Image by Roxanne Cooke via Flickr

Many new guinea pig owners get the impression that guinea pigs can be walked on leashes. Why is this? I believe its because these kinds of accessories are frequently found in pet stores. Obviously, if you see something for sale in a pet store – you would assume it is safe, right? Sadly – no.

The first problem with leashes is the harness that come with them. Most of these harnesses are not made for guinea pigs. Instead, most small harnesses are made for ferrets, who have different body size and makeup than guinea pigs. Many guinea pigs can easily escape from harnesses and as such, it is simply not safe to use them outdoors where you guinea pig could escape.

Additionally, guinea pigs have a very delicate spine. This is why exercise wheels, balls, and leashes should not be used – they place pressure on the spine. Any kind of yanking or pulling can cause your piggie’s spine to bend in ways it is not intended to.

If you do want to play with your guinea pig outdoors, consider building a covered outdoor play area instead.

guinea pig leash is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

Many first time guinea pig owners assume that like other pets, guinea pig must be regularly de-wormed every three to six months. This is simply not the case. While guinea pigs can be susceptible to parasites like tapeworms, roundworms, and pin worms, guinea pis that live indoors are simply not too likely to ruin the risk of exposure.

Signs your guinea pig may have worms:

Intestinal distress including diarrhea

Lack of interest in eating

Weakness

Weight loss

Worms in feces

Note: Worms will appear like little white streaks.

If you do suspect your guinea pig has worms, or you notice any of the symptoms above – please take him or her to the veterinarian immediately as frequently with guinea pigs small health problems can become LARGE health problems very quickly.

Make sure you do not confuse worms and maggots. If you do not clean out old food and excrement from your guinea pig’s cage, it is not impossible for flies to lay eggs – especially in warm climates. If this is a problem, you will need to take everything out the cage – throw out the bedding, and wash everything else completely.

Lice will also appear as small brownish worms crawling on the surface of your guinea pig’s skin. This can be resolved by extensive cage cleaning and special shampoo available from your veterinarian.

guinea pig worms is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

Cute new book on a guinea pig that thinks he’s a dog from author Patrick Jennings – set to be released April 13th. This basic plot is of a fifth grade boy Rufus, who desperately wants a dog, but is told he cannot have one by his father. The boy’s mother takes sympathy on her son and buys him a guinea pig instead.

Rufus names his guinea pig “Fido” anyways and then he begins to notice that something is a little unusual…Fido thinks she’s a dog!

Check it out.

Fido the Guinea Dog Book Patrick Jennings is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

guinea pig plays basketball is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

Here’s a sweet story I found online today (this is from the UK) -

“Pupils, staff and guinea pigs will bid a fond farewell and a squeak of sadness for a retiring teacher who has used the small animals as teaching aids for the past 43 years.

Margaret Buchanan, who has spent her whole career at Warwick Primary School in Wellingborough, said she started using guinea pigs in the classroom after reading as a trainee teacher that they were good teaching aids.”

Read more…

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Pupils-and-guinea-pigs-say.6183267.jp

guinea pig loving teacher retires is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

Hey guys, I saw this news today and i couldn’t tell if it was a joke or not. I am leaning towards not…

A man in Virginia bought a guinea pig from a pet store, takes it home, kills it, makes a hat out of the fur, and then proceeds to wear the hat around his community for everyone to see. How bizarre!

http://wcrnews.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/mcdermott-bianchini-episode-1/

man kills guinea pig makes hat is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

guinea pig intelligence is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

I get lots of questions regarding guinea pigs and bathing. Many people want to know “How often should I bathe my guinea pig?” or if they should bathe their guinea pig to reduce cage odor. Here is the definitive answer – guinea pigs do not need to be bathed on a regular basis “just because.” No, piggies really hate to be bathed, they can become chilled and stressed easily, and their skin can become itchy and dry if bathed too often.

So when do you want to bathe your guinea pig? Only if he or she gets into something really messy. What if the cage is smelly? This actually means what you need to do is clean the cage, not the guinea pig as dirty bedding is likely the source of the odor that’s bothering you.

If only your guinea pig’s feet are dirty, then you would be best off simply giving him or her a foot bath. You can fill a shallow basin with gentle soap and warm water, then allow your piggie to walk around until the worst of the grime is dislodged. Then simply remove your guinea pig from the basin and gently towel off his or her feet.

If a total bath is required look for the most gentle soap you can find. A lot of people like oatmeal based soaps such as the various baby shampoos provided by Aveeno. If you really want to keep the process gentle you can even do a literal oat bath. Take plain dry oatmeal (just like what you would eat for breakfast) and soak it in water until the water becomes cloudy. Then take this water and use as the bath water for your guinea pig. Additionally, a final option is to do a “finishing” rinse with a little oil (flax, olive, vitamin E) suspended in water (just stir really rapidly to mix and then gently pour over the coat of your guinea pig) to prevent dry skin.

I recommend that you use a shallow container of some kind for bathing – plastic dish washing basins work well and also cannot be accidentally broken. Fill the container only a couple of inches with mildly warm water that you have mixed a little soap into.  Place your guinea pig in the water and gently bathe with the soapy water, making sure to avoid the eyes and nose. Once your guinea pig appears clean, give a single brush through his or her fur and remove from the water. Immediately wrap him or her in a towel and keep warm until dry. Do not use a hairdryer to try to speed up the process as they can get quite warm and are rather scary.

guinea pig bathing is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

The Abyssinian is one of the oldest guinea pig breeds and today, one of the most commonly entered for competition at guinea pig breeder shows. The Abyssinian is known for having a crazy coat of fur! Unlike other guinea pig breeds which can have smooth short hair, straight or wavy long hair, or even curly hair – the Abyssinian has hair that grows in swirls. Each swirl is called a “rosette” by breeders, and the most perfect rosette is one with a single pin sized center. The ideal coat for an Abyssinian is short with anywhere between eight and ten rosettes – preferably with ridges where the edges of each rosette meet running in straight lines, without any portion of flat hair. Finally, the ideal Abyssinian is not complete without an adorable little mustache.

If you are interested in showing your guinea pig, know that judges are looking for breed standard perfection. In this case that means prefect single centered rosettes, well pronounced ridges, fur that does not lie flat, is not long, and preferably coats that are not single colored (because single colored coats tend to be too soft and this affects the over all effect of the swirly rosettes.)

Abyssinians do not have a tendency towards health or behavioral problems, so rest assured if you have your heart set on one. The only factor to consider with an Abyssinian is that their swirly hair can require a little more grooming compared to smooth haired piggies as it just does not naturally lie neatly. All you will need to groom your Abyssinian is a soft bristled baby brush. This will work to gently groom and untangle his or her coat. Also, if you have any intention of showing your guinea pig – do not bathe him or her right before the show as this will cause his or her fur to fall flat – not a look judges are going for!

guinea pig breeds abyssinian is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource

Just like humans, guinea pigs have nails that continuously grow. In the wild, normal everyday activities would naturally wear down nail length. However, pet guinea pig spend most of their days living in plush cages with soft bedding, which will simply not keep a guinea pig’s nails short enough. While you can add items to your guinea pigs cage like bricks, which will wear down their nails to some degree – there is no way to avoid the fact that you will need to trim an adult (babies and adolescents are less likely to need their nails trimmed, maybe just filed down if sharp) guinea pig’s nails on a regular basis. Always be sure to check the nail length on the back legs first as these tend to grow fastest.

What happens if you don’t trim your guinea pig’s nails?

Your guinea pigs nails will get hard, long, and start to turn inward toward the foot. If left completely alone, the nails will actually pierce the foot of your guinea pig – leading to pain, infection, and potential complications.

How to Cut Your Guinea Pig’s Nails

First of all, know that if you feel nervous about cutting your guinea pig’s nails the first few times – this is completely normal! Pretty much everyone feels this way. The only way to start to feel comfortable is by doing.

Any kind of baby nail scissors or nail clippers will do. Be prepared for your guinea pig to actively resist this grooming task. Sometimes its easiest to divide the task between two people – one person holds the guinea pig wrapped in a towel while the other clips the toe nails. Otherwise this is a task your pet will get used to over time.

Be sure that you make an active effort to avoid cutting the “quick” of the nail. The “quick” is the living part of the nail – easily visible on guinea pigs with clear nails (its pink) but hard to see on black nails. If cut, this will cause pain and bleeding. Try to cut as little as possible on a regular basis if you feel you have trouble determining the right spot. If you do end up accidentally cutting the quick, use a product like “Quick Stop” to stop the bleeding.

guinea pig nails is a post from: Guinea Pig Resource