Guinea Pigs! What, Where, and How

[@krollok85]

You forgot one very important thing. It´s highly suggested to keep them in pairs. They are very social animals, who get bored easely, when they are alone. In Austria for example it is only allowed to sell then in pairs.

[@keekee9310]

krollok85 she didn't include that becaus all guinea pigs don't live together....some are very territorial and in some adoption centers they are alone...I'm not in Australia so...

[@lefreeek]

@@keekee9310 you must be talking about hamsters, who indeed live mostly solitary. Hamsters are rodets, too, but not closely related to guinea pigs. Guinea pigs, however, almost always live in groups - one male and around 4 - 15 females. As pets you should neuter the boar, otherwise you soon got many more..........The animals you were talking about: There are some sad cavies in animal rescues who were living alone in their before-home for such a long time that they can´t be integrated into a new group anymore.

[@bonzoleinstachelschwein5023]

Guinea pigs are very social animals, so always keep them in a group. At least two guinea pigs, better more. I have 27 of them at the moment. ;-)

[@camii9136]

The guinea pig house

[@talideon]

For the Europeans out there, what Americans refer to as 'timothy grass' is tall meadow grass, the kind with the bushy flower heads.

[@chelseynicholas3895]

The guinea pig seems so calm in her hand

[@petercaselius9576]

I came for Kemosabe and stayed because of your enthusiasm and love for your work. Absolutely love your videos! Please keep making them!

[@julietandlauren2544]

Pellets aren't actually a big part in their diet, 1/8 of a cup per piggie (so you should at least have a pair because they are herd animals, so thats1/4 a cup... I recommend oxbow) Hay is the largest part of their diet, it makes up 80%. The pyramid goes from hay, to veggies, to pellets, to fruit (going from greatest to least). Great vid sorry if I reapeated something about the hay because I didn't finish the vid yet.😊

[@My2ndnephew]

Jessie, this made me cry. If only I had this information when I was young and had a guinea pig she would have been a lot happier. She was a good girl. Responsible sellers should recommend watching this video, thanks for your good work..

[@aprilrichards762]

My one guinea pig, Buttons, laughed, especially when Mom or I screwed up on the computer. He'd laugh and when we'd look at him. He turned away. It was like a comedy bit.

[@Mooncalfproductions]

I absolutely loved our Guinea Pigs! We got them in a rescue centre down in Portsmouth when they were a Mum and Two kids- originally we just wanted two but the centre didn't want to split the mum and the babies up too soon, so we got the two baby girls as well! They made excellent pets and loved going out into their run. I'd say the estimate on their lives is pretty accurate- We got ours when I started secondary School and the last of them passed away a few months before my A2s.

[@kimohearn3087]

Thank you Jessie for spending time on animal classification in your videos. I find it useful to help to understand the complexity of each animal, their features and animal relationships. Also I teach grade 6 and we do a science unit on biodiversity each year. This year I showed your video on classifying rodents, featuring Kemosabe. Not only did they love it, but it added to their understanding of the levels of classifying and the different features scientists use to classify. Next year I intend to show them more. Thanks for creating such good content.

[@Cluisanna]

I used to have guinea pigs, and something you didn't say in the video, but which basically every book I read and person I talked to stressed was to never only have one guinea pig alone. In fact, this is apparently so important that there are services that hire out guinea pigs so that when one of yours dies, you don't have to adopt a new one and basically can never not have guinea pigs from that point on...

[@ljm792]

LOVED the breakdown of the taxonomy levels! It was so cool to get a little rundown of the criteria. I do have to admit I ate Cuy while in Peru (it was pretty good). I'll never forget seeing a huge mural of Christ and the Apostles eating Guinea Pig at the last super in a cathedral in Cuzco. Local converts had painted the mural, and it made perfect sense that a super as important as the last super would have included Cuy! Wonderful and informative as usual. Thanks Jessi!

[@drekastelpa]

The guinea pig also needs a friend of the same species. Too much broccoli can cause gas, that can later cause bloat. They also need hay 24/7. Calcium and miner chews are a big no no, they can easily get bladder stones.

[@Aedony]

+drekastelpa ^ this!

[@drekastelpa]

mineral* instead of miner

[@Chiller-pc1dv]

I would definitely recommend getting pairs, but they can be kept happy as single piggies, SO LONG as you have the time to spend with them to give them extra attention. Also I HAVE to agree with you on the calcium and possible bloating causing broccoli. Bladder stones are very painful for guinea pigs, and any animal in general, and too much calcium can very easily cause them. NEVER give your guinea pig cooked veggies, always keep them fresh, and do not give them salt licks or running wheels.

[@latieplolo]

I had guinea pigs from kindergarten to high school graduation, they are absolutely the best pets out there.

[@requiembeatz4476]

I like you, you seem excited, passionate, and educated, without coming across like a psycho, which is a little rare when you're looking into pet care. Thanks and good job

[@Kat-rz2vc]

When my guinea hears food he screams Like really really loud He popcorns and screams and it's adorable

[@simisoosue]

Oh, thank you so so much for linking me to this video! It answered all of my questions :D I'll share it, this is really helpful!

[@stolenhours]

Wonderful video! I had guinea pics for over 11 years until recently due to school and wish this had been around when I started out, such a good video for showing all the pig necessities :)

[@nadiact-ie5hy]

Really interesting, Jessi. Since I have no intention of ever owning a guinea pig, I wasn't sure about watching this video, but the beginning was fascinating.

[@thisisnancybot]

This is really interesting. I'm glad you mentioned that guinea pigs can be found at shelters. When I went to adopt my kitty, I was surprised to find them there, and suspect that a lot of people don't know that guinea pigs can be adopted, just like dogs and cats. They were very affordable too. Only $15, which was a lot cheaper than the cat!

[@cminmd0041]

Really good advice. Our children had two guinea pigs when they were young and we bought them from a pet store that had an adoption program with a local shelter. Kind of the best of both worlds- the proximity and support of a neighborhood pet shop while providing a home for two pigs in need. I'm telling you, find an adoption program first!! They usually have hundreds up for adoption in every city so any color, breed, temperament should be available!!!

[@akschad]

I had a couple of guinea pigs that lived for 5 years (the second/last of which passed away this past April) and they were terrified of lettuce. They were pretty weary of any vegetables, but they would freak out when they saw lettuce. My favorite thing was when they would make their little purring noise, it's so cute!

[@roswaldwalton1147]

Firefly! Gorgeous piggy too.

[@1234kalmar]

Yeay, a new video! We love you Jessi! :3

[@karispettinato1608]

I at first did not want a guinea pig, but my friend gave it to me and now I love them

[@hhaleyhowell]

Your videos always make my day, Jessi! :) Great job as always.

[@Loafy23]

Actually, this is a really good primer for Guinea Pig care and ownership. Me and my partner have had dozens of Guinea Pigs over more than a ten year period. They're wonderful animals and great companions. I do have to say that the 5-7 year life expectancy is optimistic. Due to their genetics they tend to be susceptible to certain ailments. Even with quality food, a constant supply for fresh water, bedding, roomy enclosures and such we've found their lifespan to be in the 3-4 year range with rare specimens reaching 6 or so years. Both sexes show dominance toward peers though males are more aggressive when it comes to dominance. They will squabble from time to time and this is typically minor but I learned the hard way not to try and separate two males fighting for dominance with your bare hands. As was described in the video one needs a quality food FOR Guinea Pigs specifically. Don't buy Hartz or any of the crap foods that contain seeds or anything of the sort. Go to a local farm supply store and buy GP pellets in 20-50 pound bags. These are typically high quality foods and are much more economical ($7-12 for 50lbs.) than department store foods like you'll find at WalMart, some pet stores, and other outlets.

[@animalwondersmontana]

It's great to hear others that enjoy guinea pigs so much! The only thing I would suggest is that you give them an additional Vitamin C supplement (like a 1/2 tablet of the normal human dose) along with the rest of the diet. Buying the pellets in bulk can be great if you have a lot of mouths to feed, but the Vitamin C loses its potency after being stored for some time. They can't get too much Vitamin C, so better safe than sorry. Vitamin C will help keep their immune system functioning better and may possibly give them a longer lifespan :) Guinea pigs purchased at pet stores often come with respiratory infections that can be asymptomatic until later in life. They will pass the infection from one to the next to the next without you even knowing they are sick. These "hidden" infections can also reduce their lifespan.

[@Loafy23]

AnimalWonders Montana True enough, Vit C does break down over time. We did supplement with foods high in Vit C as well as C tablets broken into chunks for individual dosage at regular intervals just to make sure.. They loved them and thought that they were a treat. :)

[@animalwondersmontana]

Nicely done :) It's wonderful when animals readily take and enjoy their supplements!

[@Loafy23]

AnimalWonders Montana Actually there wasn't much required to get them interested since the chewable tablets taste so good. Typically GPigs would be shy and afraid of it at first but once one or two tried it and liked it all the others wanted in on the action. :) We called it Piggy Crack because once they got over their initial fear of this new thing they went absolutely nuts for it. We'd shake the bottle and they'd start loudly vocalizing *WHEEP**WHEEP**WHEEP**WHEEP**WHEEP* and they'd all stand at the edge of their enclosures, scrambling to try to be the first in line.

[@sophie46011]

my Guinea pig died at the age of 1 and 4 months

[@tedhoeborn2310]

Good video. Very articulate. I'm a 62 year old guy and gpigs are among my favorite animals. And yes, it is better to have two. Personally, I prefer fleece instead of bedding.

[@kellybruce9211]

This is the kind of video a lot of people need. Maybe you could make something like this for all popular impulse pets, and include a grade from beginner to super mega don't even think about it expert care required level. That way, someone that's thinking about a pet can at least have some clue as to difficulty, and some basic information so they don't lose it day one. Not a bad idea for flashy exotics too. Some people fall in love with something shiny and impossible.

[@samramdebest]

How to catch a Guinea Pig? We have a "wild" Guinea Pig living in our garden, he just was there one day (probably abandoned on the nearby highway). He eats our grass, we give him vegetables and he hides in our bushes. But because he lives in the wild, we can't clean his surroundings and he has a big ball of his own feces hanging on his hair behind him. And in our neighborhood there are a lot of people who own cats, so for his own well being we will need to catch him. But there are a few problems. 1) Guinea Pigs are really fast. 2) He is really scared of people, if we come with food he will take it out of our hands to his hiding spot, but he will hesitate for a while and with the smallest movement he will return to his hiding spot. (although he peeps when he is hungry so he trusts us enough to communicate)

[@SammiLeighPalmer]

Contact a local rescue, they might be able to provide you with a safe trap to catch him in. :)

[@heatherhocking8540]

When my hamsters would get loose in the house, I would put food just on the inside of a longish tube or pipe that had one end capped and one end open. I put the food far enough in so that they had to get their entire body in to get to the food. Once they were in I would (very gently!) tip the pipe up so that they (slowly!) slid further in. Then I would be able to quickly (but gently) transfer them to their enclosure.

[@BeckyS]

You could try feeding him in a kennel for a week or two. Once he's confident entering the kennel just close the door with him inside. Be prepared to handle him with gloves - guinea pigs aren't typically aggressive, but if he's become unaccustomed to handling he could bite to try and protect himself. Ideally, he should be seen by a vet who is trained to treat guinea pigs.

[@darkgema]

It is most likely that someone lost it I doubt there can be a real wild guinea pig in an area surrounded by houses but if left like that it will die cuz I don't think he can survive on its own for too long

[@kms1011]

4 Years later, how’d it go?

[@liamargolis8837]

You're great! First video of yours I've seen. I have a guinea pig and I've had many goldfish, a few algae eaters and finches. My parents used to raise finches. :)

[@irico3640]

Guinie pigs are the Most precious tinny critters there is!!!! Mine developed a bladder stone, we have it removed, but it was to much for her, the next day she died! We still miss her so much, she was a very vocal little girl and she lived with my 2 bunnies. They have no cages so they get the whole room for themselves, but she knew the bunnies just got to the room door and she didn't care to go farter then that door!

[@maggieedna]

me and my sister are about to get a pair of two year old bonded male guinea pigs and Im so excited!

[@pippimocha]

I had Guinea pigs when i was younger and our eldest lived for 13 years!

[@GirlieGirlNumber6]

I love that you mention getting guinea pigs from a shelter :)

[@Redemmaw]

Can't get enough of your videos!

[@JessRushworth]

We had a gorgeous rescue guinea pig, then we had three babies who grew old. When all but one had died we sent the last old lady to an old people's home for guinea pigs! This lovely lady took in lots of old lady guinea pigs (because they get v lonely on their own) and looked after them until they died - it was so cute!

[@irico3640]

Jessica Rushworth 😍😍😍😍🐹

[@mazzyelf]

I love guineapigs, before I got them I had no idea what such big personalities they are, they're also incredibly smart mine tell me when they want the loo so no accidents. I take care of mine a little differently(bedding wise) but they're indoor pigs and VERY spoilt they have great food and love veggie time and have play time as well. I clean their 2 story cage every day I'll do the top half first and then I tell them to go upstairs by saying "Wee wee wee all the way home" ... makes me laugh every time XD They're very affectionate and LOVE attention but they are messy and can be expensive.

[@BlackCat_2]

I love that shirt! I had a guinea pig one summer when my elementary school needed someone to take care of him. It scared my cat so bad the entire summer though so I never wanted one of my own permanently. I was sad to see him go back at the start of the new school year but also relieved so my cat would come sleep in my room again. :) - Heidi

[@christopherpaul4787]

I have my own guinea pig and I like hearing about how to take care of them :)

[@DeborahAnnsuperversatile]

Cavy. It lives with one of it's kind already. I think she cares for animals well, and I like these videos :)

[@knightfourteen]

I babysat someone's Guinea Pigs one summer while they went on vacation and they could see our refrigerator from their enclosure. They ended up learning that's where we kept the fruits and veggies so every time we went to grab something from the fridge they would start begging for produce very loudly.

[@girlsonbossmode9228]

yeah, i thought guinea pigs couldn't jump! however I woke up to my guinea pig running around my house when i know the enclosure was about 12 inches how?? lol

[@pursaki]

Great video! I learned a lot about the little cuties, like that they were originally raised for food. I just have to ask, can you teach us how to care for Fireflys? My favorite one didn't even last a year!

[@JohnDoe-wx2oo]

Wow, it's so cute when you just hold him in one hand like a ball of fluff :D

[@fitzguineavision]

in North America 80% of a guinea pigs diet is Timothy Hay or alternatively Orchard Grass , 15% of the diet is fresh veggies, and then 5% is pellets

[@hkoizumi3134]

I got to be honest, I would not be able to finish filming myself this video without hugging it and petting it. And at 2:26, I died of cuteness overload.

[@PinkChucky15]

Great video, Jessi! Pickles is adorable :-)

[@joheyjonsson2825]

I had 4 guinea pigs, 2 males that grew up together and the two sons of one of the older ones. The four where one silky teddy and three flat coated. Silkies are not allowed to be sold in Sweden anymore, because of inbreeding causing kidney failure, but at the time, I didn't know he was a silky. They had wood houses with the bark on them to eat and balls of wood and blocks of coarse hay. They lowed to throw around the metal hanger I hung carrots and apples on. As for low walls, one of my piggies actually jumped straight out of a 10l bucket when I was bathing him. They are not natural jumpers, but they can jump when threatened, apparently. I had to fish a soaped up guinea pig out from under the sofa. I was lucky that the baby brothers could stay together, but after I bred my teddy with a friend's female, he became aggressive towards his former friend. I ended up with three cages. They had to stand next to each other, because the guinea pigs would get distressed if they didn't see each other, but they culdn't be in the same cage. The cages were two 50 cm x 60 cm x 40 xm and one 100 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm. Draft is a high risk for guinea pigs. I lost one of the baby piggies to pneumonia because I didn't think about the Summer draft. He was only 2.5 years old. The other three I lost to stress (the teddy. He was almost 7, and stopped eating), old age (7.5 years old), and the third one I had to put down because a broken tooth had gotten infected and the vet thought it would cause unnecessary suffering to put a 7 year old guinea pig through surgery.

[@sarkyfarky8163]

I loved your video about guinea pigs with all the top speed info. The guinea pig looked pretty calm even though it was being moved about quite a lot while you talked. I wished that you had emphasised a bit more that guinea pigs, because they are herd animals must never be kept on their own. Perhaps your other animals keep it company - although I have been told by my local animal shelter not to keep guinea pigs with other pets such as rabbits in case the guinea gets kicked.

[@TheGypsyVanners]

Thanks for passing out this great information! Especially the idea of getting one from,like, "the pound." Shouldn't people try to have more than one because they are social amongst themselves?

[@flodnak]

Please do an episode on pet rats! They're really affectionate and playful little fuzzbutts. Unfortunately there are a lot of pet rats being kept in unhealthy situations - in glass aquariums or tiny hamster cages. Also, they really need a rat buddy or two as well as their human companion.

[@animalwondersmontana]

Rats are one of my favorite animals! There will definitely be an episode on rats :)

[@watts300]

I love rats. I have two boys. Frank and Sammy. They're so great. I look forward to seeing the rat episode.

[@cminmd0041]

watts300 Frank and Sammy? What happened to Dean? ;)

[@davidgold3nrose]

We had mice once (my dad did) but they were supposed to both be boys but they bred and we ended up having generations upon generations of mice. I was little so I'm not sure what happened.

[@ThousandTimesBefore]

Great video that covers a lot! But you forgot to mention one very important thing: Guinea Pigs are social animals and need at least one companion to be truly happy. In nature, one male guinea pig lives in a harem with several female guinea pigs, so it's best to keep one sterilized male with two or more females. A bunny is not a good sole partner for your guinea pig, because even though their size and food is similar, their body language and social behavior are completely different. If your enclosure is big enough, you can keep several guinea pigs together with several bunnies, but never just one of each species! Also, a human can NEVER truly replace a conspecific, even if you spend all day with your guinea pig. If you've ever seen a group of guinea pigs interact with one another, you know that they're a lot happier in a group than alone. I've kept my first guinea pig alone, but now I have a group of five and they're so much more active, use a lot more diverse noises and sometimes even play with each other. They not only seem happier, but are a lot more interesting to watch, too! So please, if you only keep one guinea pig, consider getting a second one! As long as your enclosure is big enough and you don't try to put two males together (that haven't be sterilized), there should be no problems at all.

[@Leichenmangel2]

Very well said. All this talk about owning 'a' guinea pig and taking care of 'one' is making me cringe so hard...

[@pellemckruth4070]

ThousandTimesBefore Sterilization for guinea pigs can be really really dangerous and is something that shouldn't be done unless needed. Keeping guinea pigs with same sex companions is totally fine, and way safer or your piggies than such a big procedure.

[@ImberFatalis]

Pelle McKruth ummm citation needed?? I've had several male guinea pigs neutered without any problems.

[@ThousandTimesBefore]

I don't know much about Patagonian Cavys, but I trust Jessi a lot on that. So in her case, it's probably ok. However, in a video about guinea pig keeping, it's very important to mention that guinea pigs need social partners. Too many guinea pigs are kept alone simply because their owners don't know better ^^.

[@gunilla545]

oh how wonderful! Can you talk about degus next time? Degus are the coolest pet ever - they are clever, tame, slightly mischievous, very social, they have vocabulary of 15 words and UV pee!

[@gunilla545]

yes, they are wonderful, I have 4, check my videos!!!

[@JB-qh3dn]

Thank you so much. It's an absolutely lovely and informative video

[@candy11401]

hey this video is really good and says alot about the basic needs of a Guinea Pig. I would just like to say that Guinea Pigs love company so they should be with at least 1 other Piggie; males tend to be better in just pairs and sometimes threes. Females can live in pairs or in groups. You can also have a group of 1 neutered male and a female or females. The water bottle should be refilled at least once a day.

[@miaandvalerie1650]

I'm from Peru and Guatemala and my family members from Peru are always like "when are you cooking it 😂"

[@inkling139]

Great episode on guinea pigs but I've got to admit, my favorite part was seeing the woot Serenity shirt. They need to offer that design on as many different items as they can.

[@caitlinshannon8350]

Now I really want a guinea pig! Too bad I'll be going off to college next year... Once I get my own place I'll definitely think about rescuing some guinea pigs!

[@ikiro47]

I. Love. Your. Show. I am so envious of your incredible home full of your animal friends

[@manny27392]

This is the best channel in the world ! :D

[@Myrtle2911]

My best friend in elementary school had seven guinea pigs. They were kept in cages in an area adjacent to her kitchen. The guinea pigs learned that the sound of the refrigerator door opening meant yummy things might be coming, so everytime they heard that noise, they'd all start "weeking!" Every time. It was hilarious and quite the cacophony!

[@forestakai580]

if I was that girl at 4:25..... I would have fucking grabbed it by the scruff and thrown it across the room!!!

[@joeygrl111]

Screaming is an understatement.... working at a vet office one of the techs had the bad idea to scruff the poor guinea pig... OH THE SCREAMS. It was hilarious and terrifying at the same time.

[@mahshadhamzavy199]

she deserves 1 million subs

[@StephShrubb]

Jessi is so cute. The guinea pig is pretty cute too :)

[@angus1605]

I have only been around 2 guinea pigs and both of them when I held them to my chest fell fast asleep.

[@JJayLeon]

What other animals live happily with gps? I saw a couple in the video :)

[@fonzer22]

Aaw I miss my little furball, she would always start squeling her head of if she heared the garage refrigirator open, which contained the veggies. (Her favourite was lettuce)

[@sarahb9902]

Haha mine respond to fridge doors, rustling plastic bags and even my footsteps coming down the hall sometimes (not anyone else's, they can tell mine apart before they can even see me)

[@annieb2567]

they may make different sounds and bitch because they're always hungry, but let me assure you their only emotion is fear. fear of everything. stupid cute little fuckers. I love and hate them :/

[@MrGamingPuppy]

At least your honest XD

[@annieb2567]

LMAYO Sounds I've owned a few in my time, even families of them. I know their tricks! lol

[@lilypierce9376]

you mean pitch right.......

[@courtneysmith8548]

I'd love a pair of guinea pigs as a wedding present 😍

[@lifeisevenstranger]

I am thinking of getting a Guinea pig so thanks this was informational.

[@guineaguide9835]

Hey, I was wandering how to clean a grease gland and what to clean a males grease gland with, like what soap? I am actually getting two soon and am naming them pickles and Clifford!!

[@amsahchaudary3689]

also can you teach a guinea pig how to use a litter box cuz i thought it would be easier to clean but im not sure

[@maggiebookworm]

Very informative! I had 2 guinea pigs for years and this episode made me feel a little guilty, as I now realize didn't give them exactly the best care. Case in point: not changing the bedding often enough leads to foot infections :( Poor piggys

[@Loafy23]

That's called Bumble Foot. It's quite common in rodents kept in wire bottom cages and in dirty cages.

[@EmoPandaBearLover]

Sarkazmo Loafy oh gawd mesh wire bottom cages are THE WORST!!!!!!!!1

[@sarahb9902]

+Sarkazmo Loafy bumble foot can also be a sign of poor circulation caused by heart failure (obviously in combination of other symptoms, i.e. breathing problems)

[@indubitablyzara]

Any tips on how to trim their nails? I've had guinea pigs before and always had trouble A) getting them calm and quiet enough to trim their nails, and B) telling where to trim their dark-colored nails.

[@shadowmil]

What is that high pitch barking noise they make called, and what are they are trying to say?

[@krisnaisley]

Could you do a video on the care of red eared slider turtles. I have had one for 9 years she has a 100 gallon enclosure with an out of tank filter. a basking aria and uv light. her diet consists of feeder fish , shrimp and talapia ' i know she should eat vegetation but have yet to find any vegetable she will eat.She seems happy but she still freaks out whenever I pick her up to let her walk around or brush her shell or peel her lose scruts off . I would like to be able to tell if she is happy and content. Sometimes, very rarely she lets me rub her shell when she is basking for a few moments . but I just do not know if she is really happy is there any way to tell for sure from her behavior?. i would like to get her another turtle companion but have herd very conflicting answers on weather this is a good idea or not. so any advice from an actually animal expert would really be appreciated my my and Valerium (the turtle)

[@RoloFilms]

I would love to see an episode like this on Ferrets, they can be very tricky pets, but I would really love to have some. :)

[@watts300]

Phew. Ferrets are a handful. They're tenacious little thieves. I had three at one point several years ago. They're friendly and fun, but get prepared to ferret proof.... everything.

[@erehel]

Ferrets can be really tricky but they are oh so worth it. My ferret is not exactly a rescue but she was given away for free because her previous owner didn't want her ani more and it was clear that she was so abused and badly taken care of. It really pained me to see her like that (she didn't know how to play, she was tinier than others since she was rarely let out of her cage, she was soo afraid of nail clipping etc...) so I am glad you really think about how to take care of one before you actually get one :) My ferret has improved a lot with the 6 months I've had her-she's so calm and playful now and has gained some muscle :)

[@RoloFilms]

erehel Thanks for the reply :) I'm glad your ferret is doing a lot better now :) I've wanted ferrets for a few years now, but I don't have one yet because 1. I don't have the room for one atm and 2. I always hear they are very time consuming. But they are such amazing animals... ^^ One day... One day I will have some ferrets. Oh by the way, how are they with other animals, like dogs and cats?

[@erehel]

RoloFilms How much room do you have? Right now I'm living in a dorm room which I think is a bit too small but I play with my ferret more than normal to counteract that and also take her outside or in the hallway (about 80m) for daily walks/runs. My ferret is also 4 years old so she's not as energetic anymore so it's not so bad. She actually seems content with it and actually seems to prefer the smaller room as opposed to when we were living in a 2 room apartment.So it wholly depends on the individual animal but there are always some tricks to ensure the animal is happy in a smaller area-rearrange things often and leave new toys and objects on the ground for them to discover so they won't get bored. With other animals... Again, it depends on the individual. I was very nervous when I took my ferret back to my birth home over christmas since I have a small dog and a cat there and the ferret has had minimal experience with other animals. Surprisingly she was so content :D She loved the dog and the dog loved her although she did get overstimulated quickly and then got a bad mood so I had to retire her to my bedroom often. After the initial curiosity my cat decided she was afraid of the ferret but after 4 days it diminished into silent contempt :D Everything is doable if you try hard enough and are smart about it :)

[@sadiecowan9413]

I love guinea pigs so much. I was actually preparing to get one when a friend asked me to pet sit for hers for a week, and over the course of five days I developed an allergy :( Now I can't even be in the same room as one. I have no idea why I suddenly got allergic, but its so sad.

[@SleepNeed]

Interesting video. Never had guinea pigs growing up, but since the apartment I have bans dogs and cats (and ferrets), I've been thinking of getting one. Still on the fence, though this gave me a good idea of what to expect if I act upon it.

[@amandaanarchyy]

I'd love to see an episode on rabbits! I've been a rabbit owner for 10 years, and it breaks my heart seeing rabbits abandoned because no one knows how to properly take care of them

[@stewiequagmire3855]

My guinea pigs name is Pickles! I love vids like these

[@ИорданЙео]

Hi Jessi! Thank for the informative video. There is just 1 think I would like to ask. Is there an optimal temperature for Guinea Pigs? It's because I'm from South East Asia and the temperature here is always hot and humid. Basically between around 29 and 36 degree Celsius. Which I have always thought it would be too hot for furry animals such as Huskies, Golden Retrievers and so on. So is there an optimal temperature for Guinea Pigs?

[@CorneliusSneedley]

Wow, after I watched this I clicked on "Amazing Guinea Pig Tricks" off to the side. I had no idea guinea pigs got that big; in the video there are a couple about the size of small chihuahuas. :)

[@shadooper]

My last guinea pig recently died of old age :( He was our best piggie.

[@AnitaBlingBling]

Love Guinea Pigs :-) Have two of my own; Father and son; Chica and Yoda

[@CaosBoyCathian]

Actually Fresh produce is practically candy to them and those pellets while supplementing them with all that need in term of vitamins, protein, sugar's and fats and such only feeding them that will affect how long they will be able to live for example if you fed a guinea pig only pellets, veggies and fruit they could live a happy life of upwards 4-5 years. However if you feed them mostly fresh green grass and then the fruits and veggies they could live up to 8 Years (My guinea pig just turned 8 a month ago).

[@natureivy6713]

ok thx so I do need more than one is that right or it will not be correctly social cared for

[@animalwondersmontana]

+Nature Ivy Exactly :)

[@MasonGant]

Nature Ivy that's right

[@ellawallace5330]

liked this video! Just one thing to add. Guinea pigs strive on companionship and should not be kept alone as it can cause depression because they can't interact to the fullest with humans.

[@narutohorsegirl]

Question (but I didn't know where else to put it): Is Ebeneezer your only rat? I was looking into getting a rat, but heard that they shouldn't be kept alone. Is that true?

[@chompsn9]

Monotremes (egg-laying mammals) are in Mamalia too, aren't they?

[@sarahb9902]

Yes they are in the class Mammalia but they have their own order - Monotremata.

[@breyanamingo6273]

She’s so cute awe

[@danieldente]

Great Video! I know you said, the bigger the better when it comes to enclosure size, but what would be the minimum? I ask this because I don't have that much free space in my house and I wouldn't want to give them an enclosure too small.

[@ToriLynnPPH]

+Luv Snowkitties The minimum cage size for one is 28"x42". For two it is 28"x56".

[@danieldente]

PugPibbleHedgie Thanks! I guess I'll probably get 2 gerbils instead of guinea pigs hahaha I wanted to get 2 guinea pigs, so they wouldn't be alone, but I really don't have room for a cage that size. Maybe in the future :)

[@museofthepoets]

I'd love to know your opinion on canine diets. I personally feed my dog fresh, human grade RAW meat (muscle, bone, organ...) and some occasional vegetables & fruits. While some holistic veterinarians applaud me for feeding a "biologically appropriate raw food diet", MOST vets are disgusted by the idea of feeding raw meat compared to kibble and think I'm putting my dog's health in jeopardy. What do you feed your pup? Free feed or are there designated meal times?

[@animalwondersmontana]

I would suggest that you do what works best for your dog and your situation. It has been proven that a whole food diet is healthier for dogs than kibble alone. However, if the owner doesn't provide all of the necessary nutrients by offering a varied diet, then the dog can become malnourished because they are missing out on important vitamins and minerals. A high quality kibble can ensure all vitamins and minerals are covered. Possibly a combination of a high quality kibble and fresh whole foods would be best for most cases to ensure the dog is getting everything they need. Again, I would have to stress that each situation should be handle on an individual basis.

[@Merelf]

I was going to ask the same question thanks :)

[@museofthepoets]

Thank you! We try as hard as we can to ensure he gets enough organ meat in his diet to provide the necessary vitamins and minerals for him to thrive without supplementing with kibble. I was just asking because I had an encounter with a veterinarian on Tuesday that was extremely passionate in telling me that raw meat will make my dog very sick. He didn't seem to know much about canine nutrition, which is scary since he is an animal doctor!

[@AmphiptereSiX]

Hi museofthepoets Don't worry about what the vet says. Like Jessi said, it all depends on individual needs. My parents have two white shepherd dogs, and we soon found out that they reacted badly to regular kibble (even the high grade expensive stuff) due to allergies (the dogs are related to each other). So they started feeding them raw meat and they've been doing fantastic ever since. No longer any problems with their digestion and they're full of energy (they were extremely lethagic on the other food). The chances of catching a disease of properly butchered and prepared raw meat are incredibly low. And if you think about it... All wild carnivores eat raw meat and do just fine, why would dogs be much different because they're domesticated?

[@feltingme]

If worry is about vitamins minerals, then supplement is certainly better idea than a dry kibble. I do not feed my guinea pigs any kibble(except, when we had to stay for a few days at the friend's house to make it easier), because I do not want them to have a kidney stones. I did buy a supplement for them just in case. I have a garden though, so they get variety of greens and vegetables. Plus unlimited hay (they get grass in spring pretty often.) They are about 4.5 years old now and still very healthy. Kibble has lots of questionable ingredients, even so called healthy one (soy bean oil!).

[@paulynarchibong.9971]

what is the difference between cavia eperea (the e is supposed to be a A)and cavia prosellus (I spelled that wrong )

[@justinfernandez1156]

I had a ginuea pig that lived 8 or 9 years. is that the maximum lifespan that they can have?

[@cminmd0041]

It would also be very helpful to warn parents about smells and allergies associated with different types of pets. Guinea pigs enclosures are just a little bit stinky due to pee and poop- even when cleaned daily- but we were not expecting the allergies! The timothy grass/ field grass played havoc with his allergies even though he never had hay fever before!

[@cassiemiller9453]

I had a guinea pig for 4 years her name was skittles . She was my best friend she likes to sit on my shoulder and nibble on my shirt god I miss her I’m getting a hedgehog and can’t wait but whenever I would walk into the room she would do this thing called pop Corning

[@cristinamorilla4805]

I'd love to know about your opinion on taking care of African Pygmy hedgehogs. What to feed them, bedding, hides and so on. I've heard cat food is okay for them, but i'd love to know if there are raw diets that are better for my hedgehog. Thanks so much for the awesome videos! (:

[@crackedvisions]

Can you just use any shredded paper? ie, could I just shred old newspaper? Or should you buy a specific paper product because of the ink and stuff used in newsprint?

[@urmomsmansion]

the newspaper would have ink, so it may poison the pig, so I suggest you use fleece and puppy pads under the fleece :)