topic Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and in Community Chat

Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

Goodie2shoes — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 00:10:38 GMT

its also Toss away the "Could haves" and "should haves" day !

On July 16, people across America celebrate Guinea Pig Appreciation Day to pay tribute to these cuddly lovable pets that stole the hearts of thousands of people. Yes, these furballs are friendly pocket pets that can prove to be one of the best companions if treated right. And guess what? These pets are super social, too. If you haven’t ever had the chance to spend a day with a guinea pig, now is the time to give it a shot. We assure you, the experience will be memorable. Get in touch with an animal shelter or rescue in your area to learn about these huggable creatures.

Toss Away the ‘Could Haves’ and ‘Should Haves’ Day is celebrated across the United States on the third Saturday in July. This year, it falls on July 16 .This day was created by author and motivational speaker Martha J. Ross-Rodgers to encourage people to let go of the past and live in the present. To celebrate, get a piece of paper and a pen, jot down your regrets and then toss it out or burn it. Make a resolution not to live in the past. Your best years are ahead of you, so why give up now?

I have nothing to say about World snake day except that I hate snakes ! I don't have or want a Guinea Pig but I do think they are cute little characters. I do have a few things to let go of so I'm going to jot them down and burn the paper, never to live in the past again and look forward to better years to come ! Anybody else tossing out some regrets ?

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

feline groovy — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 00:29:03 GMT

just alerting @mistriTsquirrel since she is a guinea pig parent 8)

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

bikerbabe — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 01:10:21 GMT

Best pet I ever had as a child. 🥰🥰🥰🥰 crazy smart and I adored her. I still think of her often. 💕

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

DSD2 — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 02:15:05 GMT

Many years ago, hub came home to our apartment with a box containing a long haired peruvian guinea pig. A man at a truck stop was going to put her into the woods as his sister didn't want the poor little thing any more. Right away he took her...

I was thrilled. Gizmo was the sweetest thing! She used to run around the apartment happily and was very affectionate, burrowing into hub's chest.

We brought her with us when we moved of course and had her over five years until she passed. She was great company and we still talk about her today over 30 years later. She was our first and sweetly remembered fur child.

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

J Town Girl — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 02:44:25 GMT

@Goodie2shoes My two little guinea pigs, Ginger and Teddi, thank you for sharing the info about Guinea Pig appreciation day. They feel like it should be everyday but still they thank you for remembering them.

Guinea Pigs are precious little animals and unfortunately they are also some of the most mistreated. I've worked in guinea pig rescue and it's heartbreaking how many of them are purchased and disposed of when the kids become tired of them.

The op started such a lovely post so I promise I won't get on my soapbox about parents and people in general who treat these sweet and gentle souls with such callous abandon.

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

mistriTsquirrel — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 03:03:58 GMT

What a great thread!!

Thank you @feline groovy for tagging me. 💜

We celebrate Guinea Pig Appreciation Day here by watching G-Force and other movies my piggos love to watch, and they get their favorite treats and lots of scratches behind the ears and back rubs...so...just a normal day at home. 😄

When is Guinea Pig Mom Appreciation Day? I could use a back rub.

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

BlueFinch — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 06:42:50 GMT

As a child, I had an adorable Guinea Pig named Fran. She sure made her presence known for such a small package.

How she could squeal when it was feeding time. I could hear her half an acre away.

Many things have triggered my memories of little Fran over the decades. She was worthy of an appreciation day.

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

Linda0215 — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 16:54:17 GMT

I have no experience with Guinea Pigs but I'm thinking maybe I need one. I live with a dog, but it is not mine and I've been wanting a little pet for myself for a while now. I was thinking a cat, but perhaps a cute little Piggie would make my day 🥰

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

SurferWife — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 18:09:59 GMT

I wonder who makes up all these "<<fill in the blank>> World Days".

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

RedTop — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 22:42:53 GMT

3 years ago my teacher daughter thought Guinea pigs would be a great addition to her Special Ed classroom. Of course the students loved them and willingly participated in their care.

However, teacher daughter didn't think about where these precious little rodents would live on weekends and holidays! Of course they came here, and NEVER returned to the classroom!

In the last few years, we lost our 3 chinchillas and a dog. We have one senior dog left outside. At 66 and 71, my husband and I are past the pet stage and not looking to add more responsibility to our lives. We tolerate the Guinea pigs; change their pads and feed them when daughter is away, but would prefer our house be pet free.

@Linda0215

If you are looking for a calm pet, I can see guinea pigs being a good pet for you. They like to be held often and particularly like to be on your chest or near your neck where they hear your heartbeats. Ours do shed a lot.

The ones here nice and quiet until they hear the rustle of a grocery bag, or smell vegetables being peeled or chopped, and then the whistling starts. They are messy! Piddle pads get changed 2x a day here, but you can never stay ahead of the pee and poop.

One thing to remember with guinea pigs is they have no depth perception; they will walk right off open shelves in tiered cages, or off couches, etc., so they need a one level cage or space set up on the floor for their living quarters. The guinea pigs here have always been part of a group, but we have at times isolated each of them and they have been completely satisfied on their own.

Choosing between hamsters and guinea pigs, I would choose a guinea pig, but to choose between a chinchilla and a guinea pig, I would choose chinchilla!

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

Linda0215 — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 16:23:37 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
3 years ago my teacher daughter thought Guinea pigs would be a great addition to her Special Ed classroom. Of course the students loved them and willingly participated in their care.

However, teacher daughter didn't think about where these precious little rodents would live on weekends and holidays! Of course they came here, and NEVER returned to the classroom!

In the last few years, we lost our 3 chinchillas and a dog. We have one senior dog left outside. At 66 and 71, my husband and I are past the pet stage and not looking to add more responsibility to our lives. We tolerate the Guinea pigs; change their pads and feed them when daughter is away, but would prefer our house be pet free.

@Linda0215
If you are looking for a calm pet, I can see guinea pigs being a good pet for you. They like to be held often and particularly like to be on your chest or near your neck where they hear your heartbeats. Ours do shed a lot.

The ones here nice and quiet until they hear the rustle of a grocery bag, or smell vegetables being peeled or chopped, and then the whistling starts. They are messy! Piddle pads get changed 2x a day here, but you can never stay ahead of the pee and poop.

One thing to remember with guinea pigs is they have no depth perception; they will walk right off open shelves in tiered cages, or off couches, etc., so they need a one level cage or space set up on the floor for their living quarters. The guinea pigs here have always been part of a group, but we have at times isolated each of them and they have been completely satisfied on their own.

Choosing between hamsters and guinea pigs, I would choose a guinea pig, but to choose between a chinchilla and a guinea pig, I would choose chinchilla!

@RedTop Thank you for the nice, informative post. I know literally nothing about these little creatures so your information really shed a lot of light into what I'd be getting into. I need to do my research before I commit because once I get a pet, they're a part of my forever family. Lots to think about here!

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

MildredM — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 20:22:02 GMT

Guinea pigs make very good pets. They are not nocturnal so they won't keep you awake at night. They will eat all types of veggies and some fruits. Cold watermelon rind from the fridge is a special treat. Very little of veggie kitchen scraps will go to waste.

It is important to add Vit C to the drinking water everyday to keep them healthy.

The spine is different from a hamster, they will not run on a wheel.

They need things to chew on to keep the teeth from getting overgrown. Toe nails need to be cut so they don't curl under.

Interesting fact: They give birth to live young that are born with their eyes and ears open with a full coat of fur. They are prey animals that travel in herds across the meadows of Peru. The young need to run from birth to help them survive.

Yes, they poop a lot. Their gastrointestinal systems are not efficient. While eating the vegitation in the meadows they also serve to fertilize them. They are walking fertilizer factories. The poop is just oval pellets, nothing mushy. They will urinate in one corner of the enclosure.

Enjoy, they are very friendly and entertaining. Kids love them because they will eat right out their hands.

Re: Tomorrow 7/16 is Guinea Pig appreciation day, World Snake Day and

J Town Girl — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 22:17:13 GMT

One thing that guinea pigs need is lots of fresh hay. Timothy hay or Orchard Grass hay is fine. Alfalfa is given only to young pigs under 6 months of age and also to pregnant pigs.

As another has mentioned they cannot make their own vitamin C so you must supplement it. Green peppers are a great choice for vitamin C. The vitamin C should not be put into their drinking water because it might cause the water taste different and that will put your pigs off drinking it. If your pig has a varied diet of good vegetables it is not always necessary to give them extra vitamin C. Elderly pigs or sick pigs will often need a vitamin C supplement.

The very best thing you can do for a guinea pig is to provide lots of hay for them to run through, play in, and just plain munch it all day long.

If anyone is interested in getting a guinea pig the best thing I can recommend is to go to YouTube and watch Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue and Scotty's Animals. Saskia and Scott are extremely knowledgeable about everything guinea pig. They both have the kindest hearts that you will ever find.