Considering a piggy for a pet

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cabaya

Post   » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:51 pm


If you find a pair of pigs you want, then let everyone here know and people around you would be willing to pick up the pig and help travel part of the way for you, some of us call it a piggy train.

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tia2370

Post   » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:53 pm


I'm not sure how well this would work, but you could get a spare set of Cubes and Coroplast that's a bit smaller than your home cage. For instance, if you use a 3x5 at home, it could be a 2x5 for your vacations. Dis-assemble it when the piggies aren't there and stand it upright so it stores easily. Then, show up a little early when you drop them off so you can set up the cage for them.

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rshevin

Post   » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:21 pm


Don't forget about the option to adopt a guinea pig from a local person who is rehoming. There's a little more risk here than adopting from an established rescue (they will often give the pig a health check and treat for mites automatically) but it's a meaningful adoption none the less.

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newagain

Post   » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:42 pm


ok wow I didn't mean to post twice earlier. My apologies.

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ColoradoMama

Post   » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:34 pm


I was in a similar situation. My 4 year old kept saying he wanted a puppy. I was like "YEAH RIGHT!" I started reseaching guinea pigs because I have a friend with them, and I ended up being the one that REALLY wanted them! So now my son thinks that he has guinea pigs, but everyone else knows that they are really mine ;)

I found this site and it changed the way I looked at these amazing animals. You can have guinea pigs for your son to love and enjoy, but they WILL be your pets ultimately. Just be sure you are ready and that you understand that they are pretty time consuming. And their care is not cheap, so keep that in mind when you are making your decision.

I'm so glad I got them "for my son" ::wink wink:: And I'm happy that I made the choice to get them from an amazing rescue. You are doing the right thing by asking these questions. You'll make the right decision

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Tue Feb 03, 2009 1:21 am


My son was four when we decided to get our first guinea pig.

He really loved her. We had daily floor time in a "guinea pig-proofed" area, where he and I could sit quietly and talk or read while watching her explore. She was quite a brave guinea pig and really enjoyed interacting with us, and climbing into our laps for food.

I was the primary care-giver, but he helped keep her haybin filled every day. I kept a bag of hay underneath her cage, and he could safely give her as much hay as he wanted.

My son is ten now, and definitely enjoys having guinea pigs in his life.

willowbeads

Post   » Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:18 pm


Thanks for all of the great ideas. Sorry for the double post earlier. My computer acted up. As I continue on this adventure I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions for all of you. I'm so thankful this great website and forum exist!

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Sloan

Post   » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:20 pm


Thank YOU for doing the research before bringing a pet into the home. You have no idea how rare that is! Please let us know as you have questions - there are really great people here that are an immensely valuable resource.

+1 to the adoption/rescue idea! *wink wink*

jedifreac

Post   » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:45 pm


I'm going to chime in with a few notes, too.

Ditto on adopting! Not only do you get to save a life, you also get to avoid the health problems that often come with guinea pigs from pet stores--those guinea pigs are often missexed, pregnant, or ill. Look for a local rescue (and by local, I mean in state, or even neighboring state--you'd be surprised how large rescue networks can be.) Rescues are great because oftentimes the pigs have already been living in a foster home. They are used to people and living in households, and they have been checked over by vets.

You absolutely should adopt at least two guinea pigs (and you'll have to factor this in with your parents and the need for a large cage, etc.) They do better with two and handle stress a lot easier when they are together. They also keep each other company. Depending on logistics (such as how frequently you travel) I would also consider asking a neighbor to take care of them while you're gone?

Be aware that although guinea pigs are small, their vet costs are nothing to sneeze at and you should look for a vet in the area who specializes in exotics. (In fact, getting in touch with an exotics vet now might be a good idea--he or she might know where you can adopt!)

Thank you for doing research! So many parents don't. I hope you can find a way to make it work. If not, you can also consider smaller pets, such as a hamster or a rat.

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nonamian_girl

Post   » Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:36 pm


Also a lot of shelters and rescues socialize the guinea pigs before adopting them out, and it's so much more fun to get them when they are already used to people.

willowbeads

Post   » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:48 pm


I do have some additional questions. As I said in the fleece thread, I went to the store to price things today.

Can you give me an idea of how much of the piggy food I can expect to use each week for two? A woman at the pet store told me a pig can eat a pile of timothy hay its own size each day. That looked like about $10 per week for two pigs. Is there a brand of food and hay you prefer?

What types and brands of toys do you all recommend?

Do I need a large water bottle or just a medium size one?

Are their any other items you highly recommend?

I definitely see what you all mean about the cages. I looked at the ones at the pet store and was horrified at how small they are. And the price is nuts! I will certainly be building a C&C cage.

Oh, I did quite a bit of searching yesterday and there doesn't seem to be any rescues locally and only one or two I found in any local shelters. I did find a rescue facility in Texas, though, and my husband and I will be going to Houston in April. It's just north of Dallas so we will be going right through there. Now that I've read the posts about travelling with piggies, I'm thinking we might go through them to adopt. Still just an idea, but certainly an option.

Thanks!

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Pinny Gig

Post   » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:52 pm


About water bottles, the Lixit brand is supposed to be non-leak...but I have a new one and it isn't leak-proof yet. Still working with it.

I have the FlatBac brand with the little duck inside and the bracket that mounts to the side of the cage. There are people who don't like these but I love mine. It doesn't leak and is easy to get in and out of the cage.

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