Do Guinea Pigs Really Stink?

@yuare7 (10)
United States
January 8, 2007 2:51pm CST
I was asking my dad if I could buy one and he said no. When asked why he said they'll stink up the whole house. I'm really curious do they really stink like that bad. I wanna get one anyways but if they really do smell like my dad said they did than I won't get one cause it would be in my room and I couldn't deal with it.
8 responses
@misskatonic (3723)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I've never found Guinea Pigs to have a particularly strong odor. The cage doesn't smell any different than a hamster cage, really. They have the usual rodent scent, but it's not overpowering or anything like that. The male's urine can be pungent, but there are beddings that cut out the odor. Or just get a female.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
9 Jan 07
Actually, I've never found males to smell worse than females as far as urine. But, you will need to clean out the anal sac of a male or he can get impacted. Some people find that really gross and yes, that smells really bad. So if you've smelled a male that smelled much worse than a female, it probably was in bad need of a cleaning.
• United States
11 Jan 07
Then that was probably the case. Guinea pigs were never my thing, so to speak, I've always worked mostly with dogs and reptiles. But every so often I'd be called in to pig-sit by friends who had the little buggers. Cute critters, just not for me.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
11 Jan 07
Yeah, they aren't for everyone. Rats weren't my thing, as I found out when I fostered some. Thankfully, I was only fostering and hadn't made a long term commitment (they were adopted out within 2 months).
• United States
10 Jan 07
I have two wonderful little piggies and they don't stink at all. I clean their cage once a week.
• United States
11 Jan 07
Anything will stink if you don't clean it! Guinea pigs themselves do not stink. Keep the cage clean and it won't either - provided they have enough room. As with any living thing they do have to eliminate themselves but if you provide them with enough space and stick to a cleaning schedule all will be find. I have two males in a good sized pen and as long as I scoop their sleeping spots and the corners out every few days it's fine.
1 person likes this
@ahalapia (942)
• United States
8 Jan 07
My daughter has had a guinea pig for over a year now, and I can honestly say that as long as the cage is taken care of then there is no smell, because they are basically clean animals, and very low maintenance.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
9 Jan 07
It depends on the pig if they're low maintenance. Some people have told me they thought it was much easier to care for their dog. It takes me less than 5 minutes to scoop out a cage with a dustpan because I use coroplast bottoms and stuff doesn't stick to that (unless you leave it and let it get dirty). And each morning I just toss some veggies in after rinsing them, and at night as well. And I tend to put in 1/2 flake of hay at a time so that it lasts for 3 days or so and it gives them enough hay to run through as well as eat. But guinea pigs can easily develop health problems that make them require a more specialized diet (such as bladder stones or sludge). And they can run up some very expensive vet bills! So it's definitely not a responsibility to take lightly. Also, they are social animals so they should be in pairs or groups. Consider adopting a friend for your piggie from a rescue or shelter near you. Check www.petfinder.com or www.petharbor.com to see guinea pigs in need of homes near you.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
9 Jan 07
They do stink very badly if you keep them in a small area. I have had over 10 guinea pigs at once before, and each pair got 7 to 9 square feet of space. I cleaned the cages twice weekly. People would come over and be shocked that we had pets. If your dad doesn't approve of a guinea pig, how about volunteering with a guinea pig rescue instead? You shouldn't have to confine the animal to a small space in your room. Besides, if your dad doesn't want one guinea pig, he really won't want two! And they are social animals. Read up on your guinea pig care at www.guinealynx.info and see if there is a rescue near you. Maybe volunteering will show your dad that you have a serious interest. Also keep in mind however, that guinea pigs can live 8+ years. Think about what you'll be doing in the future and if you'll continue to have time and money to care for them (not just for the initial cage and the hay and veggies, but also for vet bills should they arise).
• United States
22 Feb 07
Very good advice.
• United States
12 Jan 07
the only way a guinea pig would stink up the whole house is if oyu didn´t take good care of it.you´d have to clean the cage 3x a month and pay great attention to where they hide they´re food or else they will become upset.now besides that no,guinea pigs do not stink
@jetta12 (94)
• United States
22 Feb 07
Guinea Pigs dont stink,keep their cage clean and you have nothing to worry about.They like to keep clean,your dad might stink befor e the piggy.(LOLOLOOLOL).Get you one,clean the cage every week.Sometime I clean my cage every other week.
• United States
9 Jan 07
If you keep their hutch clean, guinea pigs do not stink. It is true that they poop alot, but as long as you clean up after them they do not smell bad. I would recommend cleaning their hutch at least twice a week.
@DreamOn01 (146)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I've had guinea pigs for more than 5 years, and the pigs themselves do not smell. The cage will smell if you don't clean it at least once a week, but a guinea pig that is in a clean cage and well cared for will not have an offensive odor.