I have to move to Austin for high school. I'm entering 9th grade, and mom said I could get two guinea pigs. (Now I don't know if she's going to keep that promise. You never know with moms.) Since I'll be in high school, I don't know if I should get them. For credit, I'm thinking of volunteering at an animal shelter...So I might have enough time for the animals, with all the homework and working.
But I soooo want them. *sob*
Should I get them? If so, where is the best place? I heard that Petco or whatever doesn't take care of their animals well.
Answers:
Well, they actually require a lot of time.
They need a specialized diet, specific sized cage, daily cleanup, and handling [though that needs to be kept gentle, they are easy to harm]
For their cages you need to place a gnawing log, tunnels, play things, tip-resistant food bowl, water tube. Also, make sure you use only HIGH QUALITY high for the bottom of the cage. Guinea pigs will eat anything and saw dust/cedar chips cause upper respitory issues. Remember no mesh or wire cages - it tears up their feet. Choose guinea pigs of the same sex, they are less likely to fight.
Places to get them are: a breeder, from a pet store, or from an animal shelter. petfinder.com has some up.
They like to squeal, so have fun with that.
It's really up to you whether you get them - if you think you have enough time to spend with them go for it. If not... maybe goldfish are better for you.
=]
In my opinion, no matter what pet store you look at, they aren't treated well.
I would do all the research first (even though they're little, they can be a lot of work). www.petfinder.com is a good site to check out for local animal shelters where you can find guinea pigs that need homes.
My favorite guinea pig site to check out is: www.cavymadness.com
It has TONS of info on health, dietary needs, etc.
If you need more info feel free to leave me a message.
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