[Gpdd] MISC- piggie & other animals

[Linda Kenyon]

Jaimie, I am so sorry to hear you say that guinea pigs and other animals
cannot live together in harmony.  Of course it depends on the animal.
Terriers are not always the greatest with rodents.  Years ago, when I had
Alice, I had three dogs and two cats also in the house.  One of the cats
used to sit next to Alice's cage and eat hay alongside her.  Alice had a
lot of floor time and the cats just ignored her.  Mind you, she was always
supervised.  We had a rat once who got lots of floor time as well.  She
even made it up the stairs to visit my boys and their friends in the
playroom.  She used to crawl into the dog crates and if a dog happened to
be in there (doors open) she'd cuddle up with him.  The cats never paid any
attention to her.

In all of my MANY years of having guinea pigs and rats along with dogs and
cats, I have never had a problem.  In fact, one of my rescued male rats
took advantage of a cage lid that had not been secured.  He roamed the
house that night and most of the next day before we found him -- eating cat
food from the cat's bowl while she sat and waited for him to finish.  One
of our rats routinely chased the cat away from its food bowl so she could
enjoy some.  And about 35 years ago, I took a picture of our cat (an
outdoor cat) sleeping in an old rabbit nesting box with one of our
chickens.  Strange bedfellows, but they enjoyed each other's company.

Our dogs have never had any more than a passing interest with our guinea
pigs and our rats.  My sheltie, 25 years ago, used to play with our rat,
Tess.

Basically, there is really no reason whatsoever that one household should
not have dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rats, reptiles, etc in the same house if
they so choose.  Proper caging and supervision is needed, just as it is
with children and pets.  Well, one doesn't usually cage a child, but I
think you all probably know what I mean.  :~)

-- Linda
& the menagerie