General Need advice from experienced Guinea Pig owners please?

1- A buddy is not required, but is reccomended. Some people have had their pigs alone for their whole lives.
2- I don't trust chihuahuas, they hate me. So one grid off the ground would be good for that. (and it saves your back)
3-Why can't you get hay? He needs it. Ochard grass and bluegrasses are good too. @agirlwithink feeds orchard. She can tell you more of that. But pigs NEED hay no matter what. It grinds down their back teeth (chews cant) and keeps their systems going. If you can't get hay, I wouldn't get a piggy.
As for veggies here are my favorites- Romaine lettuce,green lettuce, tomatoes, kale, carrots, celery, and mine love apples.

Ok, thank you ... I'm sure I'd be able to get hay, I just thought I'd ask in case I couldnt.

1- as @PiggieGuinea said, they are not required, but most pigs are much happier with a friend.
2- if you put it on the floor, you will probably need to make a lid for the cage unless you absoluteley trust your dog not to hurt your new pig(s). I have no lid on my cage because my cat is scared of my pig. You would have to chose that, though
3- Not having hay will cause health problems (malocclusion), and if you can't find it near you, you can order it online. I have heard Small Pet Select is a good brand, but I've never tried it.

1. Piggies and dogs are different, piggies are herd animals and thrive more with a friend and yes boys can and do bond a lot if both are from the same litter or bought at the same age and time. Boars work better in pairs but some have had more than two together.

2. Your dog has a pray drive hence the dislike and chasing( if that is what you meant by aggressive towards) of cats. You can make a stand out of grids or put it on a table. Having the cage on a floor is very hard on the back, so that is a second reason to have it up. I have a two grid stand and besides the storage benefit, i love that I do not have to bend over.

3. You can not get away with not feeding it some kind of hay. Unlimited hay is a must from the start it, no need for that to be gradual. As for various vegetables and fruit, here is the list of how much and what to feed. Remember its 1 cup of fresh vegetables a day, you can split that between feedings. And depending on the age of the pig, 1/8-1/4 cup of pellets a day.

We do have members from Australia and they should be able to help you with where to get the hay.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...n-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List#post254730

1. Is it necessary to have 2 piggies? I have had some people say no as long as it has plenty of attention (which he will, around 18hrs a day to be exact), but others have said yes... but people also say the same thing about dogs and my dog is quite happy with just me & my parents, so I'm confused about this topic.

Click to expand...

Yes. Guinea pigs are social herd animals, they need a friend of their own kind to keep them company. You can not replace a friend of their own kind, you can't communicate with them, run with them and you can't snuggle up in a pigloo with them.

2. I have decided on a C & C cage as it works best with my budget & available space, what size (in meters) would you recommend... would it be better to have it off the ground? & if I have it on the ground, would my dog pose any risk? She's a long haired chihuahua, and so far has only been aggressive towards cats, she hasnt shown aggression to any other animal.

Click to expand...

You can build a roof out of grids for the top of the cage, it should help keep out other household pets:

A 2x4 (27"x56") is fine for two pigs, a 2x5 (27"x71") is preferred.

3. I'll be purchasing the piggy from a pet shop as thats the only place near me that has them. I've read that their stomachs are sensitive so to introduce diet changes gradually.. I plan on feeding a all natural diet consisting of various fruits & vegetables, & of course hay so will I have to introduce these things gradually & continue to feed him what the petshop had been?... Also what should I feed if Hay cannot be acquired?... What fruits & vegetables would you recommend? (Keep in mind that I live in Australia). I have some foods in mind like Cos Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Capsicum, Blueberries & blackberries, spinich, & coriander, and the occasional orange or apple slice.

Click to expand...

Pet store pellets are rubbish. A majority of them do more bad than good. Usually, bigger branded pet stores will order in Oxbow products.
Please, before considering a pet store pig, look on pet rescue and gumtree for re-homing/rescue adds: https://www.petrescue.com.au/ https://www.gumtree.com.au/
Slowly introduce new veggies by cutting them into small pieces and increasing the size gradually. Hay cannot be substituted, it is vital for digestive and dental health, you should be able to buy large bales of hay in bulk at Stockfeed stores (Or you can buy $10 bags of Oaten hay at City Farmers). We have a cavy nutrition chart (https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...vy-Nutrition-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List) which should give you an idea of foods they can and cannot eat. Lettuce and green capsicum are staples and usually are put together with a combination of others veggies which are rotated throughout the week, fruits should be fed as an occasional weekly snack as they are high in sugars. If you need help finding C&C grids in Australia, please feel free to contact me

Thanks guys .. You've helped a tonne... and thanks Mocha, I've been looking on gumtree.. I didnt know about the pet rescue.. I'll be sure to check the RSPCA as well... the petshop is sort of a last minute thing because I know how horrid they are when it comes to looking after the animals... thats why if I buy from a pet shop, I'll be doing a quick health check of the piggy before buying, and then taking him straight to a vet who has experience with them

1. You really should adopt Elyzian! Australia has a LOT of homeless piggies! And you won't regret it!I

I adopted a pair of boars, that were already established and I couldn't he happier. They are pretty much tame and friendly, and I don't have any dominance issues to deal with because they have already worked them out!

I STRONGLY suggest adopting an established boar pair if you are wanting a male! It gives your guy a friend, and helps you avoid the drama of introducing pigs, or dominance issues.

2. I also recommend doing a stand! I have two dogs who I trust a lot but I don't want them to scare my piggies, and I don't want to be hunched over, so I built a 2 grid tall stand and it makes things so easy.

3. Hay is a must! And avoid pet store pellets if you can. I'm not sure if they ship to Australia but you should look into drsfosterandsmith.com

There is minimal extra cost of owning a pair vs. a single pig, but the joy for the pig of having someone to talk to & play with is invaluable. You can't replace the company of their own species & there is no reason to force a herd animal to live alone. Most pigs are also more social & secure with a friend, not to mention more active & fun to watch.

I had to temporarily separate my girls due to a spay, and I can't imagine how boring it would be to permanently make them live alone - they didn't do anything else than sleep & eat. Having them together is like night and day, they run around, snuggle, squabble, investigate, are curious about their environment, ask me for chin tickles & thrive with the company of their own kind.

I just wanted to back up what MochaAndMoo. She is spot on.

Guinea pigs should always be kept in pairs (or more) and male guinea pigs can bond with another male. That male does not have to be from the same litter or the same age. That is a myth. I have five males, none were adopted at the same time and all are different ages ranging from 1 to 4 years old. All are happy. Male guinea pig pairs do need a little bit more space than female guinea pig pairs though.

Please read this article to learn more about guinea pig social life and match making. https://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm

Ok, I'll get a male pair... the cage size I was planning is a 2 by 6 grid, with a 2 by 2 grid loft on top for the sleeping area... and the stand is going to be either a 2 grid high stand or I'll check out some op shops for a cabinet that'd be big enough to put the cage on

You should look into buying a folding table to use as a stand! They're reasonably inexpensive, and building a 2 grid high stand for a 2x6 would use a lot of grids - which would get pricy

I'm with everybody on keeping the pigs in pairs. Even though you spend lots of time with your little guy, and he bonds with you, it's not the same as having another piggy friend. We had our first pig for a good couple months before we adopted him a "brother," and the change in our first pig's personality and behavior was IMMEDIATELY evident! He'd talk to us and popcorn and seemed like a happy pig, but when we got a second pig he would no stop popcorning, they'd squeeze into snuggle sacks together, he was visibly happier, more talkative and more active, etc. Our boys are several months apart in age and obviously not from the same litter, but they are inseparable. They love to snuggle together, they keep each other entertained, and they are both just such happy pigs. And they both still love to bond with my boyfriend and I, even though they have each other. I almost regret not getting two pigs at once, but we love our boys soooo much and can't regret the path that led us to both of them

Ok I'll look into it.. Thanks for the tip... I know a place already where I can buy the grids, a pack of 16 for $20 I think

@HannibalLecter Getting girls spayed is different. They can't run or play. They were put on meds and just had surgery. Of course they won't run around

• View Profile
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)

I know that we have already established keeping pigs in pairs is best, but I thought I would throw my two cents in. Keeping pigs together is probably the best thing you can do. Even though my girls can get a little nutty during feeding time (getting a TEENSY food aggressive), when they snuggle up together at the end of the day, you know they love each other. I guess I would rather be around someone I disliked than all alone. Here is my view on keeping pigs alone even if you give them lots of attention & love. If you were kept in a closet all your life with only a guinea pig for company, you would begin to miss your interactions with other human beings. Sure, being ALL alone could be worse, so you are grateful for the pig, but you don't have anyone who really understands you, sees it from your level, and shares your same interests.
A word on folding tables. I keep my pigs on a folding table setup (I have a hound-beagle basset mix-who we just can't trust with them when they are on the ground). I LOVE my set up. A folding table set up is not only nicer during spot cleans than pigs on the floor, but they are a great storage saver. You keep your pigs up on the tables, and all of your supplies below the tables. I wish I could take a photo of my setup, but it is a mess right now, and it wouldn't be pretty. I keep little individual bins underneath my tables to organize my supplies. Can't find them online now, will see if I can track them down later. I keep pellet food in one, chews/treats in another, and then I have a pretty little wicker basket that I lined with a tall kitchen garbage bag to hold the hay. It is a really lovely setup, made possible by the tables. I had to use two long folding tables (that off white heavy-duty plastic kind), to hold my cage. Make sure that you bring your cage measurements when table shopping! It will save you a lot of heartache!
Now my thoughts on rescuing. I am the proud owner of a beautiful rescue pig, and she is wonderful. She was still young when I got her and is the biggest sweetheart I have ever seen. She is more affectionate than my dog! Anyway, just thought I would share my experience with rescue pigs GOOD LUCK!

PiggieGuinea said:

@HannibalLecter Getting girls spayed is different. They can't run or play. They were put on meds and just had surgery. Of course they won't run around

• View Profile
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)
• (broken link removed)

Click to expand...

I had one of my girls spayed, not both. The spayed girl regained full mobility after a few days but didn't get back to her old self until I reintroduced her to the other girl. The other girl was just as miserable & inactive during that period of being alone. The separation was not only during recovery after the surgery, but also before as she had ovarian cysts & was aggressive at times.

Basically, it was like they completely lost the spark in their life.

Found the bins I used!
(broken link removed)
Here is what I use for my hay:
https://www.target.com/p/set-of-2-h...&lnk=Rec|pdp|ClickCP|item_page.new_vertical_1
I haven't yet found a use for the second hamper in the set, other than storing additional hay. Just thought you might like to see what I used

Thanks for all the advice everyone ... One last quick question... I'm currently living with my parents, and I have definite permission for 1 piggy, so if I cant get them to agree to let me have 2 (despite how much I will argue that point).. Would it be so bad if I got 1 and had him solo until I start uni in March & have my own place?

Elyzian said:

Thanks for all the advice everyone ... One last quick question... I'm currently living with my parents, and I have definite permission for 1 piggy, so if I cant get them to agree to let me have 2 (despite how much I will argue that point).. Would it be so bad if I got 1 and had him solo until I start uni in March & have my own place?

Click to expand...

Personally I think you should wait until you can for sure have 2. There's no reason for making that pig wait in solitude just because you want him. I think that the need for a second pig is much bigger than the want for 1 and you should wait until you can accommodate all his needs, including a friend.