Guniea pigs anyone

[Von]

We put our dog down last year and DD really wants another puppy but DH and I are just not ready to take that step yet so we were thinking of getting another form of pet. Something that does not require training and is quit and easy to care for.

Anyone tell me anything about ginuea pigs. Are they tolerent of kids? Where do you keep them, inside or out? any tips advice on them would be great.....or if you can think of another type of pet besides fish that may fit what we are after please tell....

[ss_storm]

Guinea pigs are great, as long as your dog is ok with it?? My aunty got a guinea pig for her girls and they absolutely loved him. THey are relatively easy to care for, and set up, buying the cage is probably the most expensive bit! If you can I would try and get a pair (make sure they're both the same sex!), or get a guinea pig and a rabbit, so it doesn't get lonely being by itself... I would say they are fairly tolerant of children, they'll soon let you know with their squeaking if they are being hurt, and it's a good way of teaching the kids to be gentle with animals (rather than say being rough with a dog and risking a dog bite).

I think they can be kept outside quite easily, just make sure they have adequate shelter, shade in summer and somewhere to keep nice and warm in winter so they don't suffer from exposure to the elements. Good luck with your decision, guinea pigs are so cute!

[Von]

Thanks for your reply storm, you have convinced me a little more the a guniea pig is the right pet....We don't have to worry about our dog accepting the guniea pigs cause he has gone to doggy heaven...

[nic]

My brother had guinea pigs, which we thought were same sex, but turns out they weren't and there we quite a few baby's running around lol.

We had them outside in a nice big cage. I think my dad built it? (could be wrong there) If your DH is handy he could make something up out of timber with some chicken wire or something else. One end was closed in so they had somewhere cool to chill out with their hay. We would just move their little house around the back yard so they had new green grass to munch on every few days and to avoid brown patches of dying lawn lol.

Scraps for food - lettuce and carrots. Not sure what else he feed them. He would go and get them out and sit down on the grass with them. I do remember them having a little bite at him every now and then, but obviously didn't deter him as he had them for quite a few years.

[Von]

LOl I wish my DH was handy the kids and i have been waiting 5 months now for the cubby house he is going to build them..all the material is sitting around the backyard but to be honest I don't think he has the first clue as to how to begin...so I can not see him doing a hutch anytime soon either......

[nic]

LOl I wish my DH was handy the kids and i have been waiting 5 months now for the cubby house he is going to build them..all the material is sitting around the backyard but to be honest I don't think he has the first clue as to how to begin...so I can not see him doing a hutch anytime soon either......

PMSL Von...DH was building a cubby house for DD too, she is now 9 and I think might be a little big for one now LOL. I got a book from the newsagent that was a better homes and garden one i think (was a tiny little book) and it had different styles of cubbies in it, with all the measurements and timbers and how to make each one.
Back to the guinea pigs, maybe keep an eye out on the for sale section in your local paper for people selling hutches, I see them a bit in our local papers

Nic

[Von]

I may have to have a look for the cubby house book you mentioned...At least if I had a copy I may be able to pull it off myslef.....or not lol...off to do a google search on the cubby book...and for hutches

[nic]

I just had a quick look and I can't find the cubbyhouse one at the moment, but found another one from the same series and they are called - mini workbook series, and they are BH&G, released by murdoch books.

[Von]

Thanks for the Nic....I was having no luck finding the cubby one either

[nic]

Ok, did a google search for Murdoch books, then searched their website for mini workbook series, scrolleed to the bottom of the page, to the DIY mini workbooks, where it says they are no longer in print and have put them into a compilation in 2 new books.
I got mine from the newsagent, so you might get lucky and find one there or maybe a library?

[Von]

lol my luck that they don't print them anymore...I just did a google search for better homes and gardens cubbys and they came up with a few they have made on the show so will print them out and start nagging dh to get it done before next weekend or else....

hey thanks for your help

[Astrid]

Check out Bunnings for a flat pack hutch, think we saw one for about $60, this was just after DH had just built one from scratch.