Expense of Guinea Pigs

[aaronmeister]

I've read through many of the sites and forums that are most common on the internet about guinea pigs, and many of them stress that guinea pigs are no as cheap and easy as they suggest.

I've had guinea pigs for nearly 18 years of my life, and they have always been cheap and easy. Albeit I didn't start to use the C&C cages until recently simply because it never became an issue and I felt a weekly floor time was more than enough.

But they are certainly cheap. Once the proper investments are made they are rather inexpensive. At most I might spend about $15 to $20 on just one guinea pig a month. Not too bad at all I think. Fleece is a one-time investment. As for vet visits, illnesses are few and far between so I've never been hesitant on paying any vet bill.

It takes me no longer than an hour to clean the cage, and most of that time is spent waiting for the coroplast to dry from my vinegar/water concoction.

So why is it that the majority of members here and on other sites continue to say that guinea pigs should not be considered cheap and easy?

[ArtisticRainey]

I suppose it depends on the materials you use for the cage, how often they need to be replaced, how elaborate you make the cage, and what quantities of bedding, hay, pellets, and vegetables you use. Then again there's the expense of neutering (albeit this is a one-time thing), how often you bring them to the vets and how much the vet charges, if you need to leave the heating on to ensure they don't get cold, petrol used to transport the pigs around, and other such expenses.

Then again, they're expenses not unique to Guinea Pigs.

I don't know how much my cavies will pan out each month as I haven't had the for long.

[rxqueen]

My mom got me guinea pigs on several occasions when I was young. She often refused vet care because she thought that because they were guinea pigs, and they were cheap and easy to take care of, why should they need vet care?

I think a lot of people have that idea of guinea pigs. They think it will be a nice, low maintenance "starter pet" for their kids and tend to not think about the other things involved in caring for a pet. Stressing the cost to care for a guinea pig is a good way, in my opinion, to get people to think about what they need to be prepared for when getting a pet. My last guinea pig that I will ever buy from a store had a vet bill of $200 the last time I took her. Some people aren't willing to pay that kind of money for a small animal, and that's something they need to consider. Because if they aren't willing to accept that there is some cost involved besides food and bedding, they shouldn't get that animal.

That's my take anyway. I hope it helps.

[Jenni_Feathers]

Well, they can be very expensive if you do not spend wisely. Fleece is going to save me about $120 a year. Buying bulk pellets will save me about $70 a year and buying hay in square bales saves about $150 dollars a year. All of which I already do, veggies are what cost me the most, they cost me about $7 to $10 a week for my 2 Guinea Pigs, but there is no way around this cost.

[rxqueen]

Originally Posted by Jenni_Feathers

Well, they can be very expensive if you do not spend wisely. Fleece is going to save me about $120 a year. Buying bulk pellets will save me about $70 a year and buying hay in square bales saves about $150 dollars a year. All of which I already do, veggies are what cost me the most, they cost me about $7 to $10 a week for my 2 Guinea Pigs, but there is no way around this cost.

I'm about to start ordering online for the hay and pellets actually, for the very reason that it will save me a good deal of money. Especially on the hay.

I have to agree though, I think the veggies cost the most.

[Pigs N Blankets]

Where would you buy the bulk hay? And also, how big is it? I'd like to save a few bucks as well by doing that, but I live in a tiny apartment and don't really have room for storage other than a laundry basket that I keep all of my pig's things in. Would it fit in there?

[Jenni_Feathers]

You can buy it from online stores such as https://www.oxbowhay.com/index.sp or Kleenmama's Hayloft :: Home
or you can get horse quality grass hay in square bales from feedstores or local farmers.

EDIT: most square bales of hay weighs about 75ibs to 100ibs

[PhoenixFeather]

Originally Posted by rxqueen

I'm about to start ordering online for the hay and pellets actually, for the very reason that it will save me a good deal of money. Especially on the hay.

I have to agree though, I think the veggies cost the most.

Between the veggies, the hay and the pellets, the weekly costs are higher than most people think when they think pet rodent. Guinea pigs certainly cost a lot more to feed and keep than, say, mice or hamsters. The fresh veggies do add up, especially out of season. If you use a non-reusable bedding in a C&C cage, that cost can add up quickly as well.

And the potential vet costs can be substantial. Many people consider rodents to be "disposable" pets -- if they get sick and die, you buy a new one. They are not prepared to pay $200 for a vet visit for "just a rodent".

[rxqueen]

I know I am being redundant here (since we all think rodents are not disposeable) but I will never understand that. No animal is any less deserving of vet care, just because of how easy they are to aquire in the store.

[envisionary333]

I agree. Guinea pigs require a wider range of foods that are more expensive than what most small animals need, and they eat them quickly and produce a lot of waste in the process. If you use fleece that is a huge money-saver, and I do as well, but most people don't catch on to the fleece right away and have to spend a fair amount of money on disposable bedding. Even now, I have to buy $15 of Carefresh a week to fill the "kitchen" area of the guinea pig cage where the hay racks are, and many people still have disposable bedding in parts of their cage even when using fleece because it is easier to deal with around hay and food. Guinea pigs also require three food types that are fairly costly, and they go through large volumes of these foods- much larger than other animals their size. The amount of hay they consume is rather phenomenal, not to mention the diverse range of freshly prepared veggies they need on a daily basis.

I think it's not so much that guinea pigs are a huge amount of work- that's really a relative judgment, to some people it's not a big deal and to others it is- but that guinea pigs are more work than other pets comparable in size because they eat more and produce more waste. I have two rats and two of my guinea pigs easily produce the same amount of waste in one day that the two rats do in a week, as well as eating dramatically more food. Guinea pigs are truly the champions of eating and pooping, and that I can say firsthand as I've owned just about every pet in existence!

[LouisesPigguns]

I have 5 pigs and spent £7.00 a week on veggies, I get lots for that price as I bargin buy in the cheaper supermarkets!

My pigs are on fleece, originally on Megazorb so that is saving me £120 a year.

Pellets cost £6.99 and last me a month or 3 weeks depending on how much is eaten.

Hay costs me £1.85 a week.

So my monthly fees are £42.39 and I put £10.00 away a week for vet fees if needed and if I don't use it then it goes on buying them something once it has built up.

Louise
xxx

[aqh88]

$20 per pig a month is considered expensive by many and that's with getting some stuff free (in your case bedding). In comparison my gerbils cost maybe $2 a month. I redo their food mix every 6months for $5, give them leftover cuttings from veggies or fruits, and every 2 weeks use a very small amount off the giant bag of spruce shavings I buy for the pigs. If I only bought that bag for gerbils it would last me 2 years at $5/bag and mine are in a 48" x 18" cage. Much larger than most. Hamsters are about the same. That's $216/year difference in cost. Big difference and we haven't looked at vet bills yet.

Now my cats and dog are far more expensive but people generally think of guinea pigs as being a few dollars a month and that's it. Throw them some mix bought for $10 at the store that lasts 4months and they are fed. They can be quite shocked about the cost of veggies along with good pellets and hay. You have any idea how many people are completely resistent to buying pellets and hay from places like oxbow or kmshayloft because of the cost? Most have to be convinced it's worth it the first time they think about ordering.

[pigsmakemesmile]

The least expensive to keep pet friend was my iguanna. She was 5foot long and 12 years old when she passed on. She never lived in a cage...she was house broken. I don't believe in cages, heck if I could let my pigs roam the house I'd do that in a heart beat but I have a Bassett hound who would probably enjoy a piggy snack. I've had a hamster for 3 years, Mr. Cuddles who passed away last summer. I've had fish, got 2 rabbits now and getting a 3rd one this weekend and have 4 pigs and getting a fith this weekend also. I have to say that my dog requires more care and consumes more of the cost per month than all the above I've mentioned. I believe the best way to save is to buy in bulk, grow your own veg and herbs and use reusable bedding like fleece However, I just switched from fleece over to shavings because my piggs seemed more stinky and I had increased water and electric consumption to keep the stuff clean. So I redesigned my cage to make it soo big that I wouldn't need to clean it so often. I clean up wet spots and sprinkle in fresh shavings. I put a layer of hay over this and trust me, it's mostley consumed by the end of the day.
I wish I can invent a poop magnet. Just glide it over the cage and let it suck up the poops. The shavings seem to just dry the pellets well enough that they don't even smell. I just know that they're there because they stand out like a sore thumb against the color of the shavings. Any how it's just piggy poo and it's all organic so to me it's pure anyway (that's just from my perspective). But I find that veggies and herbs is what cost me the most to maintain my piggy boys. So now I just grow it myself. I feel it's the best...no chemicals or preserves. I love to watch them eat it..their tiny little mouths munch'n away....sooo cute.

[valfl]

OK, now that I have gone from carefresh to fleece that is a savings.
Compared to the dog, they are more maintenance to clean the cage.

The fresh veggies are actually a plus because it means that I have fresh veggies in the house for my kids. My 10 year old daughter loves to eat fresh carrots and cucumbers. In fact she usually gets disappointed if I don't have cucumbers on hand 24/7.

I buy romain hearts at BJ's about once a week for about $4 for 6 of them.
Good to have in the house for making a salad instead of less healthy foods for the people who share the house with the piggies.

Hay and pellets are not a big expense. Again compared to dog food and food for the kids and rest of the family I don't really see it as much of a difference.

I have only had pigs for about 5 months so not many vet bills yet. Only had 1 that was unpleasant when one of the pigs was involved in a fall and we rushed her to the vet the next morning with a traumatic head injury that ended up with her being put to sleep.

So, I don't see them as that expensive of a pet (at least not yet). I guess if you have not had pets before or did not have another pet or kids it may seem a bit more costly.

But as a mom and dog owner the pigs are really not that big of an addition to our expenses.

Hope this helps.
Val

[Alusdra]

It's all a matter of perspective. I think most people think 'cheap pet' and expect no monthly cost. They resent even buying food. So $20/month is a big deal.

As a comparison- I've had two of my geckos for 7 years now. In that time I've spent... let's see, like 3 roll of paper towel= $10 and mealworms when my colony has low production... maybe $40... I bought them new cages and some rocks and stuff... maybe $50... so that's $100 over 7 years or... um... (calculator)- ok! $1 a month. Since I have my own mealworm colony, I can go months or years without spending a thing so I anticipate keeping them for 7 more years +on that amount or less or even with no more cost at all (and I rounded up a lot). And the $50 or new stuff for the geckos was fairly unnecessary. That is, I had perfectly adequate stuff before but I wanted new cool looking stuff to spice up their tanks. And I have been looking into better housing (it's a bit ridiculous how impossible it is to find decent reptile enclosures) and I anticipate spending ~$10- $60 on that. Once I have a decent set-up I won't spend a cent on any gecko I ever have in the future (barring new improvements in our understanding of their care or if I go crazy and end up with 15 or something). And really, if you consider I've been keeping geckos for 14 years, you could say that I've really spent less than even the $1/month. (Most of my so-so set-ups were free from people who gave me the geckos or who had their reptiles die and didn't want any more).

So as a comparison- geckos and gerbils would perhaps be what people really mean by "cheap" (I think I spent maybe $30 for the 5 1/2 years I had my gerbils- again hail to free stuff, though!)

My bird, though- even though I got a ton of free stuff from the rescue, thinking about and starting to calculate it out since this thread made me think of it... ouch!

[Wheek Weak]

For 4 pigs...

$25.00-30.00 per week for veggies...

$60.00-70.00 per month water/gas/electric bill for washing fleece and veggies daily...

$55.00 every 3 months for hay (KM's including shipping costs)...

$10.00 per month for pellets (local alfalfa and KM's timothy)...

$70.00-200.00 per vet visit approximately every 2-3 months (for a variety of illnesses/ailments/checkups/etc.)...

$25.00-35.00 per year for new fleece blankets/cuddle cup material/etc. for cages...

$20.00-50.00 per year for supplements (if needed-and they usually are)-i.e.,vitamin C, Pedialyte, Critical Care, syringes, etc...

$100.00-150.00 per year for essentials - water bottles, food bowls, hay bins, grids, vinegar, spray bottles, unscented laundry detergent, bleach, etc...

Their health, happiness, and well-being...priceless!

Anything less and we might as well leave them where they were before we rescued them from the home that bought them from the pet store.

[PrincessAngel]

Our two pigs aren't that expensive. I think they are the most expensive pet I have but thats because we buy cat food once a month and litter once a month. Then my fish barely costs anything. For the pigs the cost is...:
5-8 dollars for veggies once a week
3-10 dollars for pellets once a month
14 dollars for 5cubic feet of aspen once ever month and a half
12 dollars for hay once ever month
Free-10 dollars a year for new accesseries
2 -6 dollars every 2 months for a gallon of vinergar

Thats about it. We bought fleece for 14 dollars and have 3 changes of it. Then we have a bunch of old towels. And we also have newspaper alot of which doesn't cost much. So basically my only weekly expense is veggies and thats at the most 8 dollars. A good head of lettuce lasts 7 days, a pack of carrots lasts about 3 weeks to 4 weeks, a bunch of celery last 7 days, and a good sized bell pepper lasts a 7days. So the only thing that I don't know the price of is the water and electricity is. So my pigs maybe run 36-40 dollars a month or so.

[aqh88]

Vet bills and guinea pigs seem to always happen eventually. I've spent nearly $1000 on a pig during it's lifespan, $500 on another, and probably average a few $100 for most. For hamsters and gerbils I spent $60 on a litter that got respiratory infections and $80 on a flea infestation over 12years of owning them. I've had as many hamsters and gerbils as guinea pigs and I've only had to take them to the vet twice while the guinea pig vet knows all of mine by name. Eye injuries, bacterial infections, a shoulder wound from fighting, an odd lump on the belly, a lump in the belly, respiratory infection, damaged teeth, a broken leg, mystery diarhea, sudden unexplained multiple organ failure, neuterings...... The list goes on. Make sure you have a vet fund for your pigs. I know some people have spent $1000s on multiple surgeries for bladder stones. Never actually had a pig with bladderstones. Probably ruined my current lucky streak of healthy pigs now.

[Alusdra]

Oh, actually- I did forget. I took my gerbils to the vet once and it was only $40 for the visit and meds. I was pleasantly surprised. Well, about the cost, anyway- the gerbil I had to put to sleep shorty thereafter as he got so much worse.

[crazywiggy]

I think it is relative. Compared toa keeping a horse, yes a guinea pig is cheap and easy.
But.... looking after them properly, compared to how people think they need to be looked after, is far more complicated and expensive.

For example:

Small cage becomes large, home made c+c.
Only cheap mix food becomes more pricey pellets, lots of hay and lots of fresh veggies.
Feeding time goes from throwing some mix in once a week, to a 5 minitues twice a day job.
Cleaning out takes longer because of the bigger cage, and you use twice as much bedding.
Cheap pine or cedar bedding becomes more expensive aspen or carefresh.
One piggy becomes two or more.
No toys becomes cuddle cups, pigloos, etc.
And of course everyone seems to foget that piggies need vets just like dogs do.

So, compared to what you expected you got a piggie - if you care for them properly it is actually much more time, money and effort.