In one or two weeks...

A pig from a shelter is more than likely cheaper than a pet store pig. And to make a C&C cage is a whole lot cheaper than buying a store cage. It's about $30 to $ 40 to make a cage and alot bigger.

Most GP's at petstores cost about $30.00. You can build a C&C cage for that amount. Your GP will be much happier as he/she will have more room to run around. Adopting a GP is not alot of money. At my local shelter, Amos was $5:00. Have you checked Petfinder.com: Adopt a pet and help an animal shelter rescue a puppy or kitten. to see if there is any GP's in your area? There are many on this forum who can help you locate a GP. We have an adoption site page, where many are looking to rehome GP's. You can get cubes at Target and Bed, Bath and Beyound.
Good luck in finding a piggie. This site has all the info you will need to raise a healthy happy pigge.

Thank you so much, you have no idea how helpful your information was, my parents, because of the low cost are disscusing building this cage now. Also, adopting a guinea pig from the SPCA, we just weren't sure of prices for either of them and thought they would be a good deal more expensive. I'm very happy that you told me that is not the case. I will keep you posted on what happens with the purchase of my guinea pig ^_^ YaY!

I'm glad you are adopting and build a C&C cage. It saves money, but it also saves -lives-.

Yeah we noticed that PetsMart is selling pigs for $35 now. The largest pet store cage is $59 I think.

Have your parents go over the C&C cage information on the homepage. Take a look through the gallery also. One sheet of coro and I box of cubes/grids will give you enough for a nice 2 x 4 cage.

If you have any questions about cages, ask us in the cage area. Good luck.

You should really think about this whole thing a little more though. Guinea pigs are very inexpensive to get, but will your parents be willing to pay for vet fees if the need should arise? you should have some money put away for emergencies and vet care.

I will be getting a job shortly, so I will be paying for any extra expenses.

While you're doing your research and getting that cage built, it would be a good idea to go ahead and find a cavy savvy vet in your area. Ask them how much a regular visit costs, how much medicines cost, and whether or not they would let you pay in installments should you have an emergency. Since you don't have the pigs yet, this is a good time to go ahead and set up a vet fund. Depending on your vet, it could easily cost you a couple hundred dollars per year per pig, and that is before pellets, veggies, bedding, toys, and cage materials.

I will do that. However, they will have to stay vet free for just a few months, and I hope that they can, as I won't be getting the job until my ... birthday, which is on the 5th of January. Sooner, much sooner however, if I can find a good job that would hire me at .... I really want to take good care of my guinea (or two, however things work out), I'm willing to spend money for a vet.

If they would HAVE to stay vet free, it's really best that you not get them right now or see if your parents would be able to loan you the money until you have a job. How would you feel if you got sick, but your parents said "Sorry, we don't have the money. You can't go to the doctor." You're just as responsible for your animals.

I'm sure my parents would loan me money if there was a problem.

guineabeginner said:

However, they will have to stay vet free for just a few months, and I hope that they can, as I won't be getting the job until my ... birthday

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Please wait until you can afford to have a comfortable amount of money set aside for a cavy before you get one. Within days of getting our two youngest hedgies, we found out that they had severe pneumonia and had to spend hundreds of dollars in vet bills and care and I had to take 5 days off of work to monitor them around the clock. It was very expensive, draining and Luke STILL (2 years later) has ongong medical problems; from chronic mite infections to chronic, untreatable diahrrea. A month ago I had to rush him to the emergency clinic because he started attacking and chewing on the skin off of his chest. That weekend cost me over $500 just on its own, not to mention follow-up visits. My husband and I live on a comfortable enough income and it still meant we had to cnancel other plans as the money had to be re-directed to caring for him... and hedgehogs are smaller than guinea pigs! Just because the animal is small and appears initially healthy doesn't mean that there couldn't be underlying problems.

Please wait... do more reading and learning before you do 'impulse shopping'. The other posters here are giving you good advice. If you can't afford to properly care for a GP right now, please wait until you have money saved up in an emergency fund, as well as a regular care fund... and then adopt. In the meantime, why not research, learn more about proper care and housing and even volunteer at your local animal shelter. This way, when you get to the point of beingn financially and informationally ready for one, you'll make the best cavy-parent possible!

As everyone has said, you do need to wait till you know that you are financially able to properly care for your piggy. Have everything ready for them a proper cage, food, etc. Do have a vet fund jar set aside and put money into it every chance you get. I can't tell you how many times people get on here and ask for medical advice for their piggies and say that they can't afford to take their piggies to the vet. Piggies go down hill very fast. So, please be ready financially to add to your family. And, know that you need to have a buddy for a piggy. They are herd animals and do best with a companion.

I am getting two now, and have a large cage I am preparing. I do volunteer at an animal shelter ^_^ the SPCA it is wonderful, and have done much research on guinea pigs, I do believe I can care for them appropriately. Oh, and my parents will be able to aford guinea pig vet appointments until I obtain a job.

guineabeginner said:

. Also, adopting a guinea pig from the SPCA, we just weren't sure of prices for either of them and thought they would be a good deal more expensive. I'm very happy that you told me that is not the case. I will keep you posted on what happens with the purchase of my guinea pig ^_^ YaY!

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guineabeginner said:

I am getting two now, and have a large cage I am preparing. I do volunteer at an animal shelter ^_^ the SPCA it is wonderful

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I'm a little confused now... you already volunteer at the SPCA, but you don't know what the adoption fees are there? I volunteer at a bird sanctuary and because I do, I'm fully aware of the over-population of companion parrots and of the horrible results of buying 'cheap' birds at pet stores. Because of this, I would never consider purchasing the life of another animal again - I will only ever adopt. If you already volunteer with the SPCA, then haven't you had the opportunity to realise the true cost of purchasing any animal from a pet store?!?

I'm sorry to sound skeptical, but what you're saying seems rather inconsistent. My only true concern here is that 1) YOU, as the owner/garegiver, are personally financially prepared for this, and 2) you choose to adopt, rather than support breeding.

Well, I volunteer there, but haven't been given any oppurtunities to work with the animals yet, there will be a meeting this saturday, so I'm hoping to find out what I will be doing then.