Tim's Cavies

to the showing of Guinea Pigs. From there I was bitten by the show bug, hook line and sinker! I don't really remember how I found Kathy Edie, but I did, and I was bent on getting more. She sold me some pairs to get started. It so happened she was delivering some to someone else and I met her half way. She said delivery isn't something she normally did, but we arranged the trip together. I was so excited to meet her, I took her picture so I would remember what she looked like. I was so grateful to her. Well, little did I know that we would become such good long-distance friends. She was there for me with answers to my questions; even showed me how to groom Texels properly, how to pick the best for showing, etc. I want to thank you, Kathy, for being a good friend. My son, Timothy II, and I would go to shows and adsorb all we could learn, and had lots of Fun! Cavy people were always there to help us. We didn't win for a while, but when we did it was a thrill of a life time for us. Sure it costs money to go to shows and there's the stress of getting there; but it's so worth it. Win or loose it's a blast seeing all the wonderful Cavy Breeders and Judges that we have met and come to know. Thanks to everyone that took part in our lives in the cavy world. Go Cavies

Care

Skinnies are for the most part hairless, with a little of hair on their nose and feet. You can bathe your Skinny in a baby shampoo or Dawn dish soap (a small amount), rinse them thoroughly and make sure they are totally dry. After a bath their skin is sticky and dry. You can use a little lotion for sensitive skin to help soften and rehydrate their skin. I would recommend using Eucerin or Lubriderm in a small amounts, enough to cover the skin. Do not use on face or around eyes. Another way to bath your skinny is to take coconut oil, rub down the skin, let sit on the skinny about a minute wipe clean with paper towel or a towel works best. This is a very easy way to bath them. Avoid getting in eyes. When bathing a guinea pig, be sure and take your hand and place it around the neck snug enough that they can't get away or bite you. This is an easy way to control the head, sliding your hand around the neck so when washing or rinsing your pig you don't get water in their nose or mouth. If water gets in, it may go straight to the lungs and could be life threating. A clean guinea pig is a happy pig. Average life span for guinea pig is 5 to 7 year, but Skinnies maybe a little shorter than that. TEMPATURE

?mmm...I bet you did not know the body of a Skinny is very warm to the touch. If for any reason your Skinny is cold, make sure he/she gets warm ASAP. If they get too cold they will stop eating and drinking. A recommended tempature is 72 degrees year round. The more comfortable they are the less they eat. FOOD AND WATER

Guinea Pigs should have full feed and fresh water daily. We use Buckeye Guinea Pig diet, fresh hay for ruffage, fresh fruit, veggies, and treats. Some breeders feed rabbit food and put vitamin C in the water, this will work as well. Guinea Pigs don't produce vitamin C; without it they can die. There are many food products out there; make sure they contain vitamin C, check the lables. Fresh cut, untreated yard grass is well liked, as well as dandelion leaves and their yellow flowers. BEDDING

I prefer to use pine shavings and recommend you do not use CEDAR shavings. Cedar can make your guinea pig have respiratory problems. There are several types of bedding out there for you to use: Pine shavings, care fresh, soft sorbet, recycled newspaper, and fleece. Speaking of changing bedding...some say everyday and some say weekly. I change my bedding 2 to 3 times a week or as needed. With Skinnies it could be more often than normal guinea pigs, because they have no hair therefore they eat more to keep warm, and cages may need cleaned sooner. The urine and f***s can irrate the skin. The trick is to keep the cage clean at all time to keep our Skinnys and other pigs healthy. A clean cage means a healthy, happy guinea pig. OUTDOOR

Guinea Pigs & Skinnies should never be left outside without supervision or enclosed area to keep them safe from predators. Guinea pigs are a rodent and would be looked upon by a predator as a meal. If you let them graze upon the grass in your yard, make sure yours or the neighbors' yards have not been treated this also could be harmful to your guinea pig. ILLNESS

Signs of Illness

1) abnormal stool
2) poor appetite or refusal to eat
3) Inactivity, lethargy, reluctance or inability to move
4) hair loss
5) discharge from the eyes or nose
6) pain or swelling anywhere on the body
7) dehydration
8) unusual body posture or appearance
9) excessive, unusual or frequent vocalization
10) protruding, misdirected teeth, mouth sores or drooling
11) Corner Sitting; nose in the corner

Please check with your local vets to see who will see exotics (guinea pigs).