Getting a guinea

Question
Hi I'm getting a guinea pig but need help,


Cage size/type I know this wouldn't be the best cage but I have a 29 gallon fish tank and was wondering if I house one guineapig in there? they keep all the rodents/rabits in fish tanks at the petstores around here with no apperant problems(?)   



I get itchy if I use shavings/wood chips as bedding(slight allergy to it) and was wondering What else could be used that is fair priced and easy to obtain? Could I use old towels/blankets and wash them several times a week?  or should I use a loose bedding with cat litter under it to aborb smells? How often do you change bedding to avoid smelliness?

Everyone in the household for sure doesnt want a guinea pig(they have there own pets and life to tend to) I was planning to keep my guinea-pig close by my bedroom and was wondering if one or maybe later two guinea pigs would create a large amount of noise and smell? I plan to keep him/them very clean.


And lastly...sorry for the very large email and all the questions but I have one more question do I need to let the pig out of the cage so to speak? do they like to run aroudn or do they Need it? wont he get lost undersomething?

Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hi Tara,

Firstly ... as much as I love guinea pigs and think they make fantastic pets, I would advise you against getting them if they won't be welcomed by everyone in the house. Guinea pigs are very social animals, and will be unhappy if they are confined to a bedroom and not offered the opportunity to interact with the whole family (or group of friends). If you spend a lot of time in your room, and plan to get two piggies, then they might be okay - but it would be better for their welfare if they could live in a more communal area. You also need to be aware that guinea pigs do not sleep for long periods of time - they nap throughout the day and night. So, depending on their personalities, they may keep you awake all night chewing on the bars and shaking their water bottle as if they can see you, they will want your attention and probably some food! Piggies love people and company in general and they get into a routine - my boys live in our living room and they squeak everytime someone opens the fridge or cuts up veggies in the kitchen. They also go crazy whenever they see me pick up a handbag as they know I must be going out and want to make sure I don't forget to give them a treat. A guinea pig who is alone, will not have this sort of stimulating environment, which ultimately means they won't live as long.

A fish tank is not a suitable home for a guinea pig - which demonstrates why a pet shop is not a suitable place to buy a piggy from - but I will tell you more about this later. It restricts airflow making it hard for a piggy to breathe and causing condensation. Also, glass is not a suitable surface for piggies to grind their teeth and claws down on, and there is a strong risk of sunstroke in a glass cage during hot weather. You can keep your piggies in a hutch indoors (fit an extra bit of wood to stop their bedding spilling out everytime you open the doors), and special easy-to-clean indoor cages are also available. I would recommend the Nero range - you will need a Nero 3 for two adult guinea pigs, and can often pick up a bargain on eBay. You can also make your own "c&c cage" from correx and cube grids, as many enthusiasts do - this works out very cheaply and you can customise their cage exactly as you want it.

I use a layer of newspaper and dust-extracted wood shavings as bedding for my boys. Old towels etc are not suitable as aside from the continuous washing, your piggies will pull at the threads to eat them which will not be good for them. If you (or your piggies) have allergies then there are several specialist beddings on the market - megazorb and medibed are the most well-know. Never, ever use cat litter as it is toxic to guinea pigs. How often you need to clean out your piggies will depend on the size of their cage - I do mine every 5-6 days in winter, and every 4-5 days in the summer. When your piggies are very young or very old you will probably find that they go to the toilet more and need cleaning out more often.

Guinea pigs do need exercise, yes. If you can't get them an outdoor run and put them on the grass, you could get (or make) an indoor pen as yes - they do tend to wander off and get lost or eat things they shouldn't. My boyfriend and I often sit on the floor and make a diamond shape with our legs for our piggies to play in - they can climb over legs of course, but you'll notice them doing so and will have a chance to catch them first. I sometimes put an old towel down for them to play on too, but you have to watch to make sure they don't try to eat it, and it'll only be a matter of time before they venture off the towel and onto your floor. You can also get them out and let them climb over you and the sofa, but they will need longer periods of exercise on the floor too.

Before my parents would let me get my first piggies when I was 15 they made me read (and learn everything in!) The Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide by Myra M-something. I would recommend that you do the same as it's a really good book and will answer many of your queries. If you have any other questions though, just ask!

Jenny.