I Am Getting A Cavy!!!

ILOVEHONEY2005 · #1 05-30-06, 06:38 pm

Hey Everybody,

I am new here and in the next week or 2 I am getting a Guinea Pig!!
I just have one question......Is there something I can wrap around the cage to prevent the sawdust from coming out?? my cage is about 3 inches deep and when I used to own a cavy the sawdust went everywhere when he ran around and did his little popcorn dance....

I would sometimes wrap pant legs around the cage but it anly would work for a little while....

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and some Care Tips would also help!

I can't wait to get one!!

**Amber23** · #2 05-30-06, 06:44 pm

Welcome!

Did you look at the main site? Most people hear use Coroplast for the inner part of thier cages. You can get it at local sign stores, etc.
http://www.cavycages.com/index.htm

How big is your cage?

Also check out www.guinealynx.info. There is all the information you need on how to take care of your new piggie. Also think about getting your piggie a buddy. They are very social and like to be in groups. Also where do you plan to get your pig from? Here we are pro-adoption, anti-petstore. I hope you will consider adopting.

ILOVEHONEY2005 · #3 05-30-06, 07:12 pm

Thanks for the websites!

I think my cage is about 30 inches long and 17 inches high.

I have tried looking to adopt one but there isn't a shelter close enough to me.....

I am probably going to get one from the feedstore or a petshop because all needs homes no matter where they come from.

My cage isn't special just a single story wire cage.
I plan on getting a few little toys and a house for my cavy. I plan on spending allot of time with my cavy.

My mom will only let me have one for now.

**VoodooJoint** · #4 05-30-06, 07:24 pm

That cage is awfully small.

You do realize that you are on a forum that is part of a website all about building bigger cages don't you? Scroll up to the top and click on "Home". That will take you to the main page where you can start reading.

I also think you have better read this http://cavyspirit.com/petstores.htm

And this http://www.cavycages.com/forum/showthread.php?p=203761

**Susan9608** · #5 05-30-06, 07:31 pm

Quote:

I have tried looking to adopt one but there isn't a shelter close enough to me.....

If you will post at least your general location, we can often help you locate guinea pigs that need rescuing in your area.

I hope you read the links VoodooJoint provided you. If you read though all that information, and still buy your guinea pig from a pet store, just remember that this is a PRO-RESCUE forum. Don't expect lots of pats on the back.

ILOVEHONEY2005 · #6 05-30-06, 07:46 pm

The cage isn't that small........

I read the website about don't get guinea pigs from the Petstore, but if I can't adopt one then I will.

I did indeed read about how to make a bigger cage....I need some help on that......it looks fun to build.....but I have cats.....

Is this what they are talking about:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=2693382

how many of those boxes would I need?

And about the Choroplast....won't the cavy eat it? How often would I have to replace it????

Thanks

PS my location is Hernando County FL....so u can help me adopt.

**fourbwabbys** · #7 05-30-06, 08:15 pm

Quote:

prevent the sawdust from coming out??

Sawdust is probably the worst bedding for a guinea pig. They have very sensitive respitory tracts and can get very sick from sawdust. Try carefresh, cell-sorb or fleece.

**Charlie's_mamma** · #8 05-30-06, 08:18 pm

welcome to cavy cages! I agree with you about every guinea pig needing a home but why don't you check out petfinder.com first? you put in your zip code and it'll bring up places close to you with guinea pigs that need adopting. good luck and have fun with your new piggy!

ILOVEHONEY2005 · #9 05-30-06, 08:24 pm

I tried petfinder but no luck everything is about 2 hours away and my mom doesn't want to make the trip......

**Charlie's_mamma** · #10 05-30-06, 08:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILOVEHONEY2005

I tried petfinder but no luck everything is about 2 hours away and my mom doesn't want to make the trip......

ok well ::ducks down so other members don't hurt her:: I see how much you really want a cavy so just go pet store shopping if you could call it that. Maybe try looking around different pet stores and see how the conditions are. Since the only option is to get a pig from a pet store I would take the piggy to a vet that specializes in small animals to make sure the piggy is healthy. If you have anymore questions let us know.

ILOVEHONEY2005 · #11 05-30-06, 08:33 pm

Thanks Charlie's Mamma, I have a few petstores in mind.....Yes, I will look at the living conditions. .......

**Charlie's_mamma** · #12 05-30-06, 09:02 pm

no problem! You can call me Deb just so you know. Glad you're going to check out the stores first

**sweetspice221** · #13 05-30-06, 09:18 pm

Congrats on getting the pigs! I bet you are soooo excited! Lucky you!

I wish you the best of luck with your soon to come cavy!

**Weatherlight** · #14 05-30-06, 09:23 pm

Um, do you have a proper cavy vet picked out? What about for emergencies? If you depend on a reluctant parent for transportation, what are you going to do when you need a ride? What about if your family moves? Something to think about...

I say driving 4 hours is NOTHING compared to saving my new furkid's life. I'd rather have to work to make friends than have an automatic one in a cage if the alternative was supporting a slave trader.

Don't try to rationalize buying. By taking home one pet store piggy that "needs a home," you're encouraging them to manufacture/procure two or three others. If you can't be talked out of giving stores financial incentive to stock living, breathing, feeling animals as merchandise, then at least be honest to yourself about what you're doing. You're not helping the situation at all--you're just making it worse.

**JennG** · #15 05-30-06, 09:34 pm

Ok Charlie's_momma, we don't encourage members to purchase from the petstores. This is very anti-petstore/breeder forum. I don't care if you have to wait for an available piggie or not. You're only supporting the breeders when you buy a pet from these stores and condenming a helpless piggie to constant back breeding.

ILOVEHONEY2005, you need to get rid of the sawdust if you want a healthy piggie. She will definitely have issues with this. Alot of members use fleece or aspen or dried pine. You can get more information in the accessory part of this forum.

And this is a place where big is better for the health of our pets. Your cage seems too small for your possible piggie and we encourage getting two for company. Piggies are known herd animals and like to have a friend.

Besides, building a C&C cage is very fun like using extra large building blocks. I hope you consider what we've posted and wait for the opportunity to adopt a pet who is in need more than supporting the breeders by buying from the petstores.

PS My last three girls I adopted came from 6 hours (one way) from the southern part of Wisconsin. I had help with delivering them closer to me but I still had to drive one way for 2hours (and I had my 59 yr old mother and three kids with me).

Also, here are some places you can look for piggies: www.petfinder.com, www.gpan.net, http://cavyrescue.com, www.craigslist.org and always look in your local newspaper as well or in the adoptable sections of this forum and www.guinealynx.com. Good luck.

**Percy's Mom** · #16 05-30-06, 09:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie's_mamma

Since the only option is to get a pig from a pet store I would take the piggy to a vet that specializes in small animals to make sure the piggy is healthy. If you have anymore questions let us know.

Getting a pig from a pet store is NEVER the only option. If you're too young to drive yourself a couple of hours to adopt when your parents won't drive you, then your option should be to be patient and keep doing research and looking for pigs closer to you OUTSIDE the petstores that need to be adopted.

Charlie's_mamma, if you want to advise people to go to a pet store and buy a guinea pig, no matter how much they have checked out the living conditions, please don't lump yourself in with "us." "Us" indicates that you're explaining the general consensus or ideals of the entire forum, and you clearly are not.

**Susan9608** · #17 05-30-06, 10:07 pm

Quote:

I see how much you really want a cavy so just go pet store shopping if you could call it that

Ugh. This is absolutely sickening. Oh you want a guinea pig sooooooo badly so it's okay to ignore the all the suffering, homeless animals. You want one soooo badly, which makes it okay to ignore all the animals euthanized for lack of a good home. You want one soooo badly that it's okay to turn a blind eye to breeding mills and sows that are pretty much bred to death.

Please. Grow up. This person - ILOVEHONEY - hasn't even *begun* to exhaust all the resources available to her to find a rescue pig, and you're already condoning her going to a pet store? That is NOT the philosophy of this forum.

Calling up the rescue closest to you and then giving up and going to a pet store just because that rescue doesn't have any pigs is hardly making an effort to search. There are multiple websites that list available guinea pigs; there's petfinder; there's craigslist; hell, there's even the regular old newspaper and greensheet (where it's available.) We've offered to help her look for pigs, if she posts her location. She's only been posting for ONE day; that's not enough time to even scratch the surface, much less do a full in-depth search for a homeless pig.

If you're too impatient to wait for a rescue - if you have that "I have to have it NOW" mentality - then it's my opinion that you don't need to have a pet. If you're old enough and mature enough to own and be responsible for an animal, then you should damn well be old enough to be patient enough to wait and conduct a thorough search for one, before giving up and going to the nearest pet store.

Charlie's_mamma - if you think it's okay to purchase animals at pet stores, then that's fine. That's your right, as sickening as I think that is. But it is NOT okay to EVER suggest to someone on this forum that they go "pet store shopping." I'd better not ever see that kind of comment again.

Thank you JennG for this useful post, says:
iLoveDusty (06-23-06)

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