Question

[petslover]

I have a question. I may be adding another pet to my family. I'm not sure if I want a Guinea Pig or Cockatiel bird. Which one?

okay i was trying to make a poll, but I don't know how to do it lol. So you can just post if you want to please.

[chrissycat21]

Well, it depends.

Guinea Pigs:
For a guinea pig you have to be prepared to care for them for over 7 years. Their needs are pretty simple, fresh veggies, pellets, hay, etc. But they do need to be housed in groups on two or more. They shouldn't be housed with rabbits or any other small animal besides their own kind. They are very sweet natured, my guinea pig loves to be cuddled and just sit in my lap while I watch tv. Try checking out cavyspirit.com for more information.

Cockatiels:
I don't know a lot about cockatiels, so you might want to wait for some of the experts to answer your thread! But, I'll try!

If you get a cockatiel look for a hand raised one. You have to be prepared to take care of it for 20 years or more. They have specific nutrition needs and need just as much care as a guinea pig; they both need to be out of the cage every day, regular vet check ups (witha guinea pig, an exotic animal vet and with a cockatiel an avian vet.)

Hope I could help! If you have any guinea pig questions feel free to PM me!

[flamepony12]

umm, depends how much space you have, etc. I have a cockatiel and I love her. :D

If you want........

*an animal that doesn't make much noise, guinea pigs and cockatiels can be quiet, but male cockatiels are generally louder than females, though males can talk.

*an animal that doesn't make much of a mess, I'd say that guinea pigs shed more hair, though cockatiels produce "preening dust", which doesn't make too much of a mess. If you have a guinea pig you will have to give h/s a litterpan, which you should clean out about 2wice a week. You need to clean a piggie's cage about once a week. You also need to clean a Cockatiel's cage once a week, and take out the wooden toys and perches and scrub the poop off, which isn't as gross as it sounds. :p

*an animal that doesn't take up too much space, you'll need to decide between a piggy, which takes a ground cage, about 3ft. by 2ft., or a 'tiel, which takes a cage on a stand, of which the base takes up about 2ft. by 2ft.
The cage of a cockatiel should be big enough for h/s to spread h/h wings, if not bigger.

In all, they both need love, attention, and daily care. :)

hope that helped,
Devon :)

[guineapiggie13]

I don't really know birds, but I know that guinea pigs are A LOT of fun to have. They really only smell bad if you haven't cleaned their cage in a long time. If you're looking at a pet with a long lifespan, I think you should probably get a bird, but if you want a pet that lives about 4-7 years get a guinea pig. :)