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General What NOT to do for your guinea pigs!

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bpatters

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Half a cup is really more than you need to give adequate vitamin C for a pig. One-fourth to one-third cup should do it.
 

Elizabeth Nuss

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I feel the 'no advice from pet store employees' should be taken with a grain of salt. :/
I know a number of employees at my local pet stores that have guineas themselves and give good advice for food and care.

It should be changed to: Don't take advice from someone without researching first!
 

nanalynne

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You mentioned chopped peppers... should veggies be chopped?
 

scoottie

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With their veggies. Peppers contain a good amount of vitamin c in it
 

lunarminx

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You mentioned chopped peppers... should veggies be chopped?

I cut most of their veggies into 1-2 inch pieces. I rip the lettuce up as well unless I but it as salad mix.
 

lissie

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@nanalynne
I never chop the veggies. I give them the whole leaves.

I've read somewhere some pigs choked on chopped carrots. I think if veggies are chopped too small, it becomes harder for them to chew.
 

TurdineBaby

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Don't use bowls for water. They get easily contaminated as well as causing mess and possible drowning.
Don't put our guinea pigs in the bath back down...this is a thing that was adverised on pet tv shows in 'how to bathe guinea pigs' -_-
 

Melodica

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I don't really have any suggestions, but I do have a couple of comments.

Don't buy:

-- exercise balls
-- exercise wheels. None of those are good for GP backs.
-- treats with a lot of sugar, or that have hard nuts and/or seeds
-- yogurt drops. Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant

Don't use:

-- cedar bedding

I was looking on Craigslist and just searched for guinea pig and came across someone selling a pig and cage in my area. The pig was in a store cage in CEDAR shavings and there was a large wheel in the cage.
My husband and I were immediately concerned and ended up purchasing just the pig. When my husband met the lady to pick her up, she was in a HAMSTER ball. She's a small pig (only about 6 months old) so she fit in it, but you know if the owner had the hamster ball, she probably put the poor little thing in it more than once trying to get her to run around. She did bring some of the "treats" for her as well. Yogurt and nuts. SMH.

Anyway, she's doing fine now - runs around her cage a lot, wheeks every time she hears the stairs creak and tortures my husband by pulling on the water bottle while he's trying to work (he works from home). So glad we were able to get her out of that. If more people would do research on animals before buying them, this kind of thing wouldn't happen.


Don't:

-- have just one guinea pig. They're herd animals, and need another guinea pig as a friend.

We actually have one pig that cannot STAND other pigs. If you put another pig in with him, he will throw his head back like he's smelled something vile and get very ticked off. Tried multiple pigs. He just doesn't like them. He appears to be very happy by himself. He likes humans though. He will come to the side of the cage if anyone walks by and let them scratch his nose, cheeks and chin. So, while it might be rare, I guess all pigs don't need a friend!
 

lissie

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If you put another pig in with him, he will throw his head back like he's smelled something vile and get very ticked off. Tried multiple pigs. He just doesn't like them. He appears to be very happy by himself. He likes humans though. He will come to the side of the cage if anyone walks by and let them scratch his nose, cheeks and chin. So, while it might be rare, I guess all pigs don't need a friend!

Did you do proper introduction in a neutral area, or put another pig into his cage?
 

Melodica

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Did you do proper introduction in a neutral area, or put another pig into his cage?

Totally neutral area each time, on fleece that had never been used in a cage. Tried this with several other pigs, all with differing personalities. He just couldn't stand any of them.
 

lissie

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Melodica

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Were there full blown fights? Throwing his head back is just a dominance thing. They try to get their nose higher than the other guy.
Have you read these pages?
https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46468

Yes, there were fights. Fur flying, blood drawing, pig screeching fights. All it did was stress him out, so we just stopped trying. He seems perfectly happy by himself and we make sure to give him a lot of attention (which is easy because he's the pig that will run to the side of the cage and demand it).
 

nanalynne

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My girls don't like peppers. I have tried to give them to them several times and they won't eat them So far all I can get them to eat is lettuce and apples. Any other suggestions?
 

DroidGuineaPig

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An only Cavy is a lonely cavy
 

librarychick

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A few suggestions:

-rabbits CAN carry bordatella, buy not all do. Having rabbits in the same household is ok, but they shouldn't have direct access to each other.
-have children as the sole caregiver - some children are responsible owners, but an adult is ultimately responsible for the animals in their home.
-take advice from other guinea pig owners, non-specialist vets, or pet store employees without researching for yourself as well
 

Pinkandgold

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It's amazing how at stores there are "guinea pig treats" filled with seeds and nuts, and other things which are not safe for them! I'm wondering why they are out on the market. They are especially targeted for guinea pigs, and yet they are so unhealthy.
 

PixieTopaz

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I bought mine form a pet store. They are very happy and healthy. Been with me a month now. Sometimes that is the only choice. Even if I found one/two that were being re homed they still came from the pet store.
 

bpatters

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There's always an alternative to a pet store. You want to know what pet store animals lives are like? Read www.petsmartcruelty.com (very graphic images), and remember that Rainbow Exotics is still in business and still supplying PetSmart and Petco.
 

pigmommy89

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Also, the pet store doesn't make money off of one you get from another home. Even if that pig did come from a pet store originally , you still aren't supporting the store. And FYI, i have had healthy pet store pigs too, but I've also had sick ones that died days after purchase. That's why I'll adopt from now on. To try to help break the cycle.
 

PixieTopaz

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My other option other then pet store was not to get any.
 
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