OT: Guinea Pig Ownership

[jacksmomma]

My preschooler is asking for a pet of the small and furry variety for his birthday. He will be 4 so I know that DH and I will be doing most of the care, and we are okay with that. Originally we were thinking hamster, but now I think a Guinea pig would be better for us. Parents of pigs speak up...do you like having a pig? What is the good, bad, and ugly? Also, are there any contraptions you can put your pig into to let it play outside the cage (like the hamster balls).

Thank you for the input!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My DD had a guinea pig a couple years ago. We went with that over a hamster because a friend of mine that worked as a vet assistant said they have longer life spans and are cleaner. She also recommended that we get a female (make sure it's not pregnant), but I can't remember why.

Our guinea pig liked alot of attention, she liked to be petted and talked to. They make pens for you to take them outside to play in the grass, they like that, too, but DD would just take her out there and stay right with her and never had any problems.

We had her for two years and she was still alive and healthy, but we moved cross country so we had to find her a new home.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

We have four pigs....and just love them. Just be sure you follow the recommendations on a decent cage size, as they do need a lot of room to run around. They are great for kids. They are big enough for them to hold and play with, and can be tamed very easily. We try to clean the cages once a week. They need daily food, hay and water. They are a lot of fun. They are a lot more fun than hamsters...little kids can't really hold hamsters/gerbils.

The kids help clean the cages each week. We use a dustpan to scoop out the old litter, and even my younger two are able to do this. It is a good start for teaching responsibility.

One thing I do recommend is to be sure you take the pig out frequently for playtime. Our kids used to take the kids out all the time, but the novelty does wear off. They usually just put them on the floor of their rooms and let them run around. They shouldn't be put in balls, etc. Just try to make that playtime a daily thing.

Have fun! G. Pigs have great personalities

 

[deerhart]

most small furry pets that aren't cats or dogs are not recommended for kids under age 6 and g. pigs are usually not recommended for kids under age 8 or 10. I think the lowest are fancy rats and those start recommended at age 5.

Remember that they, like any other animal, can bite and you will have to watch a 4 yo VERY closely with the animal so that he doesn't hurt them by being too rough.

 

[DisneyDoc5]

we love our pig....that being said, my 10 year old does need help with cleaning the cage and being reminded of other care issues, but it's been good overall. Like any pet, the parents are ultimately in control of it's care and cleaning (i.e. pig nails need to be trimmed - this is a con!), but I think they are a great option if you are willing to participate in the care. Ours has never biten anyone and is very vocal. We adopted her and her cage from PETCO's adoption program for only $25. There are also guinea pig rescue programs, just google for your area. Have fun, lots of good info on the internet too. (her name is Ashely Pigsdale from High School Musical!)

 

[turkeymama]

We had guinea pigs and hamsters when I was a kid. The guinea pigs were much nicer and more fun. All my hamsters were mean. And one time, I ended up with 4 for the price of one (she was pregnant and had the babies 2 days after we bought her). Guinea pigs are very sociable and enjoy being with people. However, they are very susceptible to illness.

Guinea pigs should not be put in balls. Their spines are different than hamsters and rats and the balls can injure them. There are pens that you can set up for them to play outside. Ours always ran loose when she was outside, but she was extremely attached to my dad and never strayed very far from him.

We have a hamster right now. She is nothing like the hamsters I had. She is very sweet, enjoys playing with us and she follows me around when she's in her ball. However, she is a runner. If she ever gets loose in the house, we'll have a devil of a time catching her.

Hamsters are more likely to bite, more likely to be loners, and more likely to escape and hide in the house (and possibly do some damage in the process). This isn't always true, but generally so. Guinea pigs are more sociable, enjoy being handled more, and aren't as likely to bolt away from you the first chance they get. I just can't keep the little boogers alive, otherwise, I'd have a few of them. I just love them.

 

[Befferk]

Wanted to add my 2 cents. My DS (7) brought this up last year. Wanted a guinea pig or hamster. I ended up talking him into a lop eared bunny because I knew I would be the one doing most of the care, and I don't like guinea pigs or hamsters (had pet rabbits when I was young). I'm glad we went that route, he's so fun! We even take him outside with us in the summer, and my other pets (cats and dog) get along with him very well. And he is SO clean, and litter box trained.

I agree about the age thing too. My cousin had one of those 2 (can't remember which) when her youngest was around 4-5 yrs and he apparently squeezed it a little too hard : No more pet.

 

[Deb & Bill]

A four year old would be too young to pick up and hold a guinea pig.

 

[mickeylove2]

I have a pet Piggy and I have to say that at 4, I would probably go with a mouse or rat instead.

 

[eeyorefan74]

We adopted two guinea pig brothers about 2 years ago. One was more timid, but would let us hold him, and the other was more active and friendly, but tended to nip if he didn't like the way he was being handled, such as when I had to trim his nails. They do need a larger area to run in than is provided by most pet store cages, and our came with a large rectangular pen. Both our pigs were large (think almost rabbit size) and between feeding them fresh vegetables, pellets and hay, and buying their aspen bedding that needs to be changed a couple of times a week, they are pretty expensive pets. DD loved them though, and was crushed when one died a few weeks ago. We still have his brother, but I don't have any plans to buy any more guinea pigs. They're cute and funny, but if I had it to do over, I think I'd go with a hamster, or maybe just fish.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Wanted to add my 2 cents. My DS (7) brought this up last year. Wanted a guinea pig or hamster. I ended up talking him into a lop eared bunny because I knew I would be the one doing most of the care, and I don't like guinea pigs or hamsters (had pet rabbits when I was young). I'm glad we went that route, he's so fun! We even take him outside with us in the summer, and my other pets (cats and dog) get along with him very well. And he is SO clean, and litter box trained.

I agree about the age thing too. My cousin had one of those 2 (can't remember which) when her youngest was around 4-5 yrs and he apparently squeezed it a little too hard : No more pet.

Bunnies are great pets but I wouldn't recommend one for a 4 year old. They all have very individual personalities and many don't like to be picked up and held. Most will sit on the floor next to you to be petted but you have to remain very calm and not make any moves that will appear aggressive to the rabbit (like reaching quickly near their faces). They can easily break a leg or hip if they're dropped or if they get scared and jump while you're holding them. They also like to chew since their teeth are constantly growing so you have to bunny-proof any area where they might be playing. That includes hiding or covering electrical cords. They also like to dig and can get under a fence in no time if you put them outside (although it's widely recommended that rabbits live indoors and only go outiside with very close supervision, if at all).

I know this is a thread about guinea pigs, but I wanted to comment on bunnies as pets as well since it was brought up earlier. I generally don't recommend a bunny as a pet for a child under 10 and only if an adult will be the main caretaker and closely supervise all bunny/child interaction.