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Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:50 am
by copella
We are a pet free family but for some unknown reason my youngest wants a pet for his birthday. He originally said a guinea pig but we went to look yesterday at Pets World and it seems they live in the garden. He wants something which he can actively look after (Ha Ha want to see how long that lasts) and pet when he likes which he wouldn't be able to if it was outside. He then looked at hamsters but they look so small and a bit boring and die in 2 years, I thought in the end he would regret not having a guinea pig. Anyway we need help, what have others got? What do you do with your guinea pigs, is a hamster boring? Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:08 pm
by mystery
We have Kiddi Pets by Vtech, and the occasional snail, woodlouse or grasshopper that passes through or too close to the house.

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:10 pm
by Minesatea
We have guinea pigs. Ours live outside but you can have indoor hutches for them(I am allergic to their hay so ours have to be outside.) We put them in a summer house in winter to keep the snow and rain off and make it easier for Dd to look after. In summer they have a run on the lawn which we move around and they basicly keep the grass short. Not for those who are fussy about their lawn though as you cannot treat the grass. Guinea pigs have the advantage of not being nocturnal and they can be quite sociable however you are not recommended to buy only one as they like company.

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:11 pm
by stroudydad
A tortoise?? Can live indoors but obviously love the warm weather.. Fairly easy to look after, running costs low.Down sides cost a lot to buy, only a limited amount of interaction possible.

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:12 pm
by scary mum
Hamsters are lovely, although nocturnal so may not be ideal, and might keep him awake, although ours did used to wake up when DD came home from school. They don't live long, but that might be an advantage if you end up looking after it :twisted: . Guinea pigs are nice too, and I think can live indoors. Rabbits are too big and live a long time (bitter voice of experience). I don't know about other rodents such as rats, chinchillas etc. How about a lizard? Or maybe mice live a bit longer, but not too long!

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:22 pm
by neveragain*
stroudydad wrote:A tortoise?? Can live indoors but obviously love the warm weather.. Fairly easy to look after, running costs low.Down sides cost a lot to buy, only a limited amount of interaction possible.
I really wanted to buy DD a tortoise after her A levels but was told you needed special light things etc.....is this not the case?

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:30 pm
by Amber
stroudydad wrote:A tortoise?? Can live indoors but obviously love the warm weather.. Fairly easy to look after, running costs low.Down sides cost a lot to buy, only a limited amount of interaction possible.
Don't tortoises live for about 200 years? You need to make provision for it in your will, that kind of thing.

This won't sway anyone I don't suppose but...if you're thinking rabbits, think chickens instead. Re-home some ex-battery ones some from http://www.bhwt.org.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (sorry, my usual plug but it is very worthwhile) - just like rabbits but they lay eggs and put themselves to bed.

Cats are the best pet surely - you never really own them, they can express their natural behaviour in a way most other domestic pets can't. I once read 'Dogs have owners, cats have staff' which kind of sums them up I think.

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:32 pm
by scary mum
I nearly said, Amber will be along to suggest chickens (not indoors, surely!). I WANT chickens <stamps foot>. Nice eggs too, I understand.

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:40 pm
by scarlett
I fancy a tortoise too, but we have too many pets already. We currently have six guinea pigs living in the playroom...mainly bought by me as I just love them, but dh has been known to come home from work with a couple tucked under his jumper. ( all above board, he doesn't work in pet shop and steals them ) They are really easy, you can buy an indoor cage which you just tip in the wheely bin and then wipe over. I also buy these granules which soaks up the wee smell although they don't really smell anyway. They seem ailment free and I just love watching them all trot about, nose to bottom like a little crocodile.

We also have a couple of hamsters...having had a bit of a cull recently. DD one is gorgeous, very interactive and cuddly. I might shed a tear when he crosses the rainbow bridge. They are quite small to handle though. One of my piggys likes to be wrapped up like a baby and rocked to sleep. Ooh I could bore you all for ages... :oops:

Re: Guinea Pig or hamster help needed

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:59 pm
by copella
Thanks for your responses. Their gran has a tortoise been around forever and we may need to take that one over at some point. He also wants warm and cuddly and that would rule out chickens. Also next door has a cat who seems to think we also own it. It would be devastated if we bought one.

Need to know how bad is the pee smell. Had not thought about hamsters being nocturnal, no wonder they were all asleep when we went to see them! So need to think about that one. DH is rather keen on his lawn ( a bit too much for my liking seeing as the house is falling apart, but the lawn looks good). Do guinea pigs wreck the lawn? We had thought we could put it/them in the garage in the winter, its large and airy and there is light. What do you do about foxes, do they get into the cages?

Am beginning to wonder if guinea pigs might be a bit much initially and we should start small.