Do Guinea Pigs STINK?

[gopack]

eeyore-I didn't think of looking for a guinea pig on petfinder.com. Great idea!

 

[mking624]

We have two male guinea pigs, Eggnog & Mocha.

PLEASE never get just one. They are herd animals...and thrive when they have another guinea pig living with them. They can be content on their own, but they will not thrive as they would with a companion....a human simply cannot provide them with the amount of interaction that they constantly need. Guinea pigs can fall into a depression and it has not been uncommon for lone pigs to fall into it. We actually took in an older guinea pig last year who was had fallen into a depression from being alone for nearly his entire life. He started acting "more alive" again when we introduced him to our other two...but unfortunately he passed away after complications from an illness. Many people say not to gte two males...well all we've had are males and they've been a delight. If they are fixed, you won't really have much of a problem with them. However, many guinea pigs have been found to be allergic to anesthesia so many cavy owners (myself included) find it's not worth the risk to put them through any surgery unless absolutely necessary. Fighting tends to come from a clash of personality more than gender. It's better to adopt a pair of cagemates rather than two separate piggies...as fighting will be less of a risk. And there will always be one attempting to gain the role of the "top pig," and that role is there regardless of gender. Expect "quarrels" until that role is defined...unless you get pigs where the role has already been established.

I would highly encourage you to adopt from a rescue...but bear in mind that most rescues will either require you to adopt at least two (usually cagemates) or require that you already have a guinea pig at home. That is how important it is for the guinea pig to have a companion.

Guinea pigs as an animal do not have an odor. Their odor comes from their urine and their feces. They are very sensitive to smell...so it's vital that their cage be kept clean. Strong odors indicate that they are living in unsanitary conditions....and that can cause illness. Carefresh bedding works really well with odor control, however soiled spots should still be cleaned out daily...and the cage should be thoroughly cleaned (as in a good washing as well) every 4-7 days. Their urine tends to leave calcium deposits, but that can easily be cleaned with a vinegar/water solution. I discourage the use of pine/cedar based bedding (i.e. chips) as the oils found in them can be dangerous to the piggies.

They cannot produce their own Vitamin C so it needs to be supplemented. Fresh fruits/veggies are the best for this...and kale is an excellent source of Vitamin C. They also need plenty of timothy hay...this helps them digest their food. A young cavy (up to 6-12 months old) should be on an alfalfa based pellet diet, and guinea pigs older than that should be on a timothy hay based pellet diet. When the guinea pig is about a year old, STAY AWAY from alfalfa. Many companies will market alfalfa based products towards guinea pigs...but it is NOT good for them. It does and will cause bladder stones which can be both painful and dangerous to them. Oxbow Hay Company provides a wonderful diet and caters to both young and older piggies.

Locate a vet before getting a guinea pig. If you notice signs of illness, they will need to get to a vet immediatly (no time wasted), so it's best to find one before you need one. Since guinea pigs are preyed on, they learn to hide their illness until they absolutely can't any longer...and by that time there is not much time before they can take a turn for the worst. They should have annual check ups. Also, their nails constantly grow so they will need to be clipped. It's very important to do this correctly so you don't cut their quick. If you're nervous about it, take them to a vet to have it done there.

Keep in mind, too, that guinea pigs can be costly. Our cage was about $100 (I HIGHLY discourage a pet store cage since those are typically too small for a guinea pig...check out cavycages.com for some good ideas). The Carefresh bedding we buy is $20 a bag and we buy 3-4 bags a month. We buy a bag of Oxbow food a month and that cost is about $20. Their hay is $11 and we get a bag every couple of weeks. And I haven't begun to add in the cost of fresh fruits/veggies (especially all the kale we go through).

I really could go on and on and on about this. I love my guinea pigs and it's always important to me that others take care of these beautiful animals in the manner they deserve. I highly recommend checking out cavycompendium.com. They provide a ton of information, and they also have a forum where cavy owners would be MORE than happy to provide you with the BEST information on taking care of a guinea pig.

 

[gopack]

Mary-thank you for taking the time to post all of that great information. I will check out those websites!

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Guinea pigs are so cute

 

[georgina]

Mary,

Thanks for posting all that. We have 2 male piggies too. I have been using aspen bedding, but am going to check out carefresh. I have to clean out their cage every day to keep it from geting stinky. They have grown a lot in the 16 months we have had them and I am looking for a bigger home for them too.

 

[MrsPete]

My son really wants Santa to bring him a guinea pig for Christmas. My neighbor has one and although he seems so sweet and cute he really stinks! I mean I can smell him when I walk in their door. I am not overly sensitive to smells, but what an odor. Are they just not keeping his cage clean or do they really smell? I would really appreciate some information!!

I had guinea pigs as a child. They themselves don't really stink, but their cages sure do! Because they're on the large end of the "pet rodent" spectrum, they eat more and mess their cages at a faster rate than do gerbils or hamsters. To maintain an odor-free home, expect to change the litter twice a week.

If you choose a gerbil or a hamster, you'll only need to change the cage once a week, and because they'll use less litter in a smaller cage, it'll cost less. On the other hand, these smaller rodents are less "cuddly", and if they get out, they're harder to catch.

 

[babytrees]

Mary,

that was an amazing amount of info!! Thanks for posting it!! We had a wonderful guinea that didn't stink...but died young because we didn't know a common human cold can be deadly for the piggies.

I hope that I can convince the girls when they are ready for a new pig for them to each get one!!

 

[mousey]

We had 2 guinea pigs. One was a classroom pet that the teacher became allergic too and the other I picked up at a flea market because I felt sorry that they had her outside in 40 degree weather in a little tiny cage. I know they don't like drafts. We kept them in 2 seperate containers (old baby isoletes that they use to use in hospital nurseries. They could see out and they had room to move. We cleaned there cages every other day. They died of old age (close to 7) exactly 2 wks apart. It was a very sad day in our house as they are a very nice pet. They respond to your voice and are fun to watch. Another good source of vitamin c is to get a fresh pinapple and with an eyedropper give them the freshly squeezed juice. It really peps them up and is good for them. No problems with smell. Good Luck.

 

[mickeyfan2]

The males have a smell the females do not. We only use Carefresh, the paper bedding, that they sell in the pet stores. It eliminates any urine odors and lasts for a week or more, depending on the cage size, amount in the cage and number of GPs in the cage.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Guinea pigs are very social animals - they will be happiest with cage mate, so if you get one, consider getting two!

The best combination is two females and one fixed male (does not smell then). We have had that combination. We have kept two males, but they need to be very small when you get them and from the same cage at the pet store. We have also had up to 4 females at a time. One will always be the dominate female. Our last remaining female from our set of 4 is now 6 years and 3 months old. She could not be happier than when the others passed away. She was the smallest, but also was the dominate female. She loves to be alone. If you only get one they bond better with the humans in the house and will learn their name. If you have more than one, then they tend to bond (but not Rosie) with the others and the humans are not as important. We have also found that only one will actually call for the humans to do what they want. The others will poke the chosen one to actually call. GP are dominating pets and will train the humans in the house to do as they want. This is done by their calls.

 

[yeartolate]

We were ableo curtail the smell, but it waslabor intensive to do so. I found keeping the smell down with frequent litter changes and cage cleaning to be much more labor intensive than caring for an indoor cat.

 

[ckay87]

I skimmed through most of the replies, but as a cavy owner I thought I'd chime in.

First, I cut down on the cage odor simply by scooping their corners every single day. They only pee and poop in their corners, so scooping and refreshing that area daily cuts down on the odor.

Also, I'm sure it's been mentioned that piggies need Timothy Hay and lots of it. LOTS! This can be expensive. I was able to find a farm that sells bales. Paid $5 for a full-sized bale as opposed to $5 for a little bag which didn't even last them a week. Now I can give them a ton of it. And they love to dig through it, eat, and play in it.

Finally, a great supplement to their diet has been our backyard. Their favorite thing is not only grass, but clover and dandelion which I pluck while weeding anyway.

They are EATING MACHINES. They need to eat continuously in order to survive (digestive systems need to keep working.) Everyday they get a salad in the morning (and lord help us if we try to skip it), regular food, a boatload of hay and some of our backyard.

 

[mking624]

The males have a smell the females do not.

I have males. Males do not have a smell...the smell comes from their urine and their feces. But the guinea pig itself does not smell.

The best combination is two females and one fixed male (does not smell then). We have had that combination. We have kept two males, but they need to be very small when you get them and from the same cage at the pet store. We have also had up to 4 females at a time. One will always be the dominate female. Our last remaining female from our set of 4 is now 6 years and 3 months old. She could not be happier than when the others passed away. She was the smallest, but also was the dominate female. She loves to be alone. If you only get one they bond better with the humans in the house and will learn their name. If you have more than one, then they tend to bond (but not Rosie) with the others and the humans are not as important. We have also found that only one will actually call for the humans to do what they want. The others will poke the chosen one to actually call. GP are dominating pets and will train the humans in the house to do as they want. I'm This is done by their calls.

This just depends on the personality of the guinea pig itself. I have only had males. I introduced an already grown male to the cage when my others were nearly adults. They were fine. Then when 2 passed away (one was a runt at birth and always had problems, the other died of an illness), we got another male and the introduction was fine. I'm saying all this because it's not really true that males have to be small and have to be cagemates in order for them to get along. There's a lot of wrong info out there about male guinea pigs (one of the biggest being that two males will fight). Any amount of fighting, etc, comes more from personality clashing than anything else. Introducing two adult males to one another even if they've never met before can work out fine if their personalities do not clash. For example, two "top pigs" are not likely to get along because they both want that title. However, a top pig and a submissive one will most likely get along fine. This scenario, however, can be played out with females as well. Basicallly it all just depends on the guinea pig itself...not on its gender.
As far as the dominating one wanting to be alone...well, that, sounds more like her age than her actual preference. Dominating or not, guinea pigs are still herd animals....and even the alpha of ANY herd still is part of the herd. However, it's not uncommon for guinea pigs that are aging to start becoming more of a loner (and this is especially true near death). Human bonding doesn't come as a result of being alone....it comes as a result of how much interaction the human is willing to take on. All of my males have been real mama's boys....and one in particular LOVES to be cuddled by me and he'd stay in my arms all day if I let him. And yet only one had been by himself prior to us taking him home....and it took him awhile before he was able to bond with us.
And with calling the human for what they want, that also depends on the guinea pig. Our top pig, Eggnog, does a lot of calling out, but we find it's been the submissive pigs that have done most of the calling out.

One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier post is to weigh them weekly. Get a kitchen digital scale that can weigh in grams and weigh them once a week at the same day & time each week and keep track of it. The reason why is because one of the first signs of an illness can be a loss of weight. Since guinea pigs will do everything they can to hide the symptoms of their illnesses, a weekly weight check can help determine the health of the pig. The weight will fluctuate from week to week, but basically, a 3-4 ounce difference in weight can be bad.

And yet another really good link with info I want to provide....
guinealynx.info They have great info on the care of a cavy as well as an awesome medical guide.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I have males. Males do not have a smell...the smell comes from their urine and their feces. But the guinea pig itself does not smell.


This just depends on the personality of the guinea pig itself. I have only had males. I introduced an already grown male to the cage when my others were nearly adults. They were fine. Then when 2 passed away (one was a runt at birth and always had problems, the other died of an illness), we got another male and the introduction was fine. I'm saying all this because it's not really true that males have to be small and have to be cagemates in order for them to get along. There's a lot of wrong info out there about male guinea pigs (one of the biggest being that two males will fight). Any amount of fighting, etc, comes more from personality clashing than anything else. Introducing two adult males to one another even if they've never met before can work out fine if their personalities do not clash. For example, two "top pigs" are not likely to get along because they both want that title. However, a top pig and a submissive one will most likely get along fine. This scenario, however, can be played out with females as well. Basicallly it all just depends on the guinea pig itself...not on its gender.
As far as the dominating one wanting to be alone...well, that, sounds more like her age than her actual preference. Dominating or not, guinea pigs are still herd animals....and even the alpha of ANY herd still is part of the herd. However, it's not uncommon for guinea pigs that are aging to start becoming more of a loner (and this is especially true near death). Human bonding doesn't come as a result of being alone....it comes as a result of how much interaction the human is willing to take on. All of my males have been real mama's boys....and one in particular LOVES to be cuddled by me and he'd stay in my arms all day if I let him. And yet only one had been by himself prior to us taking him home....and it took him awhile before he was able to bond with us.
And with calling the human for what they want, that also depends on the guinea pig. Our top pig, Eggnog, does a lot of calling out, but we find it's been the submissive pigs that have done most of the calling out.

One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier post is to weigh them weekly. Get a kitchen digital scale that can weigh in grams and weigh them once a week at the same day & time each week and keep track of it. The reason why is because one of the first signs of an illness can be a loss of weight. Since guinea pigs will do everything they can to hide the symptoms of their illnesses, a weekly weight check can help determine the health of the pig. The weight will fluctuate from week to week, but basically, a 3-4 ounce difference in weight can be bad.

And yet another really good link with info I want to provide....
guinealynx.info They have great info on the care of a cavy as well as an awesome medical guide.

Thank you for the lecture. I guess you know so much more than I. We have owned so many GPS that I have lost count in our last 25 years of keeping them. Yes the boys do smell. It is a scent they put out. A male's cage needs to be changed sooner than a female's cage does. Yes our vet does agree with us. Rosie was always a loner, and thank you for pointing our she is near death. She never wanted to be bothered and was extremely happy for the last 5 months that she was alone. I guess our vet knows nothing when he praises us on how well we keep our GPs.

 

[mking624]

Thank you for the lecture. I guess you know so much more than I. We have owned so many GPS that I have lost count in our last 25 years of keeping them. Yes the boys do smell. It is a scent they put out. A male's cage needs to be changed sooner than a female's cage does. Yes our vet does agree with us. Rosie was always a loner, and thank you for pointing our she is near death. She never wanted to be bothered and was extremely happy for the last 5 months that she was alone. I guess our vet knows nothing when he praises us on how well we keep our GPs.

Good gosh, that was ridiculously unnecessary. I'm not just speaking as though I'm wildly pulling information out of thin air. I'm pointing out that things depend on the guinea pig. And I never pointed out that your GP was near death...I said the behavior was common with age, and guinea pigs also tend to become that way as they get closer to death...not saying YOURS is near death, just pointing out a trait of ANY guinea pig. Sorry you feel the need to twist my words around. I've had many males....none of mine put out a scent. And guess what? My vet agrees with me as well and praises us on how well we keep our cavies. So it's unnecessary to feel the need to "trump" me...because I'm sure BOTH of us care for our cavies perfectly fine. This is specifically why I said this all depends on the guinea pig. Why is that so hard to accept? If you have taken care of guinea pigs as long as you claim to, then you of all people should know that. You need to chill out...no one here is out to get you so it's unnecessary for you to turn this topic into something ugly.


For everyone else....
It's best to do all your own research and make sure you know exactly everything that is important....because I know way too many cavy owners who just blindly trust whatever their vet says....and the cavy is the one who suffers as a result. I can't stress how important it is to know your stuff.

 

[ckay87]

In a nutshell, may I point out that GPs are not easy pets. In that they need tending to daily, if not several times per day. Do read up (a lot of good advice here) and consider it carefully.

 

[pjlla]

Just a quick word on our GP experience. We let DD pick a small pet for her 9th b.day. While at Petco we found out that they had two GPs who had been returned and hence were "up for adoption" (which means free!). We got them, a cage and many $$ worth of supplies. Two years later they are still happy and healthy.

DD changes the bedding approximately every 7-8 days. Probably could stand to be done every 5 days, but 7 days is bearable. (They are in her room.) We use the Carefresh bedding faithfully. Have tried some cheaper stuff, as well as Aspen, but didn't care for it or the smell.

They have a bin-style grain feeder, so as long as they don't manage to knock it over, we only need to fill it once every few days. They have a hay bin that we fill daily, as well as the water bottle (where they receive vitamin C drops in their water). We really go in spurts with the fresh stuff. We try to give them fresh stuff every day, but sometimes it just doesn't happen..... either we don't have it in the house or we forget. But I figure as long as they have hay, grain, and water they won't suffer. They have shown a preference for lettuce and celery over cucumbers. I've never tried citrus fruit (but may now) and they like apples, but not bananas. Mine aren't fond of broccoli but will eat a little of it.

DD bathes them about once a month. We fill the kids bathtub up about 1-2 inches with warm water and they walk around in it. Then she shampoos them with tearfree shampoo and we blow them dry. (We blow them dry to keep them from catching a chill, which can lead to a cold which can kill them.) They don't seem to mind the bath, it certainly improves their smell, and helps keep their paws and nails cleaner. I clip their nails myself, although one of the two is very resistant to it.

DD doesn't pay nearly as much attention to them as she used to (inevitable I suppose), but I do remind her daily about their need for love and water. She does take them outside on the lawn in the nice weather sometimes. (Just be sure there is nothing poisonous spread on the lawn, like Weed and Feed). They really enjoy that. They are cute, fairly quiet, less demanding than a dog, but more demanding than most cats. Good luck with your decision..................P

 

[gopack]

Thanks so much to everyone that posted. I have a lot to think about. I need to decide if we can give the time and attention to these cute guys that they deserve. Also, I wonder how my Shih Tzu would react to guinea pigs. She is pretty timid, but I wouldn't want them to be scared to death by her. Guinea pigs sound like they require a lot of care, but they definitely sound worth it! Thanks again! I have never posted on the community board and I am grateful that you all took the time to post!

 

[ilovejack02]

Thank you for the lecture. I guess you know so much more than I. We have owned so many GPS that I have lost count in our last 25 years of keeping them. Yes the boys do smell. It is a scent they put out. A male's cage needs to be changed sooner than a female's cage does. Yes our vet does agree with us. Rosie was always a loner, and thank you for pointing our she is near death. She never wanted to be bothered and was extremely happy for the last 5 months that she was alone. I guess our vet knows nothing when he praises us on how well we keep our GPs.

Thats funny in the 3 yrs my inlaw raised them I never once noticed a smell from the males. As long as we kept the change clean.... I would scoop the corners of cage and add fresh bedding every morning and once a week change the whole thing and wash cage, everything was fresh and clean smelling.