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| Linus and Snoopy |
We have our share of animals in this family. We have 2 dogs, 2 cats, tropical fish, a koi pond, an elderly hamster, so of course, when my daughter begged for guinea pigs, I said "no"!
For months, and she might say, years.....
I did not grow up with guinea pigs. We had a hamster named Bruno, 4 cats, a dog and various wild squirrels and birds my mother would hand-feed with a medicine dropper. My father even built a small cage because we had so many orphaned wild animals. I'll never forget one squirrel that my mother reared that became so strong it went careening through our living room one day! My mother was more than ready to release it back to our yard!
But back to the pigs....you see, my daughter LOVES animals! It has always been her passion and she has never waivered in her dream to become a veterinarian.. She has wanted guinea pigs since she was in 3rd grade, spent hours researching, checked out the same books on them from the library and talked endlessly about their care and feeding to me.
Eventually, she presented me with a 40 page paper explaining her desire to rescue a pair.("You cannot just keep one..that would be cruel, Mom, I would rather not have any...they are social animals!")
She broke me down, and I finally agreed to let her have them. I must admit that these chubby little squeakers make great pets! They sleep at night and are awake during the day, love people and the occasional dachshund! Believe it or not, they can be potty-trained and be taught tricks!
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| Oliver and Snoopy |
Q: Why did you want to have guinea pigs for pets?
A. I wanted my own pets, that I would be responsible for. I love having them in my own room.
Q. You have had hamsters, why are guinea pigs different?
A. Hamsters are nocturnal , guinea pigs are diurnal, like us, bigger and they interact more...they adjust to your schedule and actually make squeaking noises when being fed.
Q. Speaking of food, what do they eat?
A. Guinea pigs eat pellets, hay, fresh fruit and vegetables.
Q. Are they good with young children?
A. Yes, but they need to be supervised and handled gently.
Q. Is is okay to have just one?
A. No, since guinea pigs are herd animals and really would be lonely without a companion, it is best to have at least 2 of the same sex.
Q. What does "popcorning" mean?
A. Guinea pigs jump and twist when they are happy and excited, like when I rustle the hay bag just before I feed them!
Q. How long do they normally live?
A. 7-9 years, but some will live into their teens.
Q. What type of cage should they be housed in?
A. Even though they sell guinea pig cages in the pet store, I recommend a C & C cage. This type of cage is made up of storage cube grids that you can buy at Bed , Bath and Beyond. These types of cages provide a larger area for them as well as flexibility.
Q. How much work is it for you to take care of them everyday?
A. I spend roughly an hour everyday. I clean their cage daily and cut up fresh veggies and fruit twice a day. Luckily, I am able to get their lettuce from my mother's garden. Now that they are potty-trained, cleaning up after them is much faster.
Q. Can you recommend some internet sites with more information?
A. Yes, these 2 sites were very helpful when I was researching them!
.http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.
htmhttp://www.guineapigcages.com/
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| Linus and Snoopy enjoying swiss chard |
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