Guinie Pigs and Rabbits

I know they can not share a cage. But I was told that a Guinie pig makes a good friend for a rabbit. But how? Do you allow them to play togher once and awhile? Or does your rabbit just see the guinie pig in its cage and makes it feel not so lonly? I think my dad would be more up for a guinie pig then a Bunny again. but I want a friend for Julian, so he is not so lonly. If I placed the guinie pig cage on teh floor woudl he or she keep Julian compnay? And could they ever be aloud out together? If you hae any info on Guinie pigs and Bunnies being friends that would be great! Well, I'm off the the House rabbit society!

Ash

Guinea pigs and rabbits generally do very well with mutual play time. It actually used to be fairly common to see them living together. I'll look around for some websites with info. Good luck!

Ash is right... there's some sort of virus(?--not sure that's exactly what it is) that g.piggies can carry and, while it doesn't hurt the g.piggie, it can be fatal to the bun. I have NO IDEA if a vet can test for this virus. You might call Julian's vet and ask!

Good luck in your search -- let us know what you find out. I'll see if I can find info on it after I get off of work.

Thanx :D I thoguth you couldn't have them togerher because Julian could possibly kill the guinie pig with a kick? I never knew abotu the virus :eek: I think I will call my vet about it and see. Any way you could get the name for me?

I have so much trouble finding anythign on the House Rabbit Society web page :rolleyes: , I am awful on every single we bpage though,. LOl It takes meat least 20 mins ot find a page that relates to what I want a little and then another 10 to find what I really want :rolleyes: Well ,I found nothing so far. Hopefully I will find soemthing.

Ash

I have done alot of reasearch on this subject and I found out that most all websites say that guinea pigs and rabbits can have play time but they should not be hosued together because,

they have totally different food requirements, the guinea pig will be the underdog and could get injured, guinea pigs like other guinea pig interacting as a cage mate rather then a rabbit, guinea pigs can catch viruses from rabbits by eating there poop or even by there pee.

I wouldent do it.

TM is right and it is the other way round, rabbits can carry bordatella which is not a problem to them but fatal to the guinea pig.

To me as a guinea pig owner it is all well and good getting a companion for Julian but what about the pig being lonely? Guinea pigs are highly social and need company - so to be kind you must get 2 guinea pigs.

Rabbits can kill pigs with a kick, either outright or by causing fatal internal damage. I have unfortunately been at the vets when the result of such an incident came in - the pig was gurgling and suffocating because it had been kicked breaking some ribs and puncturing a lung. Needless to say that will haunt me forever and the pig was put down. The kick probably won't be on purpose but as the rabbit Binky's about or moves normally.

The diet is also a problem - guinea pigs cannot eat rabbit food, also they need a lot of fresh veg daily, the amounts which would give a rabbit diarrhoea.

I completely disagree with risking guinea pigs lives by keeping them with/letting them play with rabbits (one kick is all it takes). A rabbit cannot communicate with a pig like it can another rabbit (and vice versa).

I have been told by other rabbit keepers that there is a great debate over whether rabbits need company. Personally when you think wild rabbits live in colonies I think with enough space rabbits can only be happier in the company of another rabbit with which to do "rabbit things" with :)

Thanx for the info!

I am only considering the idea, not going out and doing it. I know, as I stated in the thread before that a rabbit cna kill a guinie pig with one kick. I was wondering, if this is true, then how can they be a good compnaion? If they can not be housed together or play together then how can they be good friends? Thats more of the answer I was looking for and if a Piggie who was caged while Julian was out, would this give him the companionship he needed? Or does he need to have a friend who is out at all times with him? Now, do not get me wrong, if I were to get piggie the pig would be allowed out of his cage and would get attention from me as well. I do not ever lock an animal in a cage and expect it to be there 24 hours a day and be happy, no, it's not a animals nature to be locked up. I also wanted to know what other people thought about the idea, which you both stated you thought it was a bad idea.

Tikey's Mom- As I said before I would not house them together. I would never do that, I know better.

Shell- THe vegtable thing or the diet things would not be a problem as they would have seprate cages. So the guinie pig could have tons of veggie's in it cage while Julian had his Parsley and other treats. The doors to each cage would be shut while they were out roaming and they would have a mutual water dish.

~*~Now I want you all to know because I have sayed this does not mean I'm going to get a g- pig. I am just saying that this would be the way it would be IF i were to get one and him and Julian were friends. Because of the info I have gotten from Shell and T.M I do not think I will be getting one because I love my pets and would not risk there lives to make my other pet happy when I could just as well get a bunny.

Ash

Thankyou Ash for taking what I have said re: the guinea pig seriously.

I think if you wanted a guinea pig as a pet then that would be fine but you would have to get 2 which your Dad probably wouldn't approve of.

I was wondering, if this is true, then how can they be a good compnaion? They can't for the reasons mentioned.

If they can not be housed together or play together then how can they be good friends? Again realistically they can't, they may get some limited interaction through the cage bars but the guinea pig would probably be scared/more interested in it's pig companion/more interested in food (most likely the latter!!)

Thats more of the answer I was looking for and if a Piggie who was caged while Julian was out, would this give him the companionship he needed? I think Julian would get more companionship from you, playing with him, cuddling him etc.

Or does he need to have a friend who is out at all times with him? I think for any social animal they need a companion of their own kind - one they can be with all the time both in the cage and out. I think the times Julian may get lonely is when you are at school/work/sleeping and he is alone. If he shared his cage with another rabbit he would never be lonely because they would have each other. And you can play with the together at the same time. With another rabbit not just Julian benefits - the other rabbit gets his company and you get the live of 2 buns :)

Thanx Shell, yo uhelped me out alot and gave me some great advice! I am still working on my dad about the other bunny. I've always wanted a G- pig so I think it would be awesome to have one! But I don't want one who wants to be with another g- pig but can't because my dad won't let me :( so no g- pig for now. Maybe anotehr tiem when I can adopt 2. :D


Ash