bad information in published guinea pig "guidebook"

[poopysmom]

Hi all, I came across a guinea pig guide book titled "Great Pets - Guinea Pigs" ISBN: 9780761441489 by Ashley Petrylak (2010) and published by Marshall Cavendish US.
Guinea Pigs - Ashley Petrylak - Hardcover (ISBN 9780761441489) - Buy Books, Music and Movies at Borders

I choose "Guinea Pig Abuse" as prefix because I feel that this book can guide people unknowingly to abuse their guinea pigs. In the book, there are some info that I feel that is not good at all.

I am concerned if someone that goes to a bookstore (I read my copy in Borders) and wanted to pick up a book on how to care for guinea pigs and picked up this one........... The book generally have SOME decent info but alas

Anyway, I am listing with pages what kind of mis-information is in the book. The only major saving point of the book for me is a photo caption (pg.21) of a guinea pig standing beside a rabbit goes "Guinea Pigs and Rabbits can get along, but you should not get your pig from a pet store that keeps rabbits and guinea pigs together in the same cage".

1. "you will have to provide with the right toys to chew on in order to keep its teeth in check" (pg13). <- Not informative enough regarding what kind can be given to them for chewing or not.

2. "If you are looking for specific breed of guinea pig, your (the proof reader did not did a good job) may have the best luck by going to a guinea pig breeder (the word breeder was bold)." (pg 20). <--- encourage ppl to go to breeders....... However on p.21, it did mentioned what to look out for when going to stores, shelter or breeder to look at how the pigs are kept before getting.

3. "Each guinea pig needs at least 2 square feet of space (pg.27).

4. "If you decide to keep your guinea pig indoors, you have the option to buy a cage from a pet shop. These cages are often rectangular in shape with thick wire walls and removable plastic bottom. This type of bottom will make it easy to clean out the cage" (pg-29) <--luckily not indicating wire bottom BUT in the same page (pg-29) shown picture of 2 adult guinea pig in waaaaaaaaaay too small a cage.

5. "It will also enjoy eating raw and cooked vegetables".

6. "Other dry foods that your pet may enjoy include hay, oats, whole grain crackers or SHELLED NUTS" (pg-33)

7. "Guinea pigs also like to climb up and down ramps" (well, it depends) AND "Some people use special leashes or harnesses when taking their pig outside. Never let your pig run around outside in an open area without a leash or harness. Your pig can run away or be hurt". (pg-35) <--THE IRONY of the sentence....

8. Full page photo of a guinea pig sitting inside a yellow hamster ball with the caption "Exercise is important for healthy guinea pigs (pg-38). <--HAMSTER BALL........

9. Full page caption photo of a boy with his 2 piggies in a outside hutch (too smallllllllllll and give wrong idea)

Lastly, ABOUT THE AUTHOR (pg-44)

Ashley Petrylak is a freelance writer and medical publisher living in New York City. She grew up in Philedelphia and spent her summers caring for her classroms' pets, including guinea pigs, gerbils, and hamsters. She loves all animals, big and small, and has had cats, dogs, and even rats as pets.

I just want to note that she cared for her CLASSROOM's pets which incl. guinea pigs BUT it said even rats as pets.. never mentioned anything about having them as pets... caring for classroom pet and really owning one is different imho.

I am going to email the publisher of the book. So i post this here, hoping others piggies owners thats concerned do the same.

Sorry if i flouted any rule with this post. If I did, its unintentional.

[fresian.m]

Well judging from the information it sounds like it was well intended, but ignorant. Some of is just half right, they just didn't get it all the way.

[poopysmom]

Well judging from the information it sounds like it was well intended, but ignorant. Some of is just half right, they just didn't get it all the way.

it is scary to think about how some people may really believe these half right information and practise them. Its a globally published book. I am in Australia and the book was in my Local Borders. Cause and effect. :s

[smiley222922]

wow things somethings that get published!! thats rediculous!!

[Kipsie]

Everything from number 3 down isn't right to me.
I hope you didn't buy the book. Did you?
If so, you just paid the author a few cents.

[poopysmom]

Everything from number 3 down isn't right to me.
I hope you didn't buy the book. Did you?
If so, you just paid the author a few cents.

no, i read the book in borders (its not a very big or thick book. just about 44 pages big letters too) and take notes using my ipod.

[zebraXqueen]

I've had an experience like that as well.

[poopysmom]

I have mailed the publisher regarding the various points and information. Hopefully I'll get a reply.

If you are brave and you love your piggy, if there's enough numbers of us voicing our opinions, we can make a difference. Their books are targeted at people like us that love guinea pigs and word of mouth can have multiplier effect.

If we bad mouth this book to other people that's interested in guinea pigs, then they won't buy the book. So, if there's enough people just taking a small amount of your time to write a concern email, i am sure they will rectify the content of the book. That is my sincere opinion.

[GPonnett]

Thanks for the information. Does anyone recommend a specific book for guinea pig care? I would like to have one and would like to get a good one. I have been learning some very helpful information from this forum. Thank you to all of you experts! I have 3 children and would like a book for them to learn to reference. Thanks

[Ly&Pigs]

There are no actual books I've found that has all the right info in it. There is a care guide over at guinealynx.info that you could print out.

You will get much better info by using the forum than any book out there will provide. This forum stays on top of the lastest care techniques and since we are anti-breeding, you won't find any info or how to's on breeding here which most books tend to cover.

[GPonnett]

I have researched books and haven't found any either. Thank you for all of your information on this forum. It has been so helpful to our family. I did find a children's book about guinea pigs that seems OK. This forum has been so helpful, except every time I research something I have been changing plans for adjusting my cage set up.

[Crystal520]

I don't even bother with guinea pig books because from reading on here and then looking in some of the books, there is nothing but half-truths or just wrong information!

[sdpiggylvr]

Once upon a time I did my research on guinea pigs using those care books. After I discovered this site, I realized just how incorrect those books were. It's because the information is so old, and not many people know about the NEW information and how to better care for your guinea pig. It's rare to find a book that actually has correct information. These books with incorrect care cause a lot of ill-educated pet owners, leading to improper care. That's why it's so important for members of this site to spread the word about proper care. I think Teresa, the owner of this forum, is working on a book about proper care. [Correct me if I'm wrong.] I know I'll be one of the first to buy it!

[guineapig67]

My friend got a book saying something about the cage. It said that 5.5 sq. ft is preferable for one piggie. That seems WAY to small. a 2X3 is 7.5 sq. ft so that book needs some catching up

[Dr Doughnut]

I was thinking, why won't the people of GP Cages and Guinea Lynx write a book?

[sarahspins]

I was thinking, why won't the people of GP Cages and Guinea Lynx write a book?

Honestly, I can venture a guess - it's because without "connections" it's very hard to get anything published for mass market... they could certainly write something and self-publish via Amazon or Lulu, but it wouldn't necessarily find it's way into most book stores... and it's very hard to get the bigger publishers to take you seriously if you aren't already an established author (I know this personally, a group of rat people tried to do just this many years ago, and I was ultimately threatened with legal action for HARRASSMENT because I contacted one publisher more than once - and no, I am not kidding!). We had most of our outline for the book completed and were actually starting to write when we ultimately abandoned the project.

You also have to consider the difference in scope that a very thorough and very accurate GP book would be compared to the average "pet care" book from a bookstore.. you'd be looking at a very large (thick) and intimidating book, not something like the cute and easy to flip through versions that seem to be so popular... it would likely be more expensive because if it's size, and that would also make it less appealing to the average shopper who doesn't know what they are looking for.

So I'm not saying it's a bad idea, at all.. but it's an uphill battle, for sure... especially if the information you are trying to get out there goes against almost all the mainstream information that already exists.

[Sirene]

I would also suggest reading some of the guinea pig books that are out there and posting well-informed, factual reviews of them on Amazon. I'll try and get a look at a copy of this one (don't worry, I won't buy it) and do that in the next couple of weeks.

[Dr Doughnut]

I would also suggest reading some of the guinea pig books that are out there and posting well-informed, factual reviews of them on Amazon. I'll try and get a look at a copy of this one (don't worry, I won't buy it) and do that in the next couple of weeks.

Playing devil's advocate, one could say your review is wrong and claim guinea pigs need 2 square feet of space, be fed meat and seeds, and are housed safely with bunnies, etc etc

On the other hand, if the craigslist flagging campaign is going well, this could overrun a barrage of ignorant uninformed responses...

[CavyTimothy]

after reading that it makes me want someone (like someone from the forum) to write a book with the right information. One of the best things about that would be the book would have c&c cages not pet store cages.

[Pigluv]

People write all these pet books with all the information wrong. I've read so many hamster guide books with such silly information. Some guide books are old and haven't been updated, and sometimes that's the problem.