Guinea Pig question

MaggieJ · #21 11/17/06, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laura Jensen

This is kind of a cool site with information on how people raise a number of different types of small livestock in third-world countries. There's a rather significant section on guinea pigs. http://www.fao.org/ag/AGAinfo/subjec...s/contents.htm

Thanks for the link, Laura. That is a great site and I had it bookmarked once upon a time... but lost it somehow. I'll enjoy checking it out again.

lonelyfarmgirl · #22 11/18/06, 07:13 AM

well, the first few years I did it was probably a result of inexperience. I know I had good breeders then. When I sold and started again, Im sure the florida whites were just bad genetics. thats why I got rid of them all except the old doe. She has a messed up leg, so last time I bred her, I put her in a soft bottom cage with no box. the babies she had all stayed in one spot, but she still squished them. shes just a bad mom. no matter about her. I kept her for other reasons. The other doe that I have breeding was given with a litter on the ground. she is a dwarf mix. she does ok, and her daughter is only just now old enough. I want to get back into rabbits on a large scale again, but I thought Id investigate guinea pigs, because of the bad experiences and troubles Ive had the second time around.
Id really like to get angoras again. I had good luck with them, but I also want satins or rexs. how the heck do you determine if you are buying good breeders or not, especially if you buy them young? when I bought those florida whites and californias before, the guy had many generations of his own, breeding records, etc..and it clearly was a bogus buy.

currently all the rabbits are in a ground pen with warrens, no boxes. Ill be building some new boxes and caging them for the winter possibly.
And no, the food is not the problem. they have a wonderful diet.

Ill check out the link,thanks

nursefarmer · #23 11/18/06, 08:12 AM

It is very tough and dis heartening when things don't go well with any animal we own.But sometimes,a person just needs to change gears for awhile,take a breath,as it were,and then try again later...or maybe not.I detect tones of "burnout" in your thread,it does indeed happen with animals,as well as our jobs,ect.If your heart is happy by trying to do the pigs,I say go for it.This is your life,your hard earned money spent,and YOU who is cleaning cages,banging out ice from waters in the winter...and most importantly,YOUR heart that is affected by witnessing failed kindlings,and death when life was your intention.You should do what makes you smile,whatever that may be.Good luck to you !

kitty-kat-9514 · #24 02/03/10, 07:36 PM

u r not breeding guinea pigs for butcher!!!!!!

KSALguy · #25 02/04/10, 01:36 AM

and why not??? they were found on dinner plates way before the idea of a pet mentality ever occured to anyone,

jil101ca · #26 02/04/10, 06:56 AM

I had talked to hubby about Guinia pigs for meat after stumbling across the fact that they are livestock in Peru. He said "NO" he was afraid that the entire PETA would camp our house. lol. I'm quite sure you would find a market for them but I really don't know how cost efficient raising them for meet would be, perhaps maybe you could get a pet contract....

ladysown · #27 02/04/10, 08:54 AM

There are big guinea pigs out there, its a matter of looking for them.

as to their ease of raising, easy enough to raise them, they do have their own issues though.

and yes, the babies hit the ground running, but still need momma's milk for the first bit.

They can be raised outside quite successfully, in the winter I add a light and bring them under good shelter, and put them on guinea pig food. Just a 40 watt bulb seems to do the trick. In the summer I keep them out on the grass where they are THE MOST efficient lawn mowers around - and switch them to rabbit food.

I don't breed for winter litters with piggies though with the right set up I probably could.

Have I eaten one? no.
would it be doable? probably, they are chunky beasts. Biggest I ever got was 3.5 lbs. Most are 2-3 max.

Overall I find that colonies of three sows to one boar works really well. Removing the babies at three weeks. boys to one area, girls to another. (but that's when I sell them or turn them over to a pet store).

They aren't an easy buck by no means. If you had enough of them to buy feed cheaply and had a ready source to selling the offspring it could be financially feasible.

1 bag of guinea pig food costs $20
the babies sell for $10 each, with 1-5 pups per litter.
Takes a couple of months to get pups, you'll feed (for three sows, one boar) 2-3 bags of feed IF you are also supplementing with hay. so for $40-60 you'll get averaging 10 pups, $100. THAT"S if your boar doesn't suddenly drop dead on you (which happens more oft than you'd think). So it takes you three months to get $40.

I currently do better than that with the rabbits.

I raise piggies for one reason only...my son likes to sit and watch them. well..that and the wheeking they do. makes me smile.

Falls-Acre · #28 02/04/10, 09:07 AM

The cavy that is raised for meat by other countries is called a Cuy guinea pig and it is illegal to import them to the US. Just so you know. There are a few cavies I've seen that have gotten to 3 and 4 lbs, but they are rare and the owners seldom choose to give them up.

KSALguy · #29 02/04/10, 09:14 AM

they wouldnt be a LARGE source of meat, but there is no reason they couldnt be used to supplement a raw feeding diet for someones dogs or cats, or as a novelty treet for dinner,
my ex and i had a couple for a while, we ended up feeding them mostly a fresh diet of greens, weeds, grass, whole grain, guineapig food, hay and oranges, the male was neuterd though so we didnt get any litters, they did good though,

ladysown · #30 02/04/10, 09:27 AM

I would have no problem having piggie for a meal but for one problem...ever tried skinning one? NOT an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. makes me think that there is a reason why when I see pics of them they are often roasted over a fire with skin/fur intact. The logistics of that currently make me go...ah...no.

KSALguy · #31 02/04/10, 09:46 AM

are the skins just on tight or ist it cause its such a small carcass?

ladysown · #32 02/04/10, 10:26 AM

i needed my fillet knife to get the skin off, plus they are difficult to hold.

Ray · #33 02/04/10, 10:52 AM

I have seen a couple shows on satellite tv that showed folks eating them in china and Philippines, I believe, they said they tend to raise them without a pen under their houses, which were built up from the ground a foot or two, and feed them a little, enough to keep them there. then catch them to eat when needed. it showed them skinned cleaned, skewered and deep fried, looked scrumptious, they weren't spending money raising them. I don't know any body that ever had real good luck with litters when raising rabbits on the ground with underground warrens. I've herd several people do it because of one reason or another, but there is no control of breeding or anything for that mater so I don't believe this would work for me. I like a cage for each, so I can handle them alot and treat them as needed, best wishes, ray

KSALguy · #34 02/04/10, 04:07 PM

in Chili down in South america where GuinePigs originated as a table item they keep them inside the house, saw documentary where this small family dewlling had a central fire pit lots of guineapigs running around and they just grab up one when they need one to eat,

as to the colony keeping of rabbits i am one of the few that do and it works just fine for me, but your right its not for everyone,

lonelyfarmgirl · #35 02/04/10, 10:02 PM

I started this thread more than 3 years ago..wow! have I come a long way! now I have some of the top tan lines in the country, know all about and keep rare breeds, and have rex good enough to compete with anyone who wants to step to the table.
Its amazing what a few years, and a bit of study can do to someone who is determined to succeed. watch out for what I'll bring to the arba convention in indianapolis in 2011!

Ray · #36 02/05/10, 08:47 AM

heres what I agree with, When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown,best wishes, ray

cathleenc · #37 02/05/10, 03:22 PM

I've eaten capybara while in Brasil - was 32 yrs ago so can't exactly describe how it tasted other than great! Capybara are related to guinea pigs.

hah! just saw your note, Amanda, about this thread being 3 yrs old. Feels kinda funny to have just replied! And congrats on the significant progress you've made. I thought your rabbitry looked quite fine when I saw it last summer.

lonelyfarmgirl · #38 02/06/10, 10:46 AM

thanks, you should see it now. I have a building. what a difference!

Mac_ · #39 10/06/11, 08:40 AM

Anyone now raising guinea pigs for meat? I'd appreciate your feedback.

Mac_

ladysown · #40 10/06/11, 03:36 PM

raising guinea pigs for personal food? nope....
will raise them for the snake people though.