One of the cheapest ways to entertain a child is to take him/her to Tiendesitas. Particularly, the Pet Village area. While walking around, I saw a store that sold rabbits and guinea pigs. Since my little girl was taking a long time looking at the guinea pigs, I decided to buy one for her. My total cost for 1 male guinea pig;
- Guinea Pig - Php 200
- Small cage - Php 200
- Bag of pellets - Php 50 to Php 80
I decided on a male guinea pig as I didn't want to risk buying a pregnant female. On the way home, I noticed that the cage was too small as the guinea pig could not walk around so much. We bought an even bigger cage at Ace Hardware for less than Php 500.
We have a habit of naming our pets after singers so we christened our rodent Bruno Mars.
In taking care of a GP, it's always important to change the newspaper at the bottom of the cage as these rodents poop and wee all the time. Their diet should consist of the following;
- Pellets
- Green leafy vegetables
- Carrots
- Apples for vitamin C
- Daily replacement of water
Don't overfeed the guinea pig, they might become overweight and have heart problems =)
What I love about Bruno is that he loves being touched and carried. We make sure he stays clean by giving him a quick bath once a week. In a sink, wet the guinea pig's body. Rub a mild shampoo and rinse off. Wrap him in a towel and pat dry. Bruno loves taking a bath!
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| Bruno after a bath |
Guinea pigs need their exercise, even though the cage is large enough, we let Bruno run around my mom's balcony at least once a day. Bruno hates too much noise and tends to hide in corners when the TV is too loud. My mom made Bruno a bed from a porcelain dish with a soft hand towel. The dish also serves as Bruno's gnawing post since he's teeth keep growing. When it gets chilly at night, Bruno wraps himself in the blanket. Guinea pigs are really smart.
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| Bruno got a new pyrex bed for Christmas last year! |
Guinea pigs usually live for as long as 5 years. BUT, with proper care and lots of love, some live longer. I'm really hoping Bruno lives longer, my mom calls him her 'Bunso' =D
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