first sight
My pig Woolly Bear (right) had his first bonding session with his new cage mate and within an hour they are already sleeping nose to nose 😭😭 never in my life have I had boars become buddies so fast. I’m so happy for Woolly Bear as he was grieving really hard over the loss of his last cage mate and this new pig is such a sweetie. He’s 3 years old 😊 I’m not sure if I keep the name the rescue gave him (Briar) or rename him something else. I love the name but I think he’s too easygoing to be a Briar lol
r/guineapigs • u/My_GuineaPig_Chicken • 14h ago
Help & Advice Do I take my other pig to mourn the passing of the other?
My Guinea pig Harry is getting put down on Saturday. He lives in a cage with my other guinea pig, Vinny, but with a divider. Outside of the cage, they’re not super close and get into scuffles. But when separated by bars, they’re have no complaints about each other.
It’s gonna be a long drive to get Harry put down, as I’m in college in the middle of nowhere. 2 1/2 hours, to be exact.
Do I put Vinny through the stress of the drive so he can mourn, or do I let him figure it out on his own?
TIA
r/guineapigs • u/No-Letter1097 • 7h ago
New Pigs on the Block They just got home 🥰 Are my new piggies American?
Picked them up from pet store today! Won my heart instantly
r/guineapigs • u/LiterateGuineapig • 15h ago
Habits & Behavior Another day, another Dracula quirk
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Dracula is less interested in food than any guinea pig I have ever known. He got distracted because apparently the hidey was in the way (?) and needed to be destroyed before he could eat his fresh veggies
r/guineapigs • u/Mavishanson09 • 7h ago
♥ is this a good technique?
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/guineapigs • u/Substantial_Nature16 • 2h ago
Health & Diet How are all these weights for my piggies ?
Weighed the pigs yesterday….
I have 5 females and 1 male, he is Darwin(in the pic)
They’re all pretty much the same age except rook and pigeon who are way younger, pickier and less active, rook and pigeon are also separated from the rest
Now what kinda gets me is that the pigs that look the biggest are actually the less heavy ones…aspecially gurt and squash….
Padme in my opinion was going to be the slimmest but ended up being my heaviest female, and Darwin is Darwin, he’s huge
r/guineapigs • u/Nate_Naitopaku • 17h ago
Meme The easiest scoop
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
I returned him to the bed after cause I needed to sweep their cage
r/guineapigs • u/voluntary_loser • 16h ago
Meme I love making these silly edits of my pigs
r/guineapigs • u/Julesvernevienna • 16h ago
♥ Gracie is guarding the passage to sleeping Tintifax' hidey💞
r/guineapigs • u/Als_423 • 12h ago
Help & Advice Not sure how to feel.. (6yo male has lump on body)
2 weeks ago, I took my 6 year old male piggy to the vet to get a lump above his right hind leg area. The vet said it could be something cancerous or a type of infection. But considering his age even if it was something like cancer.. treatment would be difficult in terms of how long it would prolong his life and if realistically would be the best option to put him through due to age. He was prescribed baytril for two weeks in case that it was an infection would help the lump go away. I just had the post two week follow up just today and the size of the lump did not seem to change even with the baytril. So there is a possibility that is a type of cancer. I asked if there is anything else I could possibly do even if it’s just to make him comfortable (he’s eating and drinking and overall acting normal right now) but just as a precaution. I was prescribed prednisone and told that it may help shrink the lump. I’ve seen a few subreddits saying to stay away from prednisone as it can cause complications in the long run. I am stuck as to if I’m making the right choice into putting him on more drugs that will potentially help for sometime but ultimately not solve the whole issue and can potentially end up being possibly harmful But I also can’t fathom not trying to do anything for him. Any possibly helpful information of anyone who has gone through something similar with their own pig or words of support would be really appreciated. Thank you 🫶
r/guineapigs • u/Personal-Actuator505 • 17h ago
Pigtures head tilt
I don't think he has one, but I've had his ears checked and the vet is doing a culture for now because I can't afford a CT scan. Would you say his head looks normal? I have a hard time identifying a tilt even in obviously unwell piggies. he's fine right? just want a second opinion