any guinea pig money saving tips?

picklepick

Have you tried the RSPCA? Or maybe see if any of these places are near you?
http://www.guineapigrehome.org.uk/gp/centres.asp

sorry my Welsh geography isnt great

Willeh

Thank you Picklepick, will have a look at those.

Btw, if I were to adopt from the RSPCA, does anyone know how much it'll cost?

viktory

Have a look here - although it is a rabbit forum there are people that also offer piggies for rehoming in all areas.

Rummer

Hello

I just dropped in to tell you that my guinea paradise is now up and ready! The girls will be moving in tmrw and we will hopefully have another couple of girls to join them in the next few weeks. I have bought some tubing for them to hide in and their hutch is inside the shed but I wondered what else we could put in to keep them amused?

domestic_goddess

Hi

I recently bought two female guinea pigs and deceided to keep them indoors as I didn't like the thought of them getting cold outside I do have a run outside and they are out in there whenever the weather is nice though....

I have a few questions though and I would be grateful for any help and advice that you can give me.

Firstly, I am changing the cage every secon day as it starts to get a bit smelly :eek: Whats the best way to keep the smells away - I have heard that some people use cat litter to absorb the wee.... Is this possible?

Also, they are still a bit nervous when I go to get them out and they run away, how long does it usually take them to get used to people?

I love having them and I just want to make sure that they are happy so I thought I would pop over here and see if anyone has any advice....

Thanks very much:beer:

loulou123

Have always kept my piggies inside too. Like you taking them outside in nicer weather.

Have never used cat litter so cant help there, but id be very careful if you try as id be worried about them eating it.

I use wood shavings and hay for bedding with a seperate hay rack for hay to nibble on. I clean out the wet parts and poops everyday and do a full cage clean once a week-everything out and washed and cleaned. My piggie has a kind of litter tray in one corner and does tend to mostly wee in there, which helps.

Piggies are nervous creatures, and if possible dont pick them up from above. My newest one got used to me straight away almost, and loves being cuddled and lays on his back on my lap! But the one i had before was never all that happy with being held and used to nip to let you know he wanted to be put down. But he was an adult when i got him.

In case anyones wondering i had single piggies (know its best to keep them in groups) but got them both from rescue centres and were already on there own.

lucasmum

I have 2 boy piggies but I have to keep them outside because of my anti animal oh :mad:

I know that Pets at Home do scented wood shavings either in lavender or lemon, I've tried the lavender and it was really nice, especially because it had purple bits through it- very pretty!

Again, I've had my boys for about a year and they were rescued so are adults. They don't like being picked up and its always a bit of a race around the pen when I do catch them. But the more they are handled especially young they will get used to it.

Enjoy your new pets!!

amy104

Hi, welcome to the world of piggies.

White vinegar is excellent for cleaning cages. It removes all stain and smells. You'll need to apply it in a well ventilated area though otherwise your house will smell like a chippy.

Lots of indoor owners use alternative beddings like vetbed or fleece on top of newspaper which can just be washed every couple of days to keep things fresh. The wet it wicked away to the bottom layer so the piggies stay dry.

If you like traditional beddings (sawdust is a big no no as can cause respitory problems) a good one is carefresh or megazorb.

For tips on socialising your piggies there is some excellent info here:

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36239

xJayJayx

I was wondering if there were any guniea pig experts lurking on the boards that could help me?
Basically i adopted a 2 year old guinea pig recently after reading up on them and wanted to give one a loving, caring home with lots of attention (i know they are supposed to live in pairs or larger numbers but he lost his fellow pig and then the owners didn't want him anymore, so don't shoot me). I just wanted to know what fruit and veg i can definately feed him as i have read so many conflicting things as to what i can and can't and i don't want to harm him. I've given him a small piece of broccoli and a piece of carrot so far as this is what i sometimes give my rabbit.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks x

Turtle

Hi there, I found the following info for you. We had a lovely piggy who we lost just over a year ago, he was nearly 7. I've put a pic of him at the bottom.



In addition to the hay and pellets, a variety of fresh vegetables (especially leafy greens) and some fruits should be offered daily. Leafy greens should make up the bulk of the vegetable supplementation, and fruits and other vegetable can be offered in small quantities. Avoid iceberg (head lettuce) as it has very little nutritional value. Good choices include kale, spinach, turnip greens, parsley, romaine lettuce, and dandelion greens. Avoid or limit cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, bok choy and other cruciferous vegetables as they can lead to gas production in the digestive tract. Also avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes. Carrots, carrot tops, green and red bell peppers, apple, apricots, bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapes, oranges, strawberries, and tomatoes can also be fed. If you have a guaranteed pesticide-free source, grass, dandelions, clover, and chickweed can also be offered, especially new growth which is tender and the most nutritious.
Any greens, vegetables or fruits should be introduced gradually or a digestive upset may result.