diegocutie
Active Member
Cavy Slave
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2006
- Messages
- 23
Recently, a friend of mine unknowingly bought a pregnant guinea pig from a pet store and it had two babies. Of course, the store had sexed her wrong and she was kept in a cage full of boys! She was in quite a predicament because her guinea pig gave birth to a boy and a girl, so when the boy stopped weening she'd have to keep him in a seperate cage and find him a playmate. I was already in love with the babie's mommy, Bella, and was thinking about adoptingone of my own. (No more pet store mishaps for me!) So after talking it over with my family, we've decided to take the little guy in after he's done weening. His name is Diego and he was born June 25th. We almost share the same birthday (Mine's the 24th) so I like to consider him my birthday present from heaven. He's black with brown spots and is still very little. (about the size of a hamster) Pigtures soon! I'm very exited for when he comes home but I've gotten a lack of support from some of my friends calling me "the crazy cat lady except with guinea pigs" They just don't understand that when my family adopts a pet, it is part of the family and not just a pet. I hope some people on this forum feel the same way.
Here is what I'm planning as far as his home. I've already built my C&C cage. (I could go on and on about how great C&C's are) I'm planning on starting with carefresh bedding and then experimenting with fleece. Searching the forums I've seen an enthusiastic "Yes!" to fleece with only a few exceptions, so I'm going to see which one I prefer. His home is going to be in our finished basement in a room that I think gets enough traffic and light that he will be happy. The room is only partially underground with a window, it stays cool in the summer and remains warm in the winter due to the woodstove in the next room. It has many purposes, firstly it houses the computer (with two teenagers in the house it's rare when someone is not on the computer) secendly, it is the "music room" with two guitars and a piano which should get 30 minutes of practice a day and lastly, because I homeschool, it is my classroom, because that is where I study. I figure we will be able to give him lots of floor time while we're in the room. My only concern is the computer wires, which I'll have to section off somehow.
Concern #1 is really not my concern as much as my mothers. A few years ago we had a pet hamster who loved to climb the cage and pee on our wallpaper. Which, understandably, my mom wasn't too crazy about. I researched it and it seems unlikely but she still won't believe me about the peeing thing and is probably going to cover half the room in a plastic tarp if she has her way. (Come on, Mom, they're ground dwellers!) Can someone on this forum convince her that he'll be a relatively clean pet? (As long as I clean the cage of course)
Concern #2 is our other fury friends in the house. Our dog is old and calm and isn't very interested in the cat or wild animals outside so I'm not worried about him. The cat on the other hand, loves to chase mice, chipmunks, baby bunnies, and other small animals outside to bring home as a unwanted treat for her owners.(In our rural home we get them almost every day) She was pretty fine with the hamster because I guess he didn't present a challenge or she knew he was welcome somehow. I was thinking about keeping the cage open just for conviniance and closing the doors to the guinea pigs room all the time, but I know mistakes can happen. Do you guys recomend a closed cage just in case?
Concern #3 I'm planning on getting him a buddy but I've been told two things. The first thing I was told was that during adolescence they go through a fighting stage and that I should wait till he's an adult. The second thing I was told is to get him a friend right away so they are friends from childhood and they will like each other. Any advice?
Thank you everyone for reading my long post! I've had sudden urges to "lol" or use excessive smileys but I tried not to!
Here is what I'm planning as far as his home. I've already built my C&C cage. (I could go on and on about how great C&C's are) I'm planning on starting with carefresh bedding and then experimenting with fleece. Searching the forums I've seen an enthusiastic "Yes!" to fleece with only a few exceptions, so I'm going to see which one I prefer. His home is going to be in our finished basement in a room that I think gets enough traffic and light that he will be happy. The room is only partially underground with a window, it stays cool in the summer and remains warm in the winter due to the woodstove in the next room. It has many purposes, firstly it houses the computer (with two teenagers in the house it's rare when someone is not on the computer) secendly, it is the "music room" with two guitars and a piano which should get 30 minutes of practice a day and lastly, because I homeschool, it is my classroom, because that is where I study. I figure we will be able to give him lots of floor time while we're in the room. My only concern is the computer wires, which I'll have to section off somehow.
Concern #1 is really not my concern as much as my mothers. A few years ago we had a pet hamster who loved to climb the cage and pee on our wallpaper. Which, understandably, my mom wasn't too crazy about. I researched it and it seems unlikely but she still won't believe me about the peeing thing and is probably going to cover half the room in a plastic tarp if she has her way. (Come on, Mom, they're ground dwellers!) Can someone on this forum convince her that he'll be a relatively clean pet? (As long as I clean the cage of course)
Concern #2 is our other fury friends in the house. Our dog is old and calm and isn't very interested in the cat or wild animals outside so I'm not worried about him. The cat on the other hand, loves to chase mice, chipmunks, baby bunnies, and other small animals outside to bring home as a unwanted treat for her owners.(In our rural home we get them almost every day) She was pretty fine with the hamster because I guess he didn't present a challenge or she knew he was welcome somehow. I was thinking about keeping the cage open just for conviniance and closing the doors to the guinea pigs room all the time, but I know mistakes can happen. Do you guys recomend a closed cage just in case?
Concern #3 I'm planning on getting him a buddy but I've been told two things. The first thing I was told was that during adolescence they go through a fighting stage and that I should wait till he's an adult. The second thing I was told is to get him a friend right away so they are friends from childhood and they will like each other. Any advice?
Thank you everyone for reading my long post! I've had sudden urges to "lol" or use excessive smileys but I tried not to!
