How has this site changed you?

[TabathaBell]

First of all I would like to thank the moderators for all the work you guys do on this site. It is a real treat to have a place to come in and learn more about piggies.

Before I found this site I priced a guinea pig starter kit. My kit had a pet store cage 3'X2', water bottle, salt lick and mineral block, water drops, and lots of other no no's including a harness vest. I was only going to get one piggy with short hair and no white with red/pink eyes.

Now I have grids for a much bigger C&C cage and am actually going to order a 2X5 cage. My husband wants to get 2 piggies now. I am wanting one with long hair now. My son wants one with short hair in front and long hair in back. We may even get 3 or four piggies bt that will most likely be later on if we see one we really like at the rescue. We are adopting instead of buying. We will use Kleenmama pellets, Timothy hay and will be making a barn hidey house out of wood, untreated white wood of course.

Also before I found this site I ate beef, Pork and Poultry. After watching Meet your Meat I became pescatarian. I do eat fish but not that often. I tried my first Boca Burger and now I am hooked. I have been drinking Almond Breeze to replace my milk and I am also looking for eggs for sale that are from free range-grain fed chickens.

I think that that is about it for now.

[hueyeats]

First and foremost, I'd like to thank this great site for inspiring me even more passion for my GPs.

This site has helped me get better nutrition needs for my GPs thanks to the very easy to use diet chart by Ly&pigs (thats my daily bread as I called it).

It has also provided me that much needed knowledge for the what ifs & prevention for GPs illments that could have been... e.g. quarantine purposes.
I did 2 weeks when introducing my first gal to the mom & daughter pair, then someone shared it should be 3 & I did the 3 weeks plus to be safe.

It has instilled in me (that I never had before this site) a strict code towards irresponsible breeding, even so-called "responsible" breeding (what is that right?). I love my piggies lives, I will spread the word on how to protect them & the potential lives lost from the neclect plus abuse they could potentially face from "out of control" care!

From this site, I learnt about adoption is the way to go for our piggies.
The thinking is really simple...
recycling will help the environment and give humans a second chance,
adoption will help a Guinea pig and give him/her a second chance (us too).

[LadyMorrgian]

I know that the last post was over two months ago, well just about, but I want to add my story here.

My story is not so much as a change as a preventive.

I found my two girls and one boy on craigslist in Jan. The ad basiclly read, "Take them or they get put down." My heart went down and I called and said I would take all of them. I did not know anythin about pig care, heck it had been years since I had even seen one, like 10 years. I figured I could BS my way through untill I found out more about them, due to many years of pet care.

Let me say I am very glad I am OCD about my pets care. The only reason I agreed to take on a pet I knew nothing about was I am know for researching my pets constantly and was confident I would learn fast enough.

I began my research directly after tlling the lady I would take the piggies. I landed here fast enough and I find so much comfert that my little babies went from livving in mouse cages to huge C&C cages with in a week. (the first week was spent in a make shift C&C cage, made to meet the min requirements on this site)

For the most part, as I still consider my self new to the care of my pigs, its only been a month, I have this as my home page and spend most of my time here or at Lynx reading and reading learning.

So this was a preventive sit, it prevented me from housing my pigs in there nice compact, convientetly small cages.

[lmarieaa]

My story too is also a preventive one. I wanted to add a little critter to my animal family, I decided I would get a guinea pig. I went to every single pet store I could drive to and asked them to show me their biggest cage, as I have always thought pet store cages were too small. I would always end up like "This is your biggest cage? You sure?" I was going to settle on a XXL dog crate if I couldn't find anything better. Then I found this site.
This website is really a true gift, I love it!
I was going to purchase a pet store pig because I did not know these animals existed in shelters and rescues. Luckily I got to the website before the pet store, and rescued both of my beautiful girls!
This website has also informed me on proper food and diet that is difficult to find anywhere else on the web.
If it wasn't for this site, I would have bought piggies from a store, have a not so good cage, and would be feeding them crummy food. So I give a big THANK YOU to the people who run this site!! Thank you for making a difference for so many people and little fuzzy animals!!

[new piggie]

Oh My, I don't know where to start. So I will make this quick. This site has been god sent. Thank all of you so very much from the bottom of my soul. I now know how to take care of my girls properly and now know there not like most animals. If it weren't for this site my Gina may be a lonely and sad piggie, because if it weren't for this site I wouldn't have known she need companionship. The list could go on for me. So I will end by saying this.

For all of you that take your time to show compassion, patience and share your knowledge with those of us that don't/didn't know. THANK YOU! Words could never express how appreciative I am for this site other than "The people here have been an absolute Blessing for me!"

[claire]

My pigs would like to thank you for this site. Luckily I found it within a few days of having got them. Meaning I immediately followed Ly&pigs' diet sheet, they moved into a large C&C from an indoor hutch as soon as possible (about 2 weeks after finding the site) and they have snuggly fleece to romp on. They would also like to pass on the very mildest of stink-eyes though, for educating me to the need for checking their little boar 'compartments' for cleanliness.

[Myspoiltpiggies]

Before this site:
Small hutches
Lived in shed
Bred 6 sows
Showed my guinea pigs 4 to 8 times a year
Had as many as 21 at one point!

Now:
C&C cages
In my room
Don't breed! Never again.
Don't show! Never again.
Use fleece bedding
Have 4 and I don't plan on ever having more than 4 at a time

I think that's it. That is quite a change. If I had never come to this website I would probably still be breeding and showing. I am going to have no more than 4 now as I have realised I just don't have the time to devote all my love and care to 21 piggies! 4 is a nice amount for me and each one recieves so much attention now.

[mommyoffive]

This site has changed my piggys for sure! They are happy in their C&C cage, their diet is better then ever and they are thriving!

However, I cannot say that this site changed me much. I do respect the opinion of others on here, but I certanly do not agree with most. My views are set. I may (actually have been) called a pessimist on here, but i'm sorry, I cannot change my views of how I feel on certain topics, especially when it comes to the kitchen topics.

Other then that, I work at Petsmart, I work at a vet clinic and I will always continue to recommend clients to this site because it does have wonderful information on making a better life for a guinea pig.

[Ilovemypiggies1]

I'm so glad i found this site for proper care on guinea pigs!

Then:
Biggest store bought cage
Vitamin C water drops
A little bit of hay every day or every other day
Veggies once a week

Now:
2x6 C&C cage
No Vitamin C water drops
Veggies every day
Unlimited timothy hay available

My pigs' are currently being fed Kaytee pellets and Timothy hay... they have a lot left but i promised them that when all of the Kaytee is gone, they're getting Oxbow pellets and Oxbow hay. So that will soon be another change.

[Froggirl009]

this site has helped me because I first got one pig from a petstore. she lived in a petstore cage. Now I have two adopted guinea pigs living in a C&C cage. I don't know what would happen if my friend didnt tell me about this site.

[freekyjynx]

Originally Posted by envisionary333

So what's your story?

First of all, so glad I found this place so early into owning a pig! I have personally never had them before, I had rabbits, a cat and dog growing up, so this is all new to me.

I honestly had NO idea that there was such a guinea pig population problem, now knowing that, I'd be much more apt to find one at a shelter/rescue group rather than at the pet store where I got mine. Normally when I think of overpopulations, I think of cats and dogs... after all, they're the ones running around the neighborhood.

We tried hamsters, had luck with them, until an unfortunate accident took my son Shawn's hamster. He was heartbroken. And then David's died of old age. David likes the smaller animals.. he and I got gerbils together, and Shawn got a guinea pig. As soon as we're able to have a bigger cage we'll get her a playmate (another female... no babies for us!).

Shawn got Carmel around his birthday. She's a most welcome addition to our family. While I did do some research prior to getting her, it was obviously not enough. I feel very fortunate to have found this site, very useful information here. I can't wait to throw in a paper bag! Right now the toilet paper rolls go to the gerbils, but I've asked friends for theirs (I get the strangest looks!) I'm planning to get her some more toys this weekend. We have found she is a nibbler, she will nibble on EVERYTHING! Also found out the hard way to have a blanket under her for lap time. She's also a cuddler, loves to cuddle! And so curious about the environment around her.

[sealion]

First of all, thank you so much to the creator and moderators of this site. It has truly helped so many guinea pigs (and of course their piggie owners )
Well, if I didn't find this site:
- my 2 girls would still be living in a very small petstore cage, not even big enough for a pair of rats !
- I would be feeding then the nutriphase gold (they would get as much as they wanted), as I thought it was the best food out there (because of the "gold" after nutriphase...)
-My piggies would have only had hay at christmas...
-My piggies would only get half a leaf of lettuce for both of them...and occasionaly a carrot...
-They would still be on their khiln dried pine which they didn't like much as it was hard.
-No cozies for them. Just a piece of fabric in the cage.

Now :
-A 2 by 4 cage
-A limited amount of oxbow cavy cuisine
-Cosies and lots of them !
-Fleece beddind (they love it !)
-More then 1 cup of veggies a day (for each of them) and of course more variety, like the green bell peppers and the cilantro they love.
-Unlimiter hay.
-I also used to foster a pair of piggies

In the future :
-I am planning on adopting all of my future pets
-I am planning on giving some timothy hay and other supplies to a shelter.

[meghannmariexx]

Without this site-
One pet store pig.
Glass tank
Bad pellets
Salt licks
wheels
leashes
balls
No floor time
Pine shavings
No hidey house.

Now -
2x5 C&C cage
Fleece
Multiple hideys
Two piggies
Floor time
Vet visits
Tunnels
Toys

Many more.
Thank-you!

[PiggieMommy]

I must say and admit, that I did no research on piggies before I recently purchased my first one. I was under the impression that they were just large hamsters! After purchasing my boy from Petsmart and spending $80 on a store cage, nutriphase pellets and cheap teeny tiny hay, I thought I was doing everything right. I soon decided to do a little research and found that everything I was doing (giving him a handful of a hay a day, filling up his bowl with that horrid food, and living in a cramped living conditions) was wrong. I have since (only had him for a week and a half) have spent more money on making sure to get rid of the food, I was told was the best, making sure to get him Oxbow pellets and hay. I also purchased grids to make my own 2x3 C&C cage, and today spent all day calling stores looking for coroplast for his cage instead of the shower curtain that I was using and then preceded to drive the hour drive each way to pick it up. I couldn't be happier to have found this site when I did, so Pugsley didn't have to suffer long. Now he's in his C&C cage behind me snuggled up in his fleece blankie relaxing. I couldn't thank all of you enough for the wealth of information I have found here! It doesn't get any better to see my little piggie "popcorning" with happiness!

[Marzopan]

As for me caring for my piggies; VERY much!! I love how much information I am getting from this site, every question I'd have is answered on here!
But some criticism has been made towards me, but it's all water under the bridge and doesn't bother me, I know everyone was trying to help.. well mostly everyone!

[luvmycavies]

"How has this site changed you?"

Wow, to start, I had never owned guinea pigs before but have been an animal lover all my life. My oldest son wanted to get a guinea pig for showing in 4H and we started the discussion. I went to pet stores and held and listened to the knowledge they had to share. The largest cage, get 2, hay every day, make certain they have vitamin C and mineral licks, they are easy "starter" pets.....etc. I took my time and decided to do research.......thank goodness I did and found this site.
We found a lady that rescues piggies and adopted from her. My son is looking into a different 4H program...one that doesn't show animals, our girls live in a fleece lined 4X2 in our main room where thay get loves and pets all day. They get fresh veggies 2 or more times a day and have hay from a local farmer and oxbow pellets. Our girls have a 16 grid playpen with floortime and outside playtime regularly.
How has this site changed me.......good and bad. I am frustrated over the amount of ignorance that is out there. I am saddened I don't have the room to house many more because of all the craigslist people in my area getting rid of thier piggers because thier kids are bored with them. I am an advocate for adoption of animals of any kind and am trying to educate people around me that guineas have a personallity as big as a dog or cat.
I am grateful for this site and so, so, happy I have my piggies in my life.

[Piggly is I]

I had no clue about guinea pigs when i started owning them. the first pig was raised alone and never got enough floor time, she was extremely fat and got fed yogurt treats, never had a veried diet only lettuce and carrots, she died at a pretty young age of 3-4 years old. she lived in a small cage and i bought her from a pet store, she didn't get good food. the second pig i bought at a pet store, she was a baby and never wheeked once in her short life, she lived in the same small cage as the first pig and didn't get a chance to see her new cage that i was working on before she died at a very young age of 1 years old. then i discovered this site on how to make the c&c cages and built one without looking at the rest of this site. so I did the worst thing and bought three piggies froma show breeder! I felt awful once i discovered the rest of this site and learned more about the overpopulation problem. thry aare the first pigs that I have that get to experience a large cage, and now I've learned about the food they eat and how they look at things and what they shouldn't do all because of this site.

[eschimpf]

How has this site changed me?

Hmm well First off I did change my cage from a pet store cage to a c&c cage. And I have been able to learn more about their diet as I did know most I didn't know know all of it.

As for some things I can say that there are some things I don't like about this forum. Some people can be a little too much and I find that some responce time is a little slow but thats more the forum then the site. The web site is awesome and while I do have some dislikes about the forum I have nothing negative to say about the main web site.

Keep up the great work everyone because you touch many with this site and I hope one day that the forum will be a little more, newbie friendly? Yes thats it Newbie friendly.

Peace and love to all you hard working people.

[SnowFlower]

I actually rescued my first 2 girls who were retiring from the classroom (not so good) but they came with quality pellets (yay!), a C&C cage (gasp!!), and cozies, pigloos, and thier nails were even properly trimmed. I got lucky. I actually didn't give them anything but iceburg lettuce and carrots for about 3 days, then while doing what I do everytime something new happens in my life, I was researching our new loves online. I found guineapigcages.com. I was so happy that I had a proper cage, although I had taken my little car to get them and had left the coroplast behind because it didn't fit in my car. So I went out shopping, got more Oxbow pellets from the feed store, got a new sheet of coroplast, and veggies suggested in the charts.

This site has been wonderful for my guinea pigs and me. I have learned of the plight of guinea pigs and other small animals. I had actually worked in a little "mom and pop" pet shop in town about 5 years ago, so I am guilty of giving bad advice on guinea pigs as well. My thinking has done a 180. I am very concerned about thier wellfare and actually went back to the pet shop and talked to my old boss. He had a soft spot for me and was glad for the visit. I told him what I had learned, and while he will not be taking the small animals out of his shop - I get to make care sheets (the right way) and post them near the cash register and the guinea pigs themselves! This site has also given me alot of information and resources about starting a rescue. I had been having stomach issues and ever since I decided I wanted to do this rescue thing they have all but disappeared.

We are up to 4 permanent residents (the girls will forever be my family) and 2 rescues that may stay or go to wonderful forever homes, not sure yet! My neighbors say I'm crazy sometimes, but they are pretty supportive and are now used to the piggies having thier one on one time with me under the tree in my front yard!

Sorry so long, but this site has truly been a God-send and a wonderful place to come for ideas, info, and yes even a little bit of healthy critizism!

[angiekay]

I was just getting ready to post a new thread in the Cafe section, telling all members here how addicted I have become to this forum! Thank goodness I fell upon this forum and a few other sites like GP Lynx, and read, read, and re-read the boutiful information that is given and shared here by all the "mature/experienced" gp owners. I really and truly love this site, and reading about everything that has to do with GP's and learning every day so that I may be a better GP Momma!

I have three boars, who get along grandly, thanks to their large C & C cage, although hubby wants to expand, yet again. Two of them came from a rescue shelter, and one from craigslist. They love their variety of mixed veggies every day (I have the complete list of veggies printed and on my refrigerator), they eat oxbow cavy cuisine pellets, unlimited amounts of fresh hay/grass, their bedding is fleece, and I simply adore caring for them.

Just wanted to give everyone here who continues to give to this forum a shout of praise, you may not hear it enough; however, your efforts and knowledge is greatly appreciated!!