pets.guinea-pigs FAQ Revised Draft
(c) 1997 Susan King (cavylady@geocities.com)
All Rights Reserved

History.
Created 07/25/1997
First Draft 07/25/1997 Everything's new
Revised Draft 07/29/1997 Fixed spelling errors, new questions
Last Updated 07/29/1997

The newsgroup alt.pets.guinea-pigs was proposed in alt.config
on 07/16/1997 and created on 07/22/1997 by Susan King
(cavylady@geocities.com). It was created for the purpose of discussing
issues related to the care, health, and general interest of guinea
pigs/cavies.

There was no specific forum for guinea pig discussions. Rec.pets was
to general. And alt.pets.rodents and alt.guinea.pig.conspiracy were
considered inappropriate for guinea pig related discussions.

Disclaimer.  An attempt has been made to make the information in this
FAQ a accurate as possible. The information is known to be accurate
as of the date of this FAQ.  The author is not responsible how this
information is used.

Distribution Of This FAQ.  You may distribute this FAQ in electronic
form so long as this header is included, the FAQ is distributed in its
entirety, and it is the newest version known to the distributor. This
FAQ may be printed out in its entirety for personal use only so long as
this header is included.

You may not publish this FAQ in any magazine or cd-rom without the
written consent of the author. You may not in any way sell this FAQ or
distribute this FAQ as being for sale.

Adding To This FAQ.

If you feel something in this FAQ is inaccurate, or you wish to add
something to it, submissions should be sent to cavylady@geocities.com. The
author of this FAQ reserves the right to not use any submissions. The
submittor may or may not be recognized for their submission.

Where To Get This FAQ.

The most recent version of this FAQ will (temporarily) be at:
http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/faq/apgpfaq.html

Do not send e-mail to the author asking for it. All requests will be
ignored.

Table Of Contents

    I. The Purpose Of This FAQ.
   II. Where Do Guinea Pigs Come From?
  III. Do Guinea Pigs Make Good Pets?
   IV. What Kind Of Housing Should I Use?
    V. Are Cedar And Pine Beddings Bad?
   VI. What Is Proper Nutrition For Guinea Pigs?
  VII. How Do I Find A Guinea Pig?
 VIII. Bringing A Guinea Pig Home.
   IX.  How Do I Care For My Guinea Pig?
    X. How Do I Groom My Guinea Pig?
   XI. Help, I Think My Guinea Pig Is Ill/Sick.
  XII. Guinea Pigs And Other Guinea Pigs.
 XIII. Guinea Pigs And Other Animals.
  XIV. Guinea Pigs And Children.
   XV. What Do The Sounds They Make Mean?
  XVI. Do Guinea Pigs Bite?
 XVII. The Loss Of A Guinea Pig.
XVIII. Is It True Guinea Pigs Are Not Rodents?
  XIX. Where Can I Find More Information?
   XX. Acknowledgments.

I. The Purpose Of This FAQ.

To answer some questions in alt.pets.guinea-pigs.

II. Where Do Guinea Pig Come From?

Wild guinea pigs (Cavia aperea and Cavia tschudii) originate in South
America.  They were domesticated sometime around 9000 and 3000 B.C. The
natives originally bred them as food, for their fur and as pets.

In the 16th century guinea pigs were imported to Europe by traders, and
because they were easy to keep, feed, and breed, they spread quickly.
Eventually, through selective breeding by humans, the breeds we know
today were created.

III. Do Guinea Pigs Make Good Pets?

Guinea pigs make excellent pets. They are no harder to take care of then
cats or dogs. You must make sure they have food and water everyday and
that they have clean bedding. That's not a whole lot for unconditional
love and affection.

Guinea pigs are considered good pets for children because they are so easy
to take care of. And the more attention they receive the more sociable and
livelier they will become. Just make sure the child/children understand
that unlike cats and rabbits they can't jump away and defend themselves
against being squeezed to death by loving, young hands.

IV. What Kind Of Housing Should I Use?

Best thing is a plastic pan with metal caging on the sides and the top.
For one guinea pig the cage should be 26 1/2 * 14 * 13 1/2 inches (68 *
36 * 35 cm). For two or more guinea pigs the cage should be at least 31 *
31 * 17 1/2 inches (80 * 80 * 45 cm) or 39 * 15 1/2 * 13 1/2 inches (100
* 40 * 35 cm). The pan should be 4-6 inches deep. Make sure your cage
does not have a wire bottom to it.  Guinea pigs aren't as agile as some
animals, and terrible injuries can result from using a wire bottom cage.

Plastic tubs are cheaper to buy and easier to wash out. However you
guinea pig won't be able to see out and it's difficult to fasten down
water bottles and hay racks.

Aquariums (leakers) can be cheap to buy. They provide plenty of room
and allow your guinea pig to see out. They are difficult to clean out.
It's also difficult to fasten down water bottles and hay racks. It's
important to keep aquariums and plastic tubs out of any direct sunlight.

Homemade, prefabricated or do-it-yourself, houses can be good for guinea
pigs.  It can allow for many interesting places and hideouts. Just make
sure you provide a plastic or tin bottom, because wood can become soaked
with urine.

Some bad things are cardboard and wooden boxes. They will get soaked
with urine and gnawed through. And can become very unhygienic.

V. Are Cedar And Pine Beddings Bad?

Yes, they are. What happens is that the urine of the guinea pig combined
with the oils in the wood causes toxic fumes that are harmful. This can
cause respiratory illness, liver damage, and other damage.

Here are some other beddings:

Aspen - Aspen is a good substitute if you want a wood bedding.  However,
aspen has smaller, sharper chips than cedar or pine.

Corncob - Corncob is highly absorbent, but some people don't like the
small hard particles.

Straw - Straw is bad, because straw can be dusty, and its hard and
sharp. And since it will get soaked with urine and the guinea pig will
chew on it its bad.

Hay - Hay is softer, but like the straw, it will get soaked with urine
and the guinea pig will chew on it.

Carefresh - Carefresh is non-toxic paper bedding. Its soft and highly
absorbent.  However some people don't like the chemical smell of it.

VI. What Is Proper Nutrition For Guinea Pigs?

Your guinea pig should have fresh water, fresh guinea pig pellets
and fresh hay everyday. Only give guinea pig pellets for your guinea
pig. Other feeds, such as rabbit pellets, will not contain the proper
nutritional value your guinea pig needs. And don't keep guinea pig food
longer than three months. The nutritional value of the feed decays with
time. After three months, its not sufficient. And, while your guinea
pig may not need it, there are also vitamin drops that can be put into
their water to supplement their nutritional needs.

An important thing to remember about guinea pigs is that they don't make
their own vitamin C. Make sure their pellets contain it. And its good
to give guinea pigs fresh vegetables high in vitamin C.

Fresh hay should be made available for your guinea pig. While you can
just scatter it on top of the bedding, a hay rack is better. They hay
on the bedding can be urinated on and they eaten by the guinea pig.

Fresh vegetables can be given on a regular basis. But should not be an
alternative for their food.

Some good things are: (not a complete list)
Apples
Oranges
Broccoli
Romaine or Red and Green leaf lettuce (iceberg lettuce is not good for them)
Carrots
Green peppers
Cucumbers
Tomatoes

VII. How Do I Find A Guinea Pig?

There are three places to get a guinea pig: pet store, breeder, or
giveaway.

Pets stores can be good or bad places to get guinea pig. They can be
good if the pet store has a good reputation and has knowledgeable people
working there. They can be bad if the guinea pigs are not taken care of
properly and are housed with other animals.

If you plan to buy from a pet store, look at the bedding and the
condition the guinea pig is in. If the bedding is in poor condition
(looks like it hasn't been changed in days) don't but the guinea pig. If
the guinea pig has any visible problems (ex. limping, runny eyes or nose,
matted fur) don't buy the guinea pig.  Check to see if the guinea pigs
its house with are in good condition.  The pet store should not have
guinea pigs with other types of animals. Guinea pigs are vulnerable
to injury from the other animals. Don't be afraid to ask questions to
the salespeople. That's what they're there for. And most important, use
commonsense. Don't buy a guinea pig just because you feel sorry for it.
(Unless you have experience and know how to take care of rescue guinea
pigs.)

A knowledgeable breeder can be one of the best places to buy a guinea
pig. While the guinea pig may cost more, you will be getting better
quality of animal. Ask the breeder questions and, if possible, see where
the guinea pig lives.  Again, use common sense, if something doesn't
seem right, don't buy the guinea pig.  Giveaways are usually guinea
pigs that can't be taken care of by their owners anymore and the person
wants to give it a good home. Giveaways can make the best pets. They
are usually adults, they are used to people and will be more calm about
relocating. However they can also be rescue guinea pigs. Rescue guinea
pigs are abandoned or abused guinea pigs and are in need of a good home
and a patient owner.

VIII. Bringing A Guinea Pig Home.

Bring your guinea pig home for the first time can be a very traumatic
experience for a guinea pig, especially for a very young one. Make sure
you have everything ready for your guinea pig in a quite part of your
house. After you put the guinea pig in its new home, leave him alone
for a day or two, before you pick him up and handle him. Let him get
used to the daily traffic of the house.

A lot of guinea pigs will hide and run away from you. To gain their trust,
first have a little patience. Try just calmly holding them in your lap
and petting and talking softly to them. You can also try a bribe of a
carrot or some lettuce.

If they squirm some and make noises while your petting it, you probably
shouldn't worry. (Unless you're intentionally doing something to hurt
him.) Most guinea pigs will do that. After time and some experience,
you'll learn what certain sounds and squiggles they make mean.

If you plan on introducing them to other guinea pigs. Keep the new guinea
pig separate until you can ensure that the newcomer is free of disease and
health problems. A quick trip to the vets for a check out is suggested.

IX. How Do I Care For My Guinea Pig?

The most important things you can to are make sure your guinea pig has
clean bedding, fresh water, and food.

The worst part of the bedding should be cleaned out once a day. And the
all the bedding should be cleaned out once a week. This is very important,
it will keep your guinea pig clean. After all, they are walking on their
bathroom.  Keeping it clean prevents the spreading of germs and diseases.

Although some guinea pig don't appear drink any water, make sure they
have fresh water everyday. Guinea pigs will spit back into the water
bottle tube.  This makes the water really gross.

Its a good idea to feed your guinea pigs using a daily routine.
Feeding them the same time everyday may stop the squeals for food at
inappropriate times.  Make sure they get new fresh food everyday.

One more thing you can do is give them daily exercise. Letting them out of
their cages to run will keep them from getting fat and getting bored. And
a bored guinea pig will eat and get fat. Plus its fun to watch them have
a good time.  They will run and jump around end enjoy themselves.

X. How Do I Groom My Guinea Pig?

Guinea pigs, like cats and dogs, should be brushed regularly.  Long-haired
guinea pigs will need to be taken care of more often. Because their hair
will get mixed with the bedding and become tangled.

Baths should only be given if the guinea pig is dirty or smells bad.
Too many baths can dry out a guinea pig's skin. A mild kitten shampoo
should be used.

Another grooming necessity is the dreaded toe nail trimming. If you have
a guinea pig with pink toes, you're in luck. You can see the blood line,
it will be easier to trim their nails. With black toes you need to be
more careful trimming nails, because you can't see the blood line. If
you do happen to draw a little blood, just staunch it. It helps to have
someone else holding the guinea pig while you are doing this.

Another important thing you should check is teeth. Reguarly check your
guinea pig's teeth to make sure they are not getting over grown.

XI. Help, I Think My Guinea Pig Is Ill/Sick.

First the author of this FAQ is not a vet and is in no way qualified to
make diagnosis or tell anyone how to treat illness in their guinea pigs.
All that is offered here is symptoms, causes, preventions, and possible
solutions.

The author takes no responsibility for how this information is used. The
personal suggestion of the author is to take your guinea pig to your
veterinarian.

IF SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG WITH YOUR GUINEA PIG, CALL YOUR
VETRINARIAN. DON'T RELY ON SOMEONE ON THE INTERNET TO HELP YOU.

Wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing
Possible causes are: Improper ventilation, respiratory infection
Have your vet check it out immediately. You guinea pig may require
antibiotics.
Preventions: Keep your guinea in a cage in a well ventilated area.

Bleeding
Possible causes are: Fighting, injury
Keep the cut or scrape clean. An infection should be treated by a vet.

Preventions: Keep guinea pigs that fight apart. Be careful handling
your guinea pig.

Discharge from eyes, nose, and mouth
Possible causes are: Possible infection
Your guinea pig is very sick. Call your vet immediately.
Preventions: Keep your guinea pig's cage clean. Proper daily maintenance
is important.

Drooling
Possible causes are: Overgrown teeth
You need to have your vet look at your guinea pig immediately.
Preventions: Make sure your guinea pig has enough things to chew on.

Stiff walking, lethargy, limping
Possible causes are: Possible vitamin C defiency
You need to administer vitamin C to your guinea pig immediately. A vet
can help you with this.
Preventions: Make sure that the pellets you feed your guinea pig is for
guinea pigs and not more than three months old. You can use fresh vegetables
and vitamin drops to supplement your guinea pig's diet.

Not eating
Possible causes: Overgrown teeth, other serious problems.
Take your guinea pig immediately to the vets. Guinea pigs cannot go
without food for a very long time.
Preventions: Make sure your guinea pig has enough things to chew on.

Scratxhing
Possible causes are: Mites, lice, skin fungus
Your guinea pig may require an intervectim (?sp) shot as well as a
special shampoo or dip. See your vet for advise.

Some preventions are:

Keeping cages and bedding clean - This is very important, because this
is the easiest way to prevent the spread of disease.

Making sure your have fresh food and water available for your guinea
pig.

Making sure there is nothing harmful your guinea pig has access to
that he can eat or chew.

Make sure your guinea pig is getting enough vitamin C.

Make sure your guinea pig has hay or chew sticks to chew on.

Don't be rough when you handle your guinea pig.

Don't kiss your guinea pig.

If you have children handling your guinea pig, make sure they are careful
not to squeeze the guinea pig to death.

If you have children handling your guinea pig, make sure they wash
their hands before and after handling the guinea pig.


A word about antibiotics:

Any kind of penicillin is harmful for guinea pigs. Amoxicillin,
a penicillin derivative, is often prescribed by vets. It will kill
your guinea pig.  What penicillins do is destroy essential bacteria
in the guinea pig's stomach.  The guinea pig will die a slow painful
death. Please make sure your vet does not prescribe any kind of penicillin
for your guinea pig.

XII. Guinea Pig And Other Guinea Pigs.

Since guinea pigs are social animals you may want to get another guinea
pig so they will keep each other company. A guinea pig can do very well
being just by himself.

Female and female - This is generally recommended if you want to get
two guinea pigs together. Females are calmer and will fight less.

Male and male - Males can live peacefully together, if they are raised
together.  You can also introduce a younger male to an older male. The
older male will feel less threatened by the younger male. Just make sure
you don't put a female between them.

Male and female - Don't put males and females together unless you want
babies or the male is neutered.

Introduce two guinea pigs by letting the go in the same play area.  Don't
just put the new guinea pig in the cage with the old guinea pig. Something
that's recommended is to give them both the same smell. This way both
guinea pigs have something in common when they meet. Monitor the exchange
to see how well they will get alone. If everything's OK put the two
together in the cage while you keep an eye on them.

XIII. Guinea Pigs And Other Animals.

Housing a guinea pig with any other animal, other than another guinea
pig, is a bad idea. Guinea pigs cannot defend themselves against other
animal attacks.  Keep guinea pigs and rabbits, ferrets, etc.. separate.

If you have a cat and/or dog and you want to get a guinea pig, think
about the personality of the animal first. Will they be able to accept a
small animal that resembles their natural prey? Some cats and dogs will
take to accepting guinea pigs very well, some don't. Because there as
many wonderful stories about cats and dogs becoming best friends with
guinea pigs, as there are horror stories.

When you do introduce a guinea pig to a cat or dog, have someone hold
the cat/dog while you allow them to sniff it. Then allow the animal to
examine the guinea pig while its still in its cage. Monitor the whole
thing. That way the cat/dog realizes you're aware the guinea pig is there,
and they aren't supposed to hurt it. Eventually, the novelty will wear
off and the cat/dog will leave it alone.

XIV. Guinea Pigs And Children.

Guinea pigs are considered excellent pets for children. Guinea pigs are
easy to take care of and they give unconditional love and affection for
the attention they receive.

A few things you should make your children aware of when they handle
the guinea pig is that they should never kiss or put the guinea pig in
their face.  They should wash their hands before and after handling the
guinea pig.  And they should careful handling the guinea pig. It is very
easy for a child to squeeze or drop or just mishandle a guinea pig. You
should monitor small children handling the guinea pig.

When your child is holding the guinea pig, have them hold it against
their chest facing up. One hand supporting the guinea pig's rump from
underneath and one hand supporting the back near the shoulders. This will
make the guinea pig feel secure and he won't struggle or squirm as much.

XV. What Do The Sounds They Make Mean?

Guinea pigs are very vocal creatures, so sounds mean a lot to
them. If you're confused about the sounds they make look at their body
language. Does the guinea pig look anxious to get your attention? Are
they trying to run away? It doesn't take long to figure out the meaning
of their sounds, and soon they will be telling you what they want.

Wheek or Wheep - The high pitched squeal most often associated with
food.

Chittering - A guinea pig will chatter his teeth to show he is unhappy
or angry.

Purring - In males is arousal, in females..?

Chirp, Boop, Urp, etc.. - These are general happy sounds a guinea pig
will make.

XVI. Do Guinea Pigs Bite?

Yes, they do. They can bite real hard. Don't let this scare you away
from guinea pigs. They are gentle, kind creatures. However it is in
their nature to bite or chew. And often they will give warning signs
before they will bite you.

A bite can have several meanings. A nip on the finger can mean they want
down because they have to go to the bathroom. Or it can mean they don't
like what you're doing and to stop. Usually they will chitter a warning
before they will really hurt you. If your guinea pig is chittering his
teeth, he's telling you to leave him alone. A good idea is to leave him
alone for a while.

XVII. The Loss Of A Guinea Pig.

Inevitably every guinea pig does die. Whether its illness, tragedy, or
just old age that takes them from us, it can still be very difficult. Who
would think that these precious little creatures could become so dear
to us? The best comfort I've found is in the words of this anonymous
author and the tale of the Rainbow Bridge.

The Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow
Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge
there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always
food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are
young again.  Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all
day with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with the special person who
loved them on Earth. So, each day they run and play until the day comes
when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches! The ears
are up!  The eyes are staring! And this one suddenly runs from the group!

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take
him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again
and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be
separated.

(author unknown)

XVIII. Is It True Guinea Pigs Are Not Rodents?

There is scientific evidence showing that guinea pigs are not related
to rodents. What does this mean for the guinea pig? It could mean a
complete restructuring of the order of Rodentia. But basically it means
nothing unless you're talking to another guinea pig lover. It is a very
frustrating trying to expain this to someone who doesn't share your
interest in guinea pigs.

(I've had somme personal experience trying it, it doen't work.) What
it means for the guinea pig lover is that their guinea pig isn't just
a rodent, it means their guinea pig just a little bit more special.

Here are some articles if you're interested in reading more:

http://www.halcyon/integra/notrodents.html
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dimension/3145/article.html
http://www.bekkoame.or.jp/~ttakasu/pscoop.html

XIX. Where Can I Find More Information?

Web sites:

American Cavy Breeders Association
http://www.dfs.netten.net/acba/

Seagull's Home Page
http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/

Guinea Pigs On The Net - Home Of The GPigs Digest
http://w3.ing.unico.it/carlo/cavie.normal.html

Susan's Guinea Pig Page
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6011/

Newsgroups:

news:alt.pets.guinea-pigs For questions and discussion about guinea
pigs.  APGP is a fairly new newsgroup. If you don't have it yet, ask your
news administrator to add it.

news:rec.pets A general newsgroup for pets.

news:alt.guinea.pig.conspiracy AGPC is a novelty newsgroup for fun
discussion about the evil guinea pig threat. Since one of the reasons
APGP was created was to give the conspiracy people back their newsgroup,
please don't post any serious questions or discussions here.

XX. Acknowledgments.

Special Thanks to Seagull and Carlo

And Thanks to everyone who e-mailed me supporting
alt.pets.guinea-pigs.

(c) 1997 Susan King (cavylady@geocities.com)