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From: ecrocke@rogue.princeton.edu (Emily C. Rocke)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: Guinea Pig FAQ, Version 1.2.2
Followup-To: rec.pets
Date: 13 Oct 1995 21:03:13 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
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Summary: Brief guide to maintenance of guinea pigs as pets.
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Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.pets:52198 rec.answers:15441 news.answers:55237

Archive-name: pets/guinea-pig-faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Version: 1.2.2

  This is the seventh posted version of the guinea pig FAQ.

  A current version of this FAQ can be found:

  * In the newsgroups rec.pets, rec.answers, and news.answers (posted
    monthly)

  * On the World Wide Web at 
    http://www.princeton.edu/~ecrocke/html/gpfaq.html
    (This is the best place to look 'cause it has cool formatting :-)

  * Via anonymous ftp at
    rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/guinea-pig-faq
    and at any other site where news.answers postings are archived

  * If all these fail, email me (ecrocke@princeton.edu) and I can mail
    you a copy.

  If you are reading it somewhere other than one of these places, it
  may not be the most current copy.  Try looking in one of the above
  places to get the latest up-to-the-minute revisions to the FAQ.  As
  of today, October 13 1995, this is the current version.

  New in Version 1.2.2  (7/95)
  --------------------
	Section 13: blurb on Home for Unwanted and Abandoned Guinea
	            Pigs

--

  Many thanks to Sandi Ackerman and Debbie Ducommun for their help and
  for lending their expertise to this project.  Thanks also to Dan
  Austin for suggesting some new topics to cover.

  Disclaimer: I'm not a vet, nor am I a breeder of guinea pigs.  I
  believe all the information in this FAQ to be correct, but I do not
  in any way guarantee its factuality.  I have compiled it merely
  because it seemed needed, and no one else had done it, not because I
  consider myself an expert.  Please treat this FAQ accordingly.

***************************************************************************
                         Guinea Pig FAQ
                           
                          Version 1.2.2
***************************************************************************

------------------------------

Subject: 1. Table of Contents

	1. Table of Contents
	2. Why would I want a guinea pig?
	3. Where do I get a guinea pig?
	4. What should I feed my guinea pig?
	5. What sort of housing should I obtain?
	6. What should I use for bedding?
	7. Will multiple guinea pigs get along together?
	8. What should I know about breeding?
	9. What are the pros and cons of neutering?
	10. My guinea pig has <...> symptoms.  Is this serious?
	11. Do I need to trim my guinea pig's toenails?  How?
	12. My guinea pig runs away from me.  What can I do?
	13. Where else can I get information about guinea pigs?

------------------------------

Subject: 2. Why would I want a guinea pig?

     As far as small pets go, guinea pigs are among the easiest to
     care for, and also rate high on the cuddliness scale.  You will
     need to feed them and check their water daily, and change their
     bedding about once or twice a week -- somewhat less when they are
     small.  Also, if they are confined to a cage, they need to be
     allowed to run around a larger area for exercise daily.

     Guinea pigs are ideal for (responsible, gentle) children because
     they tend to be sweet-tempered, pettable, and relatively easy to
     catch if they escape from your child's hands -- mice, hamsters,
     and gerbils, by contrast, are able to hide for weeks or more if
     they escape.  They are larger than most rodents (about the size
     and shape of a large tennis shoe when grown), which makes them
     easy to find and to handle.  If you are looking for a highly
     intelligent and sociable pet, you may be looking for a rat
     (seriously).  If, however, you want a sweet, lovable furball who
     will sit on your lap to be petted for hours (well, minutes,
     anyway), a guinea pig may be the pet for you.

------------------------------

Subject: 3. Where do I get a guinea pig?

     There are basically four places to get guinea pigs -- from a
     breeder, from a pet store, from an ordinary guinea-pig owner who
     has had a litter of small guinea pigs, or from an animal shelter.
     There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but a detailed
     discussion is not in the scope of this faq.  To be brief --
     reputable breeders often sell high-quality pets but they cost
     slightly more.  Try to get recommendations from other guinea pig
     owners, or by asking on the net, before choosing a breeder.

     Pet stores are somewhat cheaper, but depending on the pet store,
     the guinea pigs are more likely to have caught a disease and may
     have been improperly cared for.  Most people do not recommend
     purchasing animals from pet stores.

     If you can find an acquaintance giving away a litter, or selling
     them at a reasonable price, by all means go ahead -- this way you
     can be fairly sure of getting a healthy, well-treated baby, while
     probably not paying too much.

     Do check out your local animal shelter to see if they have guinea
     pigs -- you may be able to find a lovable pet and save a guinea
     pig at the same time.

     Whichever route you choose to go, make sure you choose a healthy-
     looking, energetic guinea pig with no signs of disease.  If you
     go to pick him (or her...) up and he shows very little interest
     in the procedure, there's something wrong-- a healthy guinea pig
     will usually either run away from your hand or investigate it.
     Spend a few minutes with him before taking him home, to make sure
     the two of you get along and aren't allergic to one another.

------------------------------

Subject: 4. What should I feed my guinea pig?

     A guinea pig's main diet should consist of dried timothy hay (or
     another grass hay), supplemented by pellets and fresh vegetables.
     If grass hay is not feasible, a legume hay such as alfalfa may be
     substituted, although that should be avoided if possible because
     too much calcium can cause bladder stones.  Whichever hay you use
     should be available at all times.

     If grass hay isn't available at your pet store---or even if it
     is, and you want something a lot fresher than what most pet
     stores sell---there are a couple companies that mail order hay.
     Sandi Ackerman reports that a person at PraireHay@aol.com
     delivers Brome, a grass hay, for $30.00 (shipping and handling
     included) for ten 16 oz bags.  Also, several people (including
     me) have had good luck with the Oxbow Hay Company in Nebraska,
     which ships UPS.  Three 15 oz bags of Timothy costs $11.55,
     including shipping and handling.  You can call 800-249-0366 to
     order or to ask for more information.  This is a family business
     and the number goes into their home, so you may get an answering
     machine sometimes even during office hours.  It helps if you
     leave numbers where you can be reached both by day and in the
     evening.


     Use ONLY the plain kind of guinea pig pellets (without nuts and
     dried fruits, which are high in fat and not good for your guinea
     pig).  If you are concerned about your guinea pig becoming obese,
     you should probably limit pellets to a small amount per day.
     They should also get a cup or two of fresh vegetables daily---aim
     for ones with high vitamin C, which guinea pigs need to keep
     healthy.  Avoid iceberg lettuce (the pale lettuce that comes in
     heads and is the main ingredient in most American salads), since
     it has next to no nutritional value, and can cause gas and other
     more serious health difficulties.  Other than that, most fresh
     vegetables and fruits that are safe for humans are safe for
     guinea pigs.

     A list of some vegetables with high vitamin C content is below,
     thanks to Dr.  Susan Brown from America OnLine's "Ask A Vet".
     Keep in mind that guinea pigs need about 10 mg of vitamin C per
     day (20 mg for pregnant moms), so if you aren't giving them the
     appropriate amount of the high-C foods below on a daily basis,
     you will need to give vitamin C supplements.  Crushed chewable C
     vitamins dissolved in the water works well for this.

     ***

      The following chart shows the vitamin C content in milligrams 
      (mg) of 1 cup portions of selected foods.
        
        Vitamin C (mg)
          
          Turnip Greens         260 mg  
          Mustard Greens        252 mg  
          Dandelion Greens      200 mg  
          Kale                  192 mg  
          Brussels Sprouts      173 mg  
          Parsley               140 mg  
          Collard Greens        140 mg  
          Guavas                125 mg  
          Beet Greens           100 mg
          Broccoli Leaf*        120 mg 
          Cauliflower           100 mg  
          Kohlrabi              100 mg 
          Strawberries          100 mg 
          Broccoli Florets       87 mg  
          Spinach                60 mg  
          Raspberries            60 mg  
          Rutabaga               52 mg  
          Orange                 50 mg  
          Cabbage (all leaves and Chinese   
           cabbage also)         50 mg  
             
             *Broccoli stem has 0 mg of vitamin C
             (Notice that oranges have less vitamin C than dark leafy
             greens!....stay with the greens for these little guys)
             Dr. Brown
             =============================================  

------------------------------

Subject: 5. What sort of housing should I obtain?

     Any kind of cage with a solid bottom (not wire!) is okay.  As for
     size, a rule of thumb is a _minimum_ of two square feet per
     guinea pig.  If they are not allowed to run around the room for
     exercise on a more or less daily basis, they will need a lot more
     space to be happy and healthy.  See next section for what to use
     for bedding.  Bedding should be a couple inches thick, and should
     be changed when it looks soiled, usually once or twice a week.

     Since guinea pigs do not jump very high, you do not need very
     tall sides for whatever housing you provide.  This allows you to
     be creative, and you can design a wonderful housing and play area
     for your companions.  For a very easy basic kind of area, that
     you could add to later, you can use 4 - 2"x12" boards, nail them
     together at the corners and sit the resulting "frame" on a piece
     of linoleum remnant.  And remember, the bigger the better.  The
     litter/bedding can be placed directly on the linoleum.  When it's
     time to clean the whole area, just pick up the "frame", sweep up
     the litter, and mop with vinegar.  If that's the extent of your
     woodworking abilities, instead of building a small wood house
     without a floor (they like to have a dark place to hide), you can
     put a small litterbox, filled with bedding, inside a grocery bag.
     Guinea pigs are perfectly happy using that as a place to sleep
     and hide.  (Although expect them to destroy the grocery bag
     within a week or so.)  Or you can use a medium-sized cardboard
     box, cut out one side for a door, and line the bottom with
     litter.

     Another option is to allow the guinea pig free run of one or more
     rooms.  Since guinea pigs instinctively will mostly confine their
     bathroom activities to safe "homes", you only need to put
     litterboxes where they are fed and given water (again, cardboard
     boxes work fine, although prepare to replace them every few
     months; I use an opened cage for the pellets, alfalfa, and water,
     and give fresh veggies in a cardboard box), and lay down
     cardboard in some of the darker corners.  It also helps to block
     off couches and beds.  Again, since guinea pigs don't jump or
     climb, it is only necessary to see that all wires and chewables
     are a foot or so off the ground.  Remember to watch where you
     step!  Guinea pigs are prone to following feet around, especially
     if the associated person is known to hand out vegetables.

     If you decide to go with a store-bought cage, I recommend the
     sort with a plastic tub on the bottom and a removable cage part
     on the top, because it's convenient and easy to clean, but any
     kind without wire flooring is okay.  Wire flooring damages guinea
     pig feet, and if it is too widely spaced they will often break
     their legs in it.  Try to avoid cages with wood on the bottom
     too, since urine will soak in and be impossible to remove.  It's
     helpful to line the cage with newspaper before putting in
     bedding.  You can use a cardboard box with the bottom side cut
     out (so that urine soaks into the bedding instead of pooling in
     the bottom of the box) for a hiding place.  Remember that you
     need to make sure you have several square feet per guinea pig.

     You will need to buy food and water dispensers.  For water, most
     people recommend one of those rodent bottles (available in pet
     stores) with a stainless steel tube coming down to drink from
     with a stainless steel ball at the end of it.  Don't give water
     in a bowl (as one might do with a dog or cat) because it will get
     soiled.  For the pellets and the hay, you can experiment with
     what works for your guinea pig.  I've had some success with food
     dishes designed for parakeets, but your mileage may vary.  Other
     accessories are optional.  Some report that their guinea pigs
     enjoy parakeet toys, such as the mirrors with the bells in front.
     They also like to climb up very gentle slopes; make a climbing
     area out of bricks (this will also help keep the toenails short),
     or give them a pile of (clean) discarded clothing or an old
     sheet, as space allows.  As long as they are given pellets, a
     salt wheel is not necessary, but it can't hurt, and lasts nearly
     forever.

------------------------------

Subject: 6. What should I use for bedding?

     There is considerable evidence that cedar based bedding is
     harmful to small animals.  There are those who feel that pine
     shavings are also harmful, although this is more widely disputed.
     Sandi Ackerman (ackerms@belnet.bellevue.k12.wa.us) has some
     studies about the possible dangers that she is willing to give
     out.  If you want to play it safe, there are several alternative
     beddings to use, made of aspen or recycled paper.  Many pet
     stores carry aspen shavings (one major brand is L/M, which seems
     to be the main bedding/food supplier for most pet stores I've
     been in), and you can ask your vet or local pet store to order
     other beddings for you to try out.

     There is a list of some safe beddings that Debbie "The Rat Lady"
     Ducommun compiled for the Rat Fan Club.  It has the brand names
     of the litters, the names of the companies that make them, and
     the toll free phone numbers for these companies.  One of the
     beddings on the list can be ordered directly to the home, and the
     rest you can order through a pet supplier.  This list is now
     being posted as a FAQ to the newsgroup rec.pets.  If you can't
     find a copy on your site, you can email me and I will send you a
     copy.

------------------------------

Subject: 7. Will multiple guinea pigs get along together?

     Yes.  Guinea pigs (unlike hamsters and some other pets) are
     sociable creatures, and are usually all the happier for company,
     although they may ignore their humans more as a result.  If you
     don't have a lot of time to spend with your guinea pig, or are
     gone for much of the day, your guinea pig may be a lot happier if
     you get him or her a friend.  Same-sex groups, of either sex,
     usually get along fine if given sufficient room, although from
     anecdotal evidence females seem to be slightly more reliable in
     this respect than males.  A male and a female are naturally the
     best company for each other, but unless you want your female to
     be constantly making little guinea pigs, you will have to neuter
     one or both of them.

------------------------------

Subject: 8. What should I know about breeding?

     First of all, it's a good idea not to try to breed a guinea pig
     until you have found some responsible people who would like one
     of the offspring as a pet.  Pet stores often treat small animals
     very irresponsibly, and you don't want to bring guinea pigs into
     the world that aren't wanted or will be mistreated.

     That in mind, there are a few caveats.  A female should not be
     bred until she weighs 500 g, or is 4-5 months old.  Also, no
     older female should ever have a first litter.  Somewhere between
     the ages of 9 and 12 months, if she is childless, her hip bones
     will fuse such that she can not give birth naturally, and a later
     pregnancy will require a caesarian section.  Therefore, if you
     plan to breed your female, or if you do not plan to spay her and
     the situation is such that she may become pregnant later on, you
     should probably see that she has at least one litter between the
     ages of 5 and 9 months.  If an older female does accidentally
     become pregnant with a first pregnancy, you and your vet will
     want to plan on surgery to deliver the babies, otherwise she will
     likely die giving birth.  In addition, do everything you can to
     avoid such an accident in the first place (for example, have your
     female spayed even if you think she won't be near a male), since
     a caesarian section is risky for both mother and babies.  For
     more information, see _Diseases of Domestic Guinea Pigs_ by
     V.C.G. Richardson.

     The gestation period (time between conception and giving birth)
     for guinea pigs is approximately 60-70 days.  Guinea pigs do not
     normally require assistance in giving birth.  The young are
     usually in no danger from either parent, although you may want to
     remove the male right away, since the female is able to conceive
     again within the hour after giving birth.  Litters can have
     between 1 and 8 little ones, but typically have two to four.  The
     males of the litter should be separated from the mother and their
     sisters directly after weaning, since they are sexually mature
     shortly after.  The babies will probably be weaned by the time
     they are about 3 weeks old.

     It is important to handle the babies soon and often, to socialize
     them to humans.  Like other animals that are born precocial,
     guinea pigs form their social bonds shortly after birth, sometime
     within a matter of hours, so human contact is critical during
     this time to ensure that they establish strong bonds to people.
     Many people are under the impression that handling baby animals
     too soon will cause the mother to reject them, but this isn't
     true for guinea pigs.  Lots of love and gentle handling and
     petting from the start will make the babies grow up more
     friendly, and less afraid of humans.

------------------------------

Subject: 9. What are the pros and cons of neutering?

     Guinea pigs of both sexes can be neutered, and in some cases
     should be.  There is some evidence that neutering a female can
     reduce incidence of uterine cancer.  Also, if you have an older
     female that may not have had a litter yet, she should definitely
     be spayed for her safety.  There are no known health reasons to
     neuter a male guinea pig, although I hear that it can reduce
     their sex drive and cause them to stop mounting female guinea
     pigs, if that is an issue.

     The risk can be very small if you find a good vet to perform the
     surgery.  You can begin by looking for "exotics" (read: not just
     cats and dogs) vets in the phone book.  Or call ordinary vets and
     ask who they refer their serious guinea pig cases to.  Call
     around, ask for recommendations, and don't be afraid to drive a
     long distance -- it's only once, and it could save your fuzzy's
     life to be at an experienced vet's.  Ask any prospective vet how
     many guinea pig spays/neuters they have done in the past year,
     and what their success rate is.  For a good vet, it should be
     well above 90%.

------------------------------

Subject: 10. My guinea pig has <...> symptoms.  Is this serious?

     First of all, if there's any doubt about the nature of the
     disease, take your guinea pig to a veterinarian right away!  See
     the previous section for techniques for finding a good guinea pig
     vet.  Sometimes a simple medical procedure can clear up a problem
     that would otherwise be fatal.  That said, here are some common
     symptoms with what illnesses they may indicate.

     Note: This is NOT intended as a replacement for a visit to a
     reputable veterinarian!  The maintainer of this FAQ takes no
     responsibility for any misdiagnoses that might result from
     reading this section.

     Sneezing:
          Some sneezing is completely normal, just as with humans.
          However, if your guinea pig is sneezing all the time, or is
          sneezing a lot in combination with other symptoms, he or she
          may have a bacterial infection or other illness (see next).

     Sniffling, wheezing, constant sneezing, runny nose:
          Your guinea pig probably has a bacterial infection or other
          illness.  Separate him (or her) from any other guinea pigs
          you might have immediately so they don't catch the disease.
          If it doesn't clear up on its own in a day or two, take him
          to a vet because he may need to be given antibiotics before
          he will get better.  Make sure your vet never prescribes
          Amoxicillin, because it's deadly to guinea pigs and some
          vets don't realize this.  If the vet prescribes any sort of
          antibiotic, you should give the guinea pig a supplement of
          lactobacillus acidophilus (you can find this in health food
          stores) or live culture yoghurt, so that the antibiotic
          doesn't kill the good bacteria in the stomach that enable
          digestion.  Also, make sure he has plenty of water and that
          the room is kept at a constant comfortable temperature,
          neither too warm nor too cold.

     Blood in urine:
          This is a symptom that could indicate any of a number of
          diseases, some of which are extremely serious.  Take him/her
          to a good vet right away!

     Diarrhea:
          If you have recently fed your guinea pig a new type of
          vegetable, or an unusually large quantity of fresh
          vegetables, that may be the cause.  Try not feeding that new
          vegetable (or not feeding so many vegetables) for a day or
          so to see if the problem clears up.  Whether or not his/her
          vegetable consumption has changed, if a day passes and your
          guinea pig still has diarrhea, take him or her to a vet
          right away!  It doesn't take long for a small animal to
          dehydrate and die, so diarrhea is a very serious problem.

          If your guinea pig has been on an antibiotic, the problem
          may be enteritis, which just means that the antibiotic is
          killing off the digestive bacteria in the stomach.  See
          sniffling section above.

     Scratching:
          As with sneezing, some scratching is completely normal.
          Guinea pigs spend most of their time grooming themselves.
          However, if the places being scratched are becoming raw or
          sore, or losing their hair, the scratching is probably
          excessive.  Your guinea pig may have some kind of parasite,
          such as mites, or fungus, such as ringworm.  Take him (or
          her) to a good vet, who should be able to run tests and find
          out what is bothering him.

          If your guinea pig is kept on a softwood bedding, like pine
          or cedar, he may also be scratching because he is allergic
          to the bedding.  Try changing to a non-allergenic bedding
          like the ones on Debbie's list (see the bedding section) and
          see if this helps.

     Trouble walking (stiff joints or stumbling):
          This could indicate a vitamin C deficiency.  Give plenty of
          the high vitamin C vegetables listed in the feeding section
          (even if you have to go out to the supermarket and buy them)
          and see a vet right away.  Your guinea pig may need to get a
          C shot.

     Loss of appetite:
          See a veterinarian immediately.  Being small animals, guinea
          pigs usually eat pretty much constantly and metabolize food
          very fast, so if an illness or other condition is preventing
          them from eating they could die overnight.

------------------------------

Subject: 11. Do I need to trim my guinea pig's toenails?  How?

     Yes, you will probably need to trim your guinea pig's toenails,
     unless he or she does a lot of running around on bricks or
     concrete or other rough surfaces that will keep the nails short.
     Once the nails start getting long there is nothing but you
     clipping them to remedy the situation; the nails will eventually
     either curl back into the pad of the foot, crippling the guinea
     pig, or else break off and sometimes cause bleeding and
     infections in the process.  You can clip the nails at home
     yourself or, if you feel insecure about it, you can have a vet do
     it the first time so you can see how it's done---although they
     may charge you a fair bit for this.  You can use either a normal
     human nail clipper or the clippers with curved blades they sell
     in pet stores for trimming cat nails.

     The easiest way to do this is to have a friend help you, so that
     one of you can hold the guinea pig while the other trims the
     nails.  If this isn't possible, some people recommend rolling
     your guinea pig up in a blanket or something, so he (or she)
     can't see and doesn't struggle, and turning him on his back in
     your lap so his face is still covered but his feet stick out.
     I've never tried this myself, so I don't know the precise
     logistics of it, but apparently it keeps them from putting up a
     fuss.

     The thing you have to be careful of is not to cut the quick,
     which is the pink part in guinea pigs with white nails.  Just
     like in humans, the pink part shows how far the flesh of the toe
     extends, and the white part has no nerves.  If your guinea pig
     has dark nails, you may need to use a brighter light source to
     see the quick, which should be slightly darker than the end of
     the nail.  If you still can't see where the quick is, just cut
     the nails often and a little bit at a time and you should be
     fine.  If you do accidentally cut the quick a little and it
     starts bleeding, dab a bit of hydrogen peroxide on the spot to
     help prevent infections.  Try to hold him or her until the
     bleeding stops so that the site stays clean and the cut is given
     a chance to heal over somewhat.  There are products---"Quick
     Stop" is one of them---that you can apply to the site to help
     stop the bleeding; these are helpful (but not necessary) in a
     situation like this.

------------------------------

Subject: 12. My guinea pig runs away from me.  What can I do?

     It's normal for a guinea pig to be afraid of you at first, and
     some guinea pigs, depending on personality, are always a little
     shy.  However, with patience and love, you can almost always make
     good friends with a guinea pig.  The younger they are when you
     start, the easier it will be to gain their trust.

     The thing to remember is that you are very large and frightening
     to a guinea pig.  Also, being picked up is _very_ scary, since
     guinea pigs aren't really climbing or jumping sorts of animals
     the way, for instance, hamsters are---they're used to having four
     feet solidly on the ground.  It's much easier if you start when
     they're little, so that your hand can support more of the body at
     once.  The best way to pick one up is to place one hand under the
     belly and lift, then as soon as they are off the ground, place
     another hand under the hind legs so he (or she) feels secure and
     supported.

     Put him in your lap---maybe on a towel so you don't have to worry
     about "accidents"---and pet him to your heart's content.  Some
     guinea pigs also like being held standing against the chest, with
     the nose pointing up towards your face, or cradled in your arms
     at chest level.  Try different positions, and you should be able
     to tell which one(s) your guinea pig likes by how restless they
     are.  This is a good time to give fresh vegetable treats, so he
     feels positively about the experience!  As soon as he begins to
     squeak or become restless, let him down.  Besides the fact that
     he'll become enthusiastic faster if he isn't imprisoned on your
     lap, it also may be a sign that he's about to pee.

     Some guinea pigs never feel comfortable being picked up,
     especially if they aren't handled a lot when they're little.
     This doesn't mean that you can't have a good relationship with
     your pet, though, just that you have to relate to him (or her)
     where he's more comfortable, namely on the ground.  The best time
     to do this is during play time, when he's let out to run around
     the room (this should happen every day, so they get enough
     exercise).  Lie down on the floor, so you aren't so tall and
     frightening, and offer a piece of vegetable to your guinea pig.
     While he's eating it, reach forward slowly to pet him.  If he
     runs away, let him finish his vegetable and try again later.  It
     may take patience, but eventually the shyest of guinea pigs
     should sit still for you to pet him, and even come over to be
     petted.  The more time you spend on the floor with him, the
     faster he'll get used to you.  Also, the less you chase him
     around to pick him up the less afraid of you he'll be, so if your
     guinea pig lives in a cage, try to set up some sort of ramp so
     that they can get back into their cage on their own.  If you put
     fresh vegetables in there, or just rattle around their pellets a
     little, I guarantee they'll go back into their cage without more
     forceful urging.

     Remember, the more time you spend with your guinea pigs, the
     faster they'll become friendly with you!

------------------------------

Subject: 13. Where else can I get information about guinea pigs?

     If you want more information of a rather technical sort about
     guinea pig health, you can try _Diseases of Domestic Guinea Pigs_
     by V.C.G. Richardson.

     Also, check out Carlo "G.P." Ferrari's guinea pig site.  In
     addition to containing some documents with information about
     guinea pigs, it has an archive of all the guinea pig related
     posts on rec.pets.  If you have access to the WWW, you can point
     your URL to
     >  gopher://131.175.57.1:70/11/varie/bpets/Cavie
     or, if your site has a gopher client, just type 
     >  gopher 131.175.57.1
     at the prompt, and then follow the links to pets.

     There's also another WWW site with guinea pig information, as
     well as all sorts of other veterinary documents, at
     >  http://netvet.wustl.edu/rodents.htm
     or, for the gopher server
     >  gopher://vetinfo.wustl.edu:70/11n:/vet
     again, if you have gopher and not WWW, you can type
     >  gopher vetinfo.wustl.edu

     Finally, the Swedish GP Club's home page resides at
     > http://www.stud.mdh.se/~ltd92fsk/clubs/smf.html

     If you are on the WWW, you can get to all of these through links
     from the WWW version of this guinea pig FAQ:
     >  http://www.princeton.edu/~ecrocke/html/gpfaq.html
     by clicking on "Index for links to other gp related sites" at the
     end of the document.

     There's also a great gp mailing list that Carlo maintains.  Once
     a day a digest is sent out of all the submissions that have been
     received that day, so it won't clutter up your mailbox.  To
     subscribe, send mail to listproc@ing.unico.it with no subject,
     and the message body "subscribe gpigs <your name>"; e.g.
     "subscribe gpigs Emily".

     And last but not least, a woman named Lee Mahavier who runs a
     shelter for abandoned guinea pigs puts out a quarterly
     newsletter which costs $8 a year (the money goes to the shelter).
     The address is:
        Home for Unwanted and Abandoned Guinea Pigs
        699 Creekview Dr.
        Lawrenceville, GA 30244   (USA)
        (404) 963-4755
     I haven't had a chance to check out the newsletter personally,
     but it came highly recommended by several people.

     If there's any other information you think should be added to the
     FAQ, or other sites with guinea pig info I should mention, please
     write me (ecrocke@princeton.edu) and let me know.
