We have had guinea pigs for pets ever since my kids were younger. We still have one now even though the kids are grown up. They are very good pets to own. I love it when they wheeet, wheeet for a treat! Ours loves romain lettuce and I have been able to get him veggies from the local stores for free. When you see them in the produce department putting the outdated veggies in a trash bin, ask someone working there if you can have some for your guinea pig. They will usually give it to you for free if you don't take very much. They will usually bag it and write on the bag "Free" for you, too. The produce is still pretty fresh but you may need to trim some spots off.
I recently just bought a guinea pig. His name is Chino. I have a mouse and have had hamsters before, so I decided to get a guinea pig because i've heard they are very kind and loving. Ever since I got him he seems really nervous and scared. Although I caught him last night running around in his cage making noises and tipping over his food dish. The pet store said he's six months old. Every time I hold him he will be okay for awhile if he just sits on my lap and pet him, but when I hold him with my hands against my chest or anything he nips at my hands. lol
Chino is a great name for a guinea pig! Once he gets used to you and your home, he will not be so nervous and should stop nipping at your hands, too. They can be sensitive to sudden loud noises but he will eventually get used to normal noise levels in the house. They also like to hide underneath something, they feel safer.
I have always wanted guinea pigs or rabbits for a pet, but we have a cat in the house. Is it ok to have a guinea pig alongside a cat in your house from your experience, or it would be risky? Because guinea pigs sort of look like rats, but not really, right?
I never was much of "rats" for domestic animals, but hamsters always stroke me as a pretty funny looking animal that is easy to take care of. My friend had a bunch of them and when they died he got a guinea pig and that thing was like a damn monster, always biting everything and everyone.
Now that's not so encouraging. I have a low tolerance for pain, so I don't want any animal that's gonna hurt me! I'm assuming that their bite must be painful!
I love guinea pigs, they are so sweet. I had two guinea pigs a few months ago, but had to give them away when I moved. Be careful about buying them from pet stores, though! I bought my two pigs from separate stores and were told they were both girls, but after my little pig got pregnant and had two babies, it made the whole situation difficult because I had to buy a separate cage for the boy pig so he wouldn't get her pregnant again and wouldn't harm the babies. Otherwise, I loved having them as pets. They got along really well with each other, obviously, and with me. It's definitely fun giving them veggie treats and they definitely let you know when they're food bowl is empty, my pigs used to squeak at me until I'd wake up in the morning to feed them. I definitely recommend guinea pigs, as long as the owner makes sure to keep their cage and areas clean, they are very low maintenance.
I wouldn't think of trying to have both a cat and a guinea pig at the same time, but that is just me. I suppose if they grew up together, it could be done. As far as them biting, some will bite more than others. Biting down hard usually only occurs when they feel scared. Most guinea pigs will give you a gentle nibble here and there but it really doesn't hurt. One thing you can do when there are young is to hold them often and this helps them feel safer and they will be less likely to bite you hard.
