The guinea pig is one of the most popular pets in North America. In spite of this, there are many facts about this little creature that are not commonly known by most people. Please join me as I attempt to explore (sometimes successfully) some facts regarding the history and characteristics of our friend the guinea pig.
Author’s note: No pigs were harmed in the writing of this article.
Q: How much do guinea pigs weigh at birth?
A: Guinea pigs (also known as cavies) only weigh in at around three ounces at birth.
Q: When guinea pigs are born, do they hold them up by their legs and spank them like human babies?
A: No! Absolutely not. (See author’s note above).
Q: How large do they get to be when they grow up? Do they weigh more than a sweet potato? They’re kind of shaped like a sweet potato.
A: The average adult boar (male) weighs around three pounds. The smaller adult sow (female) averages only about two pounds. I don’t know how much the average adult sweet potato weighs.
Q: What is the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?
A: This one deserves a two-part answer: 1) Neither one is a mammal and 2) remember, we’re talking about guinea pigs!
Q: How big do guinea pigs get? How long is the average adult cavy?
A: As adults, guinea pigs average about 9 – 14 inches in length. (At least as long as most adult sweet potatoes).
Q: How long do guinea pigs live? How long would that be in dog years?
A: On average, this little rodent has a life expectancy of about five to seven years. I don’t know how long that would be in dog years – but I can tell you from experience; in husband years, it’s about seven minutes.
Q: How come dog years are a measurement of time whereas light years are a measurement of distance?
A: Yams and sweet potatoes are both angiosperms. However, yams are from the Dioscoreaceae family whereas sweet potatoes are botanically unrelated and are from the Convolvulacea family…
Q: What do you call baby cavies? Piglets? Piggies? Kittens? Sprouts? Futons?
A: Nope, oddly enough, although adult males are called boars and females are called sows; baby guinea pigs are not called piglets (or futons). They’re called pups. So, if our dog gave birth to pups, I’m sure it would really confuse our guinea pig because...
(our dog is a male).
Q: What is a group of cavies called? A pack? Flock? Covey of cavies? Gaggle of guineas? A pride of pigs?
A: Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong… and… wrong. A group of guinea pigs is called a herd.
Q: Herd of guinea pigs?
A: Of course I’ve heard of guinea pigs! (Rimshot).
Q: What’s a henway?
A: Not fallin for that one.
A: How come a cavy’s eyes are on the sides of its head instead of in the front like ours? Doesn’t that make it harder to wear glasses?
Q: In the wild, guinea pigs are a prey animal – that is, they get eaten. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads in order to widen their field of vision and allow them to better detect predators. Also, most cavies wear contact lenses because – glasses on a guinea pig? That’s just silly.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Guinea Pig Cages – The Most Important Element in Guinea Pig Cage Cleaning
One of the most important factors in insuring that your guinea pig cage is easy to clean is ironically also one of the most overlooked criteria in cage selection. If you want to be assured that the next cage you purchase will be easy to clean and maintain, be sure to read on.
When we purchase a cage for our guinea pigs, we consider many factors – size, color, durability, attractiveness, etc. These factors vary depending upon our individual tastes and needs. But the ultimate bottom line is: we want to be sure that the cage we choose is not only good for the pig but also good for the pet owner.
In order to make cage-cleaning an easy task, it is absolutely essential that your cage be equipped with large openings. If your cage is fitted with small openings, you will begin to have trouble even before you begin the cage-cleaning process.
Before you begin cleaning, you will need to move your pigs out of their cage and to another area. If you have ever tried to catch a guinea pig through a small opening, you will realize just how difficult it is. In order to easily pick up your cavy, you need to use both hands to guide or funnel the pig in toward your body where it can be gently captured.
If you have a small opening, you will not be able to use both hands. Instead, you will have to learn to execute something I call the “scramble and grab” technique. In other words, the pig will scramble around the cage while you attempt to implement the single-handed grab. This is not an easy task and, even after you get good at it, it may still require several attempts to capture your pig(s).
Now it’s time to clean the bedding out of your cage. If you have a small, standard pet store cage; you will simply disconnect the top wire portion from the plastic litter tray and dump the small amount of litter into a waste receptacle. Some pet store cages have lids that swing up to create a very large opening. Others have a very small door on the side. Either way, cleaning is no problem because removing the top essentially creates a large opening for you to work with.
However, we strongly advise against putting your cavy in a small pet store cage because it is far too small to provide a healthy living environment for your pig. So it doesn’t meet the win-win criteria mentioned above. In other words, it’s good for you (easy to clean), but bad for your pig (unhealthy living conditions).
In recent years, largely due to the internet, people have become more informed about humane and healthy guinea pig living conditions and many are recognizing that standard pet store cages are sadly inadequate in terms of space requirements. While they may have been economically feasible in the past to house laboratory guinea pig test subjects, they fail to provide ample space for our much-loved family pets.
Because of this, people have been turning to C&C (cubes and Coroplast) cages as a much-healthier alternative – and this is great for the pig. However, many of these C&C designs are equipped with small doors (approximately one square foot). Once again our win-win criteria are violated. This type of cage is good for the pig – but bad for the human owners.
A large cage – like a C&C cage – may hold as much as 25-lbs. of bedding. You can imagine how time-consuming it can be to remove 25-lbs. of soiled bedding through a small opening. Then, you have to clean the entire bottom with vinegar and water and replace 25-lbs. of bedding – again, all through that small opening.
A great solution is to get a cage with a large opening. Cages with entire sides that fold down like a pickup truck tailgate are available and can make cage-cleaning very much faster, easier and less frustrating. Bedding can be shoveled out easily. And the large opening offers easy access for cleaning. Alternatively, the entire Coroplast bin can be slipped out through the large opening for very easy cleaning. And lastly - putting in fresh bedding is a snap. No more endlessly shoveling tiny amounts through a little opening. The bedding can be poured in directly from the bag.
Large openings are a factor that most of us rarely consider when selecting a new guinea pig cage. However this situation must change if we wish to save hours of time and frustration in our cage-cleaning routines.
When we purchase a cage for our guinea pigs, we consider many factors – size, color, durability, attractiveness, etc. These factors vary depending upon our individual tastes and needs. But the ultimate bottom line is: we want to be sure that the cage we choose is not only good for the pig but also good for the pet owner.
In order to make cage-cleaning an easy task, it is absolutely essential that your cage be equipped with large openings. If your cage is fitted with small openings, you will begin to have trouble even before you begin the cage-cleaning process.
Before you begin cleaning, you will need to move your pigs out of their cage and to another area. If you have ever tried to catch a guinea pig through a small opening, you will realize just how difficult it is. In order to easily pick up your cavy, you need to use both hands to guide or funnel the pig in toward your body where it can be gently captured.
If you have a small opening, you will not be able to use both hands. Instead, you will have to learn to execute something I call the “scramble and grab” technique. In other words, the pig will scramble around the cage while you attempt to implement the single-handed grab. This is not an easy task and, even after you get good at it, it may still require several attempts to capture your pig(s).
Now it’s time to clean the bedding out of your cage. If you have a small, standard pet store cage; you will simply disconnect the top wire portion from the plastic litter tray and dump the small amount of litter into a waste receptacle. Some pet store cages have lids that swing up to create a very large opening. Others have a very small door on the side. Either way, cleaning is no problem because removing the top essentially creates a large opening for you to work with.
However, we strongly advise against putting your cavy in a small pet store cage because it is far too small to provide a healthy living environment for your pig. So it doesn’t meet the win-win criteria mentioned above. In other words, it’s good for you (easy to clean), but bad for your pig (unhealthy living conditions).
In recent years, largely due to the internet, people have become more informed about humane and healthy guinea pig living conditions and many are recognizing that standard pet store cages are sadly inadequate in terms of space requirements. While they may have been economically feasible in the past to house laboratory guinea pig test subjects, they fail to provide ample space for our much-loved family pets.
Because of this, people have been turning to C&C (cubes and Coroplast) cages as a much-healthier alternative – and this is great for the pig. However, many of these C&C designs are equipped with small doors (approximately one square foot). Once again our win-win criteria are violated. This type of cage is good for the pig – but bad for the human owners.
A large cage – like a C&C cage – may hold as much as 25-lbs. of bedding. You can imagine how time-consuming it can be to remove 25-lbs. of soiled bedding through a small opening. Then, you have to clean the entire bottom with vinegar and water and replace 25-lbs. of bedding – again, all through that small opening.
A great solution is to get a cage with a large opening. Cages with entire sides that fold down like a pickup truck tailgate are available and can make cage-cleaning very much faster, easier and less frustrating. Bedding can be shoveled out easily. And the large opening offers easy access for cleaning. Alternatively, the entire Coroplast bin can be slipped out through the large opening for very easy cleaning. And lastly - putting in fresh bedding is a snap. No more endlessly shoveling tiny amounts through a little opening. The bedding can be poured in directly from the bag.
Large openings are a factor that most of us rarely consider when selecting a new guinea pig cage. However this situation must change if we wish to save hours of time and frustration in our cage-cleaning routines.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Guinea Pig Cages – C&C Guinea Pig Cage Danger Alert
In recent years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) cages have grown steadily in popularity and have taken over a significant segment of the small animal pet cage market. A quick online search will reveal several web sites that now offer instructions for building basic rudimentary cages. In addition, a number of C&C cage retailers have sprung up online and offer C&C cages in kit form. The main reasons for the growing popularity of this cage technology is that 1) very large cages are available – generally much larger than those offered in pet stores and 2) C&C cages are relatively inexpensive. By virtue of these factors – the consumer can get a lot of cage for the money. However, as the old caveat goes: Let the buyer beware. There is one serious potential hazard that the responsible pet owner must watch for when buying or building their own C&C cage.
As I mentioned previously, several sites offer instructions on building simple, basic C&C cages. Many of them also list sources for materials. A few national department store chains are recommended as sources for metal grids. The problem is that much of this information is now several years old and some of the grid sources have modified their products.
A few years ago, one of the national department store chains was a great place to buy grids for C&C cages. They were available as cube or shelving unit kits. The kits contained both the metal grids and plastic connectors needed to fasten them together. The square grids were 14-inches on each side and were laid out in a 9-space by 9-hole grid. Thus, each opening was approximately 1.5 inches square. And these girds made absolutely wonderful cages.
As the economy took a turn for the worse, the company had this product redesigned in order to take material out of it and save cost. The new product now contained grids that had only 8 spaces per side. Thus, each space was slightly bigger – only around a fifth of an inch. No big deal if you were building a shelf to hold stuffed animals, comic books or your hat collection from Sweden. However, that fifth of and inch was a very big deal to C&C cage builders and owners.
Shortly after the design change, guinea pig rescue organizations began receiving reports of guinea pig strangulation deaths. Many of the organizations began issuing warnings to avoid 8x8 grids and only use 9x9 girds. Several also contacted C&C cage retailers with the same warning. In fact, it was through contact with these organizations that our company first heard of this issue.
After deciding on the C&C technology, you will have two choices in realizing your cage. You can design and build your cage from scratch out of grids, corrugated plastic and other hardware that you purchase yourself. Or you can order your cage in kit form and build it with the instructions and materials provided. Either way, be absolutely sure to use only grids with spacing of 1.5 inches or smaller. When using 14-inch grids, be sure to use only 9x9 girds and absolutely avoid 8x8 grids.
As I mentioned previously, several sites offer instructions on building simple, basic C&C cages. Many of them also list sources for materials. A few national department store chains are recommended as sources for metal grids. The problem is that much of this information is now several years old and some of the grid sources have modified their products.
A few years ago, one of the national department store chains was a great place to buy grids for C&C cages. They were available as cube or shelving unit kits. The kits contained both the metal grids and plastic connectors needed to fasten them together. The square grids were 14-inches on each side and were laid out in a 9-space by 9-hole grid. Thus, each opening was approximately 1.5 inches square. And these girds made absolutely wonderful cages.
As the economy took a turn for the worse, the company had this product redesigned in order to take material out of it and save cost. The new product now contained grids that had only 8 spaces per side. Thus, each space was slightly bigger – only around a fifth of an inch. No big deal if you were building a shelf to hold stuffed animals, comic books or your hat collection from Sweden. However, that fifth of and inch was a very big deal to C&C cage builders and owners.
Shortly after the design change, guinea pig rescue organizations began receiving reports of guinea pig strangulation deaths. Many of the organizations began issuing warnings to avoid 8x8 grids and only use 9x9 girds. Several also contacted C&C cage retailers with the same warning. In fact, it was through contact with these organizations that our company first heard of this issue.
After deciding on the C&C technology, you will have two choices in realizing your cage. You can design and build your cage from scratch out of grids, corrugated plastic and other hardware that you purchase yourself. Or you can order your cage in kit form and build it with the instructions and materials provided. Either way, be absolutely sure to use only grids with spacing of 1.5 inches or smaller. When using 14-inch grids, be sure to use only 9x9 girds and absolutely avoid 8x8 grids.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Guinea Pig Safety Alert! - Why Your C&C Guinea Pig Cage May Need a Bottom
This video will show you how to help AVOID SERIOUS INJURY to your guinea pigs. Most people do not consider this factor when buying or building their C&C cages. See why not having a cage bottom may spell serious disaster to your pigs (and possibly your carpet) in certain common situations.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Guinea Pigs – Are You a Good Candidate for a Guinea Pig Owner?
Guinea pigs are wonderful pets with great dispositions. They require little maintenance and make terrific pets for older children. But guinea pigs are not for everyone. Here are just a few factors to think about before running down to your favorite animal shelter or pet store to pick one up.
Guinea pigs do not do particularly well living alone. They are social creatures who crave the company of others. Consider the lifestyles and personalities of you and your family. Will your new addition be truly integrated into your family and get lots of attention—not just in the beginning when you first bring it home—but for its entire life? Or will it be largely ignored and become “just an obligation” once the initial novelty has worn off? Or, if you cannot give it enough attention, are you willing to house two or more pigs together so that they can keep each other company?
With the joys of pet ownership also comes responsibility. Are you willing to commit to long-term care and feeding for your new pet for its entire life? Guinea pigs on average, live five to six years - and some can live as long as eight years. So remember, when you bring home a guinea pig, you are bringing home another living being. And ultimately, you will be the one responsible for its health and safety for the remainder of its life.
Are you emotionally strong enough to suffer the loss of your pet in the future? As I said earlier, guinea pigs typically live about five to six years. While this may be a long time in terms of making a commitment to your animal; it is a relatively short time in relation to the life span of you or your children. In other words, as indelicate as it sounds, it is likely that you will someday have to watch your pet die.
This is neither bad nor good - it’s just life. However, it can be a good learning experience for your family in terms of learning how to handle death and loss in a healthy way. But it can also be a very unpleasant and difficult time.
Our family has owned many pets from guinea pigs to rabbits to dogs. We’ve had fish, snails, mice and even frogs. And, inevitably, we have sadly lost many pets. Over the years, the woods in our backyard have become a small pet graveyard. But on the whole, those pets have all contributed so much more to our family during their lifetimes than they ever took away with their deaths. For us, the positives far outweighed the ultimate negative of pet ownership.
On the other hand, my sister-in-law was devastated by the death of her ferret. So much so that she vowed never to own another pet again. For her, the negative overwhelmed the positives. Which type of person (or family) are you? You should know before you bring home a guinea pig.
Bringing home a new pet is exciting – but it also implies a serious commitment. Are you willing to spend time with your pet and give it the attention that it needs? Are you willing to commit to this stewardship for the entire life span of your new animal? And are you emotionally prepared to handle the inevitable bad times that come with the good experiences that your guinea pig will provide? If you can say yes to all of these questions, then you are a good candidate for a guinea pig owner. Enjoy.
Guinea pigs do not do particularly well living alone. They are social creatures who crave the company of others. Consider the lifestyles and personalities of you and your family. Will your new addition be truly integrated into your family and get lots of attention—not just in the beginning when you first bring it home—but for its entire life? Or will it be largely ignored and become “just an obligation” once the initial novelty has worn off? Or, if you cannot give it enough attention, are you willing to house two or more pigs together so that they can keep each other company?
With the joys of pet ownership also comes responsibility. Are you willing to commit to long-term care and feeding for your new pet for its entire life? Guinea pigs on average, live five to six years - and some can live as long as eight years. So remember, when you bring home a guinea pig, you are bringing home another living being. And ultimately, you will be the one responsible for its health and safety for the remainder of its life.
Are you emotionally strong enough to suffer the loss of your pet in the future? As I said earlier, guinea pigs typically live about five to six years. While this may be a long time in terms of making a commitment to your animal; it is a relatively short time in relation to the life span of you or your children. In other words, as indelicate as it sounds, it is likely that you will someday have to watch your pet die.
This is neither bad nor good - it’s just life. However, it can be a good learning experience for your family in terms of learning how to handle death and loss in a healthy way. But it can also be a very unpleasant and difficult time.
Our family has owned many pets from guinea pigs to rabbits to dogs. We’ve had fish, snails, mice and even frogs. And, inevitably, we have sadly lost many pets. Over the years, the woods in our backyard have become a small pet graveyard. But on the whole, those pets have all contributed so much more to our family during their lifetimes than they ever took away with their deaths. For us, the positives far outweighed the ultimate negative of pet ownership.
On the other hand, my sister-in-law was devastated by the death of her ferret. So much so that she vowed never to own another pet again. For her, the negative overwhelmed the positives. Which type of person (or family) are you? You should know before you bring home a guinea pig.
Bringing home a new pet is exciting – but it also implies a serious commitment. Are you willing to spend time with your pet and give it the attention that it needs? Are you willing to commit to this stewardship for the entire life span of your new animal? And are you emotionally prepared to handle the inevitable bad times that come with the good experiences that your guinea pig will provide? If you can say yes to all of these questions, then you are a good candidate for a guinea pig owner. Enjoy.
Monday, November 16, 2009
How to Make a C&C Guinea Pig or Rabbit Cage Chew-Resistant
Is your guinea pig or rabbit chewing your C&C cage - or are you concerned that they might? See how to make your C&C guinea pig or rabbit cage chew-resistant in this informative DIY (Do-it-yourself) video.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Guinea Pigs – A Quick-Start Guinea Pig Owners Guide
So you’ve just brought your new guinea pig home from the shelter or pet store. And now, you’re not entirely sure what to do. Let us help you get off to a good start with this Quick-Start Guinea Pig Owners’ Guide.
First of all, if you’ve just returned from the shelter or pet store with a single pig, we strongly recommend that you turn right around and go back. Guinea pigs are social creatures and tend to do better when there are at least two pigs living together. Two females are a good combination. Two males can live together in harmony as long as they have been raised together. And while it is possible to introduce two grown males to each other, it does require patience and care. A male and a female are the very best combination, but of course one of them needs to be “fixed” in order to avoid a future in-cage population explosion.
Your first task is to choose a cage. Pet store cages tend to be too small to adequately house a single pig – not to mention multiple pigs. Use the following guidelines when choosing a guinea pig enclosure:
One guinea pig: 6-7 sq. ft.
Two guinea pigs: 7.5 sq. ft.
Three guinea pigs: 10.5 sq. ft.
If you cannot find one large enough at the pet store, you can always build your own cage or buy one online from a reputable cage seller. In recent years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast ) cages have become quite popular because they provide a lot of cage for the money. Check out the resource box and the end of this article for a link to some online C&C guinea pig cage stores.
Place a nest box, a piece of PVC pipe or other enclosure inside the cage. Pigs like to hide out in cozy little places and providing a hiding place inside the cage will make your pigs feel happier and more secure.
Never place your pigs in an aquarium. Yes, some people do house their pigs in an aquarium, but it is very bad for their respiratory system. Toxic ammonia gas forms as your pigs urinate inside the enclosure. In a wire cage, there is adequate ventilation to carry this gas away. However, in an aquarium the ammonia gas is contained by the glass walls forcing your pigs to breathe it in all day long.
Fill the cage with bedding. Avoid cedar chips and cat litter made from clay. Both are very bad for your guinea pig’s respiratory system. A litter made from recycled newspaper works very well. Also, many people have begun to line their cages with an absorbent material covered in fleece. The fleece allows liquids to wick through into the absorbent layer.
In general, Timothy hay is very good for you pigs. Your pigs can have it in virtually unlimited quantities. Alfalfa hay should be given much more sparingly. Alfalfa hay is richer and will cause your pigs to gain excessive weight.
While, commercial pellets are fine for your guinea pigs, however, they are also very rich and should be given in small quantities as a supplement to the main diet which should consist mostly of fresh vegetables and fruits. Only vegetables with rich dark colors should be chosen. Iceberg lettuce should never be fed to your pigs; it is mostly empty calories with little nutritional value.
Don’t forget to install a water bottle in your pig’s cage. Water dishes do not work well – as pigs tend to tip them over.
Above all, don’t panic. Guinea pigs are wonderful animals and do not require an excessive amount of care. Remember that guinea pigs do better in pairs or groups than living alone. Be sure to provide adequate living space. C&C cages are a popular choice nowadays because they do provide a lot of room for a reasonable price. Provide a comfortable hiding place for your pigs – many nest boxes are available for guinea pigs. An upside-down small cardboard box works well too (although guinea pigs like to chew so you may have to replace it often). Feed your pig mostly deep-colored fresh veggies and provide a water bottle. That’s all you need to get started.
To learn more, pick up a good guinea pig reference guide - visit http://www.bluestonecages.com/ and see the left sidebar for a link to a couple quality guinea pig care guides.
First of all, if you’ve just returned from the shelter or pet store with a single pig, we strongly recommend that you turn right around and go back. Guinea pigs are social creatures and tend to do better when there are at least two pigs living together. Two females are a good combination. Two males can live together in harmony as long as they have been raised together. And while it is possible to introduce two grown males to each other, it does require patience and care. A male and a female are the very best combination, but of course one of them needs to be “fixed” in order to avoid a future in-cage population explosion.
Your first task is to choose a cage. Pet store cages tend to be too small to adequately house a single pig – not to mention multiple pigs. Use the following guidelines when choosing a guinea pig enclosure:
One guinea pig: 6-7 sq. ft.
Two guinea pigs: 7.5 sq. ft.
Three guinea pigs: 10.5 sq. ft.
If you cannot find one large enough at the pet store, you can always build your own cage or buy one online from a reputable cage seller. In recent years, C&C (Cubes and Coroplast ) cages have become quite popular because they provide a lot of cage for the money. Check out the resource box and the end of this article for a link to some online C&C guinea pig cage stores.
Place a nest box, a piece of PVC pipe or other enclosure inside the cage. Pigs like to hide out in cozy little places and providing a hiding place inside the cage will make your pigs feel happier and more secure.
Never place your pigs in an aquarium. Yes, some people do house their pigs in an aquarium, but it is very bad for their respiratory system. Toxic ammonia gas forms as your pigs urinate inside the enclosure. In a wire cage, there is adequate ventilation to carry this gas away. However, in an aquarium the ammonia gas is contained by the glass walls forcing your pigs to breathe it in all day long.
Fill the cage with bedding. Avoid cedar chips and cat litter made from clay. Both are very bad for your guinea pig’s respiratory system. A litter made from recycled newspaper works very well. Also, many people have begun to line their cages with an absorbent material covered in fleece. The fleece allows liquids to wick through into the absorbent layer.
In general, Timothy hay is very good for you pigs. Your pigs can have it in virtually unlimited quantities. Alfalfa hay should be given much more sparingly. Alfalfa hay is richer and will cause your pigs to gain excessive weight.
While, commercial pellets are fine for your guinea pigs, however, they are also very rich and should be given in small quantities as a supplement to the main diet which should consist mostly of fresh vegetables and fruits. Only vegetables with rich dark colors should be chosen. Iceberg lettuce should never be fed to your pigs; it is mostly empty calories with little nutritional value.
Don’t forget to install a water bottle in your pig’s cage. Water dishes do not work well – as pigs tend to tip them over.
Above all, don’t panic. Guinea pigs are wonderful animals and do not require an excessive amount of care. Remember that guinea pigs do better in pairs or groups than living alone. Be sure to provide adequate living space. C&C cages are a popular choice nowadays because they do provide a lot of room for a reasonable price. Provide a comfortable hiding place for your pigs – many nest boxes are available for guinea pigs. An upside-down small cardboard box works well too (although guinea pigs like to chew so you may have to replace it often). Feed your pig mostly deep-colored fresh veggies and provide a water bottle. That’s all you need to get started.
To learn more, pick up a good guinea pig reference guide - visit http://www.bluestonecages.com/ and see the left sidebar for a link to a couple quality guinea pig care guides.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Guinea Pigs – Strange Behaviors You May Observe
Guinea pigs make great pets. They are generally friendly and good-natured – although some may tend to be on the shy side. Like any other animal, guinea pigs have a natural language for communication. As a curious guinea pig owner, being able to understand some of the more common “messages” from your little pets will make your experience with your pigs more meaningful, memorable and enjoyable.
When a guinea pig shows you his teeth and chatters them, he is communicating that he is angry or scared. Take this as a warning. He is aggressively telling you to “back off”. You may see this behavior when an unfamiliar pig is introduced into your pig’s territory. It can also occur when someone (especially a stranger) tries to pick your piggy up. This is a warning to leave him alone. We have also seen this behavior from sick or injured pigs who are feeling grumpy and “just want to be left alone”.
Occasionally you may stick your hand into the cage, and get bitten by your guinea pig. A quick nip may be a warning to you or a sign of aggression. However, guinea pigs are generally friendly and charming little pets and, in most cases, a bite is just a simple mistake. This is most likely the case - unless your pig is showing other signs of aggression such as making its hair stand on end or chattering its teeth. Usually the bite is just a gentle non-aggressive nibble. Just like a human infant who explores everything by shoving it into her mouth, this light nip is just an exploratory probe as your piggy tests to see if your finger is good to eat.
Many pigs like to bite and tug at the bars on their cage or chew loudly on their wooden nest boxes. If there are multiple pigs in the cage together, they will often line up and chew loudly together.
This is usually a sign that your pigs want to eat – NOW. You will often observe this behavior when it is near their mealtime. Also, seeing you begin to prepare their food or hearing the rustle of plastics bags full or carrots or other piggy veggies, may also trigger this frantic behavior. It is usually preceded by or accompanied by a loud chorus of “weeking” and squawking.
Guinea pigs have a language all their own. If we take the time to learn a few of their common communication behaviors, we will find that our experience with them becomes less puzzling and more fulfilling.
When a guinea pig shows you his teeth and chatters them, he is communicating that he is angry or scared. Take this as a warning. He is aggressively telling you to “back off”. You may see this behavior when an unfamiliar pig is introduced into your pig’s territory. It can also occur when someone (especially a stranger) tries to pick your piggy up. This is a warning to leave him alone. We have also seen this behavior from sick or injured pigs who are feeling grumpy and “just want to be left alone”.
Occasionally you may stick your hand into the cage, and get bitten by your guinea pig. A quick nip may be a warning to you or a sign of aggression. However, guinea pigs are generally friendly and charming little pets and, in most cases, a bite is just a simple mistake. This is most likely the case - unless your pig is showing other signs of aggression such as making its hair stand on end or chattering its teeth. Usually the bite is just a gentle non-aggressive nibble. Just like a human infant who explores everything by shoving it into her mouth, this light nip is just an exploratory probe as your piggy tests to see if your finger is good to eat.
Many pigs like to bite and tug at the bars on their cage or chew loudly on their wooden nest boxes. If there are multiple pigs in the cage together, they will often line up and chew loudly together.
This is usually a sign that your pigs want to eat – NOW. You will often observe this behavior when it is near their mealtime. Also, seeing you begin to prepare their food or hearing the rustle of plastics bags full or carrots or other piggy veggies, may also trigger this frantic behavior. It is usually preceded by or accompanied by a loud chorus of “weeking” and squawking.
Guinea pigs have a language all their own. If we take the time to learn a few of their common communication behaviors, we will find that our experience with them becomes less puzzling and more fulfilling.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Guinea Pig Cages – Guinea Pig Safety Danger Alert
A guinea pig is just a rodent – a tiny insignificant animal. Sure, the kids like them. But just the same, when you bring them home from the pet store, they’re just like any other possession (except they have that annoying habit of moving around) so they must be contained. So we have to toss them in a cage and give them food and water every day. They’ll be fine.
Hopefully that’s not your attitude.
Too many people seem to forget that guinea pigs are actually living, breathing beings that need to be cared for and shown the same respect that every living creature deserves. Not all people with this attitude are cold-hearted, unfeeling villains. Most are probably just well-meaning pet owners who simply haven’t done the research in order to educate themselves well enough to become knowledgeable, competent pet-owners.
As Guinea Pig C&C cage designers and sellers, we come into contact with a lot of guinea pig owners (often brand new guinea pig pet owners). We also communicate with and are monitored by various guinea pig rescue organizations. As such, there is one common specific cage-related situation which keeps surfacing and which is also decidedly hazardous to your pigs’ health and safety. The purpose of this article is to alert you to this common hazard so that you can easily avoid it.
This common problem is the usage of cage floors and other cage walking surfaces made of metal bars or grids. Many commercial cages are built with wire floors. The purpose of the wire floor is to let feces and other solid materials fall though the openings into a litter pan below. To clean, one simply slides out the litter pan and empties the pan. Very convenient – but dangerous for your pigs. While these types of cages offer a distinct convenience advantage for the owner, they are hazardous for your pig’s foot health.
Your guinea pig’s footpads are delicate and sensitive structures. To your pig, walking on wire mesh is just like you spending your entire day walking on rebar or similar metal bars in bare feet.
Living in a cage with a wire floor can cause sores and ulcers on your pig’s footpads. Additionally, your pig’s feet can get wedged or trapped between the metal bars. Pigs housed in cages with wire floors often suffer broken toes and legs.
The same is also true of ramps in multi-level cages. Ramps should not contain metal bars, mesh or anything else that may trap or irritate your guinea pigs tender feet.
Be sure to purchase or build a cage with a smooth bottom to avoid the injuries detailed above. Also, if applicable, make sure the ramp has a non-slip surface to allow your pig to negotiate it without falling or slipping but avoid ramps with metal bars or wire grids as these can trap delicate guinea pig feet and toes and cause painful injuries.
Hopefully that’s not your attitude.
Too many people seem to forget that guinea pigs are actually living, breathing beings that need to be cared for and shown the same respect that every living creature deserves. Not all people with this attitude are cold-hearted, unfeeling villains. Most are probably just well-meaning pet owners who simply haven’t done the research in order to educate themselves well enough to become knowledgeable, competent pet-owners.
As Guinea Pig C&C cage designers and sellers, we come into contact with a lot of guinea pig owners (often brand new guinea pig pet owners). We also communicate with and are monitored by various guinea pig rescue organizations. As such, there is one common specific cage-related situation which keeps surfacing and which is also decidedly hazardous to your pigs’ health and safety. The purpose of this article is to alert you to this common hazard so that you can easily avoid it.
This common problem is the usage of cage floors and other cage walking surfaces made of metal bars or grids. Many commercial cages are built with wire floors. The purpose of the wire floor is to let feces and other solid materials fall though the openings into a litter pan below. To clean, one simply slides out the litter pan and empties the pan. Very convenient – but dangerous for your pigs. While these types of cages offer a distinct convenience advantage for the owner, they are hazardous for your pig’s foot health.
Your guinea pig’s footpads are delicate and sensitive structures. To your pig, walking on wire mesh is just like you spending your entire day walking on rebar or similar metal bars in bare feet.
Living in a cage with a wire floor can cause sores and ulcers on your pig’s footpads. Additionally, your pig’s feet can get wedged or trapped between the metal bars. Pigs housed in cages with wire floors often suffer broken toes and legs.
The same is also true of ramps in multi-level cages. Ramps should not contain metal bars, mesh or anything else that may trap or irritate your guinea pigs tender feet.
Be sure to purchase or build a cage with a smooth bottom to avoid the injuries detailed above. Also, if applicable, make sure the ramp has a non-slip surface to allow your pig to negotiate it without falling or slipping but avoid ramps with metal bars or wire grids as these can trap delicate guinea pig feet and toes and cause painful injuries.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Guinea Pigs – A Quick Overview of Breeds
When we think of a guinea pig, we usually picture the American Guinea Pig – the “classic” or “standard” guinea pig – and also the most common. But there are also several other breeds in addition to the common American Guinea Pig. This article will introduce you to a few of the breeds commonly found in homes today.
Abyssinian
The Abyssinian is a long-haired breed. The coat on this animal is quite distinctive because it tends to curl itself into whirls and swirls. These whirls and swirls are called rosettes. The Abyssinian is one of the oldest breeds that can be found today. If you are looking for a low-maintenance guinea pig, keep looking. This particular breed requires daily attention to the coat to avoid tangles and keep the pig looking well-groomed.
American Guinea Pig
This is the variety that first comes to mind when we think of the words “guinea pig”. It is also sometime called an English guinea pig. This is a short hair breed which makes it suitable for a pet. It does not require grooming and can be handled and petted without messing up its coat.
Peruvian
The Peruvian breed is an extreme long-haired breed. Its hair can grow to an amazingly long length of a foot or more. The hair is smooth and straight and tends to part in the middle and hang naturally to either side of the pig. The long hair requires a lot of care; so many owners prefer to keep the coat trimmed to make this task easier.
Silkie
The Silkie is a less common breed and is also referred to as a Sheltie. It has a very long (and, of course silky) coat – similar to the Peruvian. In contrast to the Peruvian, the hair does not tend to part naturally down the center of the back. The hair of the Silkie sweeps backward from the head. The coat of the Silkie is also softer than that of the Peruvian.
This article has presented a short survey of some of the more common guinea pig breeds. No matter what the breed, guinea pigs can make great loving pets and help to brighten a household. Although long haired breeds tend to look more exotic and sometimes make good show animals, the common short-haired American breed is a very popular household pet because its coat requires very little care.
Abyssinian
The Abyssinian is a long-haired breed. The coat on this animal is quite distinctive because it tends to curl itself into whirls and swirls. These whirls and swirls are called rosettes. The Abyssinian is one of the oldest breeds that can be found today. If you are looking for a low-maintenance guinea pig, keep looking. This particular breed requires daily attention to the coat to avoid tangles and keep the pig looking well-groomed.
American Guinea Pig
This is the variety that first comes to mind when we think of the words “guinea pig”. It is also sometime called an English guinea pig. This is a short hair breed which makes it suitable for a pet. It does not require grooming and can be handled and petted without messing up its coat.
Peruvian
The Peruvian breed is an extreme long-haired breed. Its hair can grow to an amazingly long length of a foot or more. The hair is smooth and straight and tends to part in the middle and hang naturally to either side of the pig. The long hair requires a lot of care; so many owners prefer to keep the coat trimmed to make this task easier.
Silkie
The Silkie is a less common breed and is also referred to as a Sheltie. It has a very long (and, of course silky) coat – similar to the Peruvian. In contrast to the Peruvian, the hair does not tend to part naturally down the center of the back. The hair of the Silkie sweeps backward from the head. The coat of the Silkie is also softer than that of the Peruvian.
This article has presented a short survey of some of the more common guinea pig breeds. No matter what the breed, guinea pigs can make great loving pets and help to brighten a household. Although long haired breeds tend to look more exotic and sometimes make good show animals, the common short-haired American breed is a very popular household pet because its coat requires very little care.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
C&C Guinea Pig Cages - Coroplast Explained - It's Not Cardboard
Coroplast is not cardboard nor is it plastic-coated cardboard. It is an extruded twin-wall polypropylene plastic sheet product. In other words, it's 100% plastic. This material was originally chosen years ago for guinea pig cage application by a guinea pig rescue organization as a way of economically constructing large living quarters for rescued pigs. It is lightweight and durable and, if not abused, will last for years in your guinea pig cage. View the video to learn all about Coroplast and see a dramatic demonstration of it's strength.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Guinea Pigs – A Cute Little Pet Living a Lie
True or false: Guinea pigs are small, hybrid animals that have been cultivated and cross-bred from wild pigs originally captured on the island of New Guinea. The fact that this animal was originally cross-bred in the laboratory to establish a pig breed that was both of friendly disposition and small enough to keep as a house pet, is the reason that the guinea pig still remains associated with labs in most of our minds today.
Yes - I made all of that up. Guinea pigs are no more pigs from New Guinea than a pineapple is a Granny Smith sprouting from a pine tree. It’s all a sad, misleading deception. Guinea pigs are neither pigs nor are they associated with New Guinea, Old Guinea, Young Adult Guinea nor any other Guinea that we know of for that matter.
So, as our title suggests, the name “guinea pig” is an outright lie. Guinea pigs are not some form of small mutant dwarf pig. That would be silly (they are actually tiny child-actors wearing tiny mutant dwarf pig costumes). Okay, I made that up too. They are actually rodents from the genus Cavia (which is the reason they are also referred to as Cavies). As rodents, they are related to chinchillas and porcupines – not hogs and boars.
Originally, guinea pigs came from South America – not New Guinea. All guinea pigs that we know of are domesticated animals - which is to say - they do not exist in the wild anymore. A very large relative of the guinea pig called the capybara still lives in the wild in South America. Ironically, due to its very large size, the capybara looks as though it might really be related to a pig or boar rather than its real cousin, the domestic Guinea Pig. What a confusing family, those guinea pigs.
So why do people call this cute little South American rodent a Guinea Pig? It’s not clear, since this misleading name was given to this small creature many years ago. Some people have conjectured that the guinea pig was given this name because it makes a noise that sounds like a pig squealing. Others believe that, although its features differ greatly from a barnyard pig, the guinea pig has a general round, stout, short-legged silhouette – similar to that of a pig or hog. In addition, guinea pigs are voracious eaters which might also account for the pig reference.
As for the “guinea” portion of the name, some believe that this may have been derived from a South American region named Guinana. Another theory is that trade routes that originally brought the guinea pig to Europe might have passed through Guinea and may have given their name to the fuzzy little rodent.
Either way, I hope that this article has cleared up at least some mysteries of the guinea pig. We may not know exactly where the guinea pig label came from – but we do know exactly where it did not come from. Guinea pigs are neither pigs nor are they from New Guinea. They are rodents and they are originally from South America.
Next time: Why you do not need to learn how to drive in order to become a busboy.
Yes - I made all of that up. Guinea pigs are no more pigs from New Guinea than a pineapple is a Granny Smith sprouting from a pine tree. It’s all a sad, misleading deception. Guinea pigs are neither pigs nor are they associated with New Guinea, Old Guinea, Young Adult Guinea nor any other Guinea that we know of for that matter.
So, as our title suggests, the name “guinea pig” is an outright lie. Guinea pigs are not some form of small mutant dwarf pig. That would be silly (they are actually tiny child-actors wearing tiny mutant dwarf pig costumes). Okay, I made that up too. They are actually rodents from the genus Cavia (which is the reason they are also referred to as Cavies). As rodents, they are related to chinchillas and porcupines – not hogs and boars.
Originally, guinea pigs came from South America – not New Guinea. All guinea pigs that we know of are domesticated animals - which is to say - they do not exist in the wild anymore. A very large relative of the guinea pig called the capybara still lives in the wild in South America. Ironically, due to its very large size, the capybara looks as though it might really be related to a pig or boar rather than its real cousin, the domestic Guinea Pig. What a confusing family, those guinea pigs.
So why do people call this cute little South American rodent a Guinea Pig? It’s not clear, since this misleading name was given to this small creature many years ago. Some people have conjectured that the guinea pig was given this name because it makes a noise that sounds like a pig squealing. Others believe that, although its features differ greatly from a barnyard pig, the guinea pig has a general round, stout, short-legged silhouette – similar to that of a pig or hog. In addition, guinea pigs are voracious eaters which might also account for the pig reference.
As for the “guinea” portion of the name, some believe that this may have been derived from a South American region named Guinana. Another theory is that trade routes that originally brought the guinea pig to Europe might have passed through Guinea and may have given their name to the fuzzy little rodent.
Either way, I hope that this article has cleared up at least some mysteries of the guinea pig. We may not know exactly where the guinea pig label came from – but we do know exactly where it did not come from. Guinea pigs are neither pigs nor are they from New Guinea. They are rodents and they are originally from South America.
Next time: Why you do not need to learn how to drive in order to become a busboy.
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