tips1
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Thanks for signing up to receive my Guinea Pig Care and Information Email Course at http://www.guineapigresource.com/tips/ (if you didn’t mean to request this information you can unsubscribe by following the link at the bottom of this email.)
You should expect to find useful information in every newsletter edition – and if you don’t, please let me know. I read every email sent from my subscribers and I usually respond within a day.
All of the tips I have included in this newsletter come straight out of my book “The Complete Guinea Pig Handbook” which is compiled of all of the best guinea pig care information that I found through hours of research online and directly with breeders and rescue groups. “The Complete Guinea Pig Handbook” is full of information that will ensure that you can build a close, loving relationship with your sweet smelling, healthy guinea pig that may live twice as long as the average pet guinea pig.
So what are my most crucial life span doubling guinea pig tips?
Here you go:
1. Pine and Cedar bedding smell great and you may think this is just the key to keeping a sweet smelling guinea pig. Guess what? These products will actually cause your guinea pig to develop respiratory problems and even possibly liver failure due to the resins contained in the wood. Safe alternatives include Timothy Hay, careFresh, Aspen bedding, and fleece. My book covers the pros and cons of each in detail.
2. Have you already bought your guinea pig? 99% of all people buy guinea pigs from local pet stores but before you do, consider this – half the time you will come home with a immature pregnant female because the store staff cannot tell the baby males from the females.
3. Looking for the best guinea pig for your child? Consider an American Guinea pig – this is a short haired guinea pig that will be sweet and delightful for years to come. Longer haired guinea pigs require daily grooming and have a tendency towards matted hair.Also, I have noticed that children have a harder time keeping a safe grip on guinea pigs with long silky hair. They are just too slippery! Dropping guinea pigs even from short distances can result in serious injuries, so it is best to avoid.
4. A pet store cage is probably cheaper than a fancy special online guinea pig cage, right? Wrong! Most pet store cages are too small and lack proper ventilation (plus wire cage bottoms will destroy your guinea pig’s feet!) This is going to lead to TONS of health problems (which means vet bills) and believe it or not – the small size of these cages is what leads to the horrible odor people hate so much. There are great cages to be found online for as little as $60 and $20 shipping. You can get that money back just by avoiding a SINGLE veterinary visit! Stay tuned for the next part of this Email Course – it will arrive in your inbox tomorrow. To get you started, here is a listing I have compiled of all the best guinea pig supplies here in your free report:http://guineapigresource.com/tips/mastersupplylist.html and tomorrow we’ll talk about more about your guinea pig.
The First Few Days
The first 3-4 days you bring your guinea pig home, it can be very tempting to pick them up and cuddle with them.However, they’re in a new area – and very scary area – and they need time to get used to that.
Give them several days to adjust to their new areas and life, because this is a very stressful time for them. Try to avoid making loud noises and hovering around them, because they need to take their own time to get used to what’s around them.
Note:
You need to ensure that when you bring one or more guinea pigs into the house that they have a good area to hide – each guinea pig needs his or her own place, too, or a fight could break out!
Don’t Loom!
Ever catch yourself just looming over your dear pet’s cage,shadowing them as you’re watching what they’re doing? This is going to scare the sweet out of your little pet!
This makes your pet think that an eagle is swooping down to attack, and causes him to be very scared. Instead, when you want to observe your pet, kneel down to eye level with the cage. This will allow him to see you as more of a friend, and less of a foe.
Bribery
The best way to get your pet to trust you is, without a doubt, bribery. Sound crazy? Perhaps. But it’s true! Bribing the small animal that you want to love and adore is the best way for trust.
The best things to bribe with? Treats, of course. Because the guinea pig has so many things it loves to eat, you’re going to have no shortage of bribing tools. Check out Chapter Five for more information on your guinea pig’s favorite things to eat.
Best Bribing Ways?
Ready to bribe your new pet right into your open arms? Good!
Start by showing your pet the delicious treat you’re offering them, then set it at the open door of the cage. Sit just outside, with your hands in your lap, and wait.
After a certain amount of time, if he hasn’t taken the treat, carefully and slowly pick it up again, close the cage door, and leave. Try this several times a day until he gets the idea that he has to come and get it.
Each time he comes, try to move a little closer to your pet’s cage. This way, he’s going to get used to your presence slowly.
Its Heather Jones here from GuineaPigResource. In this section, we’re going to give you a little history of the guinea pig, and how he became such a… well, such a wonderful pet.
Guinea pigs once roamed the wild, crawling and running through trees and brush, scurrying from predators (big surprise – the guinea pig is a prey animal!) and munching on delicious grass and greens.
While they can sometimes be found in the wild, guinea pigs are mostly at home in a cage with a good selection of hay and a few playmates for friends. At least, in this country.
In the Andes and all over South America, guinea pigs are still a large part of the cultural experience. They were domesticated thousands of years ago, but not for pets – they were actually domesticated for food purposes.
Many people believe that the guinea pig has supernatural abilities and properties, and because of that, they’ve been incorporated into a great deal of folk medicine. Where Western medicine isn’t available (or widely distrusted), the guinea pig is there.
A little scary? Don’t worry, we’re not going to recommend a guinea pig over toast! Just keep in mind that this is a wonderful pet with a unique and colorful history.
And we mean colorful in a good way!
In our next section, we’re going to talk about choosing guinea pigs, and how many you should have… because one is just never enough.
Best, Heather Jones
P.S. Want more now? Head to http://www.guineapigresource.com/tips/ to discover more about guinea pigs!
To Pick Your Guinea Pig Up…
Don’t lure your guinea pig with treats in order to pick him up, because you’re going to hurt the tentative bond of trust you’ve built with him, and possibly damage any relationship in the future.
Instead, build trust by petting and loving your guinea pig, and showing him that you’re not a scary predator, but instead a loving friend. Remember that in the wild, people like you would eat this poor little critter!
The Actual Holding
Be careful when you pick up your guinea pig! Because of the shape of their body, you can damage their lungs if you grasp them too hard.
Gently cup the torso of your guinea pig, and support the rear as you lift up. Don’t hold them too hard, and instead carry them gently, ensuring that you’re supporting their entire body well.
Remember to carry them with care, and small children should always hold their guinea pigs with great supervision – because of their small bone structure, they can be easily injured if dropped.
Relaxing Your Pet
Don’t you just love the idea of sitting on your couch, petting your guinea pig in your lap, and reading the paper or watching the news? It’s a great idea, but in practice, it takes a while.
When you first handle your guinea pig, do so in a quiet room, and make sure that nothing is going on. Have a treat ready, and see if you can get him to eat it on your lap.
In this section, we’re going to talk about choosing a guinea pig, and how many guinea pigs you should house.
While one guinea pig is probably enough to keep you entertained and alert, you should put some serious thought into purchasing two or more guinea pigs.
Not only are guinea pigs extremely social creatures, they love the company of others. They can get lonely by themselves, and their health will suffer if left alone.
“Well, two guinea pigs are more work!” Many parents cry when their children ask for not one, but two, of the adorable rodents. However, that entire mindset is completely wrong.
Guinea pigs need attention, and if you have just one, your guinea pig is going to get lonely very fast, and cry for your attention. If he or she has a partner or playmate to keep them entertained, you don’t have to spend quite as much time with them.
And considering that guinea pigs are extremely inexpensive pets to begin with, it’s not going to strain your budget like getting a second dog might do (especially if it’s a large one!).
When choosing a guinea pig (or guinea pigs) make sure that they’re plump and firm, with no eye, ear, or nose discharge, and they’re alert. Guinea pigs will naturally shy away from strangers, too, so don’t let this dissuade you.
And most important, choose those that you like. Their personalities are an important part, and these little guys do have distinctive personalities!
By following the above guidelines, you’ll be sure to pick a healthy guinea pig that’s right for you.
Of course, there is a lot more to it, that and I couldn’t possibly lay out the entire system in this email.
Fortunately, it’s all laid out for you in an easy, step-by-step format in my new eBook:
“The Complete Guinea Pig Handbook”
Not only do my methods work great for guinea pigs but they’re also really fun.
You can get the full scoop here:
http://www.guineapigresource.com/tips/
Here’s just a taste of what’s revealed in
this amazing guinea pig care system:
- A complete guide to the guinea pig cage and how to easily maintain a healthy environment.
- The 5 things you must do before placing your guinea pig in his new home.
- What to feed your guinea pig – and what not to give him! There is a ton of inaccurate info out there. I’ll tell you the truth so you never have to wonder again!
- How to care for a single guinea pig and more than one!
- The importance of bedding and why this is a crucial component of your cage. I’ll tell you what type of bedding to buy and how much to use.
- How to choose a healthy guinea pig from the store — there are little known things to look for that the pet store owner’s don’t want you to know!
- The surefire signs of guinea pig illness that will tell you if your guinea pig needs medical attention.
- An entire chapter devoted to guinea pig illnesses and cures. Your guinea pig has the potential to completely recover from an illness, but it’s not how you think. I’ll show you the truth about curing your guinea pig.
- Why a specific type of bedding – frequently recommended – is actually extremely dangerous for your guinea pig. It’s known to cause respiratory problems.
and that’s not nearly all. I am also offering these F.REE Bonuses:
- The Guinea Pig Adoption Master Guide – Everything you need to find and adopt a guinea pig! Includes 35+ local rescue organizations.
- The Guinea Pig Breeder Master List – 20 regional guinea pig breeding clubs and 65+ additional sources for Abyssinian, American, Coronet, Dalmatian, Dutch, Marten, Silkie, Peruvian, Teddy, Texel, and White Crested guinea pigs!
- The Guinea Pig Quick Start Guide “Bringing Home Your Guinea Pig” – How to make the most of the crucial first few days, how to teach your children to pet and handle their new guinea pig, secret “cheats” to gain your guinea pig’s trust even faster, and how to introduce your guinea pig to other pets in your household.
- Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Care Checklists
- The Ultimate Supply Guide
- The Complete Guinea Pig Handbook Audio Companion – Newsletter Subscribers Only!
Get the full scoop at my special Guinea Pig web page
here:
http://www.guineapigresource.com/tips/
Talk soon,Heather Jones
