Accessories: Are these supplies okay?

[superguinea201]

I am getting a guinea pig in a few weeks. I made myself a list of supplies for "Simon" based off of the Petsmart reviews and ratings. Are all of these supplies safe? Are they good supplies? If not, what are some good supplies to replace them?

My list-
$40.00- My First Home For Small Pets (Super Pet- 30"Lx18"Wx16"H)
$16.99- COLORFRESH Color Pet Bedding (Colorfresh- 23 Liters)
$12.99- Oxbow Cavy Cuisine Guinea Pig Diet (Oxbow- Unknown)
$12.26- Super Pet Giant Igloo (Super Pet- 16L x 12"W x 8.25"H")
$7.84- Kaytee Timothy Hay (Kaytee- 48 oz)
$7.49- Super Pet Pro Slicker Brush (Super Pet)
$6.49- Small Pet Cage Cleaner (8 oz)
$5.99- Super Pet Critter Shampoo (Super Pet- 6 oz)
$4.49- Super Pet Clip-on Veggie Chews (Super Pet- Carrot)
$3.99- All Living Things Water Bottles For Small Animals (All Living Things- 16 oz)
$2.49- Ware Fruit Twig Nibblers (Ware- Each twig is 4 inches but there is a bundle of twigs in the pack.)
$1.99- All Living Things Nibble Bowl (All Living Things- Large which is 6"L x 6"W x 2"H.)


Thank you. This is very helpful. Oh, also, I was thinking of buying a leash and a harness so that I can take my guinea pig outside and not have to worry about my guinea pig running away. And, what's the deal with wheels? Are they good or bad?

[Paula]

Originally Posted by superguinea201

I am getting a guinea pig in a few weeks. I made myself a list of supplies for "Simon" based off of the Petsmart reviews and ratings. Are all of these supplies safe? Are they good supplies? If not, what are some good supplies to replace them?

First of all, please don't buy. Adopt instead. Also, pigs are social creatures and would benefit from the companionship of another pig. Please consider adopting at least two.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$40.00- My First Home For Small Pets (Super Pet- 30"Lx18"Wx16"H)

Not large enough for a single pig. Certainly not two. Build a C&C cage instead. It'll be cheaper and better for your pigs.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$16.99- COLORFRESH Color Pet Bedding (Colorfresh- 23 Liters)

Should be fine but could get expensive. You might consider trying fleece instead.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$12.99- Oxbow Cavy Cuisine Guinea Pig Diet (Oxbow- Unknown)

Fine, although you could get it cheaper elsewhere probably. Another great food is Kleenmama's.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$12.26- Super Pet Giant Igloo (Super Pet- 16L x 12"W x 8.25"H")

Fine. Again, you could find it cheaper elsewhere or use something from around the house, like an old soda box. Your pigs will appreciate it just as much.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$7.84- Kaytee Timothy Hay (Kaytee- 48 oz)

Acceptable, but not the best quality. You could try to find Oxbow hay, go to Kleenmama's, or check a local feed store.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$7.49- Super Pet Pro Slicker Brush (Super Pet)

Not really necessary. Only long haired pigs need regular brushing and this one might actually hurt.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$6.49- Small Pet Cage Cleaner (8 oz)

No. Better to use a mixture of 50/50 vinegar/water.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$5.99- Super Pet Critter Shampoo (Super Pet- 6 oz)

Again, not really necessary. Any shampoo you use on a pig needs to be formulated for small animals or rabbits or something that's for kittens/puppies with no added medications (like for fleas/ticks) added.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$4.49- Super Pet Clip-on Veggie Chews (Super Pet- Carrot)

No. Make sure your pigs have plenty of grass hay and a good variety of fresh veggies and your pigs won't need any extra chews like this.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$3.99- All Living Things Water Bottles For Small Animals (All Living Things- 16 oz)

Fine.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$2.49- Ware Fruit Twig Nibblers (Ware- Each twig is 4 inches but there is a bundle of twigs in the pack.)

No. Same reason as the Veggie Chews.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$1.99- All Living Things Nibble Bowl (All Living Things- Large which is 6"L x 6"W x 2"H.)

Fine.

Originally Posted by superguinea201

Oh, also, I was thinking of buying a leash and a harness so that I can take my guinea pig outside and not have to worry about my guinea pig running away.

Absolutely not. http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...inea-pigs.html

Originally Posted by superguinea201

And, what's the deal with wheels? Are they good or bad?

Very bad. http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...gs-either.html

[akstrohm]

Paula's advice is all excellent. Please read this too: Guinea Pig Care

I'm glad you're doing your research before getting pigs (and please adopt them, pet store pigs are often sick, missexed, or pregnant). If you have any questions, just ask.

Books and pet stores are not good sources of information, but this site as well as Cavy Spirit and Guinea Lynx are full of good info. I suggest you read as much as you can including all the stickies before getting pigs.

Things to add to your list: kitchen scale (pigs need to be weighed weekly), nail clippers (human ones are fine), supplies for a C&C cage, spray bottle (for cleaning), vinegar (for cleaning). I would strongly recommend the Water Buddy water bottles.

[Milkingit]

I posted this earlier today on a similar thread and I will re post it here.

The largest cage I could find at petco was this one.

Super Pet Habitat Defined Home for Rabbits at PETCO

Which is 41.25"L X 18"W X 31.5"H That works out to be 5.15625 ft². The cost of this cage is $159.99

This website recommends 7.5 sq ft for the first pig, 2 sq ft for each additional pig.

A C&C cage breaks down as this (Note if you have a Petco Im guessing you have other big box stores in your area)

Bed Bath & Beyond - Silver Stacking Modular Storage Cube Set (Set of 4)

14.99 for 16 cubes is enough for a 2x3 C&C with base. If you have it without a base you can easily go to a 2x4 or a 3x4.

The coroaplast (I can't find it on the home depot site, sold only in stores) Sells for a max of 20.00 and is usually in the windows and doors area close to the plexiglass. If they don't know the term Coroplast ask for corrugated plastic that is used to make signs, or as place holders for windows.

So more or less for a max of 34.99, plus tax, you can make a home for your guinea pigs that is much much larger then any store bought cage at Petco.

[superguinea201]

I redid my list in a better format, with better objects. I am sort of afraid of clipping the nails so I will have a groomer do it. So, I will probably adopt, but I will buy all of the supplies from PetSmart.

$69.99- My First Home Extra Large Cage (Super Pet; 40½"L x 18"W x 20½"H- This was the biggest cage that I could find, and there were no bad reviews.)
$16.99- Color Pet Bedding (Colorfresh; 23 Liters)
$12.99- Cavy Cuisine Guinea Pig Diet (Oxbow)
$12.26- Giant Igloo (Super Pet; 16L x 12"W x 8.25"H")
$4.64- Western Timothy Hay (Oxbow; 15 oz)
$7.49- Pro Slicker Brush (Super Pet- I will probably have a brush just in case I adopt a long- haired guinea.)
$5.99- Critter Shampoo (Super Pet;6 oz)
$3.99- Water Bottles For Small Animals (All Living Things; 16 oz)
$1.99- Nibble Bowl (All Living Things- Large which is 6"L x 6"W x 2"H.)

Should I feed my guinea pig treats? If so, what brand or kind?

[NicholsS10]

I also wanted to add that there are many misconceptions about guinea pigs. Please read over the following link. It has a lot of vital information that is straight to the point. http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...heir-care.html

[Paula]

There's not any pet store cage you can buy that's likely to be large enough for one pig, much less two.

I know it might seem daunting, but making your own C&C cage is much better for your pigs and far more gratifying anyway.

[fieryone]

Originally Posted by superguinea201

$69.99- My First Home Extra Large Cage (Super Pet; 40½"L x 18"W x

I just rescued a pig from craigslist and he was delivered to me in this exact cage. To be blunt, it's garbage. It's flimsy, it's too small (once you put an igloo or other hidey in there, there's hardly any room for the pig to walk around much less run, which they need), there's only a tiny door so it's hard to get the pig out, and you have to take it apart to clean it. And why spend $70 when you can make one that's more sturdy, more attractive, more customizable, bigger, and better for your pigs for around $30? Don't do it. Building a C&C cage is very easy and it's actually fun!

[NicholsS10]

The new cage you listed is still only 5.77 square feet, plainly put, it's just not big enough. Is there a specific reason why you don't want a C&C? A C&C is the way to go for the health and happiness of your pet. It's also cheaper to make and easier to clean. When it comes to treats, I have never come across a pet store treat wasn't crap. They will appreciate high quality hay and vegetables over any "treat" you buy in a pet store. If you want to give them a treat, give them a piece of fruit like a small strawberry or a small piece of apple. They will enjoy that much more.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Your list is getting a little better but no pet store cage you can buy from petsmart is going to be good enough. You should look at the C&Cs on this site.

And Petsmart sells animals from breeders too. You should try to find a store that does not sell animals or order online.

Fresh veggies or a small piece of carrot or fruit are the best treats. Pet store treats are usually bad.

[SnowFlower]

Every single pig I rescued came with that small My First Pet cage. Simply put - they stink. I use them ONLY for quarantine and as a hospital cage and only for 3 weeks max. When I got my new ones thru quarantine and into a C&C cage, not only were they happier - they were much more entertaining for me as well.

C&C cages, like others have said: Cost less, are much much easier to clean, look so much better in the home because you can do so much with them. They are also so much fun and pretty easy to make. If you still want to purchase rather than make a cage:

Buy a C&C cage

Buy a C&C for about the same price as those small ones

Also - for outdoor fun, get some extra cubes, some cable ties and make a pen for outside. Put it in a shady spot when the weather is fair and stay with the pigs ALWAYS (oh and never ever on grass that has been treated/fertilized/sprayed) and let them go wild eating fresh grass! Like Paula said, leash is a no-go!

[superguinea201]

Thanks so much for the help! I will definitely buy a C and C cage for my new guinea pig. I can only get one because I still live with my mom, and it took a lot of convincing to get her to let me get one. But, thanks!