Hi there!

[piggygeek]

Good morning! I am new to this forum and new to being a guinea pig owner. I am very excited about the little guys I got. I have been reading about rodent pets for about a year now, trying to figure out which one I want. I don't have to tell any of you why I picked the guinea pigs.

I have two males. One is light brown with a white rump and the other is dark brown with a light brown patch on one shoulder. Both have racing stripes down the centre of their head. I got them at Petsmart (am I allowed to mention store names?) and they either came from the same litter or two different litters that were born one week apart. I am wondering if the presence of the racing stripe means they could be from the same litter and share that trait or if the stripe is a common trait in guinea pigs. Any idea on dominance or recessiveness of it? I teach biology and it would be a cool example.

Anyway, I am glad to be a part of this forum. I like the idea of not using slang; it could be the teacher in me, though.

I am looking for information on feeding and litter training. I will keep looking through the threads, but I am sure I will be posting lots of questions, because that is what I do.

Cheers and Happy Holidays.

[piggygeek]

After spending time reading various threads, I feel fully chastised that I bought my piggies at Petsmart. It never entered my mind that an organization would be allowed to be so unethical. I am now on the hunt for an ethical seller of ethically produced food, bedding and other supplies. Any ideas? Are there organic, fairly traded pet supplies somewhere? At least I can give my pigs organic produce year round, but I wonder about bedding. Right now I am using carefresh.

[fourbwabbys]

Welcome! The stripe is pretty common in pigs, I'm not sure of the genetics of it though. A lot of people buy their supplies online. Or some stores sell supplies, but not animals.