Topic: Guinea pigs and cold weather

[reddyreddy]

My daughter is 5 and would love a guinea pig, it would have to live outside all year (there's barely enough room for us humans in this house!), what would you do with all the freezing weather and snow we just had? Plus, are they sociable - ie I'd like at least 2 if I'm doing this as don't want them to get lonely...

[grannyjanny]

Hi RE. I've had guinea pigs for years & have yet to lose one to cold weather. I have 3 ATM but have been known to accidentally ;) have more. The last 2 winters I thought I would try a different way with them. I didn't clean them out from mid December & just kept piling hay in for them & they have been absolutely fine. They live in a 2 chicken ark but I feel they don't use the space & could get away with less. I've seen some lovely GP houses on ebay £90 inc del. They have a pull out tray for easy cleaning & a run underneath. I am using hemcore  (great for the composter) for the base & put the hay on top. They have vit c tablets in their water. I love GPs, you would need 2, 3 if possible in case anything happened to one of them but I was left with one & got 3 rescued ones & they got on really well. They are vocal & in the summer they start squeaking as soon as the back gate is opened. Any questions just ask. PM if you like.

[emmy1978]

Hiya-I love Guinea Pigs too. We have two at the mo-I'm talking OH into (read:will just go and do) having some girls so I can have some babies. They are wonderful little creatures.
I do bring mine into the shed at the beginning of Dec-i've been cleaning them out although next year i might try GJ's way! When I lived down south I just covered the run at night with a dustsheet and an old blanket. Give them plenty of straw (not hay as bedding coz they eat that!!) they cuddle up together and seem to be cosy enough.
I've had these ones for 2 years now and they are fab. They squeak away at me and the girls and each other and are so handleable. We gave ours a bath a few weeks ago and they are so fluffy now!
 ;D

[grannyjanny]

Emmy, hay is a vital part of a GP diet. I read not to put straw in as it can scratch their eyes. Hay can be hung for them to eat. 

[emmy1978]

Hi GJ-I read that about straw scratching their eyes too but the lady I bought them from said that it's fine, she's always used it and they will only eat the hay you put down as bedding. She did have a fair few happy gwinnies and was recommended to me by someone else so I was happy to take her word for it. Mine do have hay to eat though-I don't hang it-I poke it through the squares on the bottom half of their hutch at different heights and they love getting it all out!!
I love my gwinnies!

[Digeroo]

I love Gpigs.  But when I went away for a few days OH lost last one in the garden so have not had another.  We used to keep them in a box in the kitchen duing the winter and hove in Veg peelings.  I always loved the noise they made in anticipation. 

[emmy1978]

Reddyreddy-meant to say they are sociable and can live in rather large groups-see any large pet shop-they have loads, also they have about 30 living together at Longleat! A pair is fine though (for starters!)  ;D

[Digeroo]

But are all the large groups females?  We found the males attacked each other very brutally even jumping out of one box into another to do it.

[emmy1978]

Hmmm. Don't know-quite possibly. Mine are both males and they get on very well. Maybe in a larger group they don't get on so great.  ??? A lot depends on the individual gwin too i think. My breeder had a male and female living together after the birth of the babies, she said usually you have to take dad out but he was so good natured she left him in until the babies were gone before moving mum in with the girls.

[grannyjanny]

Bet she had more babies very soon . GPs mate immediately after giving birth :o.

[flowerofshona2007]

Hi,
I have run a guinea pig resce for years and they love being in groups and males are ok as long as there are no females near by.
They do catch chills very easy and putting them into a shed over winter is best, if not pack the cage with nice hay, yes they do eat it but it is much warmer than straw and i have seen ulcerated eyes from scratches from straw.
They need treating every 6 months for mites which come in the hay and drive them nuts, easy to do yourself about £3.00 will do 10  piggies.
Dont feed iceland lettuce nor onins but they love raw beetroot and cucumber.
If you need any help just shout and there are loads of groups in rescues that need homes  :D

[emmy1978]

I have found cucumber gives them rather wet poo pellets. Mine like kale and spinach and celery best of all. GJ I think the lady said they did not mate immediately after birth but when the babies are a certain age so it is safe to leave dad in for a week or two. Or was with that particular breeding pair. I dunno.  ??? All I know is I lurve my little gwinny squigs.  ;)

[Digeroo]

Mine used to love carrot tops, dandelions and apple cores.   I do miss them.

[emmy1978]

Oh Digeroo-mine will go crazy at the smell and sight of nice fresh dandelion leaves! I think they are their ultimate treat. They get carrot tops and I have found them to be rather partial to a small amount of brown bread.
Oh I forgot to say too Reddyreddy, you have to trim their claws (or vet) and ensure they have wood to gnaw-mine have got a wilkos gwinny house inside their hutch they like to gnaw on-obviously make sure any wood you bring in is safe, untreated, not poisonous etc.  ;D

[flowerofshona2007]

A male will re mate a female as soon as she gives birth ! also male babies need to be taken away at 3 weeks as they can mate there mother !
Dont feed apple cores with pips in they contain cyanide ! also grapes and pears and never any fruit that has a stone.
Apple wood is good for them to chew on.
This is a great site with loads of help and some brilliant people who have years of experience.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/

[lewic]

Blimey I only remember guinea pigs as being rather rubbish pets, that used to bite me whenever I offered them a bit of lettuce! Have heard their poo is second to none though.

Personally would recommend a large, friendly but no-nonsense tom cat as a pet for a 5 year old, they will help train her up nicely  :)

[grannyjanny]

Our first GP called Chuffy was sex on legs when he had his favourite food which was PSB.

[landimad]

We had 7 yes seven of them in our place and they were out all summer.
In the winter they took up residence in the garage as we knew from the Vet that they were not a good outdoor pet unless we could make sure their hutch was well insulated.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=1529