Should We Get a Guinea Pig

Hello B.,

We adopted a Guinea Pig when my daughter was 3 1/2 years old. This was a great little guinea pig and my daughter did enjoy her company - however - MOST G.Pigs are very shy little critters and all they want to do it run away to a hiding place.

A more social critter is a pet Rat. Rats are smaller and more delicate but they are so social and have made great pets for my daughter. The down side to rats are their short lifespans.

Positively,
M.

I had 2 guinea pigs when I was 12 or 13. If you don't change the cage every day or every other day, they really start to stink. Also, they will eat just about ANYTHING. Plastic, wood etc...Other than the frequent changing of the cage we enjoyed having them.

H.

Hi I have a guinea pig or should I say its my 10 yr old daughter. We have had tinkerbell for over a year and a half we got here when she was a few weeks old. They are very easy but if I were you I would go online and read up on them. I found out you can get different things from guinea pigs after we got her. I have a 2 year old and she loves her they will sit and talk back and forth to one another (my little one and the guinea pig). The guinea pigs make squeaking noise and believe me they let you know when they are in need of something. The only bad thing is they are kinda messy and their cages start to stink pretty fast-I have to change it a minimum of once to twice a week. But my advice is go online and find out all the facts before hand.

Guinea Pigs make such GREAT pets.Gender really isn't an issue with these critters as far as temperment or anything.They're all pretty loveable..love to be held, fed(ours is on a diet.lol) and just talked to.They're called caveys and tho they love to have something to run and hide in can be VERY social animals which is nice for a child cuz what would be the point in a pet u never see right? LOL My daughter has a hermit crab she's pretty much over but still loves to care for although he just hides most of the time despite people saying they aren't hermity at all.

My piggie Truffles (adopted from animal control) my 2.5 yr old daughter is convinced that he's hers.She even helps care for him.When I have to clean his cage she sits on the sofa with him in her lap (I'm just a few feet away in case of anything) and will usually feed him a veggie snack of sorts.
Piggie's LOVE attention and when they get bonded with the members of your family, specially the one(s) doing most of the feeding/cleaning they will "talk" to u and it's just the cutest thing.
For Truffles we went to Petco and bought him guinea pig starter home.It came with a wire cage/plastic bottom, water bottle, dish, shelf & ramp, some food, treats and bedding.I payed about $60 for it.All I needed to add at that point was a lil pet igloo and some chew toys.Also don't use pine or cedar chips as bedding because it causes respitory problems in piggies and could be fatal.We go to walmart and get the pine shavings which we were told are ok from Animal Control where we adopted him almost 1.5 ago.I think Truffles is the easiest pet we have right now.We also have red ear sliders, 2 fish tanks, mice, a hamster being fostered by a friend due to living at my moms again, an outside dog and 3 indoor cats.I zoo, I know.lol It's nothing compared to what I grew up with really, I need a few more of each and then a horse to complete the list of what I had growing up.lol

Overall I believe a pig is a perfect first pet, even for a 3 yr old.It gives them a chance to learn some responsibilities and they usually enjoy the time with pet so it benefits everyone :)

If you want a pet that really interacts with your son, is very smart and very active you might want to consider a pet rat rather than a guinea pig. We've had rats as pets and we've had guinea pigs...the difference was quite noticable in the difference between their nature and what can be done with them as far as interacting with them.

I've read the other responses and of course you and your husband will be the caretakers for the pet but your son could be involved in some small way and it would be a way for him to learn at an early age that pets are a responsibility and how to properly care for a pet. Guinea pigs are quite noisey whereas rats are very quiet. You sound like you are being realistic in what to expect when it comes to a pet your son could handle physically. Of course it goes without saying that all physical contact between your son and the pet will be 100% supervised. This is a great opportunity to teach your child how to be gentle with animals. My 19 month old grandson already knows how to be gentle with our cats and dogs...it was how he was raised. A rat will climb up and down his arms, sit on his shoulder and generally be very, very personable as a rule. Guinea pigs not so much. When we had ours it was never handled because it simply wasn't into being handled. The main activity we had with it besides watching it in the cage (kind of like paint drying as they aren't that active) was to take it out in the back yard in the spring so it could have some fresh air. Rats are fairly clean and cleaning their cage once a week should be plenty to keep them from smelling. Rats will eat out of your hand and when you reach in for them they will stand on their hind legs to sniff your fingers and will often climb onto or into your hand of their own choice.

I saw here that someone recommended a bunny. Rabbits aren't much more handling friendly than guinea pigs in my experience and they not only can bite but their claws are very sharp and they will claw anyone they feel threatended by.

You really should investigate having one or two pet rats. You won't ever regret it as they are just as interactive and interested in their owner as any dog is.

Of course if you just want a pet your son can watch but not play with a guinea pig or a fish would be equally as suitable.

Good Luck,
C.

Guinea pigs are great pets, but I would wait until your son is older and you don't have a child under 2. They can bite, the guinea pig that is. Your daughter is going to want to hold it and play with it as well. They are small animals and they can be hurt when squeezed or held too tight. And as that's happening they will defend themselves. Their care is relatively easy, a large wire cage with cedar shavings that should be changed every 3 to 4 days. Water bottle, feed, toys. They like to run around, loving wide open spaces when the opportunity arises. If you get a young one, they can learn to be receptive to petting and cuddling. They are rodents, so their teeth continue to grow, they need to chew on hard things to keep their teeth managable. Great pets, but for kids somewhat older. You won't be able to take vacations and have a guinea pig at home for an extended period of time. You'll have to find a sitter for the pig. Something to consider, there's no kennel for small animals.

We have two guinea pigs ourselves and I love them. I would say that they are a lot of work. You are suppose to clean the cage every day. I do it every other day. They are messy though and I have to vacuum around their cage every day. (I also have to keep my house extra clean because it is also a daycare and preschool.) They are very sweet animals and like a lot of attention. Ours are very calm even with my hyper two year old. My boys and our class loves them. I would say get them if you into cleaning the cage out (takes about 10 minutes) and if you are willing to play with them. They are very social.

Our daughter asked for Guinea pig when she was 10. She is a really responsible child (has eye contacts and takes care of them etc). So I thought she would have no trouble taking care of her Guinea pig. Well it ended up I took care of him a lot, and he just became one more chore of hers. I asked her why she didn’t like playing with him and she said she has tried but he bit her and know she is scared. When my husband and her picked him out and the humane society, she picked him out because he looked cute. When she brought the paper work home, it said he was shy, but warms up to people. After 2 years of me trying and trying to work with him, he never warmed up. He died a few months ago, and my daughter wasn’t even that sad. Anyway that is my story. Do with it what you will. Good Luck! asked for a guinea pig

My baby brother (14 yrs younger than me) was playing with a guinea pig when he was about that age. He was playing too rough and broke its back....the poor thing had to be euthanized. That didn't make for fond memories.....

Listen really, these guys are very cute, soft friendly, not sure if they will bite or not never waited or upset one, but do know for a fact they are very noise, they tend to build up a stink even if you are on top keeping the cage clean, these creatures have a scream to them do think heavy on it, I myself liked the hamster, yes, they too can bite some but what animal dosent depends on how they get treated, these small ones can be put in a plastic ball and do roll all over in the house both are night animals up when you are not sleep when your awake really not too much fun for a little one that age. get a small aquarium with fish and one that uses the air a little one will watch for hours either way you need to have the final say because experience is where you learn about the future of information for later use. S., vancouver Wa

I can so understand how your son is interested in having a pet. ;)
However,... at 3.. he is not the one who is going to take care of the the 'little rascal'. cute as they may be.
you already have your 3 yr old to take care of... no sense making a daily task you don't need.

I have 2 kitties -which I love dearly - and were before kids...
but a pet is still a pet and needs constant care.. daily. so for now.. sey sorry son,. not now,. but later... when you are older....

Not all of the responses below are accurate...please research from a reliable souce before getting a Guinea pig.

A good web site is cavy corner. http://www.cavy-corner.0catch.com/index.html

We picked up two guinea pigs when my daughter was 2...
my suggestions, don't put them in the child’s room. Have them at a level so the children can look at them and they won't be temped to climb and pull the cage down. And supervise all contact.

They need fresh food and water every day. They need ruffage, fresh veggies & Timothy hay, they don't need special vitamin C treatments, just an orange slice once in a while. I have two piggies in a small cage (from Petco for $60)so I clean the cage every two days, lined w/ newspaper, a layer of cedar (to keep down smells and soak urine) then our old shredded documents or shredded newspaper.

Piggies are social animals so it is suggested to have two...but that also means twice the litter cleaning. They also need regular handling and exercise, I layout on old rug and sit w/ them while they run around and so my daughter can pet them-teaching her ‘soft hands’. The more you handle them the easier floor time is. My piggies know to stay on the specific rug so I don’t have to chase them around. They will chew so be careful they don’t get around electrical cords. We handle them about 20 minutes at a time to prevent piddles on the rug, they pee as much as a 8 week old small breed puppy which why they need frequent cage cleaning.

They can swim, and you can bathe them with mild soap-I use my baby soap. They also need toenails trimmed every other month which can be done w/ cat or puppy nail trimmers.

They have been great for my family. My daughter has learned to care for her own pet. She’s learned to be gentle. Also I like that they are safe and contained and don’t get into things like a dog or cat. I really like the fact that I can control the contact. I know and my child won’t get bit, scratched, or knocked over.

You can rescue a piggy at Petfinder.com or contact a 4-H child that raises them as a project. I would not suggest supporting Pet stores. Both of our piggies are rescues.

Good Luck!

You're in luck! They aren't really high maintenance but can be a bit on the smelly side if you don't clean their cage out regularly (especially their urine). They do have a habit of leaving pellets around just like any other rodent. They are a hardy pet as well so they don't die easily. They can, however, pick up speed quick so be sure that if you get one to keep it in an area during playtime where he/she can't get under anything (I recommend a he - do research so the pet store doesn't sell you a "he" only to find a litter a few weeks later).

They are quite noisy. I had some in college, and at first they squealed whenever they heard the rustle of a plastic bag (since they learned to associate that with lettuce). Then they learned to squeal whenever someone opened the refrigerator (since they associated that with lettuce). Overnight guests became much less frequent since sleep with a guinea pig nearby is not so easy.

Having owned guinea pigs once, I don't plan to do it again, especially not as a pet for my little boy. All animals are unpredictable, but I think rodents are even more so.

Also, if you end up with a pg guinea pig, and have to get rid of the babies, that might be a hard lesson for your son. (The one we got was pg, so we soon had 5 instead of 1!)

Good luck!

not the kind of pet you want for a small child. Their cages need cleaned frequently, they aren't durable pets. Young children may drop them...off their lap, out of their hands, etc. when the pet squirms. They are not the kind of pet that will do well with your children. I wouldn't get that type pet for any child under 7 or 8 yrs. old. They also breed quite well if you get 2.....we know. We ended up with 16 at one point. WOW. Anyway, my older kids did put them in their pocket (shirt not pant!) and watch them as they walked around. They also cuddled up on the couch to watch tv, but we did notice with company that came over, the young kids get scared and fling the pig off their lap, or drop it when it squirms. And they do squirm quite a bit.

I agree with all of the previous responses, Guinea Pigs are probably not the best pet for a toddler/preschooler. In addition to that though, you should probably know that guinea pigs secreet urine through pores in their skin 24 hours a day, so unless your son is very consistent about washing EVERY time he touches it, it's also not terribly hygenic.

They are great little friends! Choose either a baby that has been hand raised so is really used to people, or one that has been a pet already for the same reason.

GPS are easy to care for. Clean the bedding once a week, fresh food and water, make sure they get some Vitamin C, and don't handle them when you are sick as they can get some people viruses.

Craigslist is a good place to look for a GP.

Yes, they are smelly, but as a spokesperson for the guinea pig, a three year old is not going to be ready to be a responsible, careful, playmate. He may unwillingly hurt the small animal and cause him to bite your son. Also, they "go" a lot! and would leave presents everywhere outside of the cage.

Guinea Pigs are not a lot of work really. However, you have to teach a child how to handle one gently..and I would use something that is not alive to start with. Find a firm stuff animal that can be a "test" pet. Show him how to cup his hands, and how to stroke the pet without startling or hurting it. Mainly you have to be careful simply for the fact that guinea pigs, while great first pets, are kind of sensitive to rough handling and do get scared and nip. Make sure you get one that has been raised by hand, not from a pet shop, and ask around about shots, or anything that should be done. You can have fun creating a "playground" for your pet and your son will be able to help with that. All in all a good choice amongst rodent pets. I would however make sure you a fully prepared to take care of this..Guinea pigs can be longer lived than most of the rodent pets out there, (and they can also be shorter lived) so make sure you get a healthy one, and talk about at least with your spouse how you will explain if "something happens" to the pet. These are all issues you have to consider. He may not be old enough to have the pet but he is definitely old enough to love one :) :) Also, ground rules! (Pet can only be out of cage when you are there to help handle it etc..no one opens cage without mommy or daddy around...etc.)

I have had two GPS and they are not high maintenance, just clean their cage a couple of times a week. I use a squirt bottle filled with dishwashing liquid to clean it in the winter when the outside water is off. They like veggies for treats, too. Carefresh is a good brand of litter/bedding to use. They can be noisy, though. Whenever someone would open the door they would squeak - I called it the GP alarm system! The really important thing is to make sure you adopt one who has been handled a lot, so he'll be really friendly. If you get one who is unfriendly it is very hard to socialize them. A breeder who keeps them out a lot or a pet shop that allows the kids to play with them a lot is a good bet. You'll be able to tell if they're skittish or calm when you hold them.

Be careful! They multiply quicker than rabbits. My friend's got prego the day she gave birth to a litter!! She thought she had 2 males and didn't realize until one had the babies. Aparrently, she didn't separate the proud parents fast enough!

They are cute, but not for small children. We adopted one when the girls were in grade school and ended up sending it to school to be the classroom pet. They are very active at night and sleep most of the day thus making a great deal of noise at night. My husband works long hours and the guniea pig loved him so when he came home at 10 or 11 at night the pig would scream, and I mean scream, with joy at the sight of him waking up the entire house. Think long and hard on this one. Once the kids get attached, which happens quickly, your stuck.

When I was a kid (11 or 12-ish) my sister had a couple of that were great pets. Much more friendly and personable than the gerbils she had before. Since, I've heard lots of people extol the virtues of rats as pets. That doesn't eliminated the problem of kids squeezing the pet, though, so it's your call.

Guinea pigs need lots of attention or they get unfriendly and bite. You need to clean the cage every couple days because they are smelly, also they are mostly nocturnal so make lots of noise at night. Not a great pet, really.

Guinea pigs are great little animals!!
I had them for my now grown bio kids and will get them again for my newly adopted young family.
They are usually very gentle, not prone to biting, and are so smart that they will know when you open the refrigerator door to get them their carrots and squeak delightedly for them! They can be noisy at times, and seem to "talk".

They will need a clean environment and do well on pine shavings. Unlike bunnies, they will not find a "Potty" corner, so the cleaning needs to be done more often, at least once a week if not more often. Mine rarely went potty while being held, so that was nice.

I encourage young children to hold them on their laps while sitting down, with a handtowel under the guinea pig to give it a little more secure base to sit on. Children MUST have gentle hands, as the guinea pigs CANNOT be squeezed without risk of internal injury or death. Also, dropping a guinea pig can also cause great injury so must be avoided. If your young children have gentle hands with animals I would go ahead and get one now, if not I would wait until the kids are older. I would also make sure the guinea pig is in a secure cage that the children cannot open, just to make sure nothing happens.

As for guinea pigs being high maintenence pets, I do not think they are higher maintenece than other pets, and they are much more interactive and fun than many other small animals. Have fun!!! Julie

A daycar person I use to have had 2 and they loved them very much, but there was a lot of cage cleaning.

My daughter had 2 guinea pigs when she was 10 or 11. She quickly lost interest and didn't play with them. They became "wild" and wouldn't let anyone pick them up. They would bite when I tried to clean their space.

I gave them to my cousin for his children. We thought that they could tame them again. It didn't work. My cousin is a reporter and wrote a comic article about them that was published in the Reader's Digest. He had to get rid of them. I don't know how he did that.

So.....if you get a guinea pig be sure to play with him often.

I used to have 2. They are noisey, they smell, and they have a tendency to bite, and they have very sharp teeth! I would go with something gentler like a bunnie if I were you.