Call it the “101 Dalmatian Syndrome” if you will.  A blockbuster animal movie is released and there is an immediate increase in the sales of that particular animal.  This phenomena surfaced once again when Beverly Hills Chihuahua was in the theaters.  Unfortunately, with the increase in sales comes the inevitable increase in abandoned, mistreated or even worse, dead pets.  And now comes “G-Force,” an exciting adventure featuring the cutest of all – Guinea Pigs. 

As an owner of four rescued guinea pigs, I know just how wonderful these little guys can be.  But I also know the amount of work, expense and space involved in keeping guinea pigs. 

Guinea pigs require a lot of space.  The smallest cage they should be in will easily cover an entire dresser.  Piggies poop and peep a lot, requiring a full cage cleaning every week.  Replacement bedding costs about $22 a bag.  This can add up to $50 a month in cage cleaning supplies alone. 

One bag of good guinea pig food costs about $10.00.  Guinea pigs eat like crazy.  Count on at least $50 per month on guinea pig food.  They also need vitamin C powder sprinkled on their food, which means a bottle every two months.  Furthermore, they need hay ($8.00 a bag) and greens every day.

Guinea pigs need their nails cut by a professional every few months.  This requires a vet visit.  And from a surprising experience of my own, I know they can get mites and must be treated for this before an imminent death.  Mites can remain dormant in a healthy pig and emerge due to pregnancy, sickenss or stress.  If not treated at least twice by a veterinarian, the guinea pig will die. 

A guinea pig can easily have his or her back broken if dropped even from a short distance.  They do not swim, walk in hamster balls or run in wheels as depicted in movies and on television.  Guinea pigs are not suitable as pets for very young children.  It is also common for a parent to buy a guinea pig, only to find their child is allergic to it. 

If you know someone who decides to buy a guinea pig after seeing G-Force, talk to them about the cost and time involved in keeping a guinea pig.  Yes, they are wonderful pets.  But only for someone who has thoroughly researched their care and cost. 

There are many guinea pig rescues throughout the country.  If your child is asking for a guinea pig, consider visiting the rescue and helping with the cage cleaning and feeding of these homeless pigs.  This will give you an excellent chance to not only help, but to decide if a guinea pig is right for you. Furthermore, please do not buy a guinea pig from a store, but rather adopt one from a local rescue.

Please, help to spread the word about Guinea Pigs as G-Force is released!  Consider a bookmark, Digg or Tweet – after all, it’s for the Piggies!

Flipping over the bag I read the ingredients.  The contents of this bag almost looked like a menu for people in a health food store!  Above and beyond the natural oats and grasses, Sunnaturals Rabbit Food also includes things like rose hips, bay leaves, cranberries, red clover tops, goji berries, peppermint leaves and raspberry leaves – to name a few. 

When you open a bag of this rabbit food you can smell the wonderful mix of flowers, fruits and grains.  It smelled good to me, but what would my rabbit think?  The minute I placed the bowl of food in her cage she jumped to it and threw her face deep into the bowl.  From then on, it is a race to get the food into the cage.  She sees me coming and stands ready to pounce on the bowl.  I have often had the bowl literally knocked out of my hand and flipped over as she races for the food. 

Last month I ran out of rabbit food and had to grab a “generic” bag on the way home.  When my rabbit smelled the food she turned and walked away.  She hardly touched the standard food, making me feel so bad that I drove to my regular store to get “her brand.” 

If you own rabbits, I highly recommend you purchase Sun Seed’s Sunaturals Natural Rabbit food.  The quality is above and beyond any rabbit food I have used, the price is excellent and you can see the results first hand as your rabbit races to the food.  

Sun Seed also carries an equivalent guinea pig food that I serve to my rescue pigs.  Just as the bunny does, my guinea pigs come racing to this excellent and apparently tasty food.

Guinea pigs (also called Cavies) require more maintenance than smaller rodents, but are well worth the extra bit of time. They are both entertaining and sweet with a perfect mixture of active and couch potato.

Piggies can live up to seven years, although we know of one that is coming on his 13th birthday. As always, never adopt or purchase a pet that you cannot take care of for the entire life span. A guinea pig will not bite unless he is sick, and is more than happy to plop down on your chest to be snuggled while you read or watch TV.

Guinea pigs are social animals and are best bought in pairs. Try to get either two males or two females together. Generally, an adult guinea pig will not be happy with a new cage mate unless it is a baby that is carefully introduced.

Sadly, guinea pigs are often purchased and soon disposed of by irresponsible buyers. If you are looking for a guinea pig, start by searching the internet for a local guinea pig rescue. Many rescues will even provide you with a cage, starter food and toys. If you can’t find a rescue, call your local SPCA, who is likely to have several ready for adoption.

Guinea pigs should be in the largest cage you are able to purchase. At a minimum, try to get a cage that is at least 10.5 square feet. Since guinea pigs can’t climb well, many owners construct large home areas on the floor. You can find many wonderful ideas on the internet by searching for “homemade guinea pig cages.” Just keep in mind that guinea pigs should never be left vulnerable to larger animals such as dogs or cats.

Your guinea pig cage should have a flat bottom, as wire will hurt a piggy’s feet. Use pine bedding or carefresh for the litter. Never use cedar in your cage, as it is dangerous to the health of small animals. Guinea pigs love makeshift tunnels such as wide plastic tubing or shoeboxes with a door cut in the side. Keep fresh water in a dispenser on the side of the cage, making sure it is clean and full every day.

We clean our guinea pig cages twice a week. After the first few days we scoop the corners they use for the bathroom. Then at the end of the week we completely replace the litter, which will smell strongly if not changed somewhat frequently. This keeps our home smelling fresh and keeps the guinea pigs happy and healthy.

The guinea pig diet is fairly easy and inexpensive to provide. They love fresh fruit and vegetables, including greens, carrots, grapes and apples. Feed more vegetables than fruit to avoid causing diarrhea. Place timothy or grass hay in the cage at least once a day. And always keep a bowl of guinea pig food in the cage.

Guinea pigs are not able to produce their own vitamin C. Our guinea pig rescue suggested purchasing a bottle of Vitamin C tablets that do not have any additives or additional vitamins included. Blend them until they become powder. Sprinkle the Vitamin C powder over the food, making sure it is just lightly coated.

Never feed your guinea pig “people food” – especially chocolate, garlic or caffeine. Stick to the Vitamin C coated pellets, hay and veggie mix with an occasional fruit treat.

Guinea pigs can be gently groomed with a baby soft brush. Additionally their nails need to be trimmed about once a month. Have your local rescue, SPCA or veterinarian show you how to do this for the first time. Hold your pig securely. A fall will bring certain damage to your little pet.

When you let your guinea pig out to play, be sure he cannot come in contact with electrical wires or other life threatening hazards. Some keep guinea pigs and rabbits together, noting they get along well. This may be true, however it is possible for a rabbit to easily kick a guinea pig. This equates to a teenager kick boxing a baby. We recommend you keep your rabbits and guinea pigs separated for the safety of your pigs.

Although guinea pigs are very docile and enjoy being held, they will often play the “catch me if you can” game as you try to take them from the cage. Rather than stress the animal, use the “bag” trick to remove them from the cage.

We take a rectangle cloth (pillow cases work well) and fold it in half. Sew to make three sides closed and one open. Place the bag in the cage and encourage your guinea pig to enter the bag. Then gently scoop the “bagged guinea pig” up out of the cage. The bags are also a good tool to use when children are holding the pig. It keeps the pig comfortable and makes them easy to hold and pet.

If your guinea pig seems shy at first, gently tuck his face in the crook of your arm, making sure he can breathe. A guinea pig thinks that if he can’t see you, then you can’t see him!

Guinea pigs are very entertaining. Watch them “popcorn” when they are excited, literally popping up into the air and straight back down. It is also fun to watch them together on the floor, as they tend to follow each other in a straight line around the room.

And our favorite? The famous guinea pig “weeeek!” Guinea pigs make funny noises, and are especially known for their long and exited squeaks. Once they begin to know you, they will squeak in anticipation as you walk in the room with food. Our piggies jump up squeaking, “Weeeeek! Weeeeek!” when it is time for a special snack – and frankly, nothing is more irresistible than a piggy “weeeeek!”