[Gpdd] [MISC] Addiction to Guinea Pigs

[DebJonSara at aol.com]

I certainly agree that guinea pigs are addictive - I had 45 after doing my  
"Big Rescue" from the "Crocodile Woman" in January 2003. I absolutely adore  
mine.
 
HOWEVER .... I am not 100% convinced in is in the piggies' best interests  to 
be one of so many. Sometimes, when I read posts on here by people like Leah  
and Joan and Jaime who just have one or two piggies, I feel ashamed that mine  
don't receive the same attention as theirs do. I have to admit, I rely on the 
 piggies themselves to "entertain" one another for large portions of the day. 
I  bend over backwards to keep them happy and well-cared-for, and to let them 
know  how very much they are loved. As I am sowing this year's veg plot, my 
partner is  asking, "Is there anything here that WE are allowed to eat?", as 
it's almost all  stuff for the piggies - carrots, herbs, brassicas, lettuce, 
strawberries,  tomatoes, peppers, melon etc.!! And I drive people mad with  my 
constant stops on dog walks to harvest tasty treats for the piggies -  the other 
humans are admiring the beautiful views, I have my eyes to the ground  
searching out plantains and achillea and vetch etc.! The piggies are my  obsession, 
I can't deny it!
 
BUT - my piggies, particularly from now on, when they have moved to their  
outdoor quarters for the summer, only really get handled/cuddles on cleaning  
out/weigh-in days. They are fed two or three times per day, and I do go over and 
 chat or sing to them when I am outside. Even when they are living inside, 
there  really are not enough hours in a day to cuddle everyone every day, so 
what I  tend to do is single out one or two, my beloved Soulage, Zebra and 
Claude, who  get a lot more TLC then the others. Anyone who is ill gets more 
attention, of  course - but I am just not convinced that "more is better" in terms of 
piggie  numbers!
 
As most "piggie collectors"'s piggies are rescues, I am sure we give them a  
much better life than they would otherwise have had; I know many would not 
have  been still alive were it not for us. But to those who just have a few 
piggies,  and are tempted to acquire more just for the love of it - can I just 
suggest you  stop and consider how many you really do have time for. I don't mean 
have time  for the physical maintenance - I mean, have time to cuddle and 
treasure and comb  and express love in an intimate way. Sometimes I fear that each 
new acquisition  "dilutes" the quality of relationship for everyone. 
Admittedly, I write as  someone who has lots of other animals as well as her piggies - 
but I do feel the  same must be true even if one just has the piggies.
 
It was exactly four years ago today that my precious five piggies were  
massacre by the marauding dogs, so I guess I am perhaps in a sombre mood! I am  
glad that sanctuaries like Piggyfriends and Cavies Castle exist - I would just  
urge people to think long and hard before acquiring new piggies at will just  
because they are such wonderful creatures. Sometimes less is more!
 
Debbie (loving slave to 13 Dolly Mixtures)