Pet Goddess

Cavy Care: Is A Guinea Pig Right For You? 2

Choosing Your New Guinea Pig

When you go to the store to get a guinea pig, it is always a good idea
to look at them carefully and choose them by their personality. Each
guinea pig has his or her own unique personality, much as a dog or cat
does.

Some are more reserved in nature, while others are more outgoing.
Watch how they interact with each other, and with you.

If you are choosing a guinea pig for your child, you will want to make sure
that your guinea pig can tolerate being held and petted often. Guinea pigs
are not known to be aggressive or to bite, but your child will have no
fun with a shy guinea pig who wants to do nothing but eat and sleep
all day.

Guinea pigs are social animals, and they enjoy the company
of other guinea pigs. If you are planning to get a guinea pig, you
might want to consider getting two guinea pigs at the same time.

Male guinea pigs get along quite well with each other when you get
them when they are babies. However, adult male guinea pigs will fight
with each other if you introduce them after they are grown. Female
guinea pigs can also get along well with each other.

It is not recommended that you get a male and a female, unless you
want to breed guinea pigs, in which case, be prepared for a lot of
furry friends!

Posted November 13, 2009 Comments(0)

Cavy Care: Is A Guinea Pig Right For You? 1

If you are thinking about getting a pet for your home, you might want
to consider a guinea pig.

Guinea pigs, also called cavies, are lovable furry little creatures
that will bring you and your family a lot of joy.

Guinea pigs can be a perfect first pet for children because they are
easy to care for and more cuddly than a hamster, which can be bad tempered at
times, or a fish.

Here is some more information to help you determine whether a guinea
pig is the right pet for you.

If you are thinking about getting a pet for your home, you may at first
consider a dog or cat. These animals are perfect for homes if you have
a lot of time to dedicate to owning a pet. Dogs and cats need a lot of
attention and a lot of space.

Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are just as cute as dogs and cats, and
they do not require nearly as much space or care.

Many people love the idea of guinea pigs as first pets for children
because they live a lot longer than hamsters or gerbils, and are less
bad tempered and prone to bite.

In fact, a well-cared for guinea pig can live up to eight or nine
years. Once you own a guinea pig, you will be hooked by this cute,
sweet-natured creature.

Posted November 11, 2009 Comments(0)

Selecting a Guinea Pig 2 

So, what should you look for when you go to the guinea pig breeder?  When you first arrive at the shelter or the breeders, the first thing  you will want to note is how well the guinea pigs have been cared for. Are the facilities clean? Are the males kept separate from the females? 

What is their overall attitude and body language as you look at your potential new pet? Guinea pigs are social creatures, but typically they will be shy at first. Therefore, you can’t judge how well a guinea pig has been handled by handling it yourself. Instead, you need to see the person who the guinea pig is used to being handled by. Is it calm and happy with this person? Or does it squeal and flip its body to try to get away? 

Next, you want to inspect the guinea pig. Does his coat look healthy? Look past his fur, to his skin and make sure that there are no sores, flaky skin, or fleas present. His body should feel sturdy and rounded. If it doesn’t, this could be a sign of illness. At the same time, you want to be sure that a female isn’t pregnant. A good breeder or someone knowledgeable about guinea pigs will be able to quickly determine this and should not give you the guinea pig without letting you knot its exact condition.  

As with any other type of pet, the chances are good that you will be drawn to a particular guinea pig because of appearance rather than personality. You may be attracted by his coloring or the texture of his fur, but ideally, you will spend some time watching the guinea pigs, and choose one based on his behavior or attitude. In most cases, this is more important than his colorings, unless you plan to show the guinea pig. Also check, are his ears smooth, rounded and perky? Are his eyes shining and alert? 

As mentioned earlier, it is a good idea to get two guinea pigs of the same gender. Two females will get along famously, and be lifelong friends. Two males will also get along and be friends, but there tend to be more disagreements between males than there are between females, and you might have to keep separate cages close to one another to avoid aggression but still given them the companionship they crave. 

Another thing to consider is the age of the guinea pig.  Getting babies which have been properly weaned is a good idea, as the two will grow-up together as family members, whether they came from the same litter or not.  

If you do get young litter mates, be sure to take them out to play separately at times and not always together, at the same time. Doing so will insure that they assimilate with you and not just to each other. 

Also, your new, furry little friend will, like many animals, become “closer” to the person who handles and feeds him. So, when it’s time for  a trip to the vet’s office (annually is usually adequate) this “special person” should be the one to do the handling, as it will provide some comfort and less stress to him during the examination.  

Be sure too that you fully understand his nutritional needs, because a guinea pig fed only greens will  become seriously ill! Find out from the breeder or shelter what food the guinea pig has been eating, and ask if they sell it or you can take a sample away with you until you can go shopping for it once you get home.  Fresh water, changed daily, is also very important, as is appropriate bedding. Again, the shelter or breeder can give you some to take with you so that the guinea pigs do not need to be traumatized with too many changes all at once. 

Selecting a guinea pig can seem a complicated process, but following these simple steps should lead to you selecting the right guinea pig for you and your family. Just remember, once you get it or them home, make sure to give your new pet/s lots of love and attention! 

Posted October 31, 2009 Comments(0)

After a lot of thought you have decided to get a pet guinea pig. Now, all you need to know is how to select the right guinea pig for you and your family.  

Like most pets, just any old guinea pig from a store won’t do. You also need to know how to select a healthy guinea pig. And, you need to decide if you want a long haired or a short haired one. 

Keep in mind that, much like a dog or cat, guinea pigs do shed, so regular grooming will be needed. Most seem to enjoy being brushed. 

The biggest problem that many people run into is not understanding how to determine the gender of a guinea pig. This can lead to problems, especially if you are getting more than one guinea pig, which is advised. The first thing to realize is that you are not alone, and you cannot depend on pet store staff members to know how to determine the sex of guinea pigs either. 

Please note that you should avoid buying your guinea pig from a pet store. A pet store is more likely to buy their pets from “mills” and much like puppy mills, these animals are often over-bred, and kept in horrible conditions.  

Your best bet for getting a healthy guinea pig of the correct gender you want is to work directly with a reputable and professional breeder, or with a guinea pig rescue organization. 

In these groups, you can be sure that there will be someone who can properly sex guinea pigs, so that you end up with what you expected, so you do not end up with two males who could potentially harm each other, for example, due to male aggression. 

Posted October 29, 2009 Comments(0)

The History of Guinea Pigs: Cavies

Guinea pigs make great pets, but they weren’t always domesticated. Where do these amazing creatures come from, and how did they get their names? Guinea pigs are actually Cavies, and are a part of the rodent family.

Guinea pigs have actually been on the scene for a very long time. In fact, fossils have been found that prove that guinea pigs existed as far back as 18 million years ago, but they were once much larger than they are today. In fact, fossils that have been found measure the earliest guinea pigs at nine feet!

Guinea pigs come to us from South America. They were first domesticated by the Incas. Amazingly, they were both religious icons, and a source of food. Today, unfortunately, guinea pigs are still used as a source of food in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. In spite of this, guinea pigs are a big part of folklore in Peru.

There, guinea pigs are thought to have mystical powers, and it is believed that they can heal sick people, and that they somehow help people who are dying to cross over into the next world.

Although there is no proof, it is believed that sailors brought guinea pigs to Europe and America, which actually plays into how they got the first part of their name. During that time period, guinea pigs were sold for one guinea each. The pig portion of their name is derived from the guinea pig’s rear end. If you look closely, it is rounded much like that of a pig. Guinea pigs also tend to squeal, just as pigs do.

Guinea pigs have also been used to a great extent for scientific research. You have probably heard test subjects being referred to as ‘guinea pigs.’ This is because guinea pigs have actually helped to advance medical science more than most people realize, although in the past this was typically done at the cost of many guinea pig lives. While this seems very sad, one must consider the millions of human lives that the deaths of these guinea pigs helped to save.

Today, guinea pigs are still used for research purposes, but mostly in the area of genetics and hereditary matters. In these studies, the guinea pigs are not harmed. Guinea pigs are still commonly used in ceremonies in Peru, and often given as gifts in their originating countries as well.

It is surprising that a rodent could become such a popular pet, but in the list of popular pets, guinea pigs come fourth after dogs, cats, and rabbits. They are popular choices for 4H club projects, and they are shown in Cavy shows in the United States and Canada. Cavy is another name for this adorable pet.

Posted October 27, 2009 Comments(0)