New guinea owner here!

[PopcorningLove]

I adore this website and I love forums more so I decided to join! So, hi! I haven't got a guinea pig yet but I'd love to have one. I've been trying to find many people that don't have time to care for their guinea pigs on advertising sites but no replies. D: I may still have a chance to get one but the chances could be 50/50.

 

[vicky2]

Welcome to the forum!!!
If you ever have trouble finding piggies to adopt, let us, on the forum, know and we could help you.

 

[1frankie7]

you should try to get two or at least thats what they told me. but i only have ne currently and i am looking for a buddy for him!

 

[PopcorningLove]

Hey! Probably should change my title to 'New guinea lover' instead since I technically don't own a cavy yet. And ooh, first day and Ive already got 2 mod notices editing my posts. o.o But seriously, no one ever told me NOT to post in center. xD

you should try to get two or at least thats what they told me. but i only have ne currently and i am looking for a buddy for him!

Yep! I've heard of that. I'll try to get him/her a partner but my parents are already bending their rules for me to get one guinea pig and would probably freak when they hear me beg for one more. Tell me if you have any luck finding yours a buddy.

Welcome to the forum!!!
If you ever have trouble finding piggies to adopt, let us, on the forum, know and we could help you.

Yes! I actually do need help! But I don't think any cavies are available for adoption in Calgary, Canada. Oh and how may this forum help me find myself a little pig? lol

 

[PopcorningLove]

Ah, never mind. I see the forum about Adopting now.

 

[akstrohm]

I'll try to get him/her a partner but my parents are already bending their rules for me to get one guinea pig and would probably freak when they hear me beg for one more.

Guinea pigs really do need to be kept in pairs. They are social animals and no amount of human interaction can take the place of another guinea pig. They need a friend of their own kind to talk to and interact with.

You should talk to your parents about the level of care guinea pigs require. They are not easy or cheap to care for. They require not only a friend, but also fresh vegetables twice daily, a large cage, and vet care. They can live 5-8 years or more. Are your parents willing and able to provide the space and money (including for vet emergencies)? If not, unfortunately I don't think guinea pigs are for you. It's not fair to the pig to keep it alone.

 

[Scarlet]

Yes! I actually do need help! But I don't think any cavies are available for adoption in Calgary, Canada. Oh and how may this forum help me find myself a little pig? lol

Actually if you check thet calgary humane society there is one in there. A male agouti I believe, he looks really sweet. Also if your able to travel there a several in the edmonton humane society as well!

 

[heartpiggies]

Welcome! The moderation around here can be a little...heavy. But it's a wonderful place to learn about proper guinea pig care. The people here really love guinea pigs. I agree with the posters above that guinea pigs are actually rather high maintenance pets. You have to offer a continuous supply of high quality pellets, hay and fresh veggies. Fresh vegetables are a crucial part of their diet and they must have appropriate veggies offered to them every single day. This is something to think about if your family doesn't eat a lot of veggies and/or are on a strict grocery budget. They also poop constantly (lots of cage cleaning) and some of them can be rather noisy! You're in the right place to educate yourself before you decide to become a cavy slave

 

[Duffinvt]

I recently adopted two female guinea pigs. I love them very much, but believe me, they are a LOT of work. And expensive to own if you buy them all the foods they require. I am off to the vet for our first appointment and I am sure it will be expensive. I am an adult, but I'd advise people, especially young people, to be very, very sure they can take care of guinea pigs properly before adopting. Especially if you are in your parents home and they will be paying the food and vet bills. I sure wish there was a way people could foster for a while or help a guinea pig owner for a while, just to be sure they want to commit to this. I am devoting at least two hours per day to the care of my guinea pigs. Now, I am not complaining, just being honest !

 

[akstrohm]

Guinea pig rescues do need foster homes to look after pigs temporarily. If there is a rescue in your area, you should ask about this.

You can always volunteer at a shelter or rescue to spend time with animals and learn about their care without a long-term committment.

 

[juliaaa]

I'll try to get him/her a partner but my parents are already bending their rules for me to get one guinea pig and would probably freak when they hear me beg for one more.

Welcome! I know what it's like having to abide by what your parents want, but maybe through this site you can convince them that having two piggies has some major benefits. Not only does it improve your guinea pig's life, but you can actually witness how happy they are having someone to talk to and run around with . And truthfully, caring for two piggies is not much harder than caring for one. Good luck!

 

[vicky2]

About finding pigs to adopt, how far are you willing to drive?

 

[PopcorningLove]

Thanks for all the help in all your useful posts, folks! Yes, I'm younger than 18 but I'm sure I'll be committed to it. I've done as much research available online and in books. I know that they need timothy hay to wear down their teeth and shouldn't be fed alfalfa hay due to it's high nutritious value and stuff. And their cage needs to be cleaned once a week and all poops sweeped up everyday. Will need fresh variety of vegetables. Do best in groups of 2 or more. Cage should be on the table since they're scared easily by the fact that you're humongous. The thing I don't know is if pellets are a necessity. Are they? Oh, and I've shown my parents a page that discusses about Guinea Pig behaviour and that they're very social animals and they said, 'Yes'! But there's a catch. They don't believe I'll stick with this and they think I might end up abandoning them in the end. Of course I won't do that so now I'm positive that I'll be having myself some adorable loving piggies.

Thanks for the Calgary Humane idea. I'll be asking my parents to drop by there.

And uh, I'll be willing to drive all corners of Calgary but I'm afraid I wont be able to go out of the city.

 

[PopcorningLove]

Sorry to double post but I saw Charlie the male agouti pig on the website and I've fallen in love. Anyone ever adopted from them? What are the rates?

 

[akstrohm]

It is in theory possible to do a pellet-free diet, but this is not for beginners. You should provide 1/8-1/4 cup of high quality timothy hay-based pellets per pig per day for an adult pig (over 6 months). Good brands include Kleenmama and Oxbow.

If you will be attending college or moving out of the house within the next 5-10 years, I strongly urge you to adopt an older pig. They are often friendlier than young pigs and are very much in need of homes.

I also recommend you show your parents the diet and nutrition charts and the sample menus so they understand what and how much you need to feed for veggies. Scraps from dinner won't do. Did you talk to them about providing money and transportation for vet care?

 

[Scarlet]

Sorry to double post but I saw Charlie the male agouti pig on the website and I've fallen in love. Anyone ever adopted from them? What are the rates?

$15 for the piggies, though I have never adopted from them myself yet.....YET lol I have heard nothign but good things about the calgary human society! And if you dont snatch that cutie up, I am lol

 

[PopcorningLove]

Ah, speaking of high quality, I've been wondering where to buy high-quality hay. My friend says she buys Timothy and Alfalfa from Wal-Mart but I have no idea if they're good hay.

I'll be adopting an adult one anyway. I've heard of younger ones being very violent when going through puberty.

Of course I won't feed it scraps! Don't worry! xD My family eats vegetables raw and right now our fridge is stocked with celery [do pigs eat that?], carrots, lettuce, etc.
I've been skipping lunch and saving the money for the cage and other supplies. I think I have enough for the cage, fleece, waterbottle and food. My parents have agreed to pay for the rest.

 

[akstrohm]

Kleenmama sells excellent quality hay. It is only available online. You can also use other brands of hay or get it from a local farm as long as it is horse quality (not cow quality). All pigs need grass hay (doesn't have to be timothy) in unlimited amounts. You can feed a bit of alfalfa hay as a treat if you want. Look for hay that is fresh, green, and not dusty.

They can have a little bit of celery and carrots. They can have quite a bit of lettuce as long as it's not iceberg. They need a lot more than just that though. Have you seen the diet and nutrition charts and sample menus?

I don't recommend skipping lunch to save the money. Ask your parents if you can do chores around the house to earn it instead. Did you specifically ask them about paying for vet care? It can easily be several hundred dollars in an emergency, so you should make sure now that they are willing and able to pay that.

Are you planning on making a C&C cage?

Don't forget you'll need a scale and nail clippers too. A lot of people forget those things.

 

[PopcorningLove]

Oh yep, I've looked at the chart and I'll be printing a copy of that so I'll know what to feed him/her.

It's absolutely fine that I skip lunch. I rarely get hungry and I'm not too worried about stunting my growth since I'm probably the 2nd tallest in class. xD Yep, all of those covered.

I'll be providing a 2x4 C&C cage or maybe a bit less depending on the kind of coroplast Michael's has. I'll also be using fleece bedding and I'll place the cage on a large table.

Oh. Well, I've heard of people recommending a scale in case the guinea pig is pregnant, has a tumor, is obese, etc but I decided to just use a kitchen scale. Is there a specific scale for small pets? What should I buy? I also heard you can use normal human clippers but it'll have to have it's own pair. I even watched a video of someone using a human clipper. I'm kind of not too keen on doing that though because I see people warning others that their pigs flip out and accidentally caused them to cut too far. o.o Don't wanna do that to my pig. Heck noo.

 

[PopcorningLove]

What would be awesome is if a very informed person or a cavy savvy could make a quiz on cavy care or something.