[Gpdd] ANNOUNCEMENT welcome Glenda

[Bellarobi at aol.com]

Hi Glenda from South Africa,
I bet Gizmo, Gidget and Autumn are envied by a lot of other piggies...nothing 
but fresh gras and veggies...
When I had a guinea pig when I was a child, pellets, timothy hay, toys, 
exotic vets...all that was unheard of. My pig lived a long and healthy life, being 
outside grazing every day, running around in the yard. My parents made hay 
themselves, just for the piggy. I always made sure that she had hard bread to 
gnaw on. The only time she needed a vet was when she injured her eye. 
Don't be fooled by being told that guinea pigs have to see a vet, especially 
an exotic one that charges an arm and a leg. 
Unfortunately, it seems that here in the United States guinea pigs are 
overbred and not that healthy to begin. But I handle mine not very different than 
you handle yours. I treat most illnesses myself, clip nails and so forth, just 
like you. I also use Peter Gurney's books as a tool, and get tons of advice 
from the internet. 
Once a pig starts to suffer from old age I have my vet ( that treats my dog) 
put to sleep. 
Who knows, your guinea pigs might never get sick. After all, everything you 
give them is natural. It doesn't get much better than this. 
I would make sure that they get hay and hard bread, both of which is easy to 
come by or you could make it yourself. And you are smart to stay away from 
rabbit and hamsterfood. Your pigs are proof that pellets yet easy to feed, is not 
a necessity.
I hope that this puts your mind at ease.
best wishes,
Marion