The guinea pig

Hi ruffa guinea pigs make lovely pets but really shouldn't be kept on their own. Provided they are given the right food, plenty of hay and things to chew on for example empty toilet and/or kitchen roll holders, there shouldn't ever be the need for their teeth to be filed. If it is necessary it needs to be done by a vet.

Keeping their nails clipped isn't difficult as long as they are used to being handled regularly. You can buy clippers suitable for the task.

They do need regular handling and can be house trained so they can run around a room in the house, properly supervised of course and ensuring any wires and cables can't be chewed.

I'd advise getting a short haired pig as the long fur needs regular grooming and trimming. I'd also suggest getting one from a reputable pet shop as opposed to a breeder.

The last ones I owned came from a breeder so hadn't been regularly handled and weren't used to the noise and activity those in pet shops get used too. Consequently they were always skittish and difficult to catch and hold.

You can get plenty of info on line to help you make an informed decision.

My DGC have guinea pigs which are (successfully) kept indoors. Loads of info online, but can I stress that one piggie on its own is not a good idea - they are social animals and they very much need their own kind for companionship. (In Switzerland it's illegal to keep only one guinea pig as a pet!)

Both my (adult) GDs have a guinea pig each - they are adorable and great fun. The eldest's in particular is a real character and spends a great deal of time out of his cage running around their living room. They're different breeds so I was told they couldn't be together (they live in separate houses anyway) but probably if a pair are together from the beginning they will be fine. I would think they make great pets for younger children providing they are well looked after.

I never had any problems with mine. Certainly never had to groom or clip claws. We had an inside cage and another for outside when the weather was better. Lovely creatures. They always look like they're smiling ☺

Not so long ago, I also bought guinea pigs for my children. And so far we have no problems with these pets. True, at first I could not understand what kind of cage they should buy until I found a guide for choosing and maintaining a cage for a guinea pig petonbed.com/guinea-pigs-cage/ thanks to this information, I was able to make the right choice. By the way, on petbed I found reviews and tips for many pets from veterinarians

My neighbour has a pair and moves their run around the garden in fine weather. She therefore never has to cut her grass! She loves them, but all the cleaning out seems a chore to me compared to owning cats! Also bear in mind that children soon tire of pets so you will no doubt have all the work to do!
I wish you luck and hope you find the best pet(s) for your child.

Ooh Shysal, red rag to a bull saying that. I find it a pain cleaning up after cats and I don’t even own one.

My late daughter used to breed Guinea pigs as a teenager, and had about 7 of them that where all colours, coat variations and sizes. She had one, a Sheltie pig that was like a mini Old English sheep dog, and she required daily grooming, and her coat trimming regularly. She also had one with Rosettes in its coat hair formation, very pretty tri- coloured that was actually quite easy to keep clean as it’s coat was fairly short. Just be aware though that Male Guinea pigs do smell, especially if kept indoors near a Female, they have scent glands and regularly Mark their territory to attract the nearby females. Two baby females bought from the same reputable pet shop on the same day, who have been raised together would be best. Although having said that, a certain chain of very large pet stores tend to keep just one piggy to a cage run at a time, so buying a pair from them that had been raised together and possibly be related and of the same sex could be difficult. Likewise, two Males living together don’t always get on, and fights can break out, especially if they can smell a nearby female in season. A fresh supply of fruit and veg, plus hay is essential to their diet, the dried food alone is not enough. Yes they love to nibble grass, but just be careful not to put them on where grass has been chemically treated with fertiliser or weed killer, or where birds regularly feed and pass on flees and mites which can make a piggy quite poorly.

Guinea pigs are absolutely adorable! Lovely animals for young children as they never seem to bite (unlike rabbits).
If you want them to be happy make an enclosed run with chicken wire (to protect from cats or foxes). One end should be enclosed for shelter from the sun or rain. It can then be moved around daily and they keep the grass cut because they love to graze! Put them out every day winter and summer unless very cold or snowy. They will be happy little pigs! Here you can see our guinea pigs inside their run and the rabbit in a much larger one.

I should add that their hutch was inside a shed, but I put them in the run every day.

I should also add that these two in the photo were babies at the time which is why they look small next to the rabbit. Both male, born to a poorly mother who was pregnant when we bought her. She died soon after birth but the babies Tom and Jerry thrived and never fought because they were twins!

They need company of their own kind, plenty of bedding and shelter, grooming, regular vet check-ups, and daily attention. They can't survive without vitamin C, so fresh veg is essential. If you can't provide all of the care - don't keep them!

Should also add that they breed like......guinea pigs! The males and females get together while they're still juvenile, just a few weeks old, which is why our female was already pregnant! They must be separated by six weeks old I think or there will be plenty more little feet pattering around! ?????

I don't know but I've heard that guinea pig lives a short period of time. Maybe this is not the best pet for a child.

They do need a lot of looking after and you must be prepared for the mess they make. They poo constantly, in one end and out the other. They can be fussy eaters, if they don't like something, they won't eat it...simple as that. They must have Vitamin C every day in the form of fresh vegetables.
I can't imagine life without mine, but they might be too much bother for a child to take care of.

G.pigs are amazing pets and are very sociable. If handled frequently from young can be very tame, second that keep as a pair

We had a couple once for our children, ages ago.
All I can remember is that they made a lot of poo and were very cute.
Are they related to our domestic pigs? Seems so with the number of babies they can have.

ps No they're not related to our domestic pig.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_pig#Reproduction