Starting out with a Piggy..?

Question

I have a rabbit cage a lot similar to this one:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752671&keepsr=0

and I know it meets the requirements for size but I want to liven it up and add something like this step type thing to my cage:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751773

What are some ways to make that? And with what products?

Also what are some things I will need to purchase when I get my guinea pig?

Answer 1

Ok.. That rabbit cage will do.. Make sure you remove the wire bottom if you have one..

Buy 2 guinea pigs of same gender..

So they wont be lonely..

You Need to buy:

2 low ceramic bowls- one for pellets, one for veggies

1 water bottle

bedding- buy Carefresh or KAYTEE Total Comfort

Hay- It depends what age your guinea pig will be. For 6 Months and younger, buy Alfalfa hay, for Older buy Timothy Hay.. They need it every day for digesting

Food- Get High Quality Food with Vitamin C in It..

Most food at Petsmart is like junk food to them.. Get Oxbow or Kleenmama's Hayloft

Guinea pigs CANNOT produce their own Vitamin C like other humans and animals, So they need it in their food..

Get Veggies like Tomatoes,Cucumber(favorites),Romaine Lettuce, Bananas, Oranges, Apples, and Kale

Guinea pigs are $35 at Petco and Petsmart.. I bought 2 of mine from Petsmart..

That other answer about the petsmart cruelty is BS!!!..

Why is Petsmart still in business?? Wouldnt they be shut down by now? PETA just wants money from they donations..

You need to put them in an area that not too cold and not too hot.. Anything over 85 degrees Fahrenheit will kill them.. And dont pu them in Areas that have drafts-- Near doors, near windows, near vents, etc.. and dont pu them anywhere where its damp-- laundry rooms, Unfinished basements,etc..

You need to spot clean the cage every day and change all the bedding once a week for 1 pig and maybe every 3 days for 2..

Guinea pigs live for 4-8 years..

Good luck!

AS FOR THE CAGE:

cavycages.com

you can make cages like that for less than the price of probably that rabbit cage  you have..

Answer 2

Please see http://www.guineapigcages.com and http://www.guinealynx.info -- these two sites will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know and then some.

FOOD:

Make sure you are feeding a high quality plain pellet without dried bits of dehydrated gunk.  I recommend using Oxbow or Kleenmama's pellets. http://www.oxbowhay.com or http://www.kmshayloft are the best. If you cannot get those online, for pellets I'd recommend Mazuri 5664.

They need grass hays, unlimited, 24/7. If the piggie is under 6 months old, he/she can also have alfalfa hay. The hay aids in their digestion and without it they can develop a lot of problems.

They need 1 cup of fresh veggies per day, consisting mostly of dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce, green leaf, swiss chard, cilantro, bell peppers (green or yellow mostly, and a small amount of red). For more info on cavy nutrition, visit http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/diet... and there's also a chart of what veggies are best and how often.

ENVIRONMENT:

I have a Cubes & Coroplast cage -- http://www.guineapigcages.com -- built myself, which cost less than $45 total.  I took old campaign signs for the coroplast to make the bottom box, so those didn't cost me anything extra.

If you only have one, the best thing you can do for him/her is to get a same-s*x friend.

Other good toys, though, are cozy sacks/cuddle cups, a fleece blanket to explore under, soda pop boxes with two or three entrance/exit holes (make great tunnels), fleece or towel tents clipped to the side of the cage, an old sock stuffed with a tennis ball in the toe and then tied off (or empty, or with a bit of hay inside), empty cardboard tubes stuffed with hay and a slit down the side so they don't get their heads stuck, and ping pong balls. There are also many cat and/or bird toys that piggies might like, just make sure there's nothing that can break off and be a choking hazard.

***Your cage should be a minimum of 7.5 square feet.*** If you are using a smaller pet store cage, I recommend looking at guineapigcages.com, as it has easy and INEXPENSIVE how-tos on building your own custom cage. **Including second levels, and ramps**

Previously, it was accepted that 2 sq ft per pig was enough. This is really not true if you want your pig to lead a happy, healthy life with exercise on his/her own time instead of when you can let the cage door open so they can play on the floor. You will delight in being able to watch your piggies do laps around their cage and 'popcorn' like mad!

Also, I am anti-pigloo because they take up so much floor space and they only have one exit/entrance. If a second pig (or the dreaded "hand") tries to get in, there's no way for the pig to get out if it's scared -- they're prey animals and also have dominance arguments. Instead, I use a lot of fleece tents and tunnels and other things I've made for them to hide under/in with a minimum of two exits.

For bedding, make sure to use any of the following: Aspen, KILN-DRIED pine, carefresh (or like products), or fleece over absorbent towels or mattress pads. You can use black & white newspaper underneath, especially with loose bedding, to aid in the ease of cleaning up. You may want to contact your newspapers to see if they are using all soy-based inks.

You need to allow your piggie at least one hour of time exploring/floor time each day.

MEDICAL CARE:

If you get your pig from a pet store, I recommend taking it to a knowledgeable "exotics" vet so that they can treat for anything the poor critter was exposed to, like mange mites (which can be deadly left untreated).

Get a kitchen scale if you don't have one already, and weigh your pig weekly. This will help give you a baseline of weight, and if there is anything wrong one of the first signs is weight loss.

Nails should be clipped a minimum of once per month.

If your pig develops crust around the eyes or nose, take them to the vet immediately as that is a sign of an upper respiratory infection, which cavies are prone to. Untreated, it can develop into pneumonia and your pig may pass on.

If the pig is short haired, a small baby brush should be used to groom him/her once a day. Long haired varieties need to be combed daily and you should keep the hair around the bum trimmed neatly to prevent any mats around "there", and also to keep the piggie tidier.

Most pigs should not be bathed more than twice a year. Depending on the breed, bathing them more frequently (like a teddy or rex) can put them at risk of a fungal infection of the skin.

I hope that helps. If I left anything out or you have other questions, please be sure to let me know.

Answer 3

don't get a cage from petsmart you'll see why if you go on http://www.petsmartcruelty.com/

Answer 4

well start with the essentials: food,water,shredded paper,something to clean the cage out with.things like that

Answer 5

Rabbit cages are bad for guinea pigs since they have a wire bottom floor and their paws get stuck in the gaps, and they brake their paws :(

Levels are good for rats, but floor time will be great for piggies. (You can just let them run around on the floor, just make sure you hide electric cords etc)

For bedding. the cheapest way is to use newspaper, covered by shavings (you can buy them at walmart)

For toys (and this is important) Make sure they are wooden toys or anything similar to that, since they HAVE to chew on something. Rodent's teeth never stop growing so they constanty have to grind on something to keep them short.

Pellets are good food but make sure they get enoughh vitamic C. Some people crush up a vitamin C tablet and mix it into pellets.

You can feed them apples and carrots and lettuce on the side :)

They need plenty fresh water.. hmm.. Theres more but thats all I can think of without over-whelming you :)

Hope you have fun with your guinea pig :)

Answer 6

Heyy, i think i might be able to help. I have a guinea pig right now, and i had one when i was little. They are really great pets, and i find the best thing to put them in is a clear box like this:

http://images.orgill.com/200x200/6261622...

take the lid off, and fill the bottom of the box with Bedding, and take the lid and cut a large rectangle on half of the top, then drill holes around the other half. Place the water and food dishes anywhere in the box, if your guinea pig is fussy like mine, he/she will push his/her dishes around to the spot they want. Go to Walmart, and you will find a good box for a cheap price, make sure its deep though so the guinea pig wont jump out :) To clean it, simply dump all the bedding in the garbage, and fill it half way with soap and water, then rinse it with the hose outside. Your guinea pig will be much happier in the open space and its alot easier to pet him/her. They will get excersise easier too, because when they get excited, they will run around in circles in the box, my guinea pig usually makes a pillow at one of the corners and sleeps. :) hope that helped!

Answer 7

Guinea pigs usually don't like the whole ramp thing, but you can use cardboard (strong cardboard) to make a ramp and a second floor. Just make sure you don't use tape or glue because if the guinea starts chewing on it it could poison him. I would use some sort of twine and make it so it is not reachable on the inside of the cage, by putting the string through the middle layer in cardboard. When you get your guinea pig, make sure you have food made for guinea pigs because they are like humans and don't produce their own vitamin c. If you don't want to do that just make sure you give him apples and carrots and lettuce to keep him healthy. Make sure the bedding you get isn't dusty either, I used pine. And make sure you have a water bottle  and a food dish. I also gave my guinea pig timothy hay, and he loved it.