Question about my pigs

tonivincent · Jan 3, 2013

Hello! I have a space issue with my pigs. See, my son adopted a female from the local humane society but the girl that adopted her to us did NOT tell us she was pregnant...and we had no idea. Until 2 days later when I FELT her belly move! I called the shelter and the older woman said yes, she is pregnant and due any day!!! She said she would take the babies back free of charge since we did not know but six days after we got "Jessie" she had four adorable babies!! We decided to keep them and now five and a half months later I'm wondering if I made the right choice. We have C&C cages, a 4x4 on the floor for the three females and on top of that a 2x4 for the two males. I just don't feel like the boys have enough room and we have them in our livingroom which is hampering our living space but that is the best place for them. They are SOOO friendly and used to my kids and I DON'T want to get rid of the boys but its getting expensive and smelly!!! What would you suggest for my sanity?!?! Thank you for your help!

RodentCuddles · Jan 3, 2013

They shouldn't stink..What bedding are you using? how often do you clean? depending on the bedding do you do daily poo sweeps or scoop up the wet bedding?
A 2x4 is enough for two, but saying that I personally think it's to tight with the pigs cozies, food bowls, hay racks ect as they take up room.

cfoster1966 · Jan 3, 2013

I would make the 2 stacked 2x5 cages. The girls can get along in a 2x5 and the boys can get a little extra space in their 2x5. It would take up alot less space.

2198lindsey · Jan 3, 2013

As for the money, I know I cut back considerably by buying my hay in bales from the feed store and I store it in black garbage bags. I've had this bale of TNA for about 6 months and I'm not even a fourth of the way thorugh it (I only have 3 girls) And it's all still fresh. Welcome to the forum and I hope you can resolve this and still come out with all of your pigs.

PixiePony · Jan 3, 2013

i have had the same problem! My BOY guineapig had babies turns out he isnt a boy! She had two! we had two b4 we got her! that totals five! we had four separate cages! NONE of them get along! so i clean three cages every week! I use care fresh mixed with a pine bedding it keeps the smell down and if it gets to bad STOP feeding them lettuce! lettuce causes guineapigs to poop ALOT! i would also recommend cleaning the cage once a week!! No less! if the smell is that bad..... try cleaning it more and a different bedding! how often do you clean there cages?

cavyqueeeen · Jan 3, 2013

Well first of all do you have any extra grids because if you did I would just make the boys cage into a 3x4 giving them a little more room and to do that all you need are 2 more grids and it won't take up any more space than you are using right now if you keep the female cage on the bottom. That is what I would do and wider cages just seem better than longer cages to me. I always stick to at least 4 grids in length but some of my cages have gotten up to 4x6 and 4x8 (they were hard to make because of the coroplast) but I would definatly recommend making them wider and not so much longer. Widening it seems to give them more space in the long run to me.

cavyqueeeen · Jan 3, 2013

Also forgot to mention. If you are having trouble with the smell I would recommend using Boxo bedding with a layer of baking soda underneath (it really helps with the smell) or using fleece which is an obvious choice. The one downside of fleece is that you really should clean it everyday at sometime but if you do that it won't smell at all.

2198lindsey · Jan 3, 2013

No, you should NEVER stop feeding you pigs lettuce. I don't know who told you that but their wrong. Lettuce is an every day thing, regardless if they 'poop too much'. You deal with it. That's what you sign up for when you have many pigs and to stop feeding them is rediculous.

PixiePony said:
i have had the same problem! My BOY guineapig had babies turns out he isnt a boy! She had two! we had two b4 we got her! that totals five! we had four separate cages! NONE of them get along! so i clean three cages every week! I use care fresh mixed with a pine bedding it keeps the smell down and if it gets to bad STOP feeding them lettuce! lettuce causes guineapigs to poop ALOT! i would also recommend cleaning the cage once a week!! No less! if the smell is that bad..... try cleaning it more and a different bedding! how often do you clean there cages?

RodentCuddles · Jan 3, 2013

Umm @PixiePony..(NOT iceberg, red or green leaf is the best) lettuce should be a daily staple for guinea pigs. They do poo alot...their guinea pigs..they eat, sleep and pop (as well as run, play and look cute!).

2198lindsey · Jan 3, 2013

That makes me wonder. How long as it been since your pigs have had lettuce, @PixiePony ? Just because you selfishly decided you couldn't deal with cleaning up after them.

Lucille · Jan 3, 2013

2198lindsey said:
That makes me wonder. How long as it been since your pigs have had lettuce, @PixiePony ? Just because you selfishly decided you couldn't deal with cleaning up after them.

Being accusatory is not going to put any lettuce in that cage.
Pixie, greens every days is good but if you were talking about iceberg lettuce you may have a point, as it has been painted as less nutritious and more water.

tonivincent · Jan 3, 2013

I am using fleece in both cages with a corner folded back and some recycled bedding (From PetSmart) which is where they seem to do most of their peeing. I try to sweep the poo off the fleece once every two days or so and my son and I change EVERYTHING out once a week. I think its the boys' urine that is the smell culprit...I'm not exactly sure what breed they are but they're HUGE for five months old!

I do give them fresh hay although I didn't know lettuce was such a staple in their diet...I'll get on that right away. I think I'll also switch to pellet only food; I use the food with the "special treats" inside. I thought I was doing them a favor! Live and learn I guess. I'm glad I joined this forum and thank you all for your advice! I just may expand the boys cage but its already such a pain to lift it off of the girls cage to clean it once a week...I don't know if we'd be able to lift it if it were wider...any suggestions for that? Thanks again everyone!!!!

foggycreekcavy · Jan 3, 2013

I would reduce the size of the girl's cage. Three females can do fine in a 2x5, and even a 2x4 if they get along well.

Your boys might be marking more and smelling up the place if they can see the females. This could be what's causing them to smell more. You might make them a larger "kitchen area/litter box" for the boys, too.

Don't feel bad if you come to the decision to re-home the boys. You did not intend to have five guinea pigs when you started out, and it's okay to admit you may have more than you can handle. I will say that I don't think much of a rescue that adopts out a pregnant guinea pig without making sure you knew what was coming.

RodentCuddles · Jan 3, 2013

With fleece, I have to do poop sweeps twice day (apart from my three boys 4x6 c&c cage) or else the poo starts to smell. Their pee shouldn't really smell..some boys (I guess I'm lucky mine don't) do boar stink to mark their territory...I've never smelt it so can't help with that or how to stop it.

(Red or green leaf lettuce and green bell peppers should be a daily staple.)

cavyqueeeen · Jan 3, 2013

Based off of experience the only thing that makes the piggies cage smell when you use fleece is the poos. So definatly cleaning out the cage. I don't really thing you should reduce the females cage that much but if you need to you could make them both into 3x4 cages. One may have more pigs in it but I think the females will be fine.

Tessa22 · Jan 5, 2013

I don't think the girls would mind to much if you reduced their cage. I think that a 4x2 isnt THAT big but as long as the piggies get along it isnt a big deal. Good luck with your extended family! You could also try a plug in wall freshener in the piggos room that they are in for the smell!

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