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Hello Everyone

Mishy

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Hi Everyone. I'm Mishy & live in the UK with my partner. I have 12 guinea pigs but am waiting to adopt no 13 & possibly no 14 depending on wether the rescue get a single or pair of sows.

I have 6 boars & 6 sows & they all live outside in their purpose built shed in hutches made by my partner.

Look forward to browsing the boards & chatting :)
 

dkottler

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I am curious as to why some people have so many guinea pigs. Obviously if they are being saved from a life of mis-treatment it makes sense. But I have 2 guinea pigs, 2 children and a husband. Even with 4 humans in the house, I don't feel like our 2 guineas get enough attention. All of us love them, hold them, feed them, talk to them, brush them, pet them and play with them and I still feel like they need more interaction. I love it when my kids have a friend over as it adds more attention for them. So I cannot imagine having a dozen! I certainly could not imagine having 12 in the house. I get enough poop from 2!:eek:
 

GPigsRSweet

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Yes, I'd like to encourage you to make sure your current pigs are getting the best possible care before you adopt more guinea pigs.
 

utsarah

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Is this a real member, or just someone trying to get people here into an argument with them? Seems odd to me
 

Mishy

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Mishy

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Yes, I'd like to encourage you to make sure your current pigs are getting the best possible care before you adopt more guinea pigs.

I would not compromise the care of my existing pigs. However, i thank you for your concern.
 

Fredo_and_co

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Yes, I'd like to encourage you to make sure your current pigs are getting the best possible care before you adopt more guinea pigs.

I am very curious to know how people can assume, that someone with 12 guinea pigs cannot give them adequate care afterall you don't know the person or there circumstances. I wouldn't be so quick to judge.

Hi Mishy, welcome to the forum. Maybe you could treat us all too some pictures sometime. :)
 

GPigsRSweet

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I am very curious to know how people can assume, that someone with 12 guinea pigs cannot give them adequate care afterall you don't know the person or there circumstances. I wouldn't be so quick to judge.

Hi Mishy, welcome to the forum. Maybe you could treat us all too some pictures sometime. :)

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be quick to judge, but when the original poster says that she keeps her guinea pigs outside in hutches, I can assume that they aren't getting the best care possible. They need to be brought inside!
 

Fredo_and_co

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I must admit I have read the arguement many times, bringing guinea pigs indoors now my pigs are indoors, but in the UK there are alot of rescues that have there guinea pigs living outside in heated sheds with electricity, which are properly looked after and loved. Rescues in the UK will even house pigs outdoors.

Mishy has stated she is in the UK, maybe that is the set up she has?!
 

GPigsRSweet

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OK, Mishy, I do understand that a lot of people in the UK leave their pigs outside. Maybe yours DO live in a heated shed. I didn't mean to be so judging, but when you said your pigs live in "hutches", I just got a picture of wooden hutches outside (not in the shelter of a shed.). Do you think you could explain to us more about your set-up? I would love to see pigtures, too!
 

sdpiggylvr

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Welcome to the forum!

What everyone has said above me is helpful, but I have one more thing: are the males and females separated?
 

Mishy

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Welcome to the forum!

What everyone has said above me is helpful, but I have one more thing: are the males and females separated?

Some sows live with a boar, however the boars are NEUTERED.

Here is a little bit about my pigs & their accommodation.

Huxley (boar) lives in a 5ft x2ft hutch.
He is almost 5yrs old & is quite happy on his own. He ex-cagemate did live next door with a mesh divider between their hutches so they could interact if they chose but he sadly passed on 1st Feb.
Huxley is my only petshop pig; this was before i knew rescues for guinea pigs existed

Magoo & Murray (boars) live together in a 5ft x 2ft hutch. Both free-ads pigs.
I had gone to pick up a trio of pigs for a friend, not thinking i'd come away with a pig for myself. The person who had the pigs was taking in guinea pigs & rabbits saying she was a rescue (she was not!). She was quite clearly out of her depth & had no clue how to look after guinea pigs; feeding them rabbit food. When i met Magoo i was told he was blind & so had been named Stevie Wonder (hilarious-NOT). He is NOT blind, he does have a malformed right eye (which my vet thinks is a birth defect & he may have some sight in it, his other eye is perfect).
He was nibbling the girls' hand & was promptly smacked on the head! I could not walk away without him & so he was added to my piggy family. I then needed a friend for him; along came Murray.

Haggis (boar) lives alone in a 5ft x 2ft hutch.
He is alone after fighting (wounds were inflicted). I am waiting to adopt a spayed sow to join Haggis because he was a rescue pig his true age is not known & i am not willing to risk a GA to have him neutered. Haggis' previous life wasn't great. When i met him i had never ever seen a pig so terrified of human hands, if he could've turned himself inside out he would've but patience & love bring great rewards & he is now a happy cuddly pig, no longer terrified & with the loudest wheek in the shed :)

Tait (neutered boar) & Weeble (sow) these 2 live together in a 5ft x 2ft hutch.
Tait is Haggis' previous cage-mate & as he is young, i had him neutered. Weeble came from a rescue, poor Weeble had a few litters before going into rescue & has neurological problems. She has a head tilt & wobbles when she walks & had never been fed veggies prior to going into rescue but since she's been here her love of veggies has increased (she wasn't sure at first) & her wobble is less noticeable. Her problems don't prevent her running around like a loon & whilst she doesn't like other sows she is happy with Tait.

Toddie (neutered boar) lives with Lyric, Lark, Farlie, Farrow & Fable (sows) in a 12ft x 2ft hutch.
Toddie came from rescue & did not take to other boys at all yet he craved the company of other pigs & so i had him neutered to live with my then only girl. She sadly didn't accept him & became withdrawn (she had only ever loved her man, who had sadly passed away). She thrived living alone until she passed, aged approx 5.5 last year. Thinking it unfair on Toddie to have gone through an op for nothing i adopted Lyric & Lark for him.

Farlie, Farrow & Fable were got when i was looking to add ONE girl to Toddie & co because Lark was always left out. I answered a freead which turned out to be a breeder giving up & there were 3 little sows, all born on 18th June (the day my Maddie had passed) it seemed like fate & so instead on one, all three came home with me.
 

dkottler

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I too was not trying to sound judgmental. I am just curious about the large numbers that some people have. I know there are some very responsible, extemely knowledgeable members here that care for (what I would consider) a large number of guinea pigs. I guess it is like children...some people want 12 and some people want 2. I know I keep finding myself on Craigslist looking at guinea pig ads for rehoming and have to stop myself because I know that I would not be able to give the attention that I think they need. But it is so tempting!
 

rabbitsncavyluv

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Welcome.

Is there a reason you don't house your guinea pigs indoors?
 

Ibbet

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Hello and welcome! Wow 12+ must be crazy!

What everyone else has said is helpful and I too wonder if there is a certain reason why they are housed outdoors? Guinea pigs, and most other animals, do much better housed indoors.

I would also love to see pictures of your guinea pigs and your cage setups.
 

Mishy

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Hello and welcome! Wow 12+ must be crazy!

What everyone else has said is helpful and I too wonder if there is a certain reason why they are housed outdoors? Guinea pigs, and most other animals, do much better housed indoors.

I would also love to see pictures of your guinea pigs and your cage setups.


Crazy about pigs yes, crazy in the head .. debatable!

My pigs (& rabbits) are housed outdoors in a shed because there isn't the room for them indoors. We have dogs & therefore they need their own room; we don't have a spare room for them.
My shed incidently is almost as big as the whole downstairs of our house. It is 25ft long x 11ft wide at its widest point with an aviary type run attached to both ends. This makes the whole structure approx 37ft x 11ft. However, my big run is being extended again which will give them approx 24ft x 14ft.

I can of course post pics of my pigs & know i can post pics of their runs but i am not sure if pics of my shed & hutches would be allowed.
 

Ly&Pigs

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Is the shed heated/cooled? If so then it would be appropriate. If not then you may want to do something about it.

You can post photos here in the thread, but not in your personal galleries or the photo galleries.

Note to members: Please don't go assuming things and get facts before making judgments. We ask that member do not assume anything but ask questions instead. Making assumptions can get you into trouble.
 

GPigsRSweet

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Thanks Mishy for explaining!! I'm very sorry I assumed things and didn't ask questions first. If your shed is heated, it would be a fine place for a pig to live. I'd love to see pictures! I do hope you'll post some. You sound like you have some beautiful pigs.

I think you'll find this site very helpful and informative for both you and your pigs. Again, welcome!
 

LightningPig1

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Welcome! I hope you find this sight very useful! Its been to me so far even though I've only been here for a few days!
 
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