Guinea Pig question

[wishesuponastar]

Does anyone have what the cost is for litter/bedding for one guinea pig?
This is the type of cage we would get http://www.wayfair.com/Midwest-Pets-Guinea-Habitat-PLUS-171GHP-MDW1246.html

We would get the bedding that comes in a bag. http://www.petco.com/product/113567...ea Pig_4-_-Carefresh Basic Pet Bedding-113567

Trying to weigh the monthly cost of getting one for DD.

 

[LJSquishy]

Does anyone have what the cost is for litter/bedding for one guinea pig?
This is the type of cage we would get http://www.wayfair.com/Midwest-Pets-Guinea-Habitat-PLUS-171GHP-MDW1246.html

We would get the bedding that comes in a bag.

Trying to weigh the monthly cost of getting one for DD.

I used to have guinea pigs when I was around 12. They are a LOT of work! You will need to change the bedding weekly including scrubbing the base of the cage. As far as bedding costs, it isn't that expensive if you get pine shavings from somewhere like Walmart. They have (or at least used to have) huge bags of it. If you opt for the cardboard type litter, it can get pretty pricey because you have to change it so often.

My guinea pigs were really noisy also and would make noise anytime the fridge opened because they wanted carrots. I think I remember them eating quite a bit of food for their size, also. All in all, I was super glad to get rid of them one day. They aren't super cuddly and kind of boring I think...and be prepared to vacuum up the shavings they kick up daily out of the cage!

Good luck! LOL!

 

[LockShockBarrel]

It really depends on the bedding. Different animals can have different reactions to wood chip bedding, therefore I recommend STRONGLY to avoid it completely and use something like Carefresh. It's essentially paper pulp, like what they can't use to make real paper with. It's absorbent and doesn't have any smell like the wood ones can, and there's nothing in it that can hurt a critter. Count on changing the bedding at least once a week. You don't need a thick layer of bedding, and this stuff fluffs up outside the bag so it's kind of hard to gauge exactly how much you'll go through without actually trying it out.

I'm going to cross my fingers you're doing your research on what else you'll need for a pig, and hope that you've found that you'll need lots of stuff for the pig to chew on, other food than just the "kibble" (fruits and veg) and vitamin C supplements.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Thank you for your replies. We are definitely doing research first.
I'm glad you pointed out not to get the wood chip bedding. DD wants to join the 4-H club with small pets.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Totally double posting here but if you decide a pig isn't something you really want to get into, I'd highly suggest rats. Yes, rats. I had four over the course of a few years and they're AWESOME. They've very easy to care for, I find they have the fewest issues out of small animals (not none, but they're not awful) and they're very friendly once they're used to you. Should you choose rats, I suggest boys over girls as they tend to be a bit more mellow and friendly, and you need to keep them in at least a pair, preferably from young. Females are also prone to mammary gland tumors, and while usually not immediately life threatening, I just find it easier to keep boys. They need stuff to chew but not as much as pigs do, they need less food and you can give them fruits and veg as well (they love it) and they're very clean and not as noisy as pigs. Rats will naturally train themselves to use certain spots in their cage as the toilet and they are fastidious about cleaning themselves. They do like a lot of room so you'd still need a decent size cage, but with small spaces between the bars because if they can fit their head through something, they can fit their whole body through. As much as I hate to say this as I got very attached to mine, some people like that they don't have a super long life span (2-4 years). I suppose they see it as an easier commitment to make. Truly I find the only issue with rats is as long as there's food around, they'll eat, so they can be prone to obesity but that's easily regulated by only feeding them enough to satisfy them at meals, not having tons of snacks around the cage. You can also teach them simple tricks, they'll learn their names, some people can teach them to fetch and sit and stand up on command, and even leash train them! Definitely worth considering!

**From your friendly Disboard pro rat council**

 

[Cakegirl]

We got our 9 year old DD a guinea pig several months ago. We actually have that exact cage - the "GP" loves it; on the larger side we have play/hide things for her (like a Saltine cracker box & a Capri-Sun box that she loves hiding in) -- on the other side, we put the bedding for the bathroom & then her food/water in a corner.

We buy the big bags of food (hay & GP food) and we get the recycled paper bedding at Walmart. I don't remember the cost - it was more expensive because it was a huge bag though ($20 maybe). It should last a good while.

My DD is able to take care of it by herself mostly. The biggest problem is the mess from the bedding coming out the sides of the cage, but a quick vacuum cleans it up fine. The only thing I would have done differently is I regret not buying a 2nd GP friend for this one -- I think the GP gets bored being alone all day while the kids are at school, I've read they are very social. She's very sweet though, both kids enjoy her a lot.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Totally double posting here but if you decide a pig isn't something you really want to get into, I'd highly suggest rats. Yes, rats. I had four over the course of a few years and they're AWESOME. They've very easy to care for, I find they have the fewest issues out of small animals (not none, but they're not awful) and they're very friendly once they're used to you. Should you choose rats, I suggest boys over girls as they tend to be a bit more mellow and friendly, and you need to keep them in at least a pair, preferably from young. Females are also prone to mammary gland tumors, and while usually not immediately life threatening, I just find it easier to keep boys. They need stuff to chew but not as much as pigs do, they need less food and you can give them fruits and veg as well (they love it) and they're very clean and not as noisy as pigs. Rats will naturally train themselves to use certain spots in their cage as the toilet and they are fastidious about cleaning themselves. They do like a lot of room so you'd still need a decent size cage, but with small spaces between the bars because if they can fit their head through something, they can fit their whole body through. As much as I hate to say this as I got very attached to mine, some people like that they don't have a super long life span (2-4 years). I suppose they see it as an easier commitment to make. Truly I find the only issue with rats is as long as there's food around, they'll eat, so they can be prone to obesity but that's easily regulated by only feeding them enough to satisfy them at meals, not having tons of snacks around the cage. You can also teach them simple tricks, they'll learn their names, some people can teach them to fetch and sit and stand up on command, and even leash train them! Definitely worth considering!

**From your friendly Disboard pro rat council**

I'm sorry, I could not read past your first sentence when you got to the word r*t I can't even type it

 

[MrsPete]

Another vote for Carefresh. It genuinely doesn't smell as long as you clean the cage within a reasonable amount of time; in contrast, wood chips smell almost immediately -- you just can't change the cage often enough to avoid odor with wood chips.

It's been a while since we had a rodent, but I suggest you consider a Teddy Bear hamster instead (they're also sold as Honey Bears, Panda Bears, Black Bears -- look for the name Bear though; these are Syrian hamsters, and they're larger/slower and like people).

A guinea pig will need a larger cage, and you'll need to change its bedding at least once a week. A large bag of Carefresh (assuming no sales) will cost about $15 and will give you two skimpy cage changes -- so you're looking at at least $30/month for bedding.

In contrast, a hamster cage is much smaller and you'll need to change it every week and a half to two weeks. One large $15 bag of Carefresh will last you two months. The hamster's food will also be cheaper. It makes sense: It's a much smaller animal.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

But the R word have such a bad rap, they're truly good pets.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Another vote for Carefresh. It genuinely doesn't smell as long as you clean the cage within a reasonable amount of time; in contrast, wood chips smell almost immediately -- you just can't change the cage often enough to avoid odor with wood chips.

It's been a while since we had a rodent, but I suggest you consider a Teddy Bear hamster instead (they're also sold as Honey Bears, Panda Bears, Black Bears -- look for the name Bear though; these are Syrian hamsters, and they're larger/slower and like people).

A guinea pig will need a larger cage, and you'll need to change its bedding at least once a week. A large bag of Carefresh (assuming no sales) will cost about $15 and will give you two skimpy cage changes -- so you're looking at at least $30/month for bedding.

In contrast, a hamster cage is much smaller and you'll need to change it every week and a half to two weeks. One large $15 bag of Carefresh will last you two months. The hamster's food will also be cheaper. It makes sense: It's a much smaller animal.

thank you for this info. I will ask DD if she would want a hamster and if they accept them in the club.

 

[wishesuponastar]

But the R word have such a bad rap, they're truly good pets.

I'm glad you love your R pet

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Hahah thanks. Not everyone can be convinced of their greatness, my mom hated them til they day they passed. I could have hid a family of immigrants in my room and she never would have known because I was forbade from keeping my bedroom door open while I had the "r"s.

 

[momto2inKC]

We have 2 guinea pigs (caged separately as they don't get along). We use Carefresh bedding. I would say we spend $30 a month on it. Hay is $5 every 2 weeks. Bagged food $7 every 2 weeks. They require a lot of fresh veggies and a little fruit. We usually give them something fresh 3 times a day (romaine leaf, parsley, carrots, cucumber, watermelon, banana, etc...). They are really awesome pets and very social. They also quickly learn the sound of the refrigerator door opening

 

[brymolmom]

We have 3 GP's and a HUGE cage (GP palace we call it). You can get pine bedding for VERY cheap. I kind of wish I had started with pine early on - that's what they had in the store where we got them. But I 'upgraded 'to aspen wood bedding, which is a bit pricier. I am able to get a large container of it for about $14 - and I likely use about 1 and a half of them per month. So let's say $20 total for bedding per month. In addition - I put fleece blankets in the cage with them....For these I shop garage sales and buy blankets for $2 or so and cut it up into 5- 6 smaller parts - that way I throw them out with each cage cleaning. For food - I found out at the pet store what kind they were using...and it is WAY less expensive than the kind I used to get. I buy a HUGE container of the pellets for about $13 - and it lasts 2 - 3 months. In addition, maybe $5 per month on hay....some apple slices and carrots round out their diet.

All of this is for 3 GP's. My best advice is to start on day 1 with what you want to continue with (care fresh or wood shavings, etc.) because changing is worse for them.

My kids are 8 and 10 and LOVE the GP's...even my husband has started liking them a lot - they squeak when he comes in the room and he hand feeds them some hay.

They do make quite a bit of noise - oftentimes at night - had to move them into our den so we could close the door as they were waking me up in the living room since my room is right off of it.

 

[paysensmom]

I cut up the moving pads from uhaul and lined the pen with them. Then, I cut up some fleece I got on clearance. I changed this once a week and washed them in my washer with a touch of bleach. In the middle of the week I would take the fleece out and shake off the poop, hay and food. This works really well if you stay on top of it. The initial investment is well worth what you save on other bagged bedding and it is also WAY cleaner. I hated getting shavings all over around the cage before I discovered this method.

 

[eacosper]

We used to have GPs. They were great for about 2 years and then they began to require lots of work and the worst part was how easily they would get sick. They were SO LOUD though. They did definitely eat a TON of fresh fruits and veggies. That was so much fun though when we would give them oranges and strawberries. One thing we learned from the vet ( I apologize if it's already been mentioned) but we put Tang in their water bottle instead of the pricey Vitamin C drops that the pet store pushes on you. Vet said that it had more C than the drops, the piggies liked it a whole lot better, and it was so much cheaper.

I would probably never get pigs again, just because of the amount of weekly work that went into them. Having a dog is so much easier. DH really wants our future kids to have them but I have vetoed this in favor of rats or mice. If DH still gets really sad about how we lost our girl (the boy one was never very sick and then one day he was just gone ) 3 years later I wouldn't want to know how a kid would take to losing a pet that way (it was a horrible illness that came on very quickly and was just awful).

 

[LockShockBarrel]

We used to have GPs. They were great for about 2 years and then they began to require lots of work and the worst part was how easily they would get sick. They were SO LOUD though. They did definitely eat a TON of fresh fruits and veggies. That was so much fun though when we would give them oranges and strawberries. One thing we learned from the vet ( I apologize if it's already been mentioned) but we put Tang in their water bottle instead of the pricey Vitamin C drops that the pet store pushes on you. Vet said that it had more C than the drops, the piggies liked it a whole lot better, and it was so much cheaper.

I would probably never get pigs again, just because of the amount of weekly work that went into them. Having a dog is so much easier. DH really wants our future kids to have them but I have vetoed this in favor of rats or mice. If DH still gets really sad about how we lost our girl (the boy one was never very sick and then one day he was just gone ) 3 years later I wouldn't want to know how a kid would take to losing a pet that way (it was a horrible illness that came on very quickly and was just awful).

 

[wishesuponastar]

I cut up the moving pads from uhaul and lined the pen with them. Then, I cut up some fleece I got on clearance. I changed this once a week and washed them in my washer with a touch of bleach. In the middle of the week I would take the fleece out and shake off the poop, hay and food. This works really well if you stay on top of it. The initial investment is well worth what you save on other bagged bedding and it is also WAY cleaner. I hated getting shavings all over around the cage before I discovered this method.

what a great idea, thanks for sharing.

 

[blue gatorade]

I love piggies!!! I've had hamsters and guineas my entire life and wanted to give some suggestions. Although guinea pigs are a lot more work than hamsters, they are a lot more fun. It is easier to play with the pigs because they are larger and most of the time they will sit on your lap so you can pet them. This is not the case with hamsters... they are tiny and they don't stay still for a second! Remember hamsters are nocturnal, so when you want to play with them, they are most likely sleeping and will be up all night while you sleep.

I'm sure your daughter would like a little "buddy" which is what my guinea pigs always became. They are genuinely great pets. They are so smart too... we taught my guinea pig Butter so many tricks like standing on his hind legs, following us around the room and how to jump up the steps. He was even "potty trained" (his cage had a door that we would leave open while he ran around the living room and when he had to go potty he just jumped back in)!

One more thing... please make sure you're not allergic! Apparently I'm allergic to guinea pigs and it didn't really bother me with the first 3 piggies. Unfortunatley, with my most recent guinea pig I discovered that my allergies got so bad that I had to give her up for adoption within a week of having her

Enjoy your new addition to the family!

 

[clm10308]

I love piggies!!! I've had hamsters and guineas my entire life and wanted to give some suggestions. Although guinea pigs are a lot more work than hamsters, they are a lot more fun. It is easier to play with the pigs because they are larger and most of the time they will sit on your lap so you can pet them. This is not the case with hamsters... they are tiny and they don't stay still for a second! Remember hamsters are nocturnal, so when you want to play with them, they are most likely sleeping and will be up all night while you sleep.

I'm sure your daughter would like a little "buddy" which is what my guinea pigs always became. They are genuinely great pets. They are so smart too... we taught my guinea pig Butter so many tricks like standing on his hind legs, following us around the room and how to jump up the steps. He was even "potty trained" (his cage had a door that we would leave open while he ran around the living room and when he had to go potty he just jumped back in)!

One more thing... please make sure you're not allergic! Apparently I'm allergic to guinea pigs and it didn't really bother me with the first 3 piggies. Unfortunatley, with my most recent guinea pig I discovered that my allergies got so bad that I had to give her up for adoption within a week of having her

Enjoy your new addition to the family!

I have never heard of anyone else allergic to guinea pigs. We had several different pairs as I was growing up. The all of a sudden, when I was in high school, I was holding my science teacher's guinea pig while other students cleaned the cage. I rubbed the thing all over my cheeks and within a coup,e of minutes I had hives everywhere and could barely see. My allergy is so bad now that if someone (like my kids) touches one and the touches me without washing first I will break out in sever hives. Luckily they are not a common pet whe I live.