Thinking of Adopting?

Thinking of Adopting?

Guinea pigs can make great pets. They can be great companions and can live 5-9 years if given a good environment. Although we are no longer adopting out guinea pigs, I’m leaving our adoption requirements here so that you can see what I considered to be good guidelines for adopting guinea pigs.
Cage Size: The preferred size cage for 2 piggies is 10+ square feet, but some guinea pigs can get by with 7.5 square feet. Young male pairs especially will need 10+ square feet. Bigger is better. But a big cage doesn't have to break your budget. You can build a cage using coroplast (plastic cardboard) and grids in sizes 28” wide to 56” or 70” or more long. The supplies can be purchased for as little as $40. Check www.GuineaPigCages.com for ideas.
Or you can order a cage from www.GuineaPigCagesStore.com.

Cage Materials: Guinea pigs can NOT be kept on wire bottom cages. The wire can cause bumblefoot, which is sores on the bottoms of their feet. We recommend plastic bottom cages or coroplast.
Location: Guinea pigs are quite susceptible to extremes in temperature. Their comfort zone is 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. They have more problems with high heat than cold. They must be kept indoors, in the house where they can be part of the family.
Caretaker of Guinea Pig: An adult (18 years or over) must be the "official" caretaker with kids being helpers.
Young Children: (Sorry if this sounds overprotective) Guinea pigs are often not a good mach for kids under age 6. If you’re looking for piggies for kids older than 6, and also have younger kids, you can make it work. But kids under 6 need constant supervision with the piggies. Guinea pigs are too easy for young kids to drop and when they drop, it's usually disastrous for the guinea pigs. We recommend playpens for young kids to interact with the piggies. They can sit down on the floor with the guinea pigs running around beside them. The Midwest Small Animal Playpens or grids (like those used in cages) are good choices.
Many older guinea pigs make a great choice for kids. Many are quite mellow and easy to handle, making great cuddly companions for kids. They may have 2, 3 or sometimes 4 years left. We hear of countless cases where kids have “outgrown” their guinea pigs or no longer have time for them as their interests change after only one year, thus leaving piggies needing to be re-homed. Of course, we also see many of adopters loving their piggies forever. It’s good to take a close look at your situation to see what makes sense.
Number of Guinea Pigs: Guinea pigs are very social animals and do much better in pairs (or more!). Being bonded to another guinea pig does not diminish their relationship with you. For this reason, almost all of our adoptions are in pairs. There is an occasional loner type pig that doesn't get along with others that we will place as a single - but this is rare. We’ve had about 5 cases of ”loner” piggies of the 1500 we’ve place.
Guinea pigs can be quite messy, with the bedding and hay getting kicked out of the cage. When they become ill, they can require veterinary care and can need syringe feeding to bring them back to health. This can be a time-consuming process.
$$Money$$ - Initial startup costs are only a small part of the picture. Although adoptions fees plus a cage etc may not cost that much , upkeep and vet bills can add up. Even a well-pet exam can cost $70 or so. Diagnostic blood work, ultrasounds and x-rays can quickly bump up vet costs over $100, $200 or so. Simple procedures such as filing down overgrown teeth can run a couple hundred, while spaying for ovarian cysts can cost $400 or more. Adopters should be prepared to take on veterinary costs in the range of $250-$500 in case their piggies have problems. Guinea pigs are not “disposable” pets to euthanized or surrendered to a shelter or set free when vet bills are encountered.