Kids love a pet, but sometimes parents don’t love pet’s quite so much. Pet’s make a mess on the carpet, they’re expensive when you go to the vet and they are always a headache when you go on holidays. So if you’ve got children who are pestering you for a pet what should you do? Should you just say no?
Have you considered guinea pigs?
Guinea pigs make wonderful pets for the kids. They are small, not too messy, cute and cuddly, don’t get sick frequently and can be left outside. They don’t drop hair all over your carpet, they don’t chew your furniture and they don’t bark until the neighbors complain. They’re cheap to buy, cheap to house and cheap to feed.
In fact you can’t get a better pet for children or parents than a guinea pig. They don’t live so long so you’re not committing yourself to pet ownership for more than 15 years. In fact a guinea pig usually lasts no longer than 5 years.
It is not difficult making your piggie into your best friend. They are easy to handle, even for kids, and rarely bite. If the children handle them regularly then they are very easy to tame and will very happily sit on the child’s lap while they are stroked or brushed.
Like all animals you should supervise your young children when they are handling their guinea pig. Guinea pigs don’t like being dropped.
They like to be with people and other guinea pigs, so it’s usually better to buy 2 at a minimum.
It’s not expensive to feed your guinea pigs, all they require is some simple food such as some grains or commercial pellets and some grass or vegetable scraps. It’s wise to supplement their diet with a little vitamin C from time to time.
But don’t rush out and buy some guinea pigs yet. First you need to find them a good guinea pig hutch.
It’s important to spend a little time thinking about how to house your guinea pig before you buy him. The guinea pig hutches sold in pet shops are generally too small. Your piggies need to be able to run around and play and most guinea pig cages don’t allow them to do that.
Or why not make one yourself? If you know one end of a hammer from the other and can source some simple outdoor timber, some wire, a few hinges and clasps for the door it’s not at all difficult to build the guinea pig hutch that will house a guinea pig in comfort. It is important though that you provide him with a covered and draught free nesting area where he can sleep in comfort out of the weather.
So if you’ve been searching for the perfect solution to a pet for the children you ought to consider giving them a guinea pig.