FAQ

You're right, I should've developed a chatbot that regurgitates all this.
But in truth, the motivations behind me starting up a blog, as opposed to sticking to social media, are varied. I still value using it to see what my friends are doing, but I've never been very comfortable putting myself and my life on full display for others to witness. Much of it I believe stems from the incentive structure of social media, where virality and engagement-boosting outweigh everything else, and I'm simply helpless but to chase the dopamine rush. Meanwhile, on here I can just focus on the small community of loyal readers who care enough to follow along, without all of the strings attached (not to mention algorithms, user surveillance, or AI slop).

Zooming out from my views on social media, I've come to the conclusion that much of the internet was better during the time of my youth. I miss the simplicity and charm that came with that era, and I wanted to create something that could harken back to it. I was also amazed to find during the site creation several old blogs dedicated to piggies via the Wayback Machine. It sounds silly, but seeing these cavy time capsules moved and inspired me to bring this to fruition. There are whole communities that exist online of people who long for the bygone days of surfing the web and have worked to preserve as much history as possible. It's through these communities that I was reminded how idyllic the internet used to be, as well as how I learned how to build what you see now.

My technical background is actually in web development, so I already knew programming in HTML, CSS, & Javascript. If you're looking to start creating websites, I would recommend learning these, as they give you way more precise control over how everything looks and functions. There's never been an easier time to learn!

The things on the sides are called widgets and while some of them I fully coded myself, some of them were built and managed externally. Below is a complete list of them and where they can be found.

• 98.css - Used to style things to look like windows 98
• Chatango - used for the chat widget
• GifCities - used for the many adorable piggy gifs you see around the site
• Loveberry - used for the audio player widget
• Smart Guestbook - used for the Leave Me a Message page
• SnazzySpace Viewer Counter - used to track # of live site viewers
• Status Cafe - used to easily make status updates for the Current Status
• Zonelets - used to assist in blog structuring

My goal is to add new posts weekly. I'm not sure if I can keep to a consistent schedule, but I would like to have them ready by the beginning of each week.

You might think all of them were impulse buys from nearby pet stores, but I've never spent a single cent to get them! Whether it was through friends of friends, local Facebook groups, or bonds I made at the shelters I volunteer at, I've rescued them at a difficult moment in their lives and provided them a forever home.

As difficult as it would be for me to turn away a piggy in need, at this time I'm at max capacity :( though I would happily point someone in the right direction for nearby rescues!

My piggy supply sources have evolved over the years, but these days I typically buy from the following:

• Small Pet Select - this place has some of the highest quality hay you can find, and has the fastest delivery speeds of any seller in my experience (including Amazon)
• Oxbow - their pellets, treats, and hay are the best out of any major small pet brand found in retailers like Petsmart and Petco
• Full Cheeks - I'm including them for their bottles, toys, and bedding/cage liner options, which are safe and high-quality. However, I would largely steer clear of their cages and treats.

I'll be creating a more in-depth guide to brands I'd recommend/avoid eventually, but for the time being, these are the places I go to get the essentials.

Above all else, your guinea pigs NEED hay. Hay is the foundation for good piggy health, as it not only provides enough fiber to keep their digestive system in motion, but it's also coarse and textured enough to wear down their constantly-growing teeth. Fresh hay needs to be made easily accessible to them at all times of day, as well as replaced regularly when soiled by urine and feces. However, hay doesn't address all of their nutritional needs, such as Vitamin C. To compensate for this, they also need a portion of pellet food and fresh veggies daily. The pellets should be derived from timothy hay, be made of small, uniform brown cylinders and shouldn't contain any seeds, nuts, dried fruit, or any other colorful pieces. In terms of veggies, the staple options are leafy greens such as romaine lettuce (never iceberg) and bell peppers. Options like cucumber, cilantro, and celery are better to rotate in and out, rather than feed daily. Other veggies like carrots should only be included in their diet as weekly snacks due to their high calcium and sugar content.
To put into perspective what a properly-balanced diet looks like in terms of percentages, I would adhere to the following breakdown -

• Hay: ~85%
• Veggies: ~10%
• Pellets: ~5%

When it comes to the biggest areas of misinformation surrounding owning guinea pigs, the amount of space they require has to be up there. As obvious as it may seem, guinea pigs are bigger than hamsters, rats, and gerbils, and as such, must have bigger enclosures. Having plenty of space allows them to explore and forage for food together, as well as have some time by themselves. Without this, not only can they become bored and unhappy, they are extremely prone to fighting with one another. Unfortunately, most cages you'll find at the pet store don't measure up to the actual size they need. My recommendation is to avoid buying these and instead invest in building your own piggy enclosure using what are called C&C grids. You'll often see these panels used to build modular storage for household items. These, along with precisely cut coroplast sheets as a sturdy, moisture-resistant base, make for endlessly customizable, piggy-approved enclosures. When it comes to the specific size, this article does a great job outlining proper cage dimensions based on the specifics of your herd.

Guinea pigs are actually very hygenic and for most of their lives, won't need a ton of regular assistance for their coats. The exception are those with longer coats, no coats at all (skinny pigs), or seniors who struggle to groom themselves. Baths should be given in a sink or small basin with only a couple inches of lukewarm water and pet-safe shampoo. They are very sensitive to temperature, so the bath should be brief and immediately followed by drying in a towel and a soft blowdry from a hair dryer.

Unlike grooming, nail trims have to be done by humans, as they will overgrow and become extremely uncomfortable to walk on if left unattended. Stryptic powder should be kept on hand in case the nail quick is cut to stop bleeding. During nail trims, they should be held firmly and comfortably. I typically have them standing upright and their feet supported by my lap or a table, but holding them in a towel is also good to keep them from thrashing. Just be sure you can safely expose each paw without bending the leg much.

Guinea pigs are notorious for hiding their conditions until it's often too late to act. The clearest indicators for poor health I've found come from observing their weight and their feces. They can come in a wide range of sizes, so this means weighing them regularly when they're healthy in order to get a good idea what their baseline is. If you notice a drop more than 5% of their normal weight, this is a good sign that something is wrong. Additionally, their feces can range in size, but the consistency should be solid and brown in color. This Poo Chart is a good one to reference if you're unsure. I would recommend finding a reliable exotic vet near you before adopting, as they cannot be seen by regular vets and will need to be seen by one at some point during their lives.

While I want everyone to be able to experience the joy that comes with owning guinea pigs, I know not everyone has the means or the time required to provide them an adequate quality of life. They aren't a beginner pet, so parents need to be prepared to take full responsibility for caring for one if they adopt one for their child. Each one poops up to 100 times a day, so daily cage cleans are a must. From a cost standpoint, while they might be less expensive than other pets, between hay, food, bedding, and routine vet visits, there are several routine costs one should be ready to spend on. As mentioned above, an adequately-sized cage requires quite a bit of space, especially if you want to adopt more than a pair. Being prey animals, it will also take time for them to form a strong bond with you. However, once they do form a bond with you, it's one of the most rewarding feelings you can experience as an owner. For all of these reasons, I wouldn't recommend them to everyone. But if you've taken these unique needs into consideration and feel capable of addressing each one of them, I'd strongly recommend you do and happily welcome you into the club!

You'll find that pretty much any source on guinea pigs strongly advises them to be kept in pairs, which is generally sound advice. I do believe in some nuance to this question, however. Situations arise, such as the loss of a close companion for a senior piggy, that can make it difficult to justify only owning pairs. I also find that differences in demeanor between males and females can also impact my belief on this topic. The fact is boys have a much more difficult time coexisting with one another than girls, and you may find that your male just can't share space with another. If you're able to provide separate enclosures next to each other, this works as a compromise. However, if circumstances are such that you can only keep one successfully, I think you're doing right by them to keep them a solo piggy. However, isolation is never good for a piggy, so even if you can't justify a friend for them, you must be willing to compensate for this lack of socialization by providing them ample enrichment and 1-on-1 time.