So, I will be getting a Guinea Pig in a few days, and I have some questions. I have gotten a ton of information off the internet, but there was some questions that weren't answered.
*Other than Guinea Pig food, what can I feed them? Not to sound dumb or anything, but I don't want to feed them something wrong.
*Can you put a dad Guinea Pig with one of its daughters without them mating?
*Can their cage be a medium sized dog kennel? My friend has her's in one, but is it cruel to do that?
*What are some toys they would like to play with?
*Where can I find a "ball" for them?
*Is it okay if I let them run around my room with my dog in it?
If you have any more information please tell me : )
Merry Christmas everyone!:)

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*Other than Guinea Pig food, what can I feed them? Not to sound dumb or anything, but I don't want to feed them something wrong.

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Try to give them three servings of different vegetables each day. Make sure that one of the servings includes a green leafy vegetable such as lettuce. Do not repeat veggies in one day, in other words, three different veggies each day.

Here's a list of acceptable veggies;

Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts
Basil
Beet greens (tops)*
Bok choy
Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems)* - 1 FLORET & STEM
Brussels Sprouts - 1 Sprout
Carrot - 1 to 2 baby carrots or equivalent
Carrot tops*
Celery – 2 INCHES, cut in 1 inch pieces
Chard (red or green)* - 1 LEAF
Cilantro – 6 - 8 STEMS AND LEAVES
Clover – 10
Collard greens* - 1 LEAF
Cucumber – 1 SLICE
Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)* - 6 LARGE OR 10 SMALL
Endive*
Escarole
Green peppers – 1 SLICE
Kale (!)* - 1 LEAF
Mint
Mustard greens* - 1 LEAF
Parsley* - 6 - 8 STEMS AND LEAVES
Pea pods (the flat edible kind)*
Peppermint leaves
Radichio – ½ CUP
Radish tops – 3 LEAVES
Raspberry leaves
Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf) or red/green leaf - 2 LEAVES
Watercress*
Wheat grass

Fruits are also good;

Apple
Blueberries
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries Melon
Orange (including peel)
Tomato

A tablespoon worth at a time.

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*Can you put a dad Guinea Pig with one of its daughters without them mating?

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No, not unless one of them is fixed or too old to mate.

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*Can their cage be a medium sized dog kennel? My friend has her's in one, but is it cruel to do that?

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I wouldn't recommend it. The bars on a dog kennel are too widely spread and you run the risk of piggy either getting loose or getting stuck. A dog kennel is for dogs. You should invest in a Guinea pig cage. Check online, sometimes you can get a good deal on a used cage with all the accessories.

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*What are some toys they would like to play with?

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Guinea pigs are curios little animals. They're a lot like rabbits. The best toys are toys you make yourself. Fill a toilet paper roll with alfalfa, piggy will love it. Toys from the pet store are also acceptable, just make sure they're designed for piggys.

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*Where can I find a "ball" for them?

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Most pet stores carry balls big enough for piggies and ferrets. I hate the idea of a ball though, too many things can happen and their little toes often get stuck while they're running. Better to let them run around supervised on the ground.

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*Is it okay if I let them run around my room with my dog in it?

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Never! Dogs and piggies don't usually get along. All it takes is one grumpy moment on behalf of the dog and you can say good bye to piggy, or hello to a very large vet bill.

I'm attaching a link about toys and cages. I hope you read it, some great info in there.

Guinea Pig Toys and Play

Have fun with your piggies. :)

Thank you so much : )
Merry Christmas!

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Originally Posted by ThinkTink

Thank you so much : )
Merry Christmas!

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No problem. I hope it helped.

Let me know if you have any more questions and good luck with your piggies. :)

Thanks, you and that cite answered them all!

Oh! Just got a question! How many times should I feed them? Should I pick a certain time, or just leave the food out? Or will that make them fat?

*How many times should I feed my Guinea Pig?
*How can I litter train him?
*Does anyone have more tips?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Please don't start a new thread for similar and really the same subject, merely add the info

Also it can take several days for many experts to come by and read and answer posts

Okay well I will just ask here.
*How many times should I feed my Guinea Pig
*How do I litter box train my Guinea Pig?
*How do I get my Guinea Pig to like me and my sister?

For the first question, I think that Altenweg already answered it :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Alty

Try to give them three servings of different vegetables each day. Make sure that one of the servings includes a green leafy vegetable such as lettuce. Do not repeat veggies in one day, in other words, three different veggies each day.

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I'll leave now. Great job Alty! :)

I just learned that his cage won't have a backing to it, it's one of the new C C ones. I don't want the poor guys to be stuck by the wall everyday, should I just buy a new cage?

You did say you were planning on putting them in a dog crate. I already advised that this isn't a good idea, so if that's the cage you're talking about, yes, you should buy a new one.

As for feeding, the pellets can be left in a bowl all day. They'll eat when they're hungry. The veggies can be give during your eat times, one for breakfast, one for lunch, one for dinner. Make sure to remove any veggies they don't eat the next day to prevent them from spoiling.

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Originally Posted by ThinkTink

*How many times should I feed my Guinea Pig?
*How can I litter train him?
*Does anyone have more tips?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!

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As for litter training, it's hit and miss. Buy a litter box that is designed for a rabbit. It's one that can fit in a corner, much better then a cat litter box because it takes up less space in the cage.

You did mention getting a father and daughter pair. The male may not learn quickly, or at all, because of his age. Depending on the age of the female you may have a very easy time training her.

Buy scoopable cat litter, non scented. When the guinea pigs poo and pee you'll notice that they usually choose one corner of the cage to do this. Put the litter box in their preferred corner and put some of the feces and urine stained woodchips into the litter box.

They may rebel at first by moving the litter box, even dumping it or just plain getting mad at it. They may even ignore it all together and choose another corner as a potty. Patience is key. It may take a few weeks but most times they're very easy to train. They don't like stepping in their own waste, they're very clean little animals, so they litter box may be accepted fairly quickly.

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*How do I get my Guinea Pig to like me and my sister?

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When you first bring them home give them a few days to adjust to their new surroundings. They're very nervous little animals at the best of times, but a major change can be very upsetting to them and they'll need to adjust.

Put them in a warm quiet room. Let them have some time without people, without being touched or held.

When they've settled in you can start getting them used to you. Start slowly, don't just reach in and pick them up. You want to start by getting them to trust you. Offer some veggies. Leave the piggy in the cage and put your hand in holding on to their favorite veggie. Now you wait. Some piggys will come right away to get a bite of their favorite food, others will be more weary because there's a human hand attached.

Patience. It may take a few minutes, it may take a few days, but try a few times a day until piggy comes to take the food. Don't make any sudden moves, just let him/her eat the treat and then close up the cage.

When piggy is consistent with coming for a treat then you can try to pet. Slowly, don't sneak up on him, let him see your hand, let him smell it, then go for a pet.

Once you can pet without piggy flinching then you can try picking him up. Guinea pigs really don't like to be held. They'd rather have their feet firmly on the floor. They tolerate it, they don't enjoy it, so pick piggy up and place him on your lap or on the floor in a room that's safe and has no hiding spots.

Let him explore, let him come to you when he wants to. Just sit and wait.

This process can take weeks, but, if you're patient you'll end up with a very tame piggy.

You did say you were planning on putting them in a dog crate. I already advised that this isn't a good idea, so if that's the cage you're talking about, yes, you should buy a new one.

No, my friend Allison was doing that to her Guinea pig. Okay, this cage is a really weird one.