Q: We are thinking about getting a pet for our five year old.  What would you suggest?

A:  I think guinea pigs are one of the best choices for a first time pet.  They are small, gentle, affectionate and low maintenance.  They live for five to eight years.  They like to be handled, bathed (very shallow, warm water) tolerate a blow dryer and enjoy being groomed.  They are affectionate, quickly learn to recognize you and will talk to you with squeaks, purring-like sound, warbles and grunts.

Guinea Pigs are herbivores.  They enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables but need a good quality guinea pig food as the main stay of their diet.  Guinea pigs are one of the few animals that do not manufacture their own Vitamin C.  Specified guinea pig food should contain a C supplement .

Guinea Pigs are social animals and they need considerable interaction with each other or with their human companions.  If you don’t have a lot of time to give them, it is better to have two so they don’t get lonely.  You will want two females to avoid the baby boom.  Two males will fight.

Clean their cage twice a week.  Add fresh bedding and be sure to clean the water bottle itself. (a little vinegar in warm water swirled around in the sipper bottle will clean and disinfect it without dangerous chemicals.  Vinegar is also a good cleaner for any surfaces used by pets and kids)

• Use shredded paper or pine chips for bedding (not cedar!)

• Add fresh hay for nibbling and bedding (optional but nice)

• Put in a short piece of a fruit tree branch (6inches) to chew on or buy chews from your pet shop. This will keep their teeth worn down.

• Use low, heavy food bowl.

• Use a 16oz. water sipper bottle.  (They drink lots of water so make sure check the level often.)

• Cardboard tubes, boxes etc. to play with and chew.

• A clay pipe, pot or bowl to climb on, in and through.

• DON'T put plastic in with your guinea pigs as they will chew it and may choke.

• You can also add a running wheel and/or a running ball (You put the guinea pig inside the ball and she can go all around the house without getting into trouble)

Guinea Pigs come in a variety of colors and breeds.

Spring 2006 Edition

SO YOU WANT AN EXOTIC PET?????

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE CHOOSING AN EXOTIC PET. THE DECISION TO OWN AN EXOTIC ANIMAL SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. PEOPLE CHOOSE EXOTIC PETS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CAREFULLY EXAMINE THE REASONS OF WHY YOU WANT TO OWN A PET OUT OF THE ORDINARY. ONE SHOULD CONSIDER THE REALITY OF CARING FOR THE CHOSEN SPECIES, AND LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THIS NEW PET BEFORE BRINGING IT HOME.

SADLY, MANY EXOTIC PETS ARE CHOSEN ON AN IMPULSE BASIS, WITHOUT PRIOR RESEARCH INTO THEIR NEEDS SUCH AS HOUSING, NUTRITIONAL NEEDS, COMPATIBILITY, AND EVEN LEGALITY OF OWNERSHIP. WHEN ACQUIRED IN THIS MANNER, MANY OF THESE PETS BECOME “DISPOSABLE” AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP.

THE TERM “EXOTIC PET” COVERS A TREMENDOUS VARIETY OF SPECIES. THERE ARE SPECIES OF MAMMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS AND EVEN INSECTS THAT ARE TERMED “EXOTIC”.

THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF EXOTIC PET YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN. AS THERE ARE A HUGE NUMBER OF CHOICES TO MAKE.

MY SUGGESTION IS TO DO AS MUCH RESEARCH ON THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIES AS POSSIBLE BEFORE MAKING THAT FINAL DECISION, SO THAT BOTH YOU AND YOUR NEW PET WILL BE HAPPY. THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET (ALTHOUGH BE SURE TO VIEW MANY SITES AND NOT TAKE JUST ONE PERSON’S OPINION OR ADVICE) AND EVEN BETTER WOULD BE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD EXPERIENCE IN OWNING  THE PARTICULAR SPECIES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING YOUR CHOICE OF AN “EXOTIC PET”:

LEGALITY- FIRST AND FOREMOST FIND OUT IF THAT PET IS LEGAL TO OWN IN YOUR AREA. SOME PETS REQUIRE SPECIFIC LICENSES BOTH ON THE STATE AND/OR FEDERAL LEVEL.

HOUSING- CONSIDER WHAT TYPE AND SIZE OF HOUSING WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE COMFORT OF THE ANIMAL.

FEEDING REQUIREMENTS- FIND OUT WHAT TYPE OF DIET WILL BE BEST FOR THE ANIMAL. ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL FEEDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR SPECIES?

COMPATIBILITY WITH FAMILY MEMBERS- SOME SPECIES OF “EXOTICS” ARE NOT SUITABLE IN A FAMILY ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS SMALL CHILDREN (FOR BOTH THE ANIMAL’S SAKE AND THE CHILD’S PROTECTION)

IF OTHER PETS ARE ALREADY A PART OF THE FAMILY, WILL THE NEW PET GET ALONG WITH THESE OTHER PETS IN THE HOME, OR WILL IT BE STRESSED OUT BY THEIR PRESENCE.

VETERINARY CARE- WILL YOUR LOCAL VET BE WILLING TO SEE AND CARE FOR THIS ANIMAL IF NECESSARY. SOME VETERINARIANS DO NOT WORK WITH “EXOTICS”. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS PRIOR TO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IN WHICH A VET IS NEEDED. A VET SHOULD ALSO BE LINED UP FOR ROUTINE CARE OF THE ANIMAL.

ACTIVITY LEVEL AND DESTRUCTIVE TENDENCIES OF THE PET- SOME EXOTIC ANIMALS ARE EXTREMELY ACTIVE AND REQUIRE A LOT OF EXERCISE AND INTERACTION WITH THEIR OWNER. ALSO, SOME ANIMALS CAN CREATE TURMOIL IN THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD (DUE TO THEIR HIGH LEVEL OF CURIOSITY AND PLAYFULNESS) OTHERS ARE VERY LAID BACK AND REQUIRE A LESS DEGREE OF ATTENTION.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE DECIDING TO OWN AN “EXOTIC “ PET. MANY SPECIES OF EXOTICS MAKE WONDERFUL PETS, OTHERS DO NOT. AGAIN, I CAN NOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO DO AS MUCH RESEARCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEFORE ACQUIRING THIS ANIMAL SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE A LONG AND WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER WITH YOUR NEW PET.

The American Guinea Pig or English Cavy has a smooth and short coat that lies flat to the body. This is the most popular and commonly seen breed.

The Abyssinian has a very distinctive appearance. The coat is made up of multiple swirls of hair referred to as rosettes. 

The Peruvian coat is smooth and straight, and grows to several inches in length. The hair naturally parts down the center of the back, and also grows forward over the head.

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

The Silkie is also known as the Sheltie, and has a very silky long coat. In contrast to the Peruvian, the Silkie's soft coat does not naturally part along the back, and grows backwards from the head

The Teddy is a short haired guinea pig characterized by a short dense coat with bent (kinked) hair shafts that makes the coat stand on end, giving a very fuzzy appearance

The Texel is an uncommon guinea pig with a very distinctive long curly coat. The Texel guinea pig is another very high-maintenance pet.

The Coronet Guinea Pig is also long-haired, but has a single rosette ("coronet") in the center of the forehead. Like other long haired guinea pigs, Coronets need lots of grooming

The skinny pig is a new breed.  They are good for people with allergies and for anyone looking for something unusual.  You can see that there is a bit of hair on this skinny pig, especially on the nose.  If they had hair, the color would correspond with the skin colors. They are sensitive to the sun, burn easily and, since they don’t own a fur coat, they need to be kept warm.