# new rabbit and guinea pig



## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

Hi just wondered if new additions would be ok outside in hutch they are both around 7 to 8 weeks old and have been outside from birth.Got a hutch and everything already for them. Kids really excited eldest wants to keep them in his bedroom.


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## Gemma83 (Mar 5, 2008)

When I was younger, our rabbits and guinea pigs lived outside in summer and in a huge double greenhouse in the winter so they didn't get cold and still had excerise. Years later after we moved I got rabbit and beacause we couldn't fully fox proof the new garden she ended up being a house rabbit.

You get a completly different kind of pet having them as houe pets (my parents had house guinea pigs when they got married in the 70s) They are much less inpendent when they live indors and you can still put them in the hutch at night (my house bunny had her hutch in converstory) she did start off in my room but I couldn't sleep with her staring at me. 

I loved having a house rabbit she even welcomed us at the door when we came home! sadly she passed away last october and is still very missed.

If you are unable to fully make your garden safe for them then get them a really big pen.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

would like to have them in house all time but i have 3 cats and dont want them to get hurt. could put them in back conservatory though as cats dont go in there. Eldest already has a hamster in his room think it would be 2 much to have rabbit and guinea pig in there as well. Thanks for reply will give it a try with them in back conservatory see how we go.


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## Gemma83 (Mar 5, 2008)

snowy said:


> would like to have them in house all time but i have 3 cats and dont want them to get hurt. could put them in back conservatory though as cats dont go in there. Eldest already has a hamster in his room think it would be 2 much to have rabbit and guinea pig in there as well. Thanks for reply will give it a try with them in back conservatory see how we go.


Outside would proberly be best with the cats, do you have a fox problem in your area? If so them extra fencing around the hutch and consdier where the hutch and pets can go in the winter so they can have a good run. My friends hutch got pulled apart by some foxes it was awful poor bunny died of frieght we think


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

Gemma83 said:


> Outside would proberly be best with the cats, do you have a fox problem in your area? If so them extra fencing around the hutch and consdier where the hutch and pets can go in the winter so they can have a good run. My friends hutch got pulled apart by some foxes it was awful poor bunny died of frieght we think


not as far as i know but we had a rabbit until last year and still have a run which we bought for that. Wouldnt allow them to run free garden is too big we would never catch them again and wouldnt want them to get hurt by cats saying that they run away from hamster when she is in her ball they are that daft. Not had guinea pigs for a while so that is going to take some getting used 2 they will be able to keep each other warm at night. Are you better to feed them both on rabbit or guinea pig food or shall i mix the 2 together. I know that guinea pigs need vit c etc but will have to get the book out again for other bits


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## Gemma83 (Mar 5, 2008)

To be honest stay away from the mix foods, our vet took our tamzin of them - basicaly most are designed for lab animals and can easily cause weight problems and sensitve stomachs - our bunny kept having soft stools vet told us to stop the food and it went away. We gave ours a plain dry food I think it was called excel and it comes in a green bag with a yellow bunny on it. Thats also great beacuase if they are poorly you can mush it down add water and feed by spoon or syrnigie into their mouths - its a very high fibre meal.

Also lots of fresh veg, I grow my own so tamzin loved my carrot and broclie leaves and used to get drunk eating fernented pears! And get a dry grass (not hay or staw - it looks like green grass) for the winter when the grass outside hasn't got much nurtiants in it. I think it tastes nicer to them then hay and staw (also helps define what you sleep on and what you eat!)


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

will that be ok for guinea pig as well do you think as long as she has plenty of veg or vit c supplement in there water bottle. sorry for picking your brains just a while since i kept guinea pigs. They will both be in together so want to try and just feed one food that will be ok for both  off to shop to get some broccolli carrots cucumber etc. Will def have to read up on guinea pigs.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

used to get drunk eating fernented pears.


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## Gemma83 (Mar 5, 2008)

snowy said:


> will that be ok for guinea pig as well do you think as long as she has plenty of veg or vit c supplement in there water bottle. sorry for picking your brains just a while since i kept guinea pigs. They will both be in together so want to try and just feed one food that will be ok for both  off to shop to get some broccolli carrots cucumber etc. Will def have to read up on guinea pigs.


It should be fine for both, if they are getting enough fresh veg they don't need extra vitmens - you find if you have the diet right salt licks and things like that don't get touched and the animal knows it dosn't need it.

For treats - things like "Yippie Treats" are designed for all small animals so you can give to bunny guinea and hampster (although break it up 1st overwise will pouch whole thing!)

Watch out with giving them cucumber - i've always found that leads to runs with mine.

I'm in the same boat as you, we always had small animals and now I work part time after the house rabbit passed away we were able to get our 1st dog so I often don't have a clue what I am doing with him!!!!


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

I have always kept cats and had dogs when i was younger but wouldnt know were to start now with a dog either. Hubby thinks im mad having all these pets but i always grew up with pets around wouldnt know what to do if i didnt have them all now boys are at school and nursery. Will get down to local pets at home and get supplies then this afternoon.


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## Gemma83 (Mar 5, 2008)

good luck with them, I hope they bring you and your family a lot of joy!


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

thanks will try and put some photos on when we get them


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

snowy said:


> Hi just wondered if new additions would be ok outside in hutch they are both around 7 to 8 weeks old and have been outside from birth.Got a hutch and everything already for them. Kids really excited eldest wants to keep them in his bedroom.


I do hope that your not going to keep a rabbit with a cavy in the same cage, both of these animals need diffrent types of food.

Nine out of ten cavies are killed by the rabbit that owners put them in with.


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## Gemma83 (Mar 5, 2008)

I always kept the two toghter in the past and fed them the same diets and they all had long happy lives


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

yes i am always used to keep them together. My brother has got a rabbit and guinea pig together and so has my sister in law and she was recently sold them in a pet shop


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

well we got them last night kids think they are ace rabbit is a little brown lop and guinea pig is white with brown patches. Going to get them in there cage in a bit in a indoor one at min that they came in.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2008)

snowy said:


> yes i am always used to keep them together. My brother has got a rabbit and guinea pig together and so has my sister in law and she was recently sold them in a pet shop


Never go by what a pet shop has to say as they are only there to see things no to give expert advice.

I used to do part time work in a large pet shop and one of the things all the employees are told 'even if you think some thing is wrong, selling a guinea-pig and rabbit together, you will get more of a bonus if you sell a g-p with every rabbit if the g-p dies they can always come back for another' that's when I left there employment.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

have always kept them together and never had any problems. I also used to work in a pet shop and have kept and bred rabbits and guinea pigs for many years. Just not had guinea pigs for a year or so. Every one has there own opinion on things though i guess


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## catzndogz (Mar 12, 2008)

MADgical-Animals-UK said:


> Never go by what a pet shop has to say as they are only there to see things no to give expert advice.
> 
> I used to do part time work in a large pet shop and one of the things all the employees are told 'even if you think some thing is wrong, selling a guinea-pig and rabbit together, you will get more of a bonus if you sell a g-p with every rabbit if the g-p dies they can always come back for another' that's when I left there employment.


 is all i have to say to the above


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## catzndogz (Mar 12, 2008)

snowy said:


> have always kept them together and never had any problems. I also used to work in a pet shop and have kept and bred rabbits and guinea pigs for many years. Just not had guinea pigs for a year or so. Every one has there own opinion on things though i guess


 hi even befor you were a twinkle in your dad's eye's we always kept g/pigs & rabbits toghther as you've seen the pics. as you say when you were little we always had g/pigs & rabbits in same cage & they never attacked each other. so you tell the 2 monster's that spam 7 corned beef say it'll be ok.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

well thats it but obviously some people think they know it all  what can i say other than they hate to be apart and have only been together a couple of days


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## catzndogz (Mar 12, 2008)

ask kids to give rosy & lighting a hug from us all


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

will do


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

Thanks for all your advice gemma83 will get some pics up.


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