Category: Animal House
Hi all,
Apologies if there's such a board existing but the search feature doesn't seem to be working properly right now.
I'm contemplating getting two guinea pigs (because I'm away for eight hours a day during the week and need them to be company for each other) and keeping them mostly in doors though I am open to having the cage outside for periods for fresh air.
How do you find caring for Guinea pigs as a blind person? I've done a lot of reading and, like any animal/human, they can get sick. One of the things that would worry me would be not recognizing any symtoms.
I've got a lovely guide dog but I won't have them mixing.
I know that if the cage lives mostly inside, we could use flease/towls for their bedding so it's easy to clean.
Also, what do you feed your pigs?
Any other tips you want to share?
Thanks all. :)
Cheers!
They're sweeties. Haven't seen one in years though.
Like Imp I haven't had experience of guinea pigs for a while, but when I did in
Peru six years ago, they were quite tasty as I recall. Sorry, I suspect that's
actually not too helpful in the context of this board.
Extremely funny; not
I'm with Rachel on this one.
We had one for about 5 years. She was awesome.
you're right though, it's best to have 2 so they'll keep one another company. I didn't find that out until she had been alone for too long to resocialize her.
We fed her Guinnae Pig food that I either order from amazon.com or picked up at Petsmart. We used Guinnae Pig bedding for her cage. It was mainly wood shavings My son was responsible for cleaning her cage but if no one sighted is available to do it, I suppose you could use latex gloves and just hand pick the pellets. Our girl never got sick so I can't really help you there. Gosh, I wish you lived nearby because I still haven't gotten rid of our cage, bedding and food. I had just purchased a bunch of new stuff before she passed away. Good luck and enjoy your new friends.
Thanks for that Dimestic Goddess; I very much appreciat that. :)
I've owned several over the years and even bred them. They can be lovely little guys if properly socialized.
I recommend the fleece or paper pellets as they have very sensative respiratory systems and can get sick easily off the wood bedding, especially cedar.
For my last group I used fleece (look up how to wick fleece first it helps) over layers of towels. Wicking helps the urine be absorbed into the towels instead of sitting up top in puddles.
So if your fleece wicks properly you can just scoop up all teh poop pellets every day and wash the towels and fleece every 3-4 days and you're set.
They spook easily so I recommend socializing them with food/treats. They tend to love sunflower seeds, dried bananas, etc. can hold in your hand and make them approach you. (do when food bowl is not available/they're hungry)
They ideally need more room than your standard petstore cages. If you're creative you can build your own cage tons of ideas on google. I built a multi story one that was like table sized and mine loved it.
Food I used Oxbo pellets and orchard grass.
Erm, I can go on forever lol so if you have any other questions feel free to post or pm me.
Hope that helps.
I used to have them also. Even bred a few. They love alfalfa as a treat, as well as lettuce, carrots, celery. I wouldn't give large amounts or they pee a lot and, you want them to eat their pig food with the vitamins etc.
also, you will have to learn how to trim their nails or they will grow and effect the way they walk.
You can get two pigs with different types of hair if you like. that way, you can tell them apart quickly and, well, it's just kind of cool.
they can become very loud, squealing every time you open the frig door, rustle a plastic bag, etc.
rats are way more quiet but rats don't live near as long as guinea pigs do. my oldest girl lived until she was 6 years old.
you will be able to tell if your pigs get sick just like any other animal. check the nose and eyes for discharge. listen to the breathing. keep track of the poop, is it normal. watch the fur, is it coming out in patches. are they scratching themselves raw. etc.
another thing, if you take your pig out and let it run around, it will run away from you. if you take a rat out and let it run around, it will run to you and want company.
but, pigs are super cute.
also, make sure to listen to the respiration before buying as, sometimes they have infections from the bedding at the place where you purchase. make sure the nose is not runny.
Thanks all.
Dana, I already have abreeder in mind here so all good there; I know they'll be quite healthy.
Yes I did plan to use the flease/towell combo for the cage.
Sorry, tMI alert. What are normal-looking guinea pig turds supposed to look like? Are you talking about pooh consistency being normal since color doesn't really work too well? same goes for change in odor too.
I'd imagine the hardness of them etc. :)
Guineas are awesome! I had one several years ago. Sadly, I hadn't done my research, and by the time I realized I should have had another to keep him company, it was too late to socialize him. I've contemplated getting guineas sometime in the future, so this topic has been helpful. When I had mine, he LOVED carrots. He would squeal, LOUDLY, when I opened the refrigerator door. He also got to the point where he was really friendly. I'd pick him up, and he'd walk up onto my shoulder and make himself comfortable there for ages. Lol I remember once, I was holding him that way when one of my great-aunts stopped by, and she came in whispering because she thought I had a phone tucked up between my shoulder and ear. She was startled when that "phone" started moving.
Lol. My neighbor's back home had one that loved apples.
I hate when my phone starts moving! That's the thing that really makes me mad! LOL
Anyway, I remember my brother's class had one, and we babysat the little guy for the weekend. No need to get 2, I think, because the little guy had so many friends. But, we did all right. I didn't have to do the messy stuff, because, he wasn't my class pig.
When my Sister-In-Law got her's, she had at the most 3. I remember when the last 2 were left, she was getting really busy, so she just took care of the ones she had, then the last got old and died.
Those things are a challenge, but I love the ones with the long fur. They actually remind me of those "Tribbles," from the original Star Trek. When I'd crash for the weekend, when I didn't live in the same town. I loved to talk to the little "Friends in the Guest Room." They made some very soothing company.
Blessings,
Hot Wheels
They do a great job of snacking on left-over produce too. My girl loved the middle part of a bell pepper. I think of her every time I cut one now. If we didn't already have 2 cats and a dog, I'd very seriously go get a couple of new ones. Shhh, don't tell my son I said that. lol
I forgot about that! I remember that we'd give the garnishes from a dinner, when we'd go out, to my Sister-In-Law, so her lovelies would get lots of lettuce and things. They love that stuff! I always think they waste good greens on garnishes, anyway. LOL
We'd collect that stuff, and have a little box to put it together.
Blessings,
Hot Wheels