Guinea Pigs - Pet or Filthy Rodent Scum?

cat_with_no_tail

Due to a mid-life crisis or something, my wife has decided she wants guinea pigs for her birthday ("it's as much for the kids as it is for me Matt" etc etc etc). And she wants them to live in the house. More specificaly, the living room.

Now, whilst leaving her in a ditch with her obvious on necessary and trading her in for a younger model is a strong possibility, I thought I'd ask if anyone else here has guinea pigs living in the house as pets. And what are they like?

Whilst I'm not crazy about the idea, I AM about to dump the better part of 3 grand on bike stuff. So placating her with something like this may not be a bad idea.

Still leaning towards ditch > obvious > necessary though.

benpinnick

If it annoys you, then at least you can eat it.

thekickingmule

They're a delicacy in some parts of the world. Might be useful when you need a post-ride snack!

cat_with_no_tail

Om nom nom nom !

nicklouse

There is a member on here who is nuts about them. They even show them at shows over the UK and win things. They have recently had a Guinea Pig tattoo.

I used to keep Mice.

cat_with_no_tail

nicklouse wrote:

I used to keep Mice.

Ones living in the walls do not count as pets Nick.

Also, who in the name of the baby Jeebus would get a Guinea Pig tattoo? :shock:

nicklouse

Used to keep them in aquariums.

TV for the cats and dog.

craker

Ours are scuttling around the living room floor as I type, squeaking merrily and pooing everywhere. They look like big brushes that waddle places. Because it's so cold at the moment we bring them in at night where they live in the old baby bath. The cat just stares at them like I've brought him tea. I worry that one morning I'll wake up to bloody carnage, guinea pig shape.

Anyway, they did start smelling a bit a couple of days ago but that seems to have subsided - perhaps Mrs C changed their hay. So assuming they're going to live permanently in some sort of hutch inside the house, keep it clean or it will start to pong. A colleague also suggested they can be noisy; ours aren't too bad and are mostly silent.

A lot cheaper than trading in the wife.

cat_with_no_tail

craker wrote:

A lot cheaper than trading in the wife.

I'd not count on it. Price of a hacksaw, some bleach and a roll of bin liners has got to be cheaper than guinea pigs right?

Stevo_666

Go for it, I used to have a rabbit and guinea pig that were house pets, except they went in the cage in the garage at night to stop chewed electrical cables and frazzled rodent. They were be house trained to crap and piss in a cardboard box with some newpaper in it so no problem. Just be careful when you're walking around...

angry_bird

If it keeps the wife happy do it, if she/they piss you off they could always meet an untimely demise...

cooldad

Used to keep and breed mice back in SA.
To feed to my snakes.
All rodents are vermin.

Anonymous

They don't live long, especially if you let the kids take care of them. Soon will get bored of them.

After that, get a cat. They look after themselves, will crap in your neighbour's garden whilst keeping clear of your own and fending off other cats, and if you don't feed them they'll bog off and find someone else who will.

sheepsteeth

get 2 rottweilers instead, they are excellent pets. i have 2 at home at the moment and they are mega.

cat_with_no_tail

sheepsteeth wrote:

get 2 rottweilers instead, they are excellent pets. i have 2 at home at the moment and they are mega.

I agree. I'd love another dog. 2 rottys would be a squeeze in the little hutch in the corner of the living room though.

pilch

I found they tasted a bit fatty when I tried one on holiday

Raymondavalon

nicklouse wrote:

There is a member on here who is nuts about them. They even show them at shows over the UK and win things. They have recently had a Guinea Pig tattoo.

I was thinking that when I saw the Thread. My mate has two, mainly for his four year old son as a pet. They're freaky little animals, I'd rather have a ferret, at least they have personality and more importantly, a killer instinct towards rabbits.

I shall be linking this Thread to our Member who has gone bananas over Guinea Piggies

sparrowlegs78

Mmmmmmmmphhhhh I'm saying nowt, I like my head pointing in the right direction and the ditches round here are already occupied :P

Caz xx

Rucks

Mate of mine keeps them, had 8 at 1 point, his house stinks but don't think he realises because he's used to it by now..
It's the noise they make that does it for me, little feckers are sh:te pets, cost him a fortune invet bills and don't last long...
Don't get a cat there a pain in the arse too, we have 2 ignorant, lazy, greedy sods, wish we'd got a dog.
Buy the mrs a iPad and she'll forget about the pig, since I got mine 1 she's had her nose burried in it since, although she does now spend a small fortune on eBay.....

Raymondavalon

Disagree! My cat Milo rocks. He's clean, intelligent, sociable, not greedy and quite entertaining.

As they say, pets often portray their owners' traits

Rucks

There the other halfs cats she had to have when we moved in together and yes they do seem to be simlar to 1 another.....

I'm a dog man myself, but she won when we first moved in together, might have had something todo with all the nookie at the time now that's all about stopped might have to get my dog, at least I could feed the cats to it

Fully-sprung

I am inclined to vote for the latter of the two options. That is all.

jay12

get a pet like a tarantula, snake, piranhas or scorpions

Gazlar

I hate pets, you have to feed them and look after them, its all too much effort and they freak me out when you are sitting there whacking one out.

Buy her a tamagotchi

Rigga

Raymondavalon wrote:

As they say, pets often portray their owners' traits

That's why my dogs always farting and playing with his balls then!

sheepsteeth

Rigga wrote:

Raymondavalon wrote:

As they say, pets often portray their owners' traits

That's why my dogs always farting and playing with his balls then!

actual lol.

smokymcjoe

dont do it!!

they are awful pets, got two for my son in his room in a hutch, the hutch was cleaned every 5 days still stank.

they are noisy and certainly not shy when they want food, after that they wont come near you or let you hold them or anything.

BOY do they eat!!! and sh#t.

even got the two plastic balls for them to go in, they didnt move!! sat there for over an hour in the plastic ball which were like £15 each or something stupid. problem is as guinea pigs are pretty much prey for everything they are just too skittish.

if you are set on getting a rodent, get a house rabbit, the real big ones.

had a friend who had one of them it was like a dog. had so much personality.

bottom line is guinea pigs are sh#'te.

x3man

In defence of my Cavy friends:

Guinea Pigs are highly interactive, sociable pets, as long as they are actually interacted with. No, they won't run around in little plastic balls for your entertainment (I would say this is a positive quality as I don't value other animals by how much they entertain me). Yes they will be skittish until they get used to you (wouldn't you be slightly skittish if some giant naked ape was clumsily trying to maul you out of your house?).They don't smell, it is their cage that will smell if not cleaned regularly. In short lazy pet owners will be better suited to something like a cat. Neither are they best suited to being left as the sole responsibility of kids who quickly get bored and would rather blow some hookers brains out with an UZI in GTA XXVII than interact with another sentient being.

With Guinea Pigs you get out what you put in. I think they're fooookin ace!

Raymondavalon

Guinea pigs: Great for entertaining kids and training cats & terriers

Daz555

I have eaten them in Peru and if you can get past the way they look served on a plate they don't taste too bad - sort of a chickeny pork flavour.

They do look rank though, even with chips.

Anonymous

Just don't let them get loose.