I'm having second thoughts about getiing a guinea pig(s), can someone help me decide?!?!?

Question

I only need like (this a large span but it's true) 22-50 more dollars...I'm really close except i have to convince my parents...I'm not sure i should get a guinea pig any more....please help me choose if you can list of pros and cons of owning a guinea pig thanks much!!

Answer 1

Firstly - congrats on looking into adoption - it really is the best thing you could do! I would agree with you that you should not get piggies from a pet store (supports breeding, overpopulation and poor care, often sick, mis-sexed or pregnant etc). You would be best either finding some needy piggies further away if you can get there, or waiting untilo some come up near you. You could also look into private rehomings - a lot of people that can't keep their piggies advertise them in local papers or on the net.

As for whether you should get them in the first place.... only you can decide this.

However, if you are not 100% certain that you really want them and can care for them properly, you shouldn't get them. It is unfair to get any pet then dump it on a shelter when you get bored later.

Pros:

Guinea pigs can be fun to watch (when they have a proper environment and company). They will eat all the time (!) play with eachother etc. Popcorning is brilliant - they run around and kind of jump in the air and twist their bodies - it looks like they are having a fit but just means they are really happy.

They make the best cute noises - usually wheeking for their veggies. My piggies climb on top of their pigloo and go nuts whenever they hear a bag rustle.

They are nice to hold and will usually sit happily on your lap to be petted. (Obviously you need to handle them regularly so they are not afraid of you, and you may get peed on).

They don't smell. Piggies themselves don't really have a smell as such (except scent marking by boars). Contrary to what other posters will have you believe, if you use a good bedding and clean them out regularly they do not smell. If your piggies stink you are neglecting them!

Cons:

Piggies are naturally nervous animals. They may hide a lot and will always try to run from you when you try to pick them up. Some people don't like this. Some piggies are also not really interested in people - they may tolerate being held or petted, but usually couldn't care less.

They need lots of space. Pet store cages are far too small for happy, healthy piggies. Home made cages are best - particularly c+c cagse which are cheap and easy to build. Two piggies should have a 2x4 c+c cage (about 10.5 sq feet of floor space).

They can be expensive to feed. Most guinea pig foods are c**p - full of junk fillers, carcinogenic chemicals, etc. The ONLY erally good pig foods are by Oxbow and Kleenmama's - sadly being proper foods they are a bit more pricey than other, crappy brands. Guinea pigs also need timothy hay available in unlimited amounts at all times - vital for proper digestion, wearing down teeth etc. They also need a variety of fresh veggies every single day.

Bedding can also be expensive, especially in a proper sized cage. Pine and cedar shavings are cheap but dangerous - they can cause respiratory and liver disease. Good beddings include aspen and carefresh which cost a bit more.

Finally, guinea pigs are social animals so need the company of their own kind. If you can / will only get one, please don't bother - it is not fair to keep them on their own, no matter how much human attention they get.

For more info - both on guinea pig care and to help you decide if piggies are the pet for you, check out

http://www.guineapigcages.com

Answer 2

Well guinea pigs need to be cared for and you need to kno a lot about them. for me the only con is having to change the cage :P but u have to do that for any pet. With guinea pigs u can teach them tricks ive taught mine 2. But before u even think of getting one u should read about them and kno wut they need, wut they cant eat, and how to care for them.

Answer 3

nobody can choose for you, its your money. I just got a saddle of my own and before I got it I wasn't sure if I wanted it. Well... I did but I didn't know if I should buy a saddle for 250! I love my saddle and its awesome. I wanted a bird when I was deciding what pet to get. I know guinea pigs are that expensive... But I have a chinchilla and they last a long time conpared to guinea pigs. They can last up to 20 years so you can have them when you older too :p Piggys take more work too because you have to clean there cage more often, they tend to stink the place up faster. Just my opinion :)

Answer 4

Pros: Fun, loving little creatures. They are easy to take care of. Dont get to big.

Cons: They can stink.

Good luck

Answer 5

I think you should get a hamster instead.Black bear hamsters are so cute and soft.And hamster don't cost that much!

Answer 6

After having my own guinea pig Promise I can honestly tell you pros and cons...hopefully you take them into account.

PROS-very fun loving, gentle creatures, fun to let them wonder around, cool to play with and put on your shoulder, very easy to take care of!

CONS-they can stink, like any animal they can bite, they shed bad (if long haired one),cost adequate amount of money for food and bedding,have short lifespan 3-5 years

Hopefully you make a good decision...either one you'll be happy with...(everything has cons)

Answer 7

I think if you're unsure, you should hold perhaps awhile.  Not to say that you should never get one, just to say that maybe you need a little more time to prepare yourself mentally for one.

((  These are all things I've learned from my friend whom has raised several guinea pigs over the years ))

[pros]

They seem to get attached to you and like to be around you.  When you talk to them, sometimes they'll squeak and talk back.  They don't shed and their diet is fairly simple with many possible treats around the house (carrots, apples, etc).  I haven't heard of them biting all that much either.  I had one when I was in preschool and I can't remember it ever biting me.  Nor my friend ever really reported a wound from a guinea pig.  They seem pretty gentle.

[cons]

I've found that guinea pigs have no regard as to where they pee.  It doesn't matter if you're their owner or your just visiting, guinea pigs pee when they have to and it's very hard to tell when they have to go unless you're scaring them.  Often times, they're very smelly.  I've found after the first few days of cleaning a cage, their cage begins to smell again.  They p**p a lot as well, so if you're letting them out, you will more than likely find a little trail of "bread crumbs" left behind them or get a stain on your carpet.  I had a guinea pig once when I was younger ( a lot younger ) and it peed on the tile of our bathroom floor.  And it stained.  We have white tiles and now there is a brownish orange stain from where he peed so many years ago and it still refuses to come out to this day.  

I've also found guinea pigs to be shy and timid, no matter how many years you've had them.  They always run away when something sudden happens and more than likely they'll always run into a house if you stick your hand in the cage.  They're also very fragile.  They have set spines that don't really move much in any other direction that left and right.  So you have to be careful about that as well.  Finally, they catch colds fairly easily.  If your little piggy catches a cold in the winter, you might notice him or her getting gunk around the eyes, getting nose bleeds, or even coughing up blood.  Often times it's very hard to help an ill piggy unless you take it to the vet ( I've never done that nor heard from anyone who has ).  So you have to keep their cage in a nice room (e.g. not the basement, perhaps your room? ) so they don't get too hot or too cold.  You may or may not be offended by the smell they give off and the noises they make during the night as they talk to themselves and run around their cage.

As many cons as I have listed, I still think that they are THE pet for some people.  Just not me..  If you're not really sensitive to smell and you're not a light sleeper, then keeping them in your room would be easy!  Also, it takes a lot of patience to work with them.  If you're patient, you may find a friend in this shy and timid creature.  Still, ask around--  Ask your friends if they think a piggy would be your best pet, ask your parents, and consider it yourself.  After all, it is you that wants one.  (:

Answer 8

i think you should get a hamster they are easier to take care of...you dont need to feed them three or two times a day and you dont have to clean the cage every 5 days or something

Answer 9

I have a guinea pig and theyare so funn.They follow ppl around ,squek with their high cute voices,eats bananas!!!they eat really funny if u would get a guinea pig let it eat a banana!oh and they are very cuddly.My old one used to sleep next to me,but my new one right now she would squek until somebody takes her on their arms or legs.^.^

Answer 10

Pros:

nice

gentle

easy to feed (veggies fruits pellets)

not that expensive

Cons:

squeak a lot (eeak eeak)

might bite

scared easily(well at least they always run from me when I'm at the pet store)

clean them and cage a lot

Maybe u should just get a hamster. They are cool.

Answer 11

There are so many reasons why having guinea pigs are good and why they're bad. But there are mgoods then bads! DEFENITY get one!!!