Strong words from someone who is normally the “calm” around the chaos. But this is a subject I feel strongly about. Very strongly.
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!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I have two rescued guinea pigs and I agree. I bet the pet stores already have “fresh guinea pigs” lined up for this weekend!
wat?! thats crazy dude. just cuz u watched a movie, doesnt mean that u cant get the animal in the movie!!!!!!!! i disagree. (^^^)
Thank you Holly for your comment. I agree, if you see the movie and have interest in a guinea pig, there is no reason not to get one. But it is my hope that one would first research their care and expense first… and possibly consider adopting a homeless guinea pig. My local guinea pig rescue has over 20 homeless guinea pigs – all purchased because they are cute, soon to be abandoned because of the work. I’ve adopted four and love them – I am all for people enjoying piggies. I am simply hoping to make parents think twice before running to a pet shop to purchase a guinea pig. Again, thank you for your comment!
When I first heard about this movie, I was so excited that piggies would be the stars of a whole movie. My second thought was that I was worried that people would see the movie and want to get a piggie without researching their needs first. I can’t help but think that piggies are smarter than us as they would not confuse the fiction of the movie piggies with the fact of what a real piggie can do and is like.When this movie comes out on DVD, and my pigges watch it, I doubt that either one is going to demand a parachute, a grappling hook or martial art lessons.
Yesterday I went to see G Force, I really agree with this article which I found on our partner’s site – there were lots of errors in the film.. guinea pigs don’t use hamster balls and hamster wheel! Also they cannot swim and the part of the guinea pig in the remote car may also give bad ideas to kids…
Also the fact that those guinea pigs were housed in the cage at the pet store with a hamster is really horrible!!! hamsters cannot live in company especially with guinea pigs!!
Thanks for this article.
Kind regards
Nadia Vella
http://www.hamster-club.com
http://www.thehamsterbook.com
Here in Italy we haven’t see the movie yet, but we are very worried about possible rises of sales and abandons. We are Italian HRS’s chapter and we would like to arrange a campaign of information and education for children. Have you got some advices for us?
Many thanks and regards,
Francesca
i havent seen the movie but i still think that if someone has seen it and they want to get a guinea pig they should reserch all it’s needs first, because owning a guinea pig is hard work. i would know i have had one for a year or more.
I have 9 rescue pigs, all girls and have taken in and rehomed 4 boars and I am a member and supporter of the Australian Cavy Sanctuary. I am so sick of irresponsible nut jobs breeding out of control and flogging their pigs to anyone and everyone who wants one without explaining to them what the needs of guinea pigs are and how much work is required in their care. Many of the pigs end up in our already strected to the max shelters.
I absolutely refused to give the disney co. any money so I downloaded the movie for zip, I also did a newspaper article about this exact same topic but they left out a heap of important stuff GRRR! so we spread the word to anyone who we know who is thinking of getting pigs as to just how much is involved in their care and also to adopt, one thing they would be giving a pig a home with the imfo they need, which people don’t get from pet stores, 2nd they free up space for other pigs to come into the shelters and thirdly it keeps money out of the hands of greedy backyard breeders and pet shop owners who only care about the almighty dollar.
Opt to adop everyone!
Hi there all,
i run a small cavy rescue in SE QLD AUS, i have recently taken in a group of 12 cavies bred by a backyard breeder who no longer had time to feed them, they went on apparently for a week without any feed, they have terrible mites, all of the adults are pregnant and i fear that the majority of the young babies are as well. I do not agree with backyard breeding of cavies. People really do need to research the costs and time required to keep these magnificent creatures because like all animals, cavies suffer in silence. Here at ECR i pride myself in knowing that all cavies that come here will be given much deserved attention and quality of life. Please guys, as Sam said, “Opt to adopt”, don’t support backyard breeders and petshops.
Katherine
Empressabelle Cavy Rescue
if you would like any information regarding the adoption of an ER cavy please email me at kharp11@eq.edu.au
Katherine, I applaud you for what you do!!! We have a local guinea pig rescue – a woman who keeps them in her house in the finished basement. We visit often for regular guinea pig nail cuts and health checks. I’ve adopted four pigs from her and love them all. We have a blind guinea pig that the breeder “didn’t want” who is absolutely wonderful. Others were bought at pet stores and soon brought to her because the owners were tired of cleaning the cages. I recently saw G-Force and they sure make guinea pigs look cute. But the pigs in the film do so many things that would immediately kill them. The worst part is when a boy puts the guinea pig in a remote controlled car – it puts too many ideas in a child’s head.
Thanks so much for helping the piggies – you are a terrific person! Katherine
I adopted two guinea pigs from a friend who had “two males”. That is what she was told in a pet shop. Then one of the “guys” gave birth.
) and they are sometimes hard to handle.They sometimes fight so I keep trying to teach them that two sister are not to behave like that to each other. But all they ask from me is – food. I understand why they are called pigs 
I completely agree with guinea pig not being a pet for small children. And also being a high maintenance pet.
People seem to realize it too late, and then they just release the pet somewhere in the woods or even the streets.
I have two girls (I hope
Anyway I saw the movie a few days ago and now I can’t sleep without thinking I will wake up at 2 AM just to see my piggies riding a motorcycle around the apartment.
Some humor from me but just trying to stress the point of people taking guinea pigs as pet for all the wrong reasons and without any preparation and learning about them.