By guinea-pig-gal, on October 24th, 2009%
Although the guinea pig has become quite mainstream among pet lovers, many people do not understand the basics to keeping one or more Guinea Pigs happy. In fact, most potential guinea pig owners ask questions revolving around the number of these pets that should be owned at one time, how to control them if they don’t get along and commonly asked is if there is a need to separate these pets. These pets make a fantastic pet however it is wise to learn about them before you go out and get a clan of them to enjoy in your home.

The Guinea Pig Social Structure

Among the current facts and knowledge that has been gained through the years of studying these animals, it is obvious that the guinea pig is a social animal that thrives when they are among peers. This is the same as in a pet setting as in the wild setting as Guinea Pigs are happier when they are with family however, in a closed cage situation there is sometimes the call to separate them so that they are not fighting.
Continue reading Knowing When To Separate Guinea Pigs
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 22nd, 2009%
When you first decide to bring a guinea pig into your home, you should be sure that there is a vet who specializes in small pet care in your immediate area. Many people may not consider the expense of veterinary care for other small pets like hamsters or gerbils who live an average of two years, but Guinea Pigs are not disposal pets. Because they can live on average 4-8 years, they should be considered long-term members of your family, just like a dog or a cat.

Why should you find a vet this early? Because Guinea Pigs can become ill quickly and deteoriorate rapidly. If you wait to try to find a vet after your pet becomes ill and run into difficulties, it might be too late to save your guinea pig.

With dogs or cats, owners generally take them in for a check-up when its time to renew their shots. Since guinea pigs don’t need shots, it can be easy to take their good health for granted. Your guinea pig should see his or her vet at least once a year as well.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs Health Problems
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 22nd, 2009%
The guinea pig has quite an interesting and extravagant history, as it has been quite adventuresome in it’s travels. The guinea pig has literally traveled over seas in order to be here today as Europe or North America are not the original birth homes of these little creatures.

When pondering the question where do Guinea Pigs originate from it is important to understand that although they haven’t long been here, they didn’t take long to become a favorite pet that are often found in people’s homes much as cats and dogs. They have been in existence for hundreds of centuries and have thrived without being domesticated as well as in the domesticated area.

Guinea Pig Origins

In trying to sort out the question where do Guinea Pigs originate from it is incredible to think that the Incas tribes in Peru were the first to domesticate this animal. The tribes used the guinea pigs for the fur as well as for a source of meat and took great pride in trading with the European traders such as the Dutch.
Continue reading Where Do Guinea Pigs Originate? An In-Depth Look
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 21st, 2009%
When you first decide to bring a guinea pig into your home, you should be sure that there is a vet who specializes in small pet care in your immediate area. Many people may not consider the expense of veterinary care for other small pets like hamsters or gerbils who live an average of two years, but Guinea Pigs are not disposal pets. Because they can live on average 4-8 years, they should be considered long-term members of your family, just like a dog or a cat.

Why should you find a vet this early? Because Guinea Pigs can become ill quickly and deteoriorate rapidly. If you wait to try to find a vet after your pet becomes ill and run into difficulties, it might be too late to save your guinea pig.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs Health Problems – How to Deal With Them?
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 19th, 2009%
Guinea Pigs didn’t always have the renowned reputation for being a perfect, quiet pet that doesn’t make much mess. They were used long ago by the Inca tribes of Peru as a source of meat and were bred to do just that.

They are not an animal that is native to North America and therefore, it is speculated and probably true that sailors took the furry critters along on they voyages as pets. It is also speculated that in this, lie the reason for guineas pigs to have gotten the name because the sailors who brought them along as pets also sold the creatures for a ‘guinea’. They also make few sounds but of the ones they do, they squeak and squeal like a baby pig.

Natural Habitat

Guinea Pigs are actually believed to come from South America and there are still many species today that can be found. The South American pigs are thought to be living in very large family groups that can be found living in the foliage and hiding in long grass. The pigs don’t burrow and hide from other creatures because they hide in grass and trees to escape their enemies. It could be that guinea pigs are just a bit lazy because in their own natural habitat, they borrow holes that are abandoned by other diggers.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs: The Perfect Pet
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 16th, 2009%
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 16th, 2009%
While most small animals don’t compel much grooming, Guinea Pigs are different. Their teeth, tresses, and nails all oblige some point awareness on a repeated base. A guinea pig’s front teeth persist to grow throughout their full life. If they are permitted to grow lacking any dictate, the guinea pig will find it sorrowful to eat and will, thus, obstruct ingestion altogether.
The best thing you can do is to afford your guinea pig with hard stuff to chew on: carrots and other hard vegetables, chew brushwood or blocks, or even tree twigs. Even while you grant these materials, however, you will neediness to often restrain the guinea pig’s teeth to make reliable they aren’t befitting unmanageable. Check to see if the teeth are rotary inward because this is a billboard of undue tumor.
If you do sight that your guinea pig’s teeth are receiving too long, then you neediness to take him to a vet and get them trimmed down. Never try to spruce a guinea pig’s teeth yourself! Your vet will have the modest tools and experience to securely orderly the teeth to a typical strip.
Continue reading How To Groom Guinea Pigs
By guinea-pig-gal, on October 16th, 2009%
It may seem like a cute concept at first however, mixing Guinea Pigs and children can often bring about fatal consequences due to the size of the guinea pig. A guinea pig is a great pet for children also despite it’s small size and if it is properly cared for and very young children are supervised when visiting the pet, the outcome is often a very rewarding and moral building experience for both the Guinea Pigs and children. In order to better understand what potential dangers can be experienced lets have a more in-depth look at the relationship between guinea pigs and children.

Conflicting Dangers Between Guinea Pigs & Children

There are a number of conflicting dangers when trying to house both guinea pigs and children and the major one is the defenselessness of a pig when a small child is being too rough. It is a common occurrence that young children that are unsupervised while handling pigs can not only cause severe harm but the potential for death although it is quite innocent and accidental. Young children should absolutely be well supervised while playing with any small animal and it should take place quite often so that the tiny animal gets used to the child and vice versa.
Continue reading A Guide To Housing Guinea Pigs & Children
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 15th, 2009%
Buy A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology at Amazon
From Publishers Weekly
Like all the sciences, biology is rooted in observation, but in order to tease out the principles of reproduction and genetic inheritance, biologists needed to find plants and animals with fast breeding cycles—hence the popularity of Guinea Pigs, zebra fish and fruit flies as experimental subjects. Endersby’s history explains how such life forms have been put to use by scientists from Charles Darwin’s age to the present. But the flora and fauna are just a hook for Endersby, a lecturer in history at the University of Sussex, to talk about the scientists, and he’s often at his most winning delving into biographical details, like the friendship between science writer Paul de Kruif and Sinclair Lewis, whom de Kruif advised on science and medicine for the novel Arrowsmith. He’s also good at spotlighting small events that had sweeping consequences, like the 1847 repeal of a British tax on glass, which led to more greenhouses, which led to an outburst of botanical observation. Later chapters broach hot-button topics like genetically modified food and the backlash against animal testing. Endersby offers a fresh take and surprising conclusions (Mendel did not invent modern genetics) on familiar material. 12 b&w illus. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the
Continue reading A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 14th, 2009%
A guinea pig makes a fabulous pet for many reasons however one of the most imperative reasons is the flexibility to keep your pet outdoors or indoors. Many people are under a common misconception that Guinea Pigs are much too smelly to be kept indoors and this is just that; a misconception.

This will be touched upon more in depth later on however another great reason for these animals is that the life expectancy of a guinea pig is quite long and versatile. Lets take a closer look at the average Guinea Pigs life expectancy as well as other favorable traits about this marvelous creature.

Reviewing Life Expectancy

Most people when beginning to do research on a specific pet that they wish to acquire begin by asking how long it is expected to live and this is no different with the guinea pigs. In a typical situation, the guinea pigs life expectancy can be expected to last about five years although many cavies have been recorded to live up to as old as seven!
Continue reading The Average Guinea Pigs Life Expectancy
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 13th, 2009%
If you are seeking a bit of information to help you learn how to better understand and care for your guinea pig especially what to feed Guinea Pigs you have come to the right place. First there are some interesting things that you should learn about your new pet or prospective new pet because they are quite fascinating creatures and they have loads to learn about them. There is many differences in the guinea pig in comparison to say, a mouse or a rabbit so before you learn what to feed them, lets explore a few amazing facts about the guinea pig in general.

Weird But True Guinea Pig Facts

Not that any of these facts will help you in learning what to feed Guinea Pigs however they are interesting and will most definitely help you in caring and giving affection to your pet. The guinea pig does not have a tail for example; well not a visible one anyway and despite what you may have learned in school, it is true that they do no in fact, have visible tails. In every piece of old literature located in your local library or elsewhere, it will state that these animals do in fact have tails and it even states this in the all American dictionary!
Continue reading What To Feed Guinea Pigs 101
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 11th, 2009%
Regardless of where you choose to purchase your guinea pig, the price will be relatively the same. Most pet stores charge between $10 and $15 for a guinea pig while breeders and rescue organizations charge around $20 to $30. Some breeders may charge more for certain breeds than others.

Before you take home a guinea pig from a breeder, a pet store, or a rescue organization, you need to do the following things:
Ask how old the guinea pig is

A guinea pig should never be taken from its mother earlier than four weeks, and some breeders recommend waiting until at least six weeks. If the individual does not know, then you shouldn’t buy that guinea pig.
Continue reading Do you Know the Essentials About Guinea Pigs Before Buying or Adopting One?
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 8th, 2009%
Buy A Grown-up’s Guide to Guinea Pigs at Amazon
Product Description
This book is aimed at the adult who is caring for a guinea pig. It provides essential information as to their care and health. Written for the adult, not the child.
Continue reading A Grown-up’s Guide to Guinea Pigs
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 7th, 2009%
Guinea Pigs very rarely bite. When they are frightened, they prefer to run and hide, instead of fighting, so children and adults can safely handle them without fear. Still it is always a good idea when handling any small pet to wash your hands thoroughly before you pick them up, especially if you have been dealing with food. If your fingers smell like food, then the Guinea Pigs may mistakenly be biting you.

Baby guinea pigs do have a tendency to nibble on fingers because, just like any young animal, they learn about their environment by exploring it with their mouths. Eventually, they will outgrow this.
Continue reading Are Guinea Pigs Biting?
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 6th, 2009%
What should you avoid to feed a guinea pig?

If you know what food you should be feeding your guinea pig, you should also know that there are some things that you shouldn’t feed them.

If you accidentally feed your guinea pig something from this list that is not poisonous, just watch him or her carefully for signs of illness. However, you’ll want to call or take him to the vet immediately if he or she has ingested something poisonous.

- Do not feed your guinea pig iceberg lettuce. While most leafy greens do provide an excellent source of Vitamin C for your guinea pig, iceberg lettuce does not. You’re better off purchasing kale or cabbage for your pet.

- Do not feed your guinea pig long stalks of celery. Those stringy pieces that can get wound up in your garbage disposal are just as hard for your guinea pig to digest. If your guinea pig likes celery, you need to cut it up into smaller pieces before you give it to them.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs Foods And Feeding – The Seven Foods You Must Always Keep Away From A Guinea Pig
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 5th, 2009%
Buy Devil Doctor Woman/Guinea Pig’s Greatest at Amazon
Product Description
The final film and DVD in the Guinea Pig Series, Devil Doctor Woman is a wacky and outrageous gore comedy that follows the exploits of peter, the Devil Doctor Woman, in the underground surgery scene in Tokyo where the craziest patients are skillfully manipulated and cut up in the wackiest bedside manner this side of the Rising Sun. Also included on this special North American release is the Guinea Pig’s Greatest Cuts, an anthology of the most memorable scenes from all of the films that embody the Guinea Pig Series.
Continue reading Devil Doctor Woman/Guinea Pig’s Greatest
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 2nd, 2009%
Buy A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology at Amazon
From Publishers Weekly
Like all the sciences, biology is rooted in observation, but in order to tease out the principles of reproduction and genetic inheritance, biologists needed to find plants and animals with fast breeding cycles—hence the popularity of Guinea Pigs, zebra fish and fruit flies as experimental subjects. Endersby’s history explains how such life forms have been put to use by scientists from Charles Darwin’s age to the present. But the flora and fauna are just a hook for Endersby, a lecturer in history at the University of Sussex, to talk about the scientists, and he’s often at his most winning delving into biographical details, like the friendship between science writer Paul de Kruif and Sinclair Lewis, whom de Kruif advised on science and medicine for the novel Arrowsmith. He’s also good at spotlighting small events that had sweeping consequences, like the 1847 repeal of a British tax on glass, which led to more greenhouses, which led to an outburst of botanical observation. Later chapters broach hot-button topics like genetically modified food and the backlash against animal testing. Endersby offers a fresh take and surprising conclusions (Mendel did not invent modern genetics) on familiar material. 12 b&w illus. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the
Continue reading A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 2nd, 2009%
Pets like their toys, and Guinea Pigs are no exception. However, they do get bored easily if they only have the same toys to play with over and over again, so it’s nice to give them a lot of variety.

There are some toys made just for Guinea Pigs, such as Bounce Back toys (you place a treat inside the toy and the cavy knocks it down to get to the treat, then it bounces right back up again). At only $6 or so, it’s an affordable purchase and most guinea pigs seem to like it.

Besides toys made just for guinea pigs, you’ll also find that many items designed for rabbits and ferrets can be enjoyed by your pet as well. Some guinea pigs also enjoy playing with cat and bird toys, but you must be cautious when using these items since they can be easily broken and swallowed by your pet.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs Toys – What Does your Piggie Like?
By guinea-pig-gal, on September 1st, 2009%
Buy A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology at Amazon
From Publishers Weekly
Like all the sciences, biology is rooted in observation, but in order to tease out the principles of reproduction and genetic inheritance, biologists needed to find plants and animals with fast breeding cycles—hence the popularity of Guinea Pigs, zebra fish and fruit flies as experimental subjects. Endersby’s history explains how such life forms have been put to use by scientists from Charles Darwin’s age to the present. But the flora and fauna are just a hook for Endersby, a lecturer in history at the University of Sussex, to talk about the scientists, and he’s often at his most winning delving into biographical details, like the friendship between science writer Paul de Kruif and Sinclair Lewis, whom de Kruif advised on science and medicine for the novel Arrowsmith. He’s also good at spotlighting small events that had sweeping consequences, like the 1847 repeal of a British tax on glass, which led to more greenhouses, which led to an outburst of botanical observation. Later chapters broach hot-button topics like genetically modified food and the backlash against animal testing. Endersby offers a fresh take and surprising conclusions (Mendel did not invent modern genetics) on familiar material. 12 b&w illus. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the
Continue reading A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology
By guinea-pig-gal, on August 30th, 2009%
Buy A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology at Amazon
From Publishers Weekly
Like all the sciences, biology is rooted in observation, but in order to tease out the principles of reproduction and genetic inheritance, biologists needed to find plants and animals with fast breeding cycles—hence the popularity of Guinea Pigs, zebra fish and fruit flies as experimental subjects. Endersby’s history explains how such life forms have been put to use by scientists from Charles Darwin’s age to the present. But the flora and fauna are just a hook for Endersby, a lecturer in history at the University of Sussex, to talk about the scientists, and he’s often at his most winning delving into biographical details, like the friendship between science writer Paul de Kruif and Sinclair Lewis, whom de Kruif advised on science and medicine for the novel Arrowsmith. He’s also good at spotlighting small events that had sweeping consequences, like the 1847 repeal of a British tax on glass, which led to more greenhouses, which led to an outburst of botanical observation. Later chapters broach hot-button topics like genetically modified food and the backlash against animal testing. Endersby offers a fresh take and surprising conclusions (Mendel did not invent modern genetics) on familiar material. 12 b&w illus. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the
Continue reading A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology
By guinea-pig-gal, on August 29th, 2009%
By guinea-pig-gal, on August 29th, 2009%
One of the guinea pig’s traits that really sets it apart from other small pets is its way of communicating with you and with other animals. Cavies have an array of physical and verbal communication methods that make it easier for you, as the owner, to get inside their head, see what their thinking, and provide them with what they need.

Because their methods of verbal communication are the most unique, we’ll start by discussing those.

Many first-time guinea pig owners have often heard rumbling or clacking sounds coming from their tiny creature’s cage but never really suspected that those noises were coming from their pet, but they are. In fact, a group of rowdy Guinea Pigs can get real noisy, real fast.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs Body Language and Sounds – How to Communicate With your Guinea Pig?
By guinea-pig-gal, on August 29th, 2009%
Many people would be quick to call a guinea pig just another “dumb animal,” but that’s actually not true. Of course, when compared to a human or a dog, Guinea Pigs aren’t going to astound you with their intellect, but they are much more intelligent than the average person gives them credit for, as any guinea pig owner knows quite well.

For example, if you feed your guinea pig fresh vegetables right out of the refrigerator, it won’t take long for him to equate the sound of the refrigerator opening and him getting a tasty treat. His squeals and whistles will tell you that he wants what you’ve got in there.

Obviously, Guinea Pigs are trainable. They can be taught to walk on a leash (these are available at most pet stores) or to go to the bathroom in a certain area. Some have even learned to come when their owners call their name! Just like with any other animal, you must be willing to work consistently with your pet and to reward the desired behavior with treats, usually a favorite food. The guinea pig will then make the mental connection between the good feeling he gets from the reward and the behavior you want from him.

If you do plan on having your guinea pig on the floor a lot, then it may be a good idea to start litter training them early. You don’t want to set your expectations too high for this endeavor, however. Guinea pigs will still go to the bathroom throughout their cage and will occasionally have accidents on the floor, but litter training them considerably reduces the liklihood that this will happen.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs Training Guide – The Basics
By guinea-pig-gal, on August 29th, 2009%
I probably don’t need to tell you if you have pet Guinea Pigs how much they love to explore and how curious they are. But be conscious of the amount of time they are allowed to play and explore free of their cage. If they get just an hour a day or so, it still may not be nearly enough for them. They could still need much more exercise and stimulation than their cage or an hour outside of it can provide. For such tiny animals they have nearly boundless energy and need plenty of ways to apply it.
Owners of pet Guinea Pigs usually have exercise wheels available to their pets in the cage. This helps them run and exercise, for sure. But I bet their cage could be made more interesting for them making if some simple changes were made. By Adding platforms to their habitat with different levels, tunnels, and bridges, they will have much more to explore. The more components and elements that are there to be explored and run around in the better for you cavy. Try and replicate a natural environment full of hay, sticks to gnaw on, and places to hide.
Change the configuration and placement of the parts of your guinea pigs’ cage. If it’s in a “U” shape now, make it an “L” shape or a “T” configuration. Put their food and water bottle in a different spot and move their exercise wheel to a new place. Keep them engaged by hiding vegetable treats for them to find. The more stimulated your pet guinea pigs are the healthier and happier they will stay.
Continue reading Give Your Pet Guinea Pigs Some Excitement!
By guinea-pig-gal, on August 27th, 2009%
Buy Guinea Pigs at Amazon
Product Description
The guinea pig is a unique and endearing small animal with an intriguing history. This book is a practical resource to help the new owner develop the best care plan for his or her cuddly, docile pet.
Continue reading Guinea Pigs
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