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happy2Bjustmommy
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 Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:47 am Post subject: June, or other guinea pig lovers... added video. pg 3 |
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please talk to me about shaved bedding alternatives?
While i love that the shavings dont stink, i am soooo done with the mess, and I wonder if the piggies would be happier with a different option.
Also, is there a limit to the amount of fresh veggies they can eat in a day. My kids love to give them "treats" and I just want to make sure they get all they need.
And for food. is there a better type of food? or does it not matter, as long as it is piggy food?
And cage? how much space do they need. It seems like their cage is too small, but it is a pretty large cage. I was thinking about buying a 2 story cage, but not sure they will use the platform.
Any tips?
we are loving these new pets. Now it is time to perfect the situation.
Thanks
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Last edited by happy2Bjustmommy on Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:12 am; edited 2 times in total |
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junko
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:50 am Post subject: Re: June, or other guinea pig lovers... |
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| happy2Bjustmommy wrote: | please talk to me about shaved bedding alternatives?
While i love that the shavings dont stink, i am soooo done with the mess, and I wonder if the piggies would be happier with a different option.
Also, is there a limit to the amount of fresh veggies they can eat in a day. My kids love to give them "treats" and I just want to make sure they get all they need.
And for food. is there a better type of food? or does it not matter, as long as it is piggy food?
And cage? how much space do they need. It seems like their cage is too small, but it is a pretty large cage. I was thinking about buying a 2 story cage, but not sure they will use the platform.
Any tips?
we are loving these new pets. Now it is time to perfect the situation.
Thanks |
Sure, happy to help!
First of all, how many pigs and what size cage? I recommend a minimum of 18x30 for one pig. I would say.. 30x30 for two, and 30x50 for three? As you have discovered, they love to kick the bedding out of their cage when they "popcorn" (race around and kick their heels up in the air) so the higher the solid sides at the bottom of the cage, the better.
I find that the carefresh type bedding is dusty, gets soggy and smelly fast, and is crazy expensive. Pine or aspen shavings are a good alternative but are messy. Cedar shaving should NEVER be used with small animals. The oils that make them smell so good causes respiratory disease.
Some people have great luck with fleece or towels, laid flat with the corners weighted down, but those must be shaken out and replaced and laundered every day or two. I used a thin layer of wood stove pellets with a 2-3 inch layer of Hunt Club Bedding http://www.huntclubinc.com/ over the top, because after cleaning 12 cages twice a week for years, I developed a skin allergy to shavings. The hunt club is tiny squares of recycled cardboard. The poo and pee filter down to the wood pellet layer where they are absorbed, and the hunt club stays on top and remains clean. I never had a smell issue, even with 35 guinea pigs!
The wood stove pellets are super absorbent, cheap and readily available. But, I feel they are uncomfortable for the piggies to walk on, and they are noisy, so I liked putting the hunt club or shavings on top. I only put a 1 or 2 pellet thick layer at the bottom of the cage. They are heavy. When they absorb liquids, they turn to sawdust.
Yes, they can get too many veggies but they do need unlimited hay. Hay is the most important part of their diet- it keeps their molars worn down properly and nothing else can do that. The ideal pellet is a plain, freshly milled pellet. They need vitamin C and it dissipates after 90 days so you need to make sure it is freshly milled. Best place to buy these supplies are at a feed store. Cheap and fresh. I fed Cavylets by Nutritional Research, but I had to order direct from the mill in Indiana and had it shipped 75 pounds at a time every month. Good brands are Mazuri (you can get this at a Purina feed dealership) or sunseed (at a pet store). I do not like kaytee, 8 in 1, L&M, hartz, or Gertie Guinea Pig. Pellets with all kinds of dried up grains and fruits and things in it aren't so good- they can get stuck in their teeth. If you feed alfafa based pellets such as the ones I recommended, feed a good timothy hay. If you feed timothy based pellets, feed alfalfa hay. A good timothy based pellet is Oxbow brand (get at a pet store). Alfalfa is high in calcium so you don't want to feed both pellets and hay because too much calcium can be bad. Alfalfa pellets are more readily available than timothy based.
As for veggies, I recommend a handful of greens per pig per day- or maybe a medium sized romaine leaf. Good greens are romaine, fresh grass, dandelion greens, parsley... those were the ones my pigs would eat. They also love the following but feed sparingly- maybe a 1 or 2 inch cube per day: carrots, raw sweet potato, a 1" slice of corn and the cob and the husk all together, apples, melons, grapes. Some pigs like orange and bell pepper- mine never did. Too many fresh veggies can upset the balance of nutrients they need for health. Pellets are balanced and it's hard to learn how to balance the nutrients in fresh veggies unless you are an animal nutritionist (and kids aren't throwing whatever in the cage).
There is a great website for building your own cage cheaply- but all cavy professionals (people who show and breed and must have their guinea pigs in top health) frown on their recommendations for food and they go a little overboard on cage size recommendations. It's www.guineapigcages.com. They are also anti-breeder and tend to be very militant so be careful if you decide to post on their forums. If you don't agree with them, you get chewed up and spat out. LOL.
Multilevel cages are a bad idea because guinea pigs are designed to scurry around on the ground through tall grasses. They are clearly not built for heights or climbing. A short fall can injure them. Which reminds me- as you've probably found out- they love to take a flying leap when you bring them back to their cage, and if they hit the floor they almost always break off their upper front teeth. So if that happens, check their teeth. Give them small pieces of veggie for awhile until they grow back in and keep an eye on their weight to make sure they are eating okay.
My rule was that I was the only one who brought pigs back to the cage. Kids always lose control of them when they start getting anxious to jump back in the cage.
So, in short- a plain pellet always available, hay always available, veggies in moderation.
And there's my piggy novel- you asked for it!  LOL
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asteiner18
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Wow! If I ever want to get a guinea pig I should save this post!
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happy2Bjustmommy
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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thank you June,
I went to the feed store, and bought the pellets. They were so cheap there too! a little over 2 bucks for 5 lbs. I also went and bought a bail of timothy hay, and a dispenser. The people that gave us the piggies told us the hay was just a treat, so we didnt have it always available.
The cage they came in was 18X30, and I knew it was too small. I just ordered a cage that is 24X47. It is the biggest i have been able to find. but it is still over twice the size of what they have. It will have to do for now. It is between the size needed for 2 and 3.
I am also changing the bedding style. I was thinking about this. http://www.ehow.com/how_2203990_fleece-bedding-guinea-pig-cage.html
Thank you so much for your help. I really really like these little girls, and I can see us owning piggies for a long time. I am glad I "know" someone that really knows how to care for them. I want them to be happy and healthy piggies.
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My 9 year old is shaving her head for charity!
http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/GabbyA |
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junko
Speedy Gonzalez
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Did you check out the cages at guineapigcages.com? You can build them yourself really really cheaply. Melanie (babycakies) just made one for her new piggie and it's awesome. It's 30x50 I think. I also think she is going to try fleece, too.
It's good to hear you found the pellets and hay at a feed store. It's crazy how much pet shops charge!
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happy2Bjustmommy
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:04 am Post subject: |
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| junko wrote: | Did you check out the cages at guineapigcages.com? You can build them yourself really really cheaply. Melanie (babycakies) just made one for her new piggie and it's awesome. It's 30x50 I think. I also think she is going to try fleece, too.
It's good to hear you found the pellets and hay at a feed store. It's crazy how much pet shops charge! |
I dont have a place to put a cage like that right now. So, we are going to get another cage when we move in a few months, and DH and his dad were going to build something for it to go on. This house is just too small, and Diesel is pretty obsessed with the piggies, and I need to keep them safe in a closed cage for now. I would hate to be busy doing something, and have him climb in to play with them
I wish i had a place now for it. We just dont. Luckily for the piggies, they run free around the house daily, for several hours. After our schoolwork and chores are done, we take them out and play with them. 1 is pretty lazy, but the other 2 explore all over this place.
those cages are pretty cool though. I appreciate all the info on them.
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Melissa Mom with 11 kiddos. 4 who run on Earth, 7 who soar with the angels.
Foster mom to 2
My 9 year old is shaving her head for charity!
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Babycakies
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| happy2Bjustmommy wrote: | | junko wrote: | Did you check out the cages at guineapigcages.com? You can build them yourself really really cheaply. Melanie (babycakies) just made one for her new piggie and it's awesome. It's 30x50 I think. I also think she is going to try fleece, too.
It's good to hear you found the pellets and hay at a feed store. It's crazy how much pet shops charge! |
I dont have a place to put a cage like that right now. So, we are going to get another cage when we move in a few months, and DH and his dad were going to build something for it to go on. This house is just too small, and Diesel is pretty obsessed with the piggies, and I need to keep them safe in a closed cage for now. I would hate to be busy doing something, and have him climb in to play with them
I wish i had a place now for it. We just dont. Luckily for the piggies, they run free around the house daily, for several hours. After our schoolwork and chores are done, we take them out and play with them. 1 is pretty lazy, but the other 2 explore all over this place.
those cages are pretty cool though. I appreciate all the info on them. |
Like June said, I am going to try the fleece. I need to do a cage change today. With the C& C cages like June linked you. So easy to clean!!! Litereally, scoop out the old bedding with a dustpan, sweep up the bits, spray with vinegar and water, wipe down an refill. Fleece may be a little more work in terms of washing 2 times a week but, meh,.. I'm up to the challenge!! PLus,.. I wan't be spending money on bedding. I have a small dust buster I can use to suck up the poos daily so,.. it should be okay. I'll keep you posted.
I've been getting all my advice from June as well. She is a GREAT resource to have around.
Our little frankie LOVEs lettuce.. green leaf and Romain,.. we tried bell pepper with NO success. Carrots are awesome as are apples. Today we will be getting some corn and sweet potatoes. I offer small quantities of fresh food. After all those piggies are little. a whole lettuce leaf and nothing else or half a lettuce leaf and small bit of something else. MODERATION.
Feed a GOOD pellet and a good hay,.. we are using OXBOW.
Check your good will stores for cheap accesories... I'm using a metal utensil holder zip tied to the top of our cage for a hay rack. Not only is piggy's hay up off the bedding floor from getting dirty but, he is enriched with learning to access the hay. He pulls over his little sock pillow ( odd sock stuffed with bedding) under the hay rack and steps on it to access the hay. He also has a hay ball on the other end of the cage. We go through 3 times the hay compared to pellets. Today will be a bedding, cage cage. Every week I change up the cage. Same stuff with different locations. Keeps it NEW and interesting for frank. I add in or subtract things. I have a plastic cat treat toy and I've put piggy treats in it. He rolls it around and a treat pops out. we use freeze dried strawberry bits and timothy hay o's as treat for it. He has jingle balls and wooden chew blocks. I found a crinkle sack in the cat aisle.. he loves this!!
The C&C cage was CHEAP to build. Literally 50.00 if that and it is HUGE. Mine has a lid on it but, once our cat expires,.. I can make the cage BIGGER for more piggies or flip it upside down and use the grates on the bottom as more support and leave cage topless. Really, you would think a cage that size would take up lots of room but, we are in an apartment and it is the perfect size and sits right on our living room floor where all of us can interact with Frankie ALL the time.
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Babycakies
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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One piggy in fleece cage... As soon as he stops popcorning all over the place,.. I will ask him how he likes it 
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junko
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Babycakies wrote: | | One piggy in fleece cage... As soon as he stops popcorning all over the place,.. I will ask him how he likes it |
LOL! *like*
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Pink Lemonade
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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ROFL - popcorning! We called it prancing and our Piggy did it when he get REALLY.EXCITED! "Ohh! Everything is SO MUCH FUN when you're a Piggy! Oooh! Lemme jump around! So much fun to be a piggy!" :-)
 I love how they get sassy and wheek wheek at you too. :-)
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Babycakies
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Pink Lemonade wrote: | ROFL - popcorning! We called it prancing and our Piggy did it when he get REALLY.EXCITED! "Ohh! Everything is SO MUCH FUN when you're a Piggy! Oooh! Lemme jump around! So much fun to be a piggy!" :-)
I love how they get sassy and wheek wheek at you too. :-) |
mine is still a baby about 11 ish week now. He thinks EVERYTHING is so exciting. He popcorns so hard he almost topples himself.
All I can hear is "wheek wheek *pop pop pop pop* wheek *pop pop* Wheek wheek"
I don't like seeing visible poo all through the cage but,.. piggy loves scurrying around not being coated in shavings.
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mama2LilynDevon
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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Y'all are making me want a piggy. I have absolutely no room, time or energy for another pet right now. Maybe in a couple of years.
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happy2Bjustmommy
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| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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i am happy your piggy likes the fleece. I know i iwll be sooo happy to nit have shavings all over my house.
i found out the cage i bought it expandable to 16Sq ft, so when we move, i will just buy a second cage, so we will have plenty of room. for the next few months, they will have only 8 sq ft, but that is over twice what they have now. we are planning on moving into a larger home in September when our lease is up. so we will have more space for them.
i am excited to try the fleece this week. we just changed the aspen shavings yesterday, so as soon as the new cage comes, we will start using the fleece.
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My 9 year old is shaving her head for charity!
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Pink Lemonade
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 5:59 am Post subject: |
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| Babycakies wrote: | | Pink Lemonade wrote: | ROFL - popcorning! We called it prancing and our Piggy did it when he get REALLY.EXCITED! "Ohh! Everything is SO MUCH FUN when you're a Piggy! Oooh! Lemme jump around! So much fun to be a piggy!" :-)
I love how they get sassy and wheek wheek at you too. :-) |
mine is still a baby about 11 ish week now. He thinks EVERYTHING is so exciting. He popcorns so hard he almost topples himself.
All I can hear is "wheek wheek *pop pop pop pop* wheek *pop pop* Wheek wheek"
I don't like seeing visible poo all through the cage but,.. piggy loves scurrying around not being coated in shavings. |
I don't think I would get anything done around the house - I'd be sitting there watching him all day long. LOL :-)
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Babycakies
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| Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Pink Lemonade wrote: | | Babycakies wrote: | | Pink Lemonade wrote: | ROFL - popcorning! We called it prancing and our Piggy did it when he get REALLY.EXCITED! "Ohh! Everything is SO MUCH FUN when you're a Piggy! Oooh! Lemme jump around! So much fun to be a piggy!" :-)
I love how they get sassy and wheek wheek at you too. :-) |
mine is still a baby about 11 ish week now. He thinks EVERYTHING is so exciting. He popcorns so hard he almost topples himself.
All I can hear is "wheek wheek *pop pop pop pop* wheek *pop pop* Wheek wheek"
I don't like seeing visible poo all through the cage but,.. piggy loves scurrying around not being coated in shavings. |
I don't think I would get anything done around the house - I'd be sitting there watching him all day long. LOL :-) |
It certainly CAN be a problem,... watch piggy or clean... DUH, watch piggy!!
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- WAHM to Peanut(Dec 03), Bean(May 05) and Sprout (Apr 07).
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