Want a Guinea Pig(s) Baby or Adult?

[Rayvn]

In my search for a piggy, I found two ads on craigslist for a 1 1/2 year old pig ,who appears to be a "cuddly" pig, given that he's being held upside-down in one of the pictures (my current pig still isn't cuddly even though I've had him for five months now), and one for three babies (I don't know the genders, but the poster says that he thinks they're all male). How much more work is a baby pig? I heard a lot of people say that they're hard to manage. I didn't think that I would be able to get babies, but there they are. Oh, and since I've been here long enough to know you guys love pigtures, here's the piggies:

 

[bpatters]

I don't know that just one picture indicates a "cuddly" pig -- that pig looks pretty unhappy to me! But most of them will learn to like cuddling if you have enough patience and hold them enough.

Babies are just very skittish, so it takes a lot of patience to socialize them. That's about the only extra work involved. We usually just caution people who are dead set on getting babies that while they're very cute, they are not friendly and will not come up to eat out of your hand or let you catch them easily. But as long as you know that up front and don't mind the extra time it takes to tame them, there's no problem.

But do make sure they're the same gender, and that the owner has separated them by the time they're three weeks old. You should read Sexing Guinea Pigs: How to Sex a Guinea Pig before you go look at them, and you might suggest that he read that also -- it's a very good tutorial on how to know if you've got boys or girls.

 

[Duffinvt]

Would you take all of the babies? For SURE check the sex or you will end up with an issue of two cages, etc. I had two adults and adopted two babies. While the babies are very cute, they are skittish. And they grow up so fast. I do love all of my ladies, but four adult guinea pigs are a lot to deal with. All the bedding, food, hay, etc. Keep in mind the babies will find homes as they are so very, very cute. The adult... maybe he needs a home more than the babies?

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Babies are adorable, and fun. And their fur is so soft. I think that babies are fine for someone with pig experience. Not so good for first time pig owners or kids.

If you are looking for a companion for an older pig, babies work very well. The older pig usually accepts a baby much more readily than a pig closer to their own age or size.

 

[FuryanGoddess]

Gumball was small when we got him, guess you could call him a baby... Darwin was smaller still, he's still small. Mr. Dad was grown. I love the feel and bulk of the big ones.. they're so much easier to hug and cuddle. JMO

 

[faithandhope]

I have two pigs, and they are a year apart. I had no problem putting them together, they seemed to naturally know their places on the totem pole. Yes, baby pigs are skittish, but (it may just be my pigs) they seem to relax more with an older, more 'mature' pig around. Duffinvt has a very good point. Have fun with your new pig, either one!