Behavior Guinea Pig right for me?

[ItsAmandaYall]

I'm looking for a cuddly companion, or more like an animal that would enjoy sitting in my lap and letting me pet him/her. I can't get a dog/cat. And I have thought about a rat, but they're too active for me and I hated constantly being peed on. Do guineas poop as much as rabbits? I heard rabbits poop every 30 seconds? Any advice? thanks.

 

[bpatters]

Guinea pigs poop a LOT. They're also herd animals, and do much better in pairs or herds. If what you want is an animal that will bond with you, come when you call, and be content to snuggle a lot, I wouldn't recommend a guinea pig. Some turn into cuddle bugs, but they're prey animals, and many remain very skittish all their lives.

Why can't you get a dog or a cat?

 

[HugglesBubble]

Have you looked into a ferret? I own two and they love to cuddle as we as play
They're extremely mich..eevous (sneaky) hence they're name.

 

[LoveMyHerd]

Guinea pigs are wonderful pets, however, you must be prepared for the cost and care these little guys take. Here are some questions every
prospective cavy owner should consider.

• Am I in a state of financial stability in which I could always procure an emergency vet fund?
• Am I aware and compliant with the fact that cavies are herd animals, and will need a friend?
• Do I have the space to adequately house them?
• Do I have the time in my schedule to spend time with my little pets?
• Do I have the patience to get to know these animals, and earn their trust?
• Do I understand that this is a long term commitment, and not something to be taken lightly?
• Do I completely understand the dietary needs of a guinea pig?

Consider these questions, and you should have your answer.

 

[AmberCalzone]

If you get a guinea pig, you need at least two. They're herd animals and need a friend of the same species ^.^
They need a lot of room, they're not a tiny cage animal. Bare minimum is 8 square feet of space for a pair. Bigger is always better.
They're not cheap. They need unlimited hay, each pig needs 1 cup of pig safe vegetables per day, and 1/8 cup of a high quality pellet per day.
Vet costs are expensive. They are exotic animals and need to go to an exotic, cavy-savvy vet. Normal cat and dog vets do not have the expertise to properly care for them. I brought my pig to the vet (spinal injury) and the bill to ran to about $600.

They poop a ton. Their cage needs to be spot cleaned every single day (sometimes twice a day), and will probably need a full cage clean 1x a week (depending on the bedding, but it's a fair estimate.

They will also pee on you.

But they are lovable and full of personality The perfect little pets in my opinion, despite all the energy, work and money that has to go into them.
Keep in mind - each has their own personality, and not all are lap piggies. I had one girl who loved the lap, would even take naps with me. I had another who couldn't stand to be picked up/on the lap, would tug and tug on my clothes until I put her back. She was a great pig on the floor, she even knew some tricks and was trained with a few commands, but she hated being in the lap.

 

[Soecara]

If you do decide that guinea pigs are right for you I would recommend finding a rescue near you and going to meet some pigs. You could even consider fostering rather then adopting straight out if you are still not 100% sure, that way if you decide you like the ones you are fostering you can apply to adopt them but if you don't like them you are not committed to keeping them.

In my experience some pigs can be very cuddly, like for example the boy who is my profile picture. While others absolutely hate lap time, like for example the cage mate of the boy in my profile picture. My pigs will not think twice about pooping on me during lap time, but most are less willing to urinate on me and will (usually) give me a warning before doing it, like tugging on my clothes or trying to hide or otherwise becoming very fidgety (sometimes they will even start making cranky guinea pig noises at me).

 

[EllaBellaMuffin]

Every guinea pig is very different I have a lap pig that wont pee or poo for a long periods of time as I also have a pig that starts pooing as soon as I put her on my lap (her revenge lol) And vet pills, I just had one of my guinea pigs ovarian cyst removed and everything together was close to a 1000 bucks. They do need lot of space for running around and a friend. Fostering a great way to start and see how you like it. Foster piggies usually come with cage and everything you need so you can have an idea what you might need.