A man who ended up taking on 10 guinea pigs after moving into his new house saw the herd grow to 80 in just under a year before he was able to get their breeding habits under control. Cid Dwyer, 25, began caring for the pets after the previous owners of his new home left them behind in February 2022.
Within a matter of weeks, the creatures began to multiply, with the male guinea pigs impregnating the females at a rapid rate. The introduction of the babies was 'cute' at first, but Cid quickly realised the animals couldn't just be left to breed freely.
He tried in vain to separate the males from the females using a fence but found the determined males still found ways to get through. By the time he managed to solve the issue with a secure new enclosure for the females, he found himself with 80 guinea pigs to look after, a responsibility that currently sets him back £8K a year.
Content creator Cid, Sydney, Australia, said: "I've grown a herd of 80 guinea pigs in less than a year. They were left by the previous tenants, and I just thought 'they are cute, I'll let them hang around'."
Noting that the 'males were intent on making them all pregnant', Cid set about researching effective ways to stop them from breeding.
He added: "I put a fence up, but a male still managed to get in. Now I've built a new enclosure for the females so it's under control. They have lots of space to run around so I keep them outside.
"I researched the plants and wood I could use in their enclosure to make sure it wasn't poisonous for them."
Cid was able to use TikTok to work out how to care for his new pets and is now said to be a keen guinea pig fan. The herd lives in Cid's back garden, and he loves spending time hanging out with them and giving them the best lives possible.
According to Cid: "I'm now really attached to them at this point. I can recognise all of them. I named one Claudia after Claudia Winkleman because she has long hair that covers over her face - like bangs.
"One is Curious George because he's always so inquisitive. I do have favourites. Cookie Dough, who has chocolate chip patterned fur, is one of my favourites."
Cid begins each day by leaving out four trays of barley grass - which he grows himself - plus dry food and from time to time additional tasty treats like carrots or watermelon. After cleaning out the guinea pigs' bedding, he will then spend some quality time 'hanging out' with his furry pals.
The guinea pigs live outside in Cid's garden, with covered sections of their enclosure protecting them from any rain. In summer, Cid makes sure to keep them nice and cool by leaving out frozen bottles of water.
Cid spends approximately £115 a week on pet food and also has to get them treated for lice and fleas every three months, setting him back an extra £600. In total, Cid spends £5,520 a year on food and £2,400 on treatment, adding up to £7,920.
He admitted: "They have a lovely life. They are very spoilt."
Do you have an animal-related story to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
