General I have some questions

joys_cavies · Jan 24, 2015

So i have some questions. And instead of making multiple threads ill just do one!

1. Can guinea pigs be in a room where air freshener has been sprayed?

2. I'm allergic to timothy hay so I give orchard grass hay but I've been told they need timothy hay to keep their teeth down. Is this true? If so i can order gloves and a surgical mask to give it to them.

3. How can I tame Emmy? As soon as the treats stop she wants to go. (Yet she loves the camera!)

4. How much regular grass can they have? Right now every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday they go outside and munch for an hour.

5. Can i take them outside every day for fresh air? A book my grandma got me when i was 5 for my first piggie said taking them outside everyday is good for them.

6. How many 40 pounds bags of wood pellets does it take to fill a 2x5 with a loft?

7. Does anyone know where to get these items cheap but good quality: Oxbow Adult Essentials (they wont eat any other brand ive tried), big bag/box of orchard grass hay, wood pellets?

8. Is it okay to dress my pigs up? It would only be a maximum of 20 minutes and only for photo shoots.

9. If I pig proof my room can i let them run around in it?

10. Can you make a lid for a c&c cage? My kitten at my moms house tries to "play" with my pigs. I just want them protected...

StarTaleMaddnes · Jan 24, 2015

I can't answer all your questions, but here I go:

1.) Best to avoid that- if it's bad for your lungs, it'll be bad for theirs. Also their noses are much more sensitive than yours, so what smells good to you may be overwhelming to them.

2.) Orchard grass is fine, just avoid alfalfa after 6 months as it contains to much calcium. Any long strand grass/ hay will work.

3.) What kind of treats do you give your guinea pigs? I know I have one that loves attention and always wants to be near me and the one I raised from 6 weeks can't stand me. They are individuals and some will never want your attention. Guinea pigs aren't as trainable as other animals, cause lets face it they're kind of... small brained.

4.) No real clue on this one, just make sure your grass is pesticide/ chemical free.

5.) As long as they are supervised or penned in and covered it can't hurt.

6.) Can't help you with that one I'm afraid.

7.) I'm afraid I use KMS for food and hay, but try buying bales of bluegrass from a local farm store, that will save you on shipping at least. No idea on the wood pellets, but if you go to a feed store they might carry them there?

8.) As long as your gentle and they don't hate it to each there own.

9.) With supervision absolutely. Just remember they poop and pee everywhere.

10.) Yep you can, if you click on the cages with lids link they'll show you tons of examples. We had a lid on ours for a long time and it worked fine. I hear closet shelving works great and then you don't have to use your grids.

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

I use bell pepper and Oxbow hay treats as treats. I was just wondering for the air freshener. I don't use it often cause i have a rare form of asthma that makes my lungs swell. I basically only use it every 2 months or so cause its one of the things that triggers it but haven't since i got pigs. I don't want her to love ( i'm if she doesn't is what i mean) me just shes a cuy and really shy and only semi comfortable around me and i can hold her in my lap but if i bring her out to the living room she has a freak out. I think the tv scares her. Our bathroom is virtually sound proof so shes fine in there so i think its just sound (this is for Emmy lol). Do they have feed stores in Cali? And thanks for all your answers @StarTaleMadness

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

Where can i get wood pellets in L.A is what i mean. Ive checked everywhere and they dont have them

LucidCavies · Jan 25, 2015

1. No no no. no air fresheners, candles, hairspray, perfume or anything of the sort should be used around guinea pigs. Candles are bad enough for people as is, think about tiny pig lungs.

2. Adult pigs really should have timothy hay. I know a few people that use just meadow hay or orchard grass, which works fine also. Their bodies are set up different from ours and they need hay to constantly keep their digestive tracks moving. As long as they have a constant supply of long strand hay, they should be fine.

3. Try lots and lots of floor time and lap time. Listen to her. If she doesn't want to be held, let her back in the cage. The last thing you want to instill is that she is being forced into being held. After a while, she'll get used to staying longer and longer. The more quiet the room, the better. Learn her noises. It will make it very easy to tell what her likes and dislikes are and you will be able to make her as comfortable as possible. There are quite a few threads on here regarding taming, I suggest checking them out. Just type "taming guinea pigs" in the search bar and I'm sure you'll get more than enough info on the subject.

4. I know people that give their pigs hay everyday. They swear by it, but I am not knowledgeable enough on the subject to really give an answer. As Long as no other animals use that grass for "their business" an it isn't treated in any way, they should be just fine.

5. I don't suggest leaving them unsupervised or unprotected outside, but if they are in a pen and you are right there with them it is fine. As long as they aren't stressed out by the situation, all is well.

6. it took one twenty pound bag to fill my 3x4 cage (basically a 2x6) so im assuming just one.

7. Most places don't sell good quality oxbow pellets for cheap. Cheap is around 10-15$ for me... Feed stores sell big bags of wood pellets for very cheap. just make sure they are NOT cedar and if they are pine, they should be kiln-dried. Kahoots is located in california and is considered a feed store of a sort and they are located all over california. Yellowpages can help you out with looking for a place near you.

8. I feel like this is more of an opinion area.. I wouldn't just because it seems stressful for the pigs. They usually don't like that stuff, so I wouldn't. You mentioned one of your pigs not liking to be held that much, so I would imagine they wouldn't like being handled into a costume either. Just my opinion...

9. Be very sure that it is very well pig-proofed and also keep in mind that it will get messy. You will need to lay down more than just a towel or two because, lets face it, these guys are peeing and pooping machines.

10. Yes! There are quite a few picture on this site of people who have needed pet proofing and have all made great lids. Closet shelving is great and you could also just do more grids with binder clips, just take a look around.

We both live in L.A. there are quite a few places in the san fernando valley that are considered feed stores. Go on yellow pages and look for places near your specific city. There are a lot around you.

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

LucidCavies said:
1. No no no. no air fresheners, candles, hairspray, perfume or anything of the sort should be used around guinea pigs. Candles are bad enough for people as is, think about tiny pig lungs.

2. Adult pigs really should have timothy hay. I know a few people that use just meadow hay or orchard grass, which works fine also. Their bodies are set up different from ours and they need hay to constantly keep their digestive tracks moving. As long as they have a constant supply of long strand hay, they should be fine.

3. Try lots and lots of floor time and lap time. Listen to her. If she doesn't want to be held, let her back in the cage. The last thing you want to instill is that she is being forced into being held. After a while, she'll get used to staying longer and longer. The more quiet the room, the better. Learn her noises. It will make it very easy to tell what her likes and dislikes are and you will be able to make her as comfortable as possible. There are quite a few threads on here regarding taming, I suggest checking them out. Just type "taming guinea pigs" in the search bar and I'm sure you'll get more than enough info on the subject.

4. I know people that give their pigs hay everyday. They swear by it, but I am not knowledgeable enough on the subject to really give an answer. As Long as no other animals use that grass for "their business" an it isn't treated in any way, they should be just fine.

5. I don't suggest leaving them unsupervised or unprotected outside, but if they are in a pen and you are right there with them it is fine. As long as they aren't stressed out by the situation, all is well.

6. it took one twenty pound bag to fill my 3x4 cage (basically a 2x6) so im assuming just one.

7. Most places don't sell good quality oxbow pellets for cheap. Cheap is around 10-15$ for me... Feed stores sell big bags of wood pellets for very cheap. just make sure they are NOT cedar and if they are pine, they should be kiln-dried. Kahoots is located in california and is considered a feed store of a sort and they are located all over california. Yellowpages can help you out with looking for a place near you.

8. I feel like this is more of an opinion area.. I wouldn't just because it seems stressful for the pigs. They usually don't like that stuff, so I wouldn't. You mentioned one of your pigs not liking to be held that much, so I would imagine they wouldn't like being handled into a costume either. Just my opinion...

9. Be very sure that it is very well pig-proofed and also keep in mind that it will get messy. You will need to lay down more than just a towel or two because, lets face it, these guys are peeing and pooping machines.

10. Yes! There are quite a few picture on this site of people who have needed pet proofing and have all made great lids. Closet shelving is great and you could also just do more grids with binder clips, just take a look around.

We both live in L.A. there are quite a few places in the san fernando valley that are considered feed stores. Go on yellow pages and look for places near your specific city. There are a lot around you.

I never ever leave my pigs unsupervised unless they are in the cage,(in my room). And despite one of mine being shy shell do anything for the camera. She lets me put stuff on her, over her and under her! And thanks for all the info!

Soecara · Jan 25, 2015

Orchard grass is a perfectly acceptable alternative to Timothy, on this chart anything listed in green is an acceptable alternative to Timothy https://www.guinealynx.info/hay_chart.html

Guinea pigs can technically be fed as much fresh grass as they want, but in some guinea pigs fresh grass can cause stomach upset particularly when fed in large quantities.

As to your question about time outside being good for them, take into consideration the weather. It certainly is not good for them to be outside if it is too hot/cold/wet.

HeresTheSkinny · Jan 25, 2015

You said you were in Los Angeles. I don't know about where to get pellets (I use fleece), but if you're looking for hay, search yelp for hay in Burbank. There's a lot of equestrian stuff out there, so when my current bag of hay runs out, my plan is to go down there. Supposedly you can get giant bags of great quality hay for super cheap.

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

Soecara said:
Orchard grass is a perfectly acceptable alternative to Timothy, on this chart anything listed in green is an acceptable alternative to Timothy https://www.guinealynx.info/hay_chart.html

Guinea pigs can technically be fed as much fresh grass as they want, but in some guinea pigs fresh grass can cause stomach upset particularly when fed in large quantities.

As to your question about time outside being good for them, take into consideration the weather. It certainly is not good for them to be outside if it is too hot/cold/wet.

Well yea. I dont take them outside if its less then 70 and i dint take them outside of its more than 85

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

HeresTheSkinny said:
You said you were in Los Angeles. I don't know about where to get pellets (I use fleece), but if you're looking for hay, search yelp for hay in Burbank. There's a lot of equestrian stuff out there, so when my current bag of hay runs out, my plan is to go down there. Supposedly you can get giant bags of great quality hay for super cheap.

Like orchard grass? Or just plain hay? And i use fleece on top of wood pellets

PianoPlayer88 · Jan 25, 2015

Im just going to focus on the taming one- hand feed them from the edge of the cage. Don't give them any treats unless they take them from your hand or eat them in your lap. Neither of mine are completely tame yet, but I got very quick results doing this. It can take my oigs up to 15 minutes to get the courage to walk up and grab a piece of bell pepper, baby tomato, lettuce, or cilantro out of my hand, but it's the best way to do it. Keep in mind im a fairly new owner so other tips are probably better than mine

StarTaleMaddnes · Jan 25, 2015

joys_cavies said:
I use bell pepper and Oxbow hay treats as treats. I was just wondering for the air freshener. I don't use it often cause i have a rare form of asthma that makes my lungs swell. I basically only use it every 2 months or so cause its one of the things that triggers it but haven't since i got pigs. I don't want her to love ( i'm if she doesn't is what i mean) me just shes a cuy and really shy and only semi comfortable around me and i can hold her in my lap but if i bring her out to the living room she has a freak out. I think the tv scares her. Our bathroom is virtually sound proof so shes fine in there so i think its just sound (this is for Emmy lol). Do they have feed stores in Cali? And thanks for all your answers @StarTaleMadness

Your right it's probably the TV, in the combination with all that new open space. Big and open can be very difficult concepts for a pig to grasp- add in the noise of the tv we'd probably be a little shy to if we were guinea pigs. I find my guinea pigs are most out going during floor and lap time when I've got classical music or a book on tape on. It'll just take time and patience to get Emmy to warm up to you, and it sounds like you're on the right track.

Do you have a big enough cuddle pouch that she can get comfy in? Maybe she'll do a little better with living room time if she feels like she has somewhere secure to tuck away in?

HeresTheSkinny · Jan 25, 2015

joys_cavies said:
Like orchard grass? Or just plain hay? And i use fleece on top of wood pellets

The website for the place I'm thinking of going to mention that they have alfalfa, timothy, bermuda, orchard, oat hay, and straw. Here's where I'm looking:

https://stephenshayandgrain.com/

The yelp reviews (found here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/stephens-hay-and-grain-glendale) mention how cheap and nice quality the hay is. If you search the reviews for "guinea pig", they seem to have a bunch of loyal cavy fans. Now, for full disclosure, I haven't been yet, but this is where I'm going to go once my bag of Oxbow Timothy runs out.

Hope this helps!

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

StarTaleMaddnes said:
Your right it's probably the TV, in the combination with all that new open space. Big and open can be very difficult concepts for a pig to grasp- add in the noise of the tv we'd probably be a little shy to if we were guinea pigs. I find my guinea pigs are most out going during floor and lap time when I've got classical music or a book on tape on. It'll just take time and patience to get Emmy to warm up to you, and it sounds like you're on the right track.

Do you have a big enough cuddle pouch that she can get comfy in? Maybe she'll do a little better with living room time if she feels like she has somewhere secure to tuck away in?

im making her a nice big one special for her (no other pig will use it) cause the one i have Bailey barely fits in it

joys_cavies · Jan 25, 2015

HeresTheSkinny said:
The website for the place I'm thinking of going to mention that they have alfalfa, timothy, bermuda, orchard, oat hay, and straw. Here's where I'm looking:

https://stephenshayandgrain.com/

The yelp reviews (found here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/stephens-hay-and-grain-glendale) mention how cheap and nice quality the hay is. If you search the reviews for "guinea pig", they seem to have a bunch of loyal cavy fans. Now, for full disclosure, I haven't been yet, but this is where I'm going to go once my bag of Oxbow Timothy runs out.

thanks a lot!

Hope this helps!

sallyvh · Jan 25, 2015

1. I wouldn't suggest keeping pigs in a room where air fresheners are sprayed. Of course if it happens once everyone will be fine but it definitely shouldn't be a constant occurrence.

2. Guinea pig's do not specifically need Timothy hay. They need any long stranded grass hay. That could be Timothy, Orchard, Bermuda, Meadow, and probably a few others I don't know the name of. Personally if I was allergic I would stick with Orchard. My pigs are very fussy and have been on Orchard for almost a year with zero issues!

3. I would just hold her as often as possible for short periods. Take her out, give her a treat and pet her for a few minutes. Slowly work your way up to longer periods. Keep in mind though that some pigs just don't like being held. I have one girl who is very friendly, she loves to greet you and interact through the cage but hates being held. I've accepted that that is her personality and it won't be changed.

4. I'm fairly certain that guinea pigs can have as much grass as they want. After all, its pretty much the same as hay! When starting make sure to go slow as a lot of a new thing can cause stomach upset but it sounds like your pigs already go outside regularly so it shouldn't be a problem.

5. How often they go outside really depends on how often you want to take them out. Some pigs spend lots of time outside and love it where as some people have never brought their pigs outside. As long as weather is appropriate bring them out as often as you want!

6. I believe a 2x5 would need anywhere from 1-2 bags. Probably around 1.5.

7. Dr. Foster&Smith would probably be a good option for you. You can get 50lb boxes of Orchard grass and bags of Oxbow pellets for a decent price! I believe they have free shipping too. If I lived in the states I would definitely order from them! For wood pellets, if you have a Home Depot, Lowes or any other hardware type store they would probably sell some.

8. I'm perfectly fine with dressing pigs up. Just be sure you're not stressing them. If they don't enjoy it, stop. Out of my 4 only one of them will wear a body costume but she is very calm and easy going. A great alternative to dressing them up is hats! pigs have very flat heads and it's pretty easy to rest something light on their heads. I've made paper hats in the past and my pigs are 100% ok with it. I'll post a couple of photo's at the end of my post of my pigs dressed up so you can maybe get ideas. The less complicated a costume is the better and you always want to be sure that the items fit properly so you don't harm them accidentally.

9. Any room that is pig proofed is fine for them to run around. I let mine run around my bedroom, I put up grids for any places they can't go and to keep them away from cords. To protect the carpet a cheap plastic table cloths under a piece of fleece works amazing. It would even be good for hardwood or laminate, it protects any flooring and provides traction.

10. One of the most cost effective and secure ways to make a lid is out of closet shelving. It's strong, durable and most definitely cat proof. You can it at any hardware store and it's not too expensive. They can usually cut it in store to the length you need. Look at the for closed cages in the picture section of the forum to get some ideas.

Now here's some dressed up pigtures!

joys_cavies · Jan 26, 2015

sallyvh said:
1. I wouldn't suggest keeping pigs in a room where air fresheners are sprayed. Of course if it happens once everyone will be fine but it definitely shouldn't be a constant occurrence.

2. Guinea pig's do not specifically need Timothy hay. They need any long stranded grass hay. That could be Timothy, Orchard, Bermuda, Meadow, and probably a few others I don't know the name of. Personally if I was allergic I would stick with Orchard. My pigs are very fussy and have been on Orchard for almost a year with zero issues!

3. I would just hold her as often as possible for short periods. Take her out, give her a treat and pet her for a few minutes. Slowly work your way up to longer periods. Keep in mind though that some pigs just don't like being held. I have one girl who is very friendly, she loves to greet you and interact through the cage but hates being held. I've accepted that that is her personality and it won't be changed.

4. I'm fairly certain that guinea pigs can have as much grass as they want. After all, its pretty much the same as hay! When starting make sure to go slow as a lot of a new thing can cause stomach upset but it sounds like your pigs already go outside regularly so it shouldn't be a problem.

5. How often they go outside really depends on how often you want to take them out. Some pigs spend lots of time outside and love it where as some people have never brought their pigs outside. As long as weather is appropriate bring them out as often as you want!

6. I believe a 2x5 would need anywhere from 1-2 bags. Probably around 1.5.

7. Dr. Foster&Smith would probably be a good option for you. You can get 50lb boxes of Orchard grass and bags of Oxbow pellets for a decent price! I believe they have free shipping too. If I lived in the states I would definitely order from them! For wood pellets, if you have a Home Depot, Lowes or any other hardware type store they would probably sell some.

8. I'm perfectly fine with dressing pigs up. Just be sure you're not stressing them. If they don't enjoy it, stop. Out of my 4 only one of them will wear a body costume but she is very calm and easy going. A great alternative to dressing them up is hats! pigs have very flat heads and it's pretty easy to rest something light on their heads. I've made paper hats in the past and my pigs are 100% ok with it. I'll post a couple of photo's at the end of my post of my pigs dressed up so you can maybe get ideas. The less complicated a costume is the better and you always want to be sure that the items fit properly so you don't harm them accidentally.

9. Any room that is pig proofed is fine for them to run around. I let mine run around my bedroom, I put up grids for any places they can't go and to keep them away from cords. To protect the carpet a cheap plastic table cloths under a piece of fleece works amazing. It would even be good for hardwood or laminate, it protects any flooring and provides traction.

10. One of the most cost effective and secure ways to make a lid is out of closet shelving. It's strong, durable and most definitely cat proof. You can it at any hardware store and it's not too expensive. They can usually cut it in store to the length you need. Look at the for closed cages in the picture section of the forum to get some ideas.

Now here's some dressed up pigtures!

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thanks!!! and those photos are adorable!! My shy girl loves the camera and lets me put stuff on her over her and under her. I'm waiting for my baby to be bigger though (11 weeks on Tuesday!). Thanks for answering every questions!

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General I have some questions

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