Is a guinea pig a good pet?

[Nobody]

I was going to get a hedgehog but buying the hedgehog was quite expensive. so I thought about getting a rabbit, mom said no. poopie. so I thought about a guinea pig. so the minor questions are Is a guinea pig low, medium, or high maintenance? Do they smell a lot? Pros and Cons?

[Lonin]

Guinea pigs are social herd animals that need to live in pairs. You'd have to get two if you planned to get any.
They don't smell if they're in a big enough cage and cleaned out regularly.
Maintence depends on what you consider low, medium and high. They need handling and preferably floor time daily, they need unlimited amounts of grass hay as well as pellets and daily fresh vegetables. They'd need cleaning out about once a week as well as spot cleaning daily. depending on what you use as bedding and the size of the cage. It's also a good idea to check them over and weigh them once a week as weight loss can be an early sign of illness.
They can be great pets if you like that kind of thing.
They need a big cage, 7.5sq ft minimum for two females, 10.5sq ft minimum for two males, as well as regular floor time. Look into C&C cages if you haven't already as most shop bought cages are very expensive and much too small http://www.guineapigcages.com/
Being prey animals they're naturally very shy and skittish and will take a while to get used to you. This can take anywhere from days to weeks to sometimes months depending on their personality.
http://www.guinealynx.info/healthycavy_orig.html has a basic care guide which might give you a better idea of what's required

[Alle]

Guinea Pigs are High maintenance. They do need their cages cleaned, water refreshed and more food and hay every day. If you plan on getting one, you need to get two. Personally I don't think that this is the right choice of pet for you (don't take it personally). Try a hamster or something a little less maintenance.

[Jess]

I have two and are in love!!! But if you going to get you just get two or 0. They are very social and will get depressed without a friend. But honestly having two in the same cage is no more work than having one in a cage. They do not smell at all suprisingly. I would say they are medium work i guess? I mean a rabbit is much more work. You have to spot clean the cage everyday feed them give them floor time and take them out to cuddle with you like everyday. They are amazing pets and are ao friendly. Their like miny dogs or cats haha

[Hayley]

Guinea pigs are very nice pets. They will not smell if the cage is cleaned weekly with some spot cleaning between.(plus guinea pigs can are typically given a "bath" once a month.) They are medium on maintenance, it will seem hard at first but really isn't. They are very social and do best in pairs or groups. You should also know that most pet stores sell cages that are too small.
Pros: they can learn tricks, they are loads of fun, they make cute noises, can build a relationship with humans, are very social, can be taken outside(if conditions are right) and are lovely buddies, they can eventually learn your voice and get excited to see you come home! They are also quite smart.
Cons: they need exercise and floor time outside of cage, cleaning the cage is well... messy. (But that could just be me)
Here are some sites to help you out:
http://www.jackiesguineapiggies.com/
http://www.guinealynx.info/
Hope this helped!