Your Questions: Are guinea pigs easy to look after?
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Q. We recently went to see the new Disney film 'G-Force' and now my children want guinea pigs. Are they easy to look after? Do they need much attention? Margaret, via e-mail
A. Movies are a great way to entertain children, especially during the holidays, but movies featuring animals can often prove problematic. I used to love trips to the cinema to see the latest animated film when I was a child, and I remember desperately wanting a Saint Bernard after seeing 'Beethoven'. Of course, I didn't get one.
There's a direct correlation between the appearance of a cuddly animal in a movie and the subsequent sales of those animals – one such case was the huge rise in popularity of Dalmatians after the hit film '101 Dalmatians'. Personally I feel that there should be some guidelines when movies featuring animals are released – and this might help prevent an influx of unwanted pets.
If your children really want guinea pigs, set them some tasks. Tell them they have to save up for the equipment and the guinea pigs themselves, and find a suitable site in the house or garden for their home. It would be also a good idea to make a rota of the chores so they can see the work needed to care for their pet. All this should take about a month.
If they are still interested after that, then go for it, as guinea pigs do make adorable pets. They come in a variety of colours and fur types. A short-haired variety is good for children as it requires less grooming, and females are generally more docile than males. If you get them from an early age and handle them regularly they can become very friendly.
Guinea pigs have other positive points. They're almost odourless – as long as the right care is given to their living quarters – and they have a longer life span than mice and rats, at about six years. And the idea of not having that funny tail oddly makes them instantly more attractive!
Remember that if an animal shows signs of distress or discomfort an early visit to the vet is always recommended
petscorner@independent.co.uk
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments