Has anyone got any guinea pigs or have experience?

Go for it...

So sorry, phone went.

We bought two today for our children. They are only 4 and 5, so obviously we are the ones which will actually care for them. Anyway, one of the guinea pigs is really nervous. Now I know we only had them today so it's very early days but I'm wondering what is best to do. Should I avoid picking her up for a few days or handle her a little or a lot? I want them to feel comfortable and not the complete opposite. I'm worried I'll make her worse iyswim.

Am I making sense? I seem to have lost the ability of the english language today. ?

Im assuming the guinea pigs are young...i probably would leave them to settle tonight and most of tomorrow and then you if your confident handle the nervous one just lift her and put her up to you with one hand under her bottom and one over her back and let her settle then stroke her and talk to her she will learn to recognise your voice do this through out the next few days the more you handle her the more she will settle down...with the children i would maybe leave it a few days then pop them up on the sofa with her on their knees hope that makes sense...anymore questions just ask..

Some guinea pigs can be really jumpy at first (one of ours used to attempt flying leaps on a regular basis) but the great thing about gps is they normally get used to you and being handled quickly. Maybe give them a couple of days to settle in, then try picking them up and holding them quietly on your lap a few times.

The more you are around them the quicker they'll get used to seeing and hearing humans. Dont worry if they leg it when you try to get them out, its a natural response.

https://www.guinealynx.info/ is a great site with loads of info and forums if you need.

Have fun and enjoy - I love em - we have 4 at the moment they make such great pets especially for children.

Thank you. ?

Although now I'm most pissed off. My husband just came in from work and has looked at them. One is female, the other is a male. We have one cage. I can't take one back and change it cause the children will go nuts. I have no money for another cage yet. Gah. Do you know the rough cost of having one of them neutered/ spayed? Although I have heard this is risky.

One day something will go right for me I'm sure.

Ah. You may not want to hear this but they are fertile really young so you might have a problem. Have you got a vet yet?

Last time we had one done it was about £70 btw.

Thats very irresponsible of the shop to sell you a male and female...hmmm not sure about costing as ive never had a guinea pig done it is more risky as they are small but there are some specialist small animal vets...how old are they?

Get the male castrated. Generally we don't spey females as it is quite risky but the male is straightforward. It also has the advantage that he won't get all poo stuck in hi bottom when he is older..........non castrated boars get a "floppy bottom" and all the soft poo that they normally eat at night gets all stuck in the dilation of his anus and goes all horrid. If you get him castrated before 1y then that doesn't happen.

RE the hutch - can you at least separate the hutch into 2 - guinea pigs are fertile quite young. I would also speak to the pet shop -\they may have a match in the correct gender!!! Or give you a free hutch!!

Sorry pressed post too soon... We had one of our males done in March - I think he had to be about 4 months old or a certain weight first but your vet will tell you. It's much more straightforward in males. Yes you are right in that there are risks, both with the anaesthetic and there can be complications with the surgery but your vet will explain this all to you. I think there is information on guinea lynx about it.

But I'd definately seperate them right away. That is terrible of the pet shop.

From what I remember of my sister's nervous guinea pig, little and often to start with. She used to pick him up and hold him a lot, but for shorter amounts of time to start with and gradually building up. The other thing I remember doing is really fluffing up the hay in their cage, so you transfer your smell on to it; it's another way for the animals to get used to you.

Good advice MM only thing i would say is i doubt the pet shop would give you a free hutch altho they do have an obligation to help you out so i think they should offer you a similar female to replace the male i would ring them first thing to let them know..

I'd definitely look at swapping one of them (we have two boys who get on fine ?) I'd just bluff it with the kids and say oooh guinea pig X must have grown a bit browner overnight (insert suitable white lie!) ?

Um we now have a total of 5 because of the pet store getting the sex wrong. The male that lives with the female has had his bits off the others live together with no female as the female baby was taken by my mum.

We made a cage divider with a bit of perspex while we were waiting to get his op (had to save up to pay for it)

Thank you all. Sorry only now I'm replying, I've been off line.

My husband is going to put a divide in the cage for now. We'll then leave them together when they're being handled so they've got company, but they wont be left alone together. I still can't believe it. Don't want to swap one now really, so we'll have to do this for now. Then get the male done in a few months.

Thanks for all the advice. They're much better today. The boy is great to handle, he was purring at my H last night. Somethings we have read say this is a good thing, others say it's bad. The one that was most shy is now running around the cage. Hard to catch her to handle her so we're leaving her be for now. A pair of cuties mind you.

How old are they? You will drive your male wild if you let them out together then separate them if he attempts to mate! Fingers crossed she isn't already pregnant but chances are she is unless very young.