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Hi, and welcome. Please check out your local rescue or shelter first. There are always guinea pigs that need to be adopted. If you go to photo galleries on this website, then click on ramps, you'll get lots and lots of ideas. You've definately chosen the right option --> a grid cage =). As for hidey holes, you can buy pigloos or make little houses from shoe boxes. Hm... any other advice... guine apigs need to be handled and be given floor time everyday. Avoid cedar bedding and pine. (Try to use kiln dried).

Edit: This is a link for the ramps page https://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=509&password=

Here is a great site for medical and care advice of every kind: www.guinealynx.info.

Also, if ideas are what you seek, check out the photo gallery here: (broken link removed).

Here are photos of my cage: https://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=406.

Hope that helps you, and good luck with the piggies! If you want some, please check www.petfinder.com -- the search and the adoptables section (under classifieds) also has some.

(broken link removed) sometimes has listings, and it also has a list of cavy rescues across the nation.

Thankyou so much for your help. I tried all the shelters in my area, and there weren't any. Most of the pet stores didnt have any. I ended up buying 2 boys, well they told me that they were boys. when I got them home, one started getting frisky with the other.... so i might have piggy babies soon. oh well, the more the merrier.

mncavylover said:

Here is a great site for medical and care advice of every kind: www.guinealynx.info.

Also, if ideas are what you seek, check out the photo gallery here: (broken link removed).

Here are photos of my cage: https://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=406.

Hope that helps you, and good luck with the piggies! If you want some, please check www.petfinder.com -- the search and the adoptables section (under classifieds) also has some.

(broken link removed) sometimes has listings, and it also has a list of cavy rescues across the nation.

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Um... well this is a non breeding board....

Well anyway, thanks for looking in the shelters. If you did get two boys, then there can be mounting involved. Its the same with two females. So don't worry about that, its just normal behaviour. I suggest that you go to the vet a.s.a.p, to do a check up on health and sex. Most probably, your pigs have mites, so go now! =)

Piglet, why would you say the pigs have mites?

why would they have mites?

Piglet said:

Um... well this is a non breeding board....

Well anyway, thanks for looking in the shelters. If you did get two boys, then there can be mounting involved. Its the same with two females. So don't worry about that, its just normal behaviour. I suggest that you go to the vet a.s.a.p, to do a check up on health and sex. Most probably, your pigs have mites, so go now! =)

Click to expand...

Simply because many people find that pigs bought from pet shops do have mites, so treating them for them when you get them means you can nip any problems in the bud. https://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html#mangemite

Agreed. If you even suspect that one of the pigs is a female, get that one out and separated for a while. You should have kept them seperate for at least three weeks anyhow, before the introductions. Take a look at www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm for more info.

I said it because ToniLee is buying them from a pet store.

OK, so how do you tell? I got mine from a pet store and they appear to be fine. They've been the the vet 3 times and he hasn't noticed anything. I read somewhere they can get mites from hay? Do they itch more, or smell, or have ear discharge, what? Help!!! I had a nightmare about it last night!

Denise said:

OK, so how do you tell? I got mine from a pet store and they appear to be fine. They've been the the vet 3 times and he hasn't noticed anything. I read somewhere they can get mites from hay? Do they itch more, or smell, or have ear discharge, what? Help!!! I had a nightmare about it last night!

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Oh, I'm sorry you had a nightmare!!! That just goes to show how much you care. =) Check their fur for whitish flakes. Though this may be from dry skin, it's usually a sign of mites. Any more hair loss than usual? If you can pull out little clumps with whitish flakes attached to the bottom, that's also a sign. Bald patches, excessive scratching (often accompanied by whimpering), and red scabby parts are also signs. You can't actually see the mites (microscopic) and they burrow causing the scabs. I really hope they don't have mites, but it's almost guaranteed if they were at the store. If your vet hasn't noticed, that's a very good sign! Oh, and hay can't carry mites. They need a living host to survive, though that is one of the more common misconceptions. You take really good care of your pigs, so if they have mites, they'll be great with you. Good luck on this!

One more thing: they're usually found on their bottoms. That may be helpful to see if they have them or not.

Well, just looked them over and no flakes, no hairloss, no bald patches, no excessive scratching, no scabs. I feel better! Thanks, yet again.

Yay!

Hehe, a lot to check for! That's great news, Denise!!! Your piggies are the exception.

mine dont have any of that stuff either. they were in the same cage at the store, so i didnt seperate them, i figured they had all ready gotten to know each other. they cuddle with each other. they never fight or anythigng. thankyou for all of your help again.