I am a new pig owner, but faster than I thought!

[Elbow642]

Hello,
I have been researching guinea pigs for a few weeks and had planned on adopting one within the next two weeks. Well...today things happened way faster than I had planned.

I have my cage design on paper, I just hadn't started shopping for supplies yet. Today, I went to a local sign shop to make sure I could buy coroplast and to the local stores to find the wire blocks. I then wanted to go to the locally owned pet store to see what types of things they sold before I placed an order online. I also thought it would be a good idea to let my girls see the guinea pigs and possibly hold a few. (Just as an aside, we are getting the pigs for them, but we in no way expect them to take total responsibility for them. We know that we are the main caregivers and feel that we are ready to do that.)

So, we got to the pet store and there were five very large cages with open tops, two or three pigs in each. There was also a rabbit-type wire cage on top with two cute little long haired pigs. Their cage was stuffed with crap but they looked very sweet. I asked the girl working there why they were in a cage and she told me that their previous owner had just dropped them off...she no longer wanted them after having them for a year. Of course, this just about made me cry, so I asked if they were available. She said yes and that she would be relieved because they didn't need any more at the store...she said she had three in the back "ready to pop" and a few in the cages that were preggers!

I asked to take them out and we did, one at a time in a corner of the store on the floor. They were very affectionate and seemed to really take to us. The employee told me that they were both girls which is what I wanted and that I could take the cage with me.

I swear I stood in the store for an hour thinking about it. I couldn't bear the thought that they would be put in the cages with the other guinea pigs, some male and end up having babies after babies.

The clencher happened, though when I went to the cage and one of the little piggies was staring at me...at that point, I knew they were mine! : )


I didn't want the cage, but I needed something until I could get the big cage built. Of course, I have bad luck shopping and even though I then went to every store around to find the wire stacking blocks, I could not find any. The bad thing is, I had a ton of those things and sold them in a yard sale last year!

When we got home, I cleaned the cage with hot soapy water, put in carefresh bedding and a new water bottle, a new food dish, and a corner litter pan. I also removed the salt lick and the string of carrot shaped chewies that hung from the top.

I bought the most expensive food thinking it would be best, but after reading here, I am not so sure. It is ecotrition brand and they seem to love it, which makes me think it may be unhealthy for them. They had iceberg lettuce, apples, and oranges at the store and I gave them some Kaytee timothy hay that I purchased and some romaine when they were settled here at home. I am getting ready to place an order with Kleenmama for hay and pellets.

I guess I will either need to go to the next city or order the wire blocks online.

I hope I did the right thing. I paid the pet store, which sucks, but I did adopt a pair that had only been in their possession for a few hours. To be honest, I was having a hard time finding any to adopt around here, so I took it as a sign.

I would like to know if there is anything I am missing. Because I am starting fresh, I would like to do it up right. What other essentials should I have?

Any and all info will be very much appreciated!

Thank you so much!

[cs275]

congrats! that is a sweet story. I myself am new to all this and loving having my two boars. This site helped me plan out and build my cage and I have two very happy piggies!

Enjoy!

[ctinaw]

Hello there. Sounds like you are doing a great job so far. You are probably in luck that the pigs had just arrived and hadn't been exposed to or near the other store pigs yet. Also - if you haven't already you may want to confirm the sex of your "girls". There is a sexing page on guinealynx which can be helpful in learning to tell the difference.

Another tip would be toenail trims - guinea pigs do need their toenails clipped roughly once a month. Just the tips - careful not to cut to the quick.

Iceberg lettuce is a nono. Check out the nutrition forums for guinea friendly veggie suggestions.

Another tip - carefresh is expensive as I am sure you are aware. And filling up a C&C cage with carefresh is ghastly expensive!! If you're interested in alternative beddings check out the bedding section. I use a 3 towel layer covered in fleece. You vaccuum the poops with a little hand vac and wash everything once a week. It's very tidy and does not smell - plus its fun to buy fleece your girls would probably love picking out some patterns.

Good luck it sounds like you're off to the right start.

Oh - and you may want to find an exotic vet before the need arises - one who has experience with pigs.

And Kleenmamas hay and pellets are the right way to go!

[pigsmakemesmile]

Hey it sounds like your on the right track. Funny how you said from the one staring at you, it was yours. I had a similar experience. On my way home from work, I'd pretty much stop in at the pet store just to look at the little ones they had. I was eyeballing this fluffy little ball of fur sleeping in the corner of the glass tank. I must of gone there at least 5 or 6 times over a 2 week period just to see how he was. At the last stop, I walked in and stood at the cage and starred at him-maybe 20 minutes or so...I brought him home. Just something special about him. I bought him the largest cage they had, the largest water bottle, food dish, care fresh the works and I'm a grown-up, the family thought I lost it but heck, I had one when I was 13 named J.J. He was red and white. I was hospitalized for a year back then and when I got home, no one would tell me what happened to him and I've missed him ever since-I'm 43. After a month, I felt guilty that little Ben didn't have a buddy, so I started back at the pet store and on one stop, saw this absolutely, adorable little grey and white ball of long fur curled up in a ball, so soft and fragile and the face.....if looks could kill, oh God, I put him back and walked away, left the store, took 2 steps and went back in....Had him for about a year now-Ben and Jerry like my favorite brand of icecream. I went on line to research how to properly care these boys and I found this site and was the best thing I did. I learned about rescues and why not to purchase animals from a pet store (sorry) but I did good. I adopted Chubbs and Pigster from Furry Friends Guinea pig rescue here in Pennsylvania. A 16 year old established and runs the rescue and is doing an excellent job. My boys have a huge c/c cage, kleenmama's hay, oxbow pellets. Good veggies you name it( hubby's a little jealous I think). I got my grids at Target, my nephews' got theirs from Walmart. You can get quite creative with these. Citinaw made very good suggestions-I agree with her. Read on Cavy Spirits topics with regards to behavior, cages etc....it's all excellent and very useful.
Good luck!!!

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Ecotrition is Hartz. It's poor quality.

[Elbow642]

Thanks so much everyone! I have not come back to this thread because I have been a slave to the pigs for the last four days. My husband has been reading a lot of this site and is really getting into the new girls.

Since Friday I have been super involved in getting these sweet pigs settled and comfy. I have built a 2.5' x 5' C & C cage that is fully lined in soft fleece with towels and a mattress pad underneath. It has a second story kitchen with a hay room and a wall that makes it more private.

I have taken them to a vet for a thorough exam, sex check(both females) and a nail trim. I set up our computer/family room with their house and all the supplies neatly lined up under the table, I have ordered some cage accessories, and ordered 50#'s of pellets and hay from Kleenmama. We have had plenty of floor time every day too and they seem to enjoy that.

They are quite sweet and are starting to become affectionate with all of us. They are eating tons of veggies every day.....we eat a lot of salads, so there is plenty of great things around at all times, no icky iceberg here!

They are peeing mostly in their litter tray which makes me happy. I have made each of them beds with the same fleece set-up as the cage. They love them and spend a good deal of time lounging there.

They are quite comical when they are active, we have been cracking up! I think they are great little pets and have already fallen in love!

Thanks again, I am off to relax and read some more in the forums.

[gpigluver14]

I hope I did the right thing. I paid the pet store, which sucks, but I did adopt a pair that had only been in their possession for a few hours. To be honest, I was having a hard time finding any to adopt around here, so I took it as a sign.

I hope I didn't misunderstand you.... But you didn't adopt your pigs if you paid for them at a pet store.

Congrats though. And definitely get them to a vet asap to make sure of the sex and if they have any other health problems i.e. a URI (common illness pigs get from pet stores) as well as to make sure they are not pregnant if they're females.

[Biscuit]

Yeah, I wouldn't think the pet store should have charged you. I read that even petsmart has a policy that abandoned pets cannot be charged for like a "for sale" animal. I read that on craigslist though, so yeah.

It sounds like you are doing good! The vet trip for sexing and the first nail trim was a good idea. I was so nervous the first nail trimming, I went to the vet too.

[Elbow642]

Well, I know I technically didn't adopt them, but even shelters charge a fee. I did pay substantially less for them compared to the price they had on the rest of their pigs. Plus, they gave me the cage and all that stuff. It will come in handy for a travel cage, if anything.

I have to say, I am loving the fleece...I think it is an awesome idea and I am so glad I found this board!

[babybunny]

I think the problem with paying the pet store for them vs a shelter is the money enables the pet store to continue in their business where as a shelter would use the money to rescue more animals.

I am glad you found this board too. It's amazing how much a place like this can change how you care for the ones you love. I know I am thankful for this place everyday. (And so is Elvis!)

[suzilovespiggie]

Congradulations! welcome to the forum! It sounds likes like you are going to be a great piggy family! The members here are very knowledgable and just love to answer questions. We all love pictures too!