Posts Tagged ‘Guinea’
Guinea pig run
So its really nice outside and its fine to take your guinea pig outside, put him in the garden for a run around – right? Wrong!
Your guinea pig needs a secure, safe environment in which to exercise.
So what’s the alternative? Something called a “guinea pig run.”
Guinea Pig runs are a great way to allow your guinea pig the space to play and excercise. Whether your guinea pigs are indoor or outdoor guinea pigs they will need an outdoor run so that they can be placed outside on good days to graze on the grass. This is a guinea pigs favorite past time.
There are many types of runs for sale you must decide which is most convenient for your needs. Always use a covered run so as to keep your guinea pigs safe from predators such as cats, dogs, foxes and large wild birds. Unlike rabbits guinea pigs do not dig holes in the lawn and tunnel out.
The guinea pig run should be placed over an area of grass that has not been soiled by other animals and not had any chemicals used on it and situated so that at least part of it is sheltered from direct sunlight on a hot day. A couple of water bottles should be fixed to the side of the run when being used.
Ambua Lodge Is A Must Visit On Any Papua New Guinea Tour
No Papua New Guinea Tour would be complete without visiting Ambua Lodge located at 7000 feet in the Papua New Guinea Southern Highlands. It is a great mix of local architecture, with spectacular views and modest luxury, well off the beaten track.

This area overlooks the Tari valley and is the home of the Huli clan with their human hair wigs.

Ambua Lodge has a formidable award winning reputation for ecological responsible tourism, so if you are an avid supporter of eco lodges, and what they stand for, then this Papua New Guinea vacation will be for you. Situated at the edge of the rainforest at the beginning of the valley grasslands which means an incredible number of birds can be spotted here.

Not only birds because this is one of the few places left anywhere that men and women can be seen wearing their traditional dress as part of their daily lives, and a man’s wealth is determined by the number of wives he has, and the number of pigs he possesses!!

This is a great place for botanists, orchids and bird spotting.
G-Force PS3 Game: A Guinea Pig Adventure
When you have a PS3 you understand that any game at all will, regardless of type, play very well on it. Disney just put out this cute movie called G-Force. PlayStation has released G-Force PS3 and you can either rent for short play or purchase it. For those out there like me, buying is better. I am good with my games, and that way I can play it for as long as I want. Eventually If it suits me I will sell it. This one though is so fun I don’t see that happening.
This game does appear at first to be nothing more than a cutesy game for small children. Once you play however you figure out that it has some detailed gaming within all that cuteness. The game is made by Disney Interactive Studios and stars guinea pigs. Not just any guinea pigs though, these guys are well trained and highly skilled. They have some very cool toys that do interesting things and help them with their undercover operation. All of this makes a very fun game.
There are some mean and rotten household appliances that get between the cute little G-Force guys and their goal. The graphics are top notch and you get ahead by problem solving and figuring out puzzles. The team gets help from good appliances like a water cooler for instance, to make it through the mission.
Feeding The Pet Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs are considered to be one of the most domesticated rodents that we may have known of. Records show that as early as 5000 BC the mountain tribes of Ecuador and Peru have domesticated these animals for food. Guinea pigs were brought to Europe by the Spanish, Dutch and English traders where accounts date back as early as 1547. The rodents became popular exotic pets by the upper class men of society. Guinea pigs which are popularly known as cavies may weigh between 1 to 2.25 pounds and may grow in length from 8 to 10 inches long. A typical life span of these rodents may last up to four years and some even reach until seven years.

Guinea pigs, like any other pet would need the proper essentials to be healthy and happy. Care, attention and a proper amount of play and socialization are only a few essentials to mention for the proper cavy care.

Feeding
Caring for Guinea Pigs
Guinea Pigs are highly sociable animals which make great pets, and are ideally suited to families with children. However, it is important to think about all the implications of buying a pet, including housing and other supplies, which can be quite expensive. In addition to that, you’re going to need to dedicate yourself to caring for the animals, ensuring you take care to feed and socialize with them at all times.

The first thing to think about before buying that is the commitment required. With any pets, you’re going to have to dedicate a lot of time to looking after them, and ensuring you tend to their every need, especially in the first few months. That means negotiating alternative arrangements whenever you go on vacation, and ensuring they always have food. Guinea pigs, although fairly independent, must obviously be given the essentials to survive, and so it is important you make sure you always look after them properly.

Next, you need to think about housing them, and potentially building a run. That need room to exercise, and if you don’t want their health to suffer, or them to get too bored, it’s important you let them out frequently to exercise. Additionally, spending time with guinea pigs is essential to ensure their effective social development. Additionally, you should ensure they are housed securely in a locked cage to avoid harm from predators, and of course, escape.
Guinea Pig Cages – Why Your C
In today’s short article, we are going to talk about bottoms. No – I don’t want to discuss your bottom – or even your guinea pig’s bottom. I want to talk about the need for incorporating a bottom when designing and building your C&C cage.

Go online and search for web pages and articles on how to build a C&C cage. The vast majority of results returned will show how to build a cage that looks less like a cage and more like a corral. If you examine it closely, you will note that this simplistic class of designs consists simply of a Coroplast bin or tub surrounded by a wire grid fence.

And I am not knocking this system. It is an absolutely fantastic and innovative design. It is both effective and efficient in its simplicity. It provides a lot of space for the money. And in my opinion, of all cubes and Coroplast designs out there; this simple, basic “pig corral” is the most economical and cost-effective design that can be had. However, there is one caveat – and it is an important one.

In my mind, this class of bottomless cage is generally safe only when used on the ground. Let me explain why.
Guinea Pig Supplies
Guinea Pig Supplies
Guinea pigs make great pets. They are cute and furry and do not take up much room. Noting that, it is still important to purchase the correct guinea pig supplies in order to take the best care of them possible. This article provides some guidelines for what guinea pig supplies are needed.
The first thing you will need is a cage. Most pet stores and some department stores that sell pets will have them in stock. The cage needs to be big enough for an adult guinea pig to have room to run around in and also have a door that is secure so that your little fur ball doesn’t get out and become lost. It is also better to buy a cage that has a solid floor since guinea pig feet are small and can get trapped between the bars.
The second item of guinea pig supplies needed is a food bowl and food to go in it, of course. Food bowls that are made of a heavy material like metal or ceramic are the best choice. This will help keep them from knocking the bowl over and wasting food that falls below the bedding.
When buying a water bottle, make sure it is big enough to hold a fair amount of water to make sure your guinea pig doesn’t run out when you are not home. These should attach to the side of the cage easily. Water bottles are preferred over a water bowl because guinea pigs tend to dump water dishes and ruin their bedding frequently. Having a water bottle that mounts on the cage will save discomfort for your pet and aggravation for you. This is an important item in guinea pig supplies.
Guinea Pig Cages – Characteristics of C
What is a C&C Cage?

First of all, I mention the phrase C&C cage in the title of this article. This is cage-building technology that has become more and more popular in recent years. C&C stands for Cubes and Coroplast – the two major components used to design and construct these types of cages.

In reality the word cubes does not accurately describe the construction material being used. In actuality, steel wire grids are used to construct the cage walls. They are referred to as cubes, simply because these grids are traditionally used to build storage cube systems. The steel wire grids are simply a building component in the storage cube system – just as they are a component in your C&C cage.

Coroplast is technically the brand name of the product. The name is actually a contraction of the words corrugated and plastic. Coroplast is a corrugated plastic material that comes in sheet form and is usually used to make signs. You may have seen political campaign signs, for instance, on people’s lawns made from this material.

Why Choose a C&C Cage?

The major reason that people chose C&C cages over mass-produced pet store cages is because pet store cages are generally much too small to provide a healthy environment for your pig(s). Larger cages can be difficult to find. Additionally, guinea pigs are social creatures so it is always recommended that they be kept in groups of two or more. This, of course, creates an even larger space requirement.
How to Make a Guinea Pig Hay Rack
If you’ve owned a guinea pig for some time, you know that a fresh supply of hay is vital for your piggy’s well being. A hay rack is an excellent way to stockpile your pig’s hay, while keeping it clean and fresh. Hay racks are readily available on the market and can be easily found in your nearest pet store.
The problem with readymade hay racks is that they tend to be much more expensive than if you made them on your own. Plus, you could get a lot more room on a homemade hay rack for a lot less than what you’d spend on a purchased one. This follows much the same rule as building your piggy’s cage by hand.
The first step in making a guinea pig hay rack is to go to your nearest convenience store and get a small basket. This can either be a wire basket or plastic depending on which you like better. The advantage with the plastic baskets is that the hay will stay inside the basket more. Next, get a few threads or cable ties to tie the basket to the cage.
Finally, you need to do the tying but make sure that wherever you’re attaching the basket, tie it strongly from the inside of the cage. If the basket is plastic, you should position the rack on or close to the floor so that the pig can reach over the top and get the hay. Wire baskets naturally have hooks, so that you can hang them on to the cage but you should still tie them tightly so they don’t fall over and make a mess.
How To Raise A Happy Guinea Pig
One Guinea Pig, or More
Not only are guinea pigs extremely social creatures, they love the company of others. They can get lonely by themselves, and their health will suffer if left alone.
Guinea pigs need attention, and if you have just one, your guinea pig is going to get lonely very fast, and cry for your attention more often. If he or she has a partner or playmate to keep them entertained, you don’t have to spend quite as much time with them.
The Sex of the Matter
Should you get two women, two men, one of each, or three men, or three women, or three… oh my! Can you just imagine all of the combinations you can think of when you get up to higher numbers?
Guinea Pig Babies care tips
Since baby guinea pigs are so small and tiny it’s always a good idea to take more precautions to help to make them safe while they are in their cage. Take their little heads for example, their heads could easily become stuck in between the bars and this would lead to asphyxiation.
One way to prevent this from happening is to line the cage walls with cardboard from the bottom up to around one foot. If your cage is made from wire grid, then you could add a new wall by placing more grid on the outside and then putting cardboard in between the two cage walls. After the babies have gotten to be around 4-6 months old this extra wall or cardboard can be removed. They have now gotten big enough to not worry about their little heads becoming stuck.
After the new babies are born and mom has had time to sufficiently bond and clean them it will be safe for you to touch the newborn pups. Your smell on the new pups will not affect the mom from taking care of them herself. This would also be a great time to monitor their weight. By keeping track of their weight this will give you some idea of how well their health is coming along.
If by chance your baby pup is not growing at the same rate an another one then you will need to step in and place this pup with the mom alone at feeding time. This will ensure that this little pup is receiving their fair share. If this pups weight does not improve or any of the others are not gaining weight, then you need to get in contact with your veterinarian as quickly as possible.
Guinea Pigs – Cavies and Children – Are They a Good Mix?
If children are older and reasonably responsible, they can (and should) take on a role in the care of your family’s guinea pig. With the words: Okay, we’ll get a guinea pig – but you will have to take care of it, many parents are tempted to completely abdicate their pig care responsibilities and assign them all to the child. This is almost never a good idea. While caring for any living creature is a great learning opportunity (and the parent may even tell the child that they are totally in charge of the animal’s health, safety and welfare); ultimately, the final accountability should always remain with the responsible adult.

While full responsibility for your pig’s welfare should never be given to a child, it is actually a good learning experience to assign specific tasks to the children in the family. If the tasks are a life-critical – such as those involving food, water or supplements – the responsible parent must monitor the situation to make sure these duties are not being neglected. Your pigs’ lives depend on it! The parent should give occasional praise and positive reinforcements when the job is well done and they should give reminders and negative consequences when the job is neglected, forgotten or done poorly. Owning a pet is an excellent learning opportunity for your children – but it should never come at the expense of your pets’ health, safety or well-being.

If the task is less life-critical – such as cage-cleaning or giving the guinea pig daily attention and exercise – then monitoring does not need to be as diligent. However, this does not mean that you can simply delegate the task and walk away. Remember that ultimately the responsibility for your pigs’ safety and happiness falls on you – the parent. Also remember that the monitoring of tasks is for two very different and important reasons: 1) to insure the care, safety and comfort of your pet(s) and 2) to teach your kids to be responsible, caring and respectful pet-owners. So even if the task is not critical to your pigs’ health or safety, it is still an important part of your children’s transformation into responsible adults and community members.
Newbie’s Guide to Guinea Pig Bedding
Cavies need comfortable bedding to sleep on and will also use it as a bathroom. There are many types of guinea pig bedding you can choose from. Some of these include shavings, paper, and hay. This article will discuss some of the common options for bedding for guinea pigs.
Wood Shavings
Wood shavings are a very popular choice for pigs. You can use pine pellets, pine shavings, and aspen shavings. Although using these shavings can lead to a lot of dust, it’s one of the cheapest solutions. If you use pine shavings, it’s best to air them out before use and use them in a well-ventilated cage. You should know that some cavies suffer an allergic reaction to shavings.
Paper
Another popular option for guinea pig bedding is shredded paper. Pigs love it because it’s very comfortable. Its softness also assures that your pig won’t get hurt. Shredded paper is also a good option if you have problems with a lot of dust since it won’t produce any. It’s important that you use shredded paper that’s ink-free so that it won’t be toxic to your pig.
Guinea Pig Cages – The Most Commonly Overlooked Factor in Choosing a Cage
When you go shopping for a guinea pig cage, what are the things you consider? Color? Price? An attractive design? People choose their cages based upon many different criteria. However, there is one extremely important factor that often gets overlooked or ignored.

The most commonly overlooked factor in choosing a guinea pig cage appears to be cage size. Sure, people may think they look at cage size when purchasing a cage. But, judging by the number of small, “standard” pet store cages still being purchased every year, it is clear that people do not really look at cage size.

Let’s do a little thought experiment. The average guinea pig is about 9 to 15 inches in length. The average height for a human is roughly 5′4″ to 5′10″. An average pet store cage is 24-inches by 16-inches.

Put yourself in your pig’s place. An equivalent size room for you would be approximately 8-ft by 12-feet – the size of a large bathroom or a small bedroom. So, living your entire life in a large bathroom or small bedroom may not seem horrible – but it would certainly be a challenge to get a significant amount of exercise in a space that small.
Baby Guinea Pigs
The remarkable thing about baby guinea pigs is when they are born their hearing and sight is fully developed including a full coat of hair. Only after a few hours they start to learn how to run. They have full working teeth and only their back molars need to break through. In the wild this is very advantageous to their survival.
When born the average weight is 1.5 to 4 ounces. If it is a singular birth they have a tendency to weigh more as opposed to multiple birth babies, but this occurrence is very rare. For their first few days, if you weigh them, it should reflect a constant weight or can sometimes drop a quarter ounce. Healthy youngsters from that point on will steadily show a daily weight gain of approximately 1/8 of an ounce. It is a good idea to start weighing them as soon as possible, as their weight can be an indication of their health.
During the first few days of their lives, in addition to their mothers milk, they start to eat solid foods. You might see your baby eating the feces of their mother, however this is normal behavior and a natural requirement of certain vitamins for their growth.
Baby guinea pigs continue to grow in size till there are 15 months of age, and the speed of growth in that time slows down quickly as they age. On average a full grown male guinea pig will weigh between 35-64 ounces, and the female between 24-35 ounces. If they are larger is might be due to fat deposits.
Guinea Pig Supplies to best avoid
Often there are guinea pig supplies available, that are just best to avoid for your pet’s well being. When picking up supplies and accessories, consider your pet’s needs first and supply what will be beneficial. Here is a list of supplies and accessories that could be potentially dangerous for your pet.
Bedding made of Pine or Cedar can make your pet ill. Pine can be safe if it has been cured in a heat treated manner. However, only use if you know that it has been property and effectively cured
Exercise ball or wheels are dangerous for you pet as they do not have a flexible spine and can easily have serous life limiting injury
Putting on a harness or leash – your pet can hurt seriously hurt themselves wearing one. Consider instead making a play safe area that is contained for your pet
Guinea Pig Cages – Building Your Own
Guinea pigs are lovable little creatures. They make great pets, are relatively easy to care for and can be very friendly if they are brought up with care and kindness. One very important step in bringing a new guinea pig into the home is providing adequate housing.

Pet store cages are an option that many people choose. They are certainly convenient. All one needs do is choose one and take it home. The major drawback is that most cages are too small and confining to insure a healthy environment for your pig. Larger cages can often be very difficult to find – and even when they are available, they can be extremely costly.

A very viable second option is to build your own cage. You can not only save a bundle of money by building your own cage, but you can get exactly the cage you want by adding any custom features you so desire. Most importantly, you can make your cage large enough so that your pig can get adequate exercise to remain happy and healthy.

The first step will be to design the cage. The most important item to be considered will be the dimensions of the cage. The following approximate de facto standards for minimum cage sizes can be found with a fast search on the internet. Your cage should provide at least the minimum square footage suggested:
Newbie’s Guide to Guinea Pig Bedding
Cavies need comfortable bedding to sleep on and will also use it as a bathroom. There are many types of guinea pig bedding you can choose from. Some of these include shavings, paper, and hay. This article will discuss some of the common options for bedding for guinea pigs.
Wood Shavings
Wood shavings are a very popular choice for pigs. You can use pine pellets, pine shavings, and aspen shavings. Although using these shavings can lead to a lot of dust, it’s one of the cheapest solutions. If you use pine shavings, it’s best to air them out before use and use them in a well-ventilated cage. You should know that some cavies suffer an allergic reaction to shavings.
Paper
Another popular option for guinea pig bedding is shredded paper. Pigs love it because it’s very comfortable. Its softness also assures that your pig won’t get hurt. Shredded paper is also a good option if you have problems with a lot of dust since it won’t produce any. It’s important that you use shredded paper that’s ink-free so that it won’t be toxic to your pig.
Guinea Pig Cages – is Your Guinea Pig Cage Large Enough?
Your choice of cage is one of the most important considerations in determining the quality of life that your guinea pig will enjoy while living under your care. One must keep in mind that the cage is much more than just a container or enclosure to contain the cavy; it is the most major and important element in your pig’s immediate living environment. As such, the selection of a cage for your cavy is a serious matter and should be not be taken lightly.

When considering a cage, be sure that your pig has plenty of room to move around and be comfortable. Most importantly, your pig needs room to exercise. If the quarters are too cramped, your pig will not move around much and will not get its much-needed exercise. Guinea pigs do not use exercise wheels like hamsters. Because of this they need a cage large enough to facilitate walking, hopping, “popcorning” and other full-body exercise.

Also remember that the pigs will not be the only objects taking up space in the cage. You will need to provide them with a comfortable nest box or other similar shelter. In addition, your pig will need other accessories such as a food dish, hay rack, water bottle and perhaps some toys.
How to Litter Train a Guinea Pig
If you just got a new guinea pig, you will most likely find that the pig is scared of you and tries to get away every time you try to pick it up. You should first know that this is something that all guinea pigs go through before they get used to their owner. This “getting used to” period can last many months, so don’t worry if it’s been a month or so and the piggy still won’t move very comfortably with you.
When guinea pigs are brought into a new environment, they are usually very frightened by it. Dogs, cats, and other animals are better at adapting themselves to new places as they are generally used to human beings. Cavies, on the other hand, have little experience with “giant” human beings and should be given time to adapt to their surroundings and to you.
During this time, you will find that the pig often curls up, or runs to a corner of the cage (or the room if you let her out). This is fine; what you need to do is provide the pig with a constant supply of fresh and nutritious food: vegetables, fruits, hay, readymade guinea pig food etc. Also make sure the cage is spacious and clean.
Guinea Pigs – the Importance of Vitamin C
You and your guinea pig may have more in common than you realize. Both you and your guinea pig must have vitamin C to survive. Sadly, guinea pigs suffer many health problems that can be attributed to a vitamin C deficiency. Unlike other mammals who manufacture vitamin C from glucose in the body, you and your guinea pig both lack a particular enzyme needed to perform this process. Thus, both human and guinea pig vitamin C requirements must be satisfied by external sources. So a daily vitamin C supplement is absolutely necessary to insure that your cavy is getting her daily requirement of this important vitamin.

Your guinea pig must have a regular source of vitamin C or it will perish. There are two broad classes of vitamin: water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E and K) are dissolved by lipids – fat globules. Once these vitamins are absorbed by lipids, they are stored up in your body’s tissues.

The good news is that you cannot give your pig (or yourself) an overdose of vitamin C. The body cannot store a significant quantity of vitamin C. It will simply excrete the excess in the urine. However, there is also bad news: because vitamin C passes so quickly through your cavy’s body, they must be given supplements on a daily basis.