Guinea Pig Fun: Jasmine's Blog

Updates for the new year: GPF is 8 years old!

2011-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

1. Recently I got to visit some guinea pigs who were adopted from GPF: Anita's Belle, Misha, and Nick and Cathi's Rosie, Sasha, and Mimi. They are all doing great and both Nick and Belle, who each had special needs, are doing fantastic. Belle's photo is on the right.

2. Willie sometimes takes his job as pet sitter a bit too far. During cage cleaning he takes it upon himself to do a close-up insection of the cage. Suki is not always pleased.

3. Got a wonderful holiday card from Oscar and Pryn. They are doing so well and have no more skin problems. :)

4. Reggie also sent a holiday card; lots of fun. Check it out! It is not Photoshopped. The chickens and Pixie and Reggie are family pets.

5. Willie ended up at the vet overnight since I was worried that he might have a blockage. Fortuately, that was not the case and he is on a new diet and has a water fountain that filters his water.

6. Last weekend everyone visited the "Cavy Spa" for baths and nail trims and preventative doses of Ivermectin. I noticed that the two Peruvians who were living with the rabbit in a small cage each had a fungal patch hidden underneath their hair. I trimmed the hair and started treating them topically. The patch on Albert's rear is larger than the one on Sam's side. The photo here is of Albert when it was first discovered last weekend.

Let the updates begin ...

2010-12-18T22:42:00.000-08:00

When? I want to know. It's been ages. Hellllooo! Wheek!
[Lots of updates this time around; working down the list –
1. Everyone visited the Cavy Spa for baths, nail trims, and hair trims as needed.

2. Kylie's weight has returned to normal. Yeah!

3. The three males (who still have no names except for the young one who is now Tyler) were moved from their quarantine cage to the shelving unit. They stayed there a week and then their cage was expanded so that it is now 2' x 8'.
4. Bella shut down again; the third time in about two months. The vet does not know what is wrong (tests were run).

5. I modified a couple of sleeping cocoons so that they were tunnels, which is a favorite around here. A couple more tunnels/sleeping pads were created out of cat pads. Since I’m tired of folding fleece I decided to make some cage pads and small pads. Still lots more to make if I don’t use the fleece.

6. Willie got into mischief again. This time he jumped on top of the cloth that was over part of Bella's pen and he went right through it!
7. Charlie has been doing his best to keep up with Suki’s cross-county track exercises. He has even included her twists, circles, and figure eights. However, he has opted out of the high jump. He’ll let her have the roof of the house.
8. Capycoppy arrived and was greeted by Molly and Willie (cats). They were not too thrilled with his arrival and kept knocking him over. Undaunted, Capycoppy went to work to check out his Shadow. All systems are go for the next race.

9. Some of the guinea pigs have been using the new slipper bed and tunnel bed made by Pinoy PetCuddle Cup. They love them!

10. One of the two TSW Peruvian males who had been living with a rabbit has a possible UTI. He is receiving an antibiotic to see if that will eliminate the pink urine.
11. Kylie’s lookalike arrived this past week. She had been living with 15-pound rabbits and chickens in an outdoor aviary. Emma’s been gaining weight so the rabbits may have been eating her food or keeping her from it.
12. GuineaPigSqueakSqueak made a cute Christmas card from my Facebook avatar photo. Thank you. You do nice work!
13. I tried to bond Emma with Kylie today and that did not work out at all. (12th attempt at bonding Kylie; only one worked and she was still stressed so he was placed.) Next I tried Emma with Dolly and Kira and then Charlie. None of the parings worked out.]

Laundry: $40

2010-11-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hello! Why??? Make them wash their own laundry! Wheek! [The cost this week was $40 to wash the guinea pig laundry at the laundromat. A lady there asked if I was doing laundry for a rescue and I said yes so she gave me $5. Very nice, particularly since she had just lost lots of money in the machines because she forgot to put soap in them and had to wash them again. Thank you!]

UPDATE: Misha and Belle adopted!

2010-11-27T17:37:00.000-08:00

It's official! They love it there! Yeah! [Both Belle and Misha are staying with Nick long term. Misha loves Nick and Bella seems to tolerate him. Their new set up measures 4' x 8' feet so that will give Misha plenty of space to practise running laps. More good news is that they will be staying in their home with a house sitter while their caretaker is away for a month on vacation.]

Suki is chewing Charlie's hair!

2010-11-27T17:32:00.000-08:00

No more, Suki! You are not a hairdresser! Wheek! [Suki seems to think that it is her duty to keep Charlie's curly locks trimmed. However, no one else agrees with her.]

Now Charlie is doing laps!

2010-11-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

Why? Suki is too fast for him! He will never catch her. Wheek! [Suki regularly practises her long distance running skills and regularly leaves Charlie totally confused as to what is going on. He tries his best but Suki is way to speedy for him. She loves to do figure eights and tight circles along with in-and-out maneuvers. But at least he is trying to join in so he deserves an A for effort.]

Cozy Caves arrived ... they are so warm!

2010-11-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

I want one now. Where can I get one? I want to know! Wheek! [I posted earlier about modifying a companion sack made by the Cozy Cavy that I had but did not use. Very soon afterward she started selling her fleece Cozy Caves and they are wonderful. Very warm and perfect for one - three guinea pigs. I bet you and your pigs will love them.]

Willie is in timeout!

2010-11-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

He's in big trouble! I saw it! Wheek! [Willie is part of the welcoming committee at GPF and he needs to make sure that all of the critters here are okay. I was holding one of the two males who came with the rabbit. Willie startled the guinea pig big time when he jumped up on the computer desk. :( The guinea pig scrambled off my lap and onto the floor and ran into the bedroom where I retrieved him. The two guinea pigs are two of the most terrified that I have ever seen but one of them is relaxing a bit. They are also the most amazing since they are so bonded and are excellent with the little male baby who was added when the rabbit was removed.]

Bella not eating .. went to Dr. D!

2010-11-20T12:12:00.000-08:00

Why is she in a lump? Move around, Bella! Call Dr. D, now! Wheek! [Bella wasn't eating or moving so she went to the vet last Saturday. I thought she was in stasis (due to fur ingestion from self-grooming) but that was not the case. Her temperature was 105.9 (normal range is 100 - 103) so the vet took her home with her to treat the infection (cause unknown). The fluids and antibiotics brought the temperature down to the normal range so I picked her up on Monday night. She's on Baytril until the bottle is empty; the Propulsid was just for two days. So far she seems fine and is doing binkies when out and about in the bedroom (supervised); she decided to claim the cat tree as her own. She is eating her hay but just a small amount of her measured pellets. She loves veggies (in moderation). Another update to follow at soem point. Thanks again to Janet for donating money for her take-home meds!]

Misha and Belle packed their bags and left!

2010-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Why? What's wrong with the food here? I want to know! Wheek! [Anita emailed me that her seven-year-old female had died last week and that Nick might be lonely now. I took Misha and Belle to meet Nick to see if either of them might work out as a companion. Nick was very protective of Misha who is about two-months-old and quite amourous with Belle who is about five-years-old. We weren't sure which would be the better choice so they both stayed while Anita sorts things out. (Belle is the one who was thrown against the wall and her sister died at the shelter.) Stay tuned for an update.]

Bonding attempt with Kylie/Belle/Misha

2010-11-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

Call the guinea pig police! Kylie hates everyone! Wheek! [I decided to try to bond Kylie with Belle and Misha. They are living side-by-side and I thought that perhaps Kylie might like a buddy or two to encourage her to eat more. After eight attempts at bonding with different pigs, both male and female, I noticed that Kylie now has a sign that says "Enter at your own risk!".]

Baby still here -

2010-11-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

Why? I want to know! Wheek! [I was contacted by a shelter asking if I could take a surplus male baby. Since someone had just contacted me asking for a male for her adult male I said yes. However, it turns out that her adult male lost his former companion because the caretakers did not take him to a vet. Plus, they wanted to let the baby run around. I felt that it would be best for the baby to join the two males who had arrived with the rabbit. The bonding was right after the rabbit was removed and so far things are going along well but they all three are very skittish and need to be socialized.]

2 guinea pigs living with a rabbit???

2010-11-13T09:47:00.000-08:00

Call the SPCA now! Wheek! [I was contacted about taking two adult male guinea pigs and later told that they were living in a "too-small" cage with a rabbit. The cage was 17" x 30" and the rabbit could barely stretch out. Since it was an abusive situation I took them. One of the guinea pigs appeared to be quite bonded to the medium-sized female rabbit. The other guinea pig was underweight and the rabbit would lunge at him. After they were moved to a larger cage the rabbit had more room to move around in and would upend the stools. I removed her after I saw her lunge at the one who was underweight. Since the rabbit was removed a male baby from the shelter who was here was bonded with them and the two adult guinea pigs have each gained about 100 grams. The guinea pigs are terrified and slowing being socialized.]

What's with Willie?????

2010-11-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

Why does he have that on his head? That's for guinea pigs, Willie! Stop playing around! [Once again Willie has taken his quality control inspections a bit too seriously. He decided to check out a cozy that was sent and ended up wearing it! He was "rescued" and, much to his relief, can now see again.]

Kylie update ...

2010-11-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

She gained weight! Wheek! [Update: Kylie was checked by the vet last weekend and was on the low side of normal for her weight. I decided to go back to what she was eating a while ago (alfalfa-based Mazurri vs. Oxbow or Kleenmama's timothy-based pellets) and she immediately ate all of pellets. She gained weight but lost some yesterday so I'll just keep an eye on her. If she loses more the vet said that blood tests and/or x-rays would be the next diagnostic options. This morning she was shivering again and she might be cold. She had two warm items in her cage but she did not use either one so a hut and a crash pad will be put in instead.]

Kylie still loosing weight!

2010-10-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

What's with that? Where's Dr. D? Call her STAT! Wheek! [Kylie has now lost 170 grams since May. Part of this is due to pellet change and part due to her companion - whom she seemed stressed out being around - being adopted and part unknown. She eating, but like Izzy when she was by herself prior to adoption, not eating as much as the others. I do have a call in to the vet to have her checked. She has been tried with several pigs but she's not into cage mates at the moment but I may try her with Belle and Misha and/or Dolly and Kira next weekend. Here she is in her winterized cage: warm corridor by Jens Custom Crafts and a nap bed made by the Fuzzies Kingdom. There is a quilt attached to the back of the cage (the top is covered) and a thermometer keeps track of the temperature inside her cage.]

New photo of Belle

2010-10-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

No bleeding! Wheek! [So far there has been no blood in Belle's cage or on her like there was at the shelter. The cause for the blood is unknown. She is shown here in a cozy tunnel made by Piggy Bed Spreads that she and Misha are using to keep warm.]

Tunnel: Prime Real Estate

2010-10-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

What real estate? I only see a tunnel and a skateboard. Get the guinea police now. She has lost it! [After the skateboard was added to the cage the tunnel, made by Pinoy Pet Cuddle Cup, was moved and suddenly it became very popular. As you can see both Charlie and Suki were trying it out at the same time. When it was on the other side of the cage they ignored it.]

Where's the skateboard!

2010-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

Suki, where is it? I want to know! Wheek! [Suki decided that she had enough of the skateboard so she hid it. However, Charlie knew something was a miss as soon as he hit the ramp. Luna has no clue yet.]

Dolly and Kira love their new tunnel!

2010-10-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

Dolly was even popcorning! What's with that? She's five years old! Wheek! [A while ago I decided to modify one of The Cozy Cavy's cozies that I had and make it into a tunnel since none of my pigs will use a cozy. I finally got around to finishing it and they love it. It is at the base of one of the one-grid-wide ramps. If you think your guinea pig might like one, be sure to contact The Cozy Cavy and ask about her fleece Cozy Cave.]

Kylie has been house hunting ...

2010-10-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

so many to choose from! Wheek! [Each of the cages has different items in them. Dolly, Luna, and Charlie's cage need something for Luna to jump on so they have a wooden house. Belle and Misha have fabric huts and tunnels as do Dolly and Kira. Kylie on the other hand has been trying out a variety of "houses". She has her favorites. They need to be warm and comfortable and a place to hide out. So far she loves huts, cuddle cups, crash pads, and mini tents. She's still house hunting so who knows what her next favorite will be.]

Suki now does agility!

2010-10-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

Suki has stepped up her training which now includes agility. She runs rapid-fire through the cage: up the ramp, does multiple tight circles in and out of the wooden house, jumps on the roof of the house, and then takes off again. She is very, very, very fast and Charlie can't keep up with her. There is no way that he or Luna can jump on top of the house so they just watch her. The photo shows Suki checking out the skate board. She finally gave up and crawled underneath it!

Belle has a new buddy!

2010-10-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

Check her out. Someone thought she was a blind mouse! What's with that???? Wheek! [The shelter had a foster pig who was weaned from her mother so she was tried with Belle. They seemed to do well together. Molly jumped in the tub when I went to get some hay and the photo ended up on the shelter's Facebook. So far Belle is still not displaying any symptoms that might indicate a medical concern.]

Fun stuff from the Philippines!

2010-10-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

I love the slipper bed! I want it now! Wheek! [The pigs have been trying out some new items that were made by Pinoy Pet Cuddle Cup. The biggest hit so far is the tunnel. There are some cuddle cups and a cute slipper bed, all detachable, to be tried out. Thanks, Rey!]

Charlie bonded to Suki and Luna ...

2010-10-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

Suki loves it! Why? She has tons of room to run laps! Wheek! [Charlie was tried with four females before ending up with Luna and Suki. Their cage was enlarged so now they have a 2' x 8' cage. Suki loves to race all around the cage and escapes from Charlie by jumping up on the wooden house. Click any of the small photos in the blog posts to view a larger image.]

Willie over doing his petsitting duties ...

2010-10-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

Get out of the cage, Willie!!!!! No cats in the cages. Wheek! [Willie tends to take his care of the guinea pigs a bit too seriously. He loves to greet newcomers and has been known to test out cages and hay boxes to make sure they are truly clean.]

Belle was thrown against a wall!

2010-10-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

What's with that? Call the guinea pig police, STAT! No animal abuse! Wheek! [I received a call from a shelter asking if I could take a pig who was displaying symptoms of a medical issue. Since her sister had died at the shelter they were concerned that she might have the same problems (liver disease, bleeding, inflammed intestines). Both she and her sister were impounded when Belle was thrown against a wall. She was examined by my vet and she may have a mass in her abdomen (that did not show up on the x-rays). So far there was a only a same amount of pink urine; no frank/real blood. She is very sweet and five years old. Thanks for the Carefresh donation, Cathi!]

Izzy adopted and Reggie visiting!

2010-10-10T17:20:00.000-07:00

Good news! Izzy went to join her sister, Sasha, yesterday. The timing was perfect and she will get wonderful care from Cathi. The report this morning that she was doing fine. More news: Reggie is here for a week or two while his home is being remodeled. He was adopted five years ago and is very sweet. He will be returning to GPF when his family moves overseas in March.

Where's the cam????

2010-09-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

I want to know! Who took it? Call the guinea pig police!!! Jazmacam MIA! Wheek! [The web cam is currently down for two reasons. The first is that someone is broadcasting in another country without my permission. The second reason is that I moved the cage recently and enlarged it and have not figured out how to set it up again - it is not near the computer.]

2 weeks to go!

2010-09-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

2 weeks for what??? I know and I'm not telling! Wheek! [Charlie was neutered two weeks ago and he has two more weeks to wait before I try to bond him with Kylie. Hopefully they will be friends. If so, I will connect the two cages so that they have a large cage like Dolly and Kira. In two weeks Izzy is going to her new home to be with her sister so Suki and Luna will get their cage enlarged also.]

No more sneezing for Suki!

2010-09-19T03:37:00.000-07:00

What's with that????? Why? I want to know now! Wheek! [Recently I moved one of the cage shelving units to the front room so I could join it to the other one. I noticed at one point that Suki was no longer sneezing but I'm not sure why. It could be the front room location, or removed from near the wall heater vent, or the fragrance-free laundry soap. Whatever the reason, I hope the sneezing has stopped for good!]

Connected the cages

2010-09-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

... about time! What took so long??? Wheek! [Joined the two shelving unit cages this past week to create one that is a little less than 2' x 7.5'. I used three grids to create a ramp in each cage with a platform to connect the two acrylic bases. The plus is that due to the six-inch height of the acrylic base sides there is a sleeping area underneath each ramp. The platform is secured to the cage sides; each ramp may be lifted up to access the area to retrieve a guinea pig or clean the area. At first the ramp was covered with a pad but tonight I used fleece. The other two cages will be joined in two weeks after Izzy is placed and Charlie's wait is up after his neuter.]

And the updates for the week ... helloooooo?

2010-09-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Where is the staff person? Anyone on duty here???? Do I have to do this myself? Anyone? Ad run yet? "Need reliable blog writer: STAT!" Wheek! [Four of the pigs here decided to try out the Cavy Spa. Dolly and Kira particularly liked the in and out bath; very speedy! Izzy and Kylie got the summer mini trim. They gave the spa a four paws up rating and will definitely to go again. Suki and Luna were very busy yesterday checking out their new flower garden crash pads made by Piggy Palace. Luna decided at first that it was necessary to lie on top of Suki but since that wasn't exactly comfortable she decided to get inside her own crash pad. Suki felt that she needed a cave rather than a flower garden so she tipped hers on the side.]

Where to begin?

2010-09-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

Been too busy here to take the time to update the blog; it's time for a recap of what has been happening at GPF. Tibby and Pippa, the two pigs from the shelter, were fostered and then placed by the shelter three days after they went back. Licorice and Sam, who was also being fostered, were placed later that week. The big news is that Nick was adopted and is now living with Coffey, a seven-year old female who recently lost her cage mate. For the past year Nick needed special care that put off adopters but that self-corrected over the year and he is fine now. Izzy had her bags all packed and ready to go live with her sister but one of Sasha's two cage mates got sick so that was put on hold. Suki still sneezes occasionally but exhibits no other symptoms. She has been seen by two vets but so far the treatment has not resolved her problem. The next try may be a look at treating for possible allergies. More big news, this time for Luna and Suki. They were first tried together two months ago and that did not work out well at all. I tried bonding Suki with Izzy and Izzy immediately attacked her (as she did later with Kylie). I tried Suki again with Luna and they hit it off immediate and spent their bonding time popcorning and running around the bonding pen. On a sad note, Tigger the little guinea pig who was abandoned and later found cover in mud and suffering from scurvy, was PTS due to his medical condition which did not improve. When he was PTS the intake person said that he was the saddest guinea pig that she had ever seen. Rest well on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, Tigger and then enjoy your fill of fresh veggies! Bella, the stray rabbit, had a couple visit her to see if she is mellow like their own rabbit. She is but they are still looking around for now. If you are looking for an awesome very user-friendly rabbit to adopt, please contact GPF. Suki has been very busy inspecting her new van whereas Luna found no food in the van so she quickly left. Luna doesn't seem to be scratching as much now like she did when she first got here. She's had a variety of treatments and will receive one more dose of the non-diluted Ivermectin. After Charlie's long drive he went to the spa where he got a bath and haircut. He was neutered on Saturday and hopefully will be paired up with either Kylie or Izzy. It was very hot here recently so the guinea pigs got to try out Becky's ice pack covers. Suki, Luna, Dolly, and Kira especially loved them! Kathleen wrote today to say that Oscar and Pyrn are doing fine. She mentioned that when she took them out on an errand she heard some people say "look at the baby teacup Shih Tzus!". (They are Peruvians.) The web cam is still down since someone else is publishing it as their own overseas.

Updates ... about time!

2010-07-25T22:31:00.000-07:00

What's the problem with the staff these days? On summer vacation? Get a replacement STAT! Wheek! [Big news! Oscar and Pryn were adopted last week by a woman and her teenage daughter. They have had guinea pigs before and felt that it was time to have another pair in their life again. Oscar and Pryn were very at ease with them and Gwyn is happy with them too! Tigger went back for another vet visit since he was not progressing as hoped. He has slightly pale gums and his left rear "knee" does not function fully as his left one does. He gained back all of the weight that he had lost but he is losing weight again. Suki went along with Tigger to get a second opinion on her occasional sneezing. Her nostrils were swollen so she was put back on a (low) dose of Bactrim along with Little Noses nose drops. She can be seen above inspecting her Corner Cabin made by Jen's Creative Crafts. Pippa and Tibby were dumps that I was supposed to "climb a ladder" to retrieve if the family was not home to meet me. They ended up at the shelter where I pulled them since they had too many guinea pigs. They have the same coloring as Kira and Licorice and apparently came from the same source. Fluffy got checked again at the vet yesterday. He got his incisors lightly trimmed. Fortunately, he does not have a major problem with his teeth. Luna has been scratching since she arrived here and so far the various treatments have not resolved her itching. Today she got a CocoNeem melt treatment followed by a Manuka and Neem shampoo (both by Gorgeous Guineas). Not sure if it will work but she ended up looking like a grease ball! She's been shampooed twice but the oil didn't come out so I'll wait a couple of days and give her another bath.

Tigger Update

2010-07-03T03:25:00.000-07:00

Tigger still is not gaining weight and may have problems related to his scurvy that are not obvious visually (such as internal hemorrhaging and bone loss). He will be checked again by Dr. Harvey today.

They're back!

2010-07-03T03:16:00.001-07:00

Why???? Helllllooooo. Wheek! [Nick and Kylie took a summer vacation and are back home again. They look great and are enjoying some fresh veggies. Welcome back!]

Willie's a winner!

2010-07-03T03:05:00.001-07:00

Why not me????? That's what I want to know! Wheek! [I sent in a photo of Wilie and Tulip for the American Pet Diner contest and I was just notified that it won in the cutest photo category. Willie will be very pleased. He is the official critter greeter here at GPF and takes his job very seriously.]

It's Christmas in July!

2010-07-03T02:57:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Lots of stuff! Wheek! [A box of goodies arrived from Sewing 4 a Cause this past week. There was a wonderful cage pad and tunnels that the guinea pigs will love. The cats immediately started playing with one of the various cat toys that were in the box. I ordered some fleece chill bags to put frozen ice packs in during the summer. Hope we never have to used them! Thanks, Becky, the items are great.]

Bath for Tigger

2010-06-29T00:10:00.000-07:00

Tigger is not doing as well as he should be I think so he will be going back to the vet this Saturday. He still has trouble walking and lies down sometimes when he eats. Tonight when he got his Critical Care he seemed to cry a bit. This weekend he was wet from the pad (that is changed daily) that he lies on so I gave him a quick bath. He still loves his veggies.

Thank you, Karine!

2010-06-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

Karine won a gift certificate in Jen's "It's a Jungle out there" photo contest and donated it to GPF. Thanks so much! I used the certificate to get two Sherpa cage pads for Tigger, who has scurvy and is having trouble moving and walking. I am sure he will love them! Click the photo to see a larger image of Kooky out in the jungle.

Kira escaped!

2010-06-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

Not funny, Kira! Call the guinea pig police! Wheek! [Kira decided to take off after she and Dolly were put on the bed while I swapped out their cage pad. They are always put in a basket with a lid on it but this time I put them there "just for a few minutes". I turned around and Kira had decided that she would rather hide under the bed. The cats soon discovered her and kept an eye on her during her "rescue".]

The Fab two are at it again!

2010-06-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

Why? They are on YouTube already! Wheek! [Izzy's babies are at it again racing in and out of their hut that Jen made. They were four weeks old and heading out to their new home. People have enjoyed watching their antics so I added the video to PetTube.com so that more people might be able to watch them. Be sure to check it out if you haven't seen it yet. It's lots of fun to watch the video]

Tigger Update

2010-06-21T23:43:00.000-07:00

Tigger was not doing well and losing weight so his meds were changed a bit. The Metacam was stopped and Bactrim started. His Critical Care feedings were increased and he was put back in the smaller cage. He seems to be doing better now and has perked up a bit. He has gained a few grams and now weighs 647 grams which is less than he weighed when he arrived. He now comes to the front of the cage looking for veggies which he gets after he has his Critical care. He still has trouble walking; his right rear leg sticks out a bit and he walks/hops on what would be his knee. [Click a photo to view a larger image.]

Pool party!

2010-06-21T23:35:00.000-07:00

Pool? That's not a pool. That's a sink! Wheek! [While Suki was out camping some of the GPF crew had a pool party at the local spa. They all took their turn in the "pool" and some opted for summer haircuts to keep them cool.]

Suki went camping!

2010-06-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Where's the tent? Hello? Who goes camping without a tent??!! Wheek! [Suki and her buddy the cheetah took advantage of the warm summer nights recently and went on another getaway. This time they left the hut behind and took the colorful waffle blocks with them. They had a fantastic time and hope to go again soon.]

More updates ...

2010-06-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

The little male who has scurvy and was pulled from the shelter is still not gaining much weight or moving around much. His eyes have cleared up now that they are being treated with Terramyacin. He likes his meds but unfortunately he doesn't inhale his Critical Care with the same gusto.
Luna's caretakers decided to get rid of her after they had her only one month (and the prior family had her eight months). I tried to bond her with Suki but she is a dominate female who terrified Suki so they are back in their own cages practicing for the upcoming Olympics.

The Olympic trials have begun!

2010-06-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

I know because I can see them! They are loud and the cages shake! Wheek! [Suri, Dolly, Kira, and Luna have all moved beyond their spring training and are now in full swing working on their specialties. Suri loves the long distance runs and obstacle course. She can be seen with her trainer, the cheetah cub, zipping around her cage while she gets in shape. Dolly and Kira are focusing on short sprints. Luna has chosen to go out for long distance running, popcorning, and wire-grid chomping. So many to focus on, Luna! More Olympic updates to follow once the games begin.]

Minty and Monty arrived!

2010-06-16T21:32:00.000-07:00

"Wish you were here". Where???? I want to know! Wheek! [One morning Minty and Monty set out in search of Mildred's famous hot cross buns and a spot of tea. They drove round and round but all they could find was a lovely garden with a fairy house in the middle. They were quite hungry by now so they knocked on the little door and inquired about cheese. Much to their surprise, a little fairy asked if they might like some fresh hot cross buns and a spot of tea instead. They were thrilled when the little fairy returned with her helpers and hot cross buns and a pot of tea. They stayed to enjoy the delicious treats before they went on their way again. Minty and Monty had a lovely time and hope to take another road trip soon.]

Moving along ... hello?

2010-06-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

New staff person on board yet????? Replacement needed STAT! Call the guinea pig police now! Wheek!

Let the updates begin ... now!

2010-06-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

Hellllllloooooooooooooo; where's the staff? Anyone run the ad? "New blog writer needed ASAP!" Wheek! [Bella hopped on over to the HRS for a photo shoot and promptly wanted to leave. Why? No carrots in sight! She did settle down long enough to get a good photo and promptly left in search of veggies. Bella is very user-friendly and sweet in case you are looking for an awesome rabbit to adopt.

Brownie and Blackie survived their bonding period and are total buddies now. This is good news since Blackie had just lost his companion to illness and Brownie had never had a cage mate before.

I received a couple of emails about a guinea pig who needed to be pulled from a shelter. He was having trouble walking and the cause was not known. He appeared to be a real stray since he was dirty and covered with mud. My thought was that he had scurvy due to lack of Vitamin C and a proper diet. He was released four days after intake and was started on Vitamin C and Metacam and assessed by the vet a couple days later. He was very tired when he first arrived and still eats lying down. He has perked up a little bit and it's thought that he will recover fully but that it will take time to resolve the scurvy.

Willie got info mischief once again. He feels that it's his job to keep an eye out on the guinea pigs so he joined Lucy recently in her cage when I went to get some hay. Not funny, Willie!]

UPDATES: 6-1-10

2010-06-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

Brownie and Blackie are still in the bonding cage with no fighting. However, Blackie does tend to harass Brownie and may be keeping him from some food. Brownie's teeth were checked at the vet and they appear to be fine but he is slightly underweight. Fluffy also had his teeth checked and they are okay for now. His lump was checked and it appears to be a cyst or lipoma. This photo shows Fluffy chomping on one of Ian's wooden houses. Maybe his chomping is trying to drown out Licorice's shrieking, something that he has started to do recently.

Dolly, Oscar, and Pryn got baths this weekend and Pippa, Oscar, and Pryn all got summer haircuts with the shaver. I think Oscar and Pryn really like not having all of their very thick, heavy hair. Speaking of Oscar and Pryn, they may be heading back down to see Gwen and live with a friend of hers. Time will tell. Hope she gets to see them again; her cancer has spread to her brain.

Found some foxails in the hay and fleece bedding! So not funny or amusing! Suki has been sneezing off and on and there are no symtoms of any URI. I hope she didn't get one of the very small foxtails in her nose. Speaking of Suki, her is a photo of her with her buddy, the cheetah.

Willie's very busy ...

2010-05-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

Doing what? I want to know. Hellllloooo? Where's the staff person duty? Cam's not up. Place the ad again: Need webmaster ASAP! Wheek! [Right at this very moment Willie has decided that he needs some attention so he jumped up and is sitting in front of the computer monitor. As you can see from the photos he takes his various self-appointed jobs very seriously. In one he is welcoming Suki and in the other he is testing out the new pad that Jen made for their basket.]

Suki loves her meds!

2010-05-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Way to go, Suki! Wheek! [Suki for some reason absolutely loves taking her meds from a syringe. She practically yanks the syringe out of my hand the way that Bear used to do. So far there is no display of runny eyes or nasal discharge. She has two more days to take her antibiotics.]

Suki's okay for now ...

2010-05-19T21:40:00.000-07:00

I took Suki to the vet this morning to have her checked out since she has occasionally sneezed. Even though there's no eye or nasal discharge I wanted to make sure she didn't have an upper respiratory illness. Her lungs and chest are clear and she appears to be healthy. I am to continue with the Bactrim that I was giving her. If her sneezing gets worse then she'll get nose drops in case it is a viral infection.

Why I love huts!

2010-05-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Because, that's why! Wheek! [The huts that Jen makes are multifaceted. They are meant to be used as housing where a guinea pig or two can take a rest or hide out. However, I have found that they are easy to airlift a guinea pig out of the cage and that they may be used in high-sided carriers when visiting the vet. If the huts are open on both ends they are great for using as a tunnel to get from one place to another or to run through when running laps around the cage.]

Is that a sneeze?

2010-05-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

I heard a sneeze! Why did Suki sneeze? I want to know! Wheek! [Suki seemed very well-cared for and healthy and had been for a month prior to coming here. She sneezed quietly a couple of times since she was with Dolly and Kira. Not sure if adjusting to a new environment and having Kira go after her briefly during bonding caused her resistance to be down or if it was all along and it did not surface until after the bonding session. It's possible that it might be the hay since part of it was dusty. I shook the dust out and will order some bluegrass from Kleemama's to see if that helps. Even though there are no other signs of a respiratory illness I will give Bactrim and liquid Vitamin C preventatively for a week in case it is needed. Very young/small guinea pigs can go downhill very quickly and I do not have access to a vet until next Saturday at the earliest. The attached photo shows Suki in her larger cage this morning with her cage pad and hut made by Jen and tunnel made by Windespirit. She loved running back and forth between the tunnel and hut! Click photo for a larger image.]

I won! Wheek!

2010-05-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Jasmine's photo above was chosen as being the most creative in Jen's Custom Craft's May contest. I've already ordered another hut with the gift certificate. ;) Thanks to the judges and to Jen! :) It is one of my favorite photos and the one that I chose to put on the cover of the Guinea Pig Fun photo book. All of the photos entered may be seen here.

Kira, be nice!

2010-05-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Helllllllllllllloooooo???? No chasing and attacking Suki! Call the ASPCA, now! Time out for Kira! Wheek! [I tried to bond Suki with Kira and Dolly last night and it seemed to go well at first. However, after a while Kira decided that she wasn't into sharing. I think that being separated from her mother, aunt, brother, and then loosing her sister was a bit much for her. She is at ease only with older females and Dolly is the only one who has worked out long-term.]

What's with the dump?

2010-05-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

"I'm allergic to hay." Hellllllooo. Heard that one before. Wheek! [Someone I work with told me yesterday that he had to get rid of his guinea pig because he was allergic to hay. I knew he had a hamster that he takes excellent care of but I didn't know about the guinea pig. I told him that I could take her and try to bond her with Kira and Dolly or try to place her myself or through the local shelter who was looking for guinea pigs to place. My co-worker must have interacted with her a lot since she is very friendly and sweet and does popcorns and runs laps around her cage. She only weighs about 340 grams so she is quite young. I renamed her Suki and she is in quarantine although he had her for a month and she appears to be very healthy. I'll need to keep an eye out for any weight gain that might indicate that she is pregnant; hope not.]

UPDATES: 5-10-10

2010-05-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Been a bit busy so the updates have not been posted lately. So here they are:

1. Licorice got to make a special trip to the vet since he appeared to be walking strangely and I thought that he had broken his leg and that it had fused. Fortunately he was "healed" the day before the vet visit but he got checked out anyway. He and Fluffy are still doing well together in the same cage and Licorice is gaining weight steadily. [Photo above is of Kira, Licorice's sister. Click to see a larger image.]

2. Oliver had a vet check the same day. His eyes are still giving him problems so yet another eye meds is being tried. It was also determined that he has limited eye sight in both eyes. He had excellent recovery from his cyst removal though.

3. Bear, Fluffy's former cage mate, was PTS after his third seizure two weeks ago. He wasn't able to rebound like he did the other two times. He had a very full life even with his medical issues; with Denisa's excellent care he kept rebounding from his episodes of near death. Rest well little one.

4. Kira and Dolly are doing great together. I think Dolly is an older pig and unlike Kim, she thinks Kira is a good cage mate to have around. They sometimes do laps through their open-ended huts although they both seem to think that it's cool to sleep on top of them! Kira is eating more now so that is nice. Both are very sweet guinea pigs. [Photo is of Dolly.]

5. These past two weekends most of the pigs got baths, hair trims if needed, and preventative doses of Revolution. Bobby still totally soaks his cage (with urine). The good news is that at the moment Pippa does not appear to be have any blood-tinged urine (she was treated with Bactrim/TMS for a while).

6. Rosie and Sasha have been staying with Kaylie for a while and her caretaker decided that it will work long term so she will be adopting them both. Yeah! They will be totally spoiled.

7. Bella is in time out right now. She was out and about and was quiet for a few minutes and I found out why. She decided to eat some of the rubber baseboard. Not a good idea. (Part of the baseboard was blocked off now she while have no access to it.) She is a very sweet and user-friendly interactive rabbit. If you are interested in adopting her, let me know.

8. The local shetler emailed that Tot and his buddy Vinnie and also Lucky and Daisy (bonded pair of rabbits) were all adopted a week ago. Way to go!

Bear had another stroke ...

2010-04-25T22:19:00.000-07:00

Bear had a seizure/stroke today after I weighed him. Although in time he had bounced back from his prior episodes he was not responding nor moving much after today's episode. I did not feel that it was in his best interests or humane to continue to keep him going just because I might be able to so he was PTS. Over the years Bear surprised everyone with his resiliency but today it was time to set him free from any suffering that he might have or might have in the future. Rest well little man and frolic in the fields on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. Fluffy, his companion for a few years, is doing well with Licorice, who was placed with him to be there when Bear no longer was around.

New cage mate for Kira???????

2010-04-18T22:36:00.001-07:00

Where's the staff person? Who's on duty? What's that fluffy thing doing in the cage??? Call the SPCA. They know! Wheek! [When I was at the shelter with Tot this weekend I was shown the female who came in with the male we were bonding with Tot. She seemed a bit older and had slightly flaky skin, something that Teddy's occasionally have. She came home with me and got a bath and a dose of Revolution. I'll monitor her skin/ear flap and give her another Nizoral (shampoo) bath next weekend. When she is okay, I will try to bond her with Kira who would like an older female companion. Attached is a photo of Dolly who appears to be a Teddy which Kira might be also.]

Tot has a new buddy

2010-04-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

Tot's caretaker lost her home and asked for help in placing Tot through a rescue or shelter. The local shelter had offered to take him and he went for a bonding session yesterday and today with another male. They both seemed to be friends at the end of the day. Let's hope it stays that way! (Tot is on the right.)

Licorice is eating everything in sight!

2010-04-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Licorice has gained almost 150 grams more than his sister, Kira. He lives with Fluffy, an older male who might be teaching him that eating is a good thing. ;)

The White Rabbit is Here!

2010-04-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Why? Where is Alice? This isn't Wonderland! Wheek! [Last year I was contacted about two rescued rabbits who were being chased down the street, most likely for food. Bella, the young female was taken to a vet and later spayed. Sal, the older male was kept by the person who rescued them. Sal's neuter was this week and he is doing well post-op and will head back to his home this weekend. He seems HUGE! Why? I am used to dwarf rabbits.]

Oscar and Pryn got haircuts!

2010-04-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! Their hair fianlly grew in! Wheek! [Oscar and Pryn had a skin problem that took a while to resolve but their hair looks great now. Their hair is so thick and shiny now. They are shown with Bobby during a bonding attempt that did not work out.]

Bear's still here!

2010-04-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Bear's quality of life was assessed by Dr. H yesterday. It does appear that he did have a stroke and that he is now blind and has a head tilt. He has lost weight since his episode/stroke because he had stopped eating. The exam revealed that his lower teeth are growing over his tongue. However, due to his age and medical condition they will not be trimmed. His heart disease is under control and his breathing was normal. Even though it appeared that he was dying his meds were continued and he was started on Critical Care the day after his stroke. He is now moving/walking a bit and has gained a little bit of weight back. He is back in the c 'n c cage that she shared with Fluffy and Licorice but there is a divider in the cage since Fluffy still harasses him.

Oliver's Stitches Removed

2010-04-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

He's doing great! Thanks, Dr. H! Wheek! [Oliver had his sutures removed yesterday and he seems to be doing just fine. Thanks again to Dr. Carolynn Harvey and also to the volunteers at the shelter for paying for his surgery.]

Bowl missing!

2010-04-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Alert! Call the ASPCA! Bella's water bowl is missing. Where is it???? Wheek! [Bella likes to store some of her toys in her water bowl. Now that she has two bowls of water it very easy to still have water and a storage spot for her toys.]

Bear's not doing well!

2010-04-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

Call the vet, STAT! Wheek! [Bear may have had another stroke or "episode" this morning. In the past two days his heart meds had been increased as had his pain/anti-inflammatory meds since he seemed to be having trouble. The vet clinic was contacted but the vet was not there so an email and photos have been sent to her. In addition, his prior caretakers have been notified. He did take his meds and some soy fruit-flavored yogurt tonight. He is not able to move at this point and is twitching occasionally.]

Cam's back!

2010-04-05T01:42:00.000-07:00

'Bout time! What took you so long??? Run the ad again! Looking for new blog person! Must be able to turn on computer! Good pay: 4 carrots a day! Wheek!

Easter Photo Shoot!

2010-04-04T11:36:00.001-07:00

Where's the Easter Bunny??? That's what I want to know! Wheek! [I took some photos yesterday of Licorice and Kira, two surprise babies who were born to a guinea pig that a family got last Christmas. Licorice was the larger of the babies and he has gained about 100 grams more than Kira. She absolutely loves her tunnel that Windespirit made and Licorice loves his as well. These photos were taken to send to the family as an update.]

What's with all of the meds?

2010-04-04T01:08:00.000-07:00

I want to know! Pink, white, and no color. What's the problem with the pigs? Helllllloooooo. Is there a staff person on duty? Wheek! [There are some pigs here who are currently taking medications, both short-term and long-term. Bear receives his heart and arthritis meds daily and they seem to be helping and are adjusted as needed. Oliver recently had a small cyst removed so he's on a low dose of Metacam and Bactrim for another day. So far his surgical site looks good. His stitches will be removed next Saturday. Pippa, who is sometimes on the cam, is currently being treated with Bactrim for a possible UTI.]

GPF Website Updated: 8 comics & 27 photos

2010-04-03T00:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for their photo contributions and also for your patience the past few months while my computer was not working properly. Enjoy! More updates coming.

UPDATES: 4-1-10

2010-04-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Guinea Pig Fun computer, cam, and blog have been down off and on for the past couple of months due to computer problems. Now that there is a new computer set up and it's time to post some updates about what has been going on here at GPF!

1. New computer; finally after various ongoing problems with the other computer. Everything has been set up on the new computer and some kinks were worked out with the cam which should be up by this weekend.

2. A couple of weeks ago it looked like Bear was having a stroke. He was totally confused and stopped eating but he snapped back in a day or so of not eating and being "out of it". He was seen by the vet and also force fed during that time. Twice I thought he had died since he didn't move when I touched him. I guess he was just sleeping soundly. The vet, who has treated him ongoing, said that "He's 10 years old" and that one day he might not really be moving. This morning he got another bath since he smelled. It looks like he has a scratch on his stomach so it was treated. He has mobility problems due to his arthritis and the meds help a bit.

3. Oliver, another older pig, had his small cyst removed from his left shoulder area yesterday. Dr. Harvey removed it using a local and so far he seems to be doing great. His head tilt is permanent but he gets around fine. His eyes were treated for a while and will be treated as needed. This photo was taken post-op last night. The shelter volunteers paid for his surgery. Thank you!

4. In February I was asked to help sex a "Christmas" pig who might be pregnant (she was). The family took excellent care of the mom and the three babies. Unfortunately, one of them was a runt and apparently was always hungry and she died the day that they were separated. The mother and her female cage mate, who were both great with the babies, rejected Kira, the other female, so she is here being tried with different females. Licorice, the male, who was the largest of the babies, is now with Fluffy so he will have a buddy when Bear is no longer here. Bear and Fluffy are housed next to Bear (the cage was divided) since Fluffy kept harassing Bear (ongoing/forever). So far they all seem to be fine with the arrangement.

5. Sasha (in photo), who was dumped in a night drop at a shelter and later pulled, and Rosie are up with Kaylie now getting to know each other. Kaylie is six years old and her caretaker is taking it slow with the introductions. Hope it works out since they are being totally spoiled!

6. Bella, the stray rabbit who was being chased down the street before she was rescued, was spayed by the local shelter. She is really sweet and user-friendly; a great rabbit. If anyone is interested in adopting her contact GPF for an adoption application.

Why is there a bear in the house?

2010-03-01T21:30:00.001-08:00

I want to know now! No lion or tigers or bears allowed! Wheek! [Bear is an older guinea pig who used to live with Cool Dude (aka Sammy) who was adopted from GPF a while ago. He is very sweet and now lives with Fluffy, an older Peruvian guinea pig. Bear is a "heart" pig who needs a number of medications daily to keep him "healthy". His former caretaker said that he had nearly died a couple of times but at the moment he seems to be hanging in there. Currently Bear gets Vitamin C, Metacam, Glucosamine, Enapril, and Furosomide and a bit of soy yogurt per his vet. In addition he is getting an eye wash for his left eye and Gorgeous Guinea's Super Souffle for his ear flaps. Fluffy arrived with some large dark flakes and yellowish crusting on his rump area so his hair was trimmed to his skin to allow air to get at the area. Currently he is being treated with baths and topicals for a possible fungal infection. Bear has a weight problem so both he and Fluffy are getting their pellets measured and they are no longer receiving oats. Fluffy lost 25 grams and has leveled out; Bear has lost 78 grams so far. Both pigs were very well loved and cared for but, like Tot, their caretakers could no longer afford to keep them.]

The computer died ...

2010-02-21T18:10:00.001-08:00

now it's alive again. What's with that????? Wheek! [Lately I have been having problems with my computer. This morning it would not start after a few tries so I turned everything off and came back later and tried it again. Currently it's up and running. I had been backing everything up anyway since I decided to replace the computer (it's five years old); I still need to finish a project that I was working on. The cam is not up and probably won't be again until I switch computers.]

Kathy's lost it for sure!

2010-02-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

Call the police! The photos are missing! Where are they? Where are all of my photos???? I want to know now! Wheek! [This past weekend I was working on a project and there were some files that were hidden that ended up in the trash and they were deleted when I ran an application to clean up my hard drive. Unfortunately, it may have been nearly 6,000 photos. Very few were backed up on the portable drive. Moral of the story? Back up everything ... something that is said many times but not always followed.]

What's with the weird eye?????

2010-02-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

And what's with the name???? Helllllooooo? Is there a staff person on duty? Wheek! [Tot is a cute male guinea pig who needed to find a new home after his caretakers had to move out of their home. He is very sweet and quite interactive. Tot is supposed to be quite vocal but I think he is intrigued by the guys in the room who are really vocal. He has pea/fatty eye in his right eye but it does not require treatment.]

Who sent Mojo up here???

2010-02-03T19:20:00.001-08:00

I want to know, now! He bought a vacuum cleaner and he's out moving the grass! No moving the grass, Mojo! I want to eat it! Wheek! [Mojo, who was known as Albert before he was adopted by Momo, crossed over the Rainbow Bridge this past Sunday. Rest well little one then stay clear of Jasmine if you are mowing and vacuuming her lawns! She will not forgive you if you destroy her crops!]

What's with the eye and the feathers?????

2010-01-31T14:20:00.001-08:00

He looks like a chicken! What's with the eye???? I want to know! Call the SPCA stat! Wheek! [I was asked if I could take a couple of older pigs who were surrendered at a shelter. One had a discharge from one eye, a slight head tilt, and a small lump. He was started on eye meds and an antibiotic and will be seen by a vet in a couple of weeks. I didn't think that the eye meds were working but tonight his eye seemed better. They were both given a bath and the black one got his long wisps of hair trimmed. The brown one was impacted so he was cleaned out. Both are very friendly.]

Scooter and Emma got adopted!

2010-01-31T14:19:00.000-08:00

About time! Wheek! [After many people inquired abut both Emma and Scooter they were finally adopted together today. Scooter is scheduled to be neutered Tuesday and he will live with Emma after a month. Hope they get along and enjoy their new home!]

Pipa and Morka went to a spa!

2010-01-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

Why??? They need to be on the cam at all times! Get a replacement, stat! Wheek! [Pippa and Morka took the weekend off to get a beauty treatment. They got the works and enjoyed their time away from the "lights and cameras". They got to try out Gorgeous Guinea's EasiRinse shampoo, got their nails done and even had their ears and eyes cleaned. Then Pippa decided that she needed a hair trim to tidy up her hair for the cameras. Afterward they got a dose of Revolution for good measure in case they have any critters (mites/lice) that need to be taken care of.]

Very cute!

2010-01-21T23:16:00.000-08:00

I love the tunnels! I want one now! Wheek! [Theresa made the cutest tunnel covers. The pigs love them! Click the photo of Rosie to see a larger image.]

Bath time for Oscar and Pryn!

2010-01-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

How many baths????? 4,875? They look very handsome! No more seizures! Wheek! [Oscar and Pryn received a bath this morning and they seem to be doing well. So far, there has been no recent scratching and their skin and hair look healthy with their hair slowly growing back. However, since they always get their white stool dirty they may need to have a bath more frequently. In addition, I will need to keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t have or get a fungal problem.]

Now Sasha is in time out!

2010-01-21T18:11:00.001-08:00

What is with everyone??? Call the SPCA! No more chasing! No more biting! Can’t they all get along????? Wheek! [First I tried putting Sasha with her sister Izzy and Kim. That was okay. Next I added Emma and that was not okay. Emma was removed and put in timeout. Then Izzy, who used to live with Emma until Izzy had her babies, decided that she was in charge and she kept stalking her sister Sasha and harassing her. Izzy was then removed and put in timeout leaving Sasha with Kim. However, it appeared that the better match was Izzy and Kim so Izzy was put back with Kim and Sasha was removed. That left Sasha by herself hiding in her cage. I then tried her with Rosie a few days later. Rosie had lived with Izzy after her babies were born. Both Sasha and Rosie were fine and were running laps around the cage the first day. However, the next day Sasha decided that it was cool to stalk Rosie so their cage is now divided. They have company but no direct interaction. Confused? I don’t blame you!]

Samantha was running!

2010-01-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

What’s with that? I want to know. She could hardly move! Wheek! [Samantha ran out of dry food so I when I went to buy some more but I couldn’t find the brand so I got some of Hill’s Prescription Diet for older dogs. Within two days she was moving around unlike before when she basically just stood in one spot. She has been wagging her tail and stretching like a “normal” dog so the diet must be helping her. However, she does still cough with exertion so she may have heart problems in addition to being nearly blind and deaf. The family is due back next week so I will miss our interacting four to eight times a day.]

Who let the bird in???

2010-01-18T20:43:00.000-08:00

That's what I want to know. I heard it. I know it was a bird. Wheek! [A couple times recently one of the guinea pigs has been chirping or singing like a bird in the middle of the night. I believe the last time it was Emma. Maybe she is calling for help since she's in time out.]

Webcam has changed servers/location!

2010-01-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

I was having trouble with the cam so I finally went to another web cam host today. The cam may be viewed here (off site) or here (Guinea Pig Fun website). The cam appears to be much faster that when it was hosted by another provider. Enjoy!

Now Izzy is in time out!

2010-01-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

Can't they all just get along?????? Wheek! [Izzy has decided that it's cool to harass her sister, Sasha, so she keeps stalking her and yanking hair out. She was escorted out of the cage the other day to settle down. The next day she was put back in since she and Kim seemed to more at ease when housed with each other. (Sasha was added to the cage after she and Izzy had been separated for five months.) Now Sasha is separated and will be tried with Rosie.]

Why is that dog wearing a jacket?????

2010-01-13T20:12:00.001-08:00

Hello ... where are you? Who is that dog????? Kathy knows. Where is she? I want an answer. Wheek! [I am currently taking care of an older dog who may be be about 15 years old. Her name is Samantha and she is most likely blind or nearly so. In addition, she has trouble walking. She is very sweet though and we enjoy our time together.]

No more Twitter and no more Facebook!

2010-01-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

Why?????? Get a new staff person, STAT! One who will get the job done! Wheek! [I very quickly found out that I have zero time to spend twittering so I closed both accounts for now. That will enable me to focus on other things such as the updates for this blog, the websites, and the care of the critters here.]

The cam is up again!

2010-01-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

But it's not always on! What's with that? I want to know now! Wheek! [The cam host has changed their software and the software that I am using is the older version. I was not able to get the new one to work but finally they were able to troubleshoot it so it works ... sort of. Now it just stops working and disconnects periodically so I went back to the old software while they sort it out. The new software will display an image twice the size of the current image and supposedly load faster. If you do not see the theater surrounding the video image then the new software is in use. Currently Pippa and Morka are in the cam cage.]

Emma's in time out!

2010-01-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

Emma is biting everyone! Call the guinea pig police now! No more biting and chasing, Emma! Wheek! [I decided to try to combine cages and tried Emma with Izzy, Sasha, and Kim. That worked for a short time but Emma was constantly letting them all know that she was "in charge". She would chase them and nip and leap over them. Since Kim is an older pig who had recently lost her sister and Sasha arrived way underweight, Emma was escorted out of the cage for a "time out". The next day I tried them again but she immediately went after Izzy biting her non-stop so I removed her again. They all seem to be at ease now that Emma is in her "room with a view" not far from their cage.]

Laura and Ashley flew the coop!

2010-01-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

I saw them. They are off and away. Where to? San Diego, that's where! Wheek! [A family who had recently lost their Silkie was visiting in the area and inquired about Laura and Ashley. They also saw Emma, their mother, and Kylie who used to live with Emma. Elise chose Laura and Ashley and I think they will be well loved in their new home. Elise used to hold Daisy, their prior Silkie, up to four hours every night!]

Kylie and Nick love their huts!

2010-01-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

They live in them non-stop! Who made them? I want to know. I need one STAT! Wheek! [Both Kylie and Nick really love having Jen's huts in their cage. When I put the huts in the laundry to be washed I put in a couple of cuddle cups that Marsha made. They liked those also but seemed to use them as a toilet. Oh, well. More laundry to do.]

Angelina and Bif got adopted!

2010-01-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

About time! Wheek! [Drove through the rainbow tunnel (for real) and down the "world's crookedness street" (for real) when delivering Angelina and Bif to their awesome new home this morning. I hope things work out well and that they have found their forever home. The photo shows them just before they were put in their carrier for transport.]

What is a Caplin Rous?

2010-01-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

That's what I want to know! Wheek! [Caplin is quite a famous "giant hamster". He has his own website and he's on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Not only that, he has lots of videos on You Tube and has a book out about him. Check him out http://www.guineapigfun.com/caplinrous.htm You will love him!]

Guinea Pig Fun: Jasmine's Blog

Updates for the new year: GPF is 8 years old!

Let the updates begin ...

Laundry: $40

UPDATE: Misha and Belle adopted!

Suki is chewing Charlie's hair!

Now Charlie is doing laps!

Cozy Caves arrived ... they are so warm!

Willie is in timeout!

Bella not eating .. went to Dr. D!

Misha and Belle packed their bags and left!

Bonding attempt with Kylie/Belle/Misha

Baby still here -

2 guinea pigs living with a rabbit???

What's with Willie?????

Kylie update ...

Kylie still loosing weight!

New photo of Belle

Tunnel: Prime Real Estate

Where's the skateboard!

Dolly and Kira love their new tunnel!

Kylie has been house hunting ...

Suki now does agility!

Belle has a new buddy!

Fun stuff from the Philippines!

Charlie bonded to Suki and Luna ...

Willie over doing his petsitting duties ...

Belle was thrown against a wall!

Izzy adopted and Reggie visiting!

Where's the cam????

2 weeks to go!

No more sneezing for Suki!

Connected the cages

And the updates for the week ... helloooooo?

Where to begin?

Updates ... about time!

Tigger Update

They're back!

Willie's a winner!

It's Christmas in July!

Bath for Tigger

Thank you, Karine!

Kira escaped!

The Fab two are at it again!

Tigger Update

Pool party!

Suki went camping!

More updates ...

The Olympic trials have begun!

Minty and Monty arrived!

Moving along ... hello?

Let the updates begin ... now!

UPDATES: 6-1-10

Willie's very busy ...

Suki loves her meds!

Suki's okay for now ...

Why I love huts!

Is that a sneeze?

I won! Wheek!

Kira, be nice!

What's with the dump?

UPDATES: 5-10-10

Bear had another stroke ...

New cage mate for Kira???????

Tot has a new buddy

Licorice is eating everything in sight!

The White Rabbit is Here!

Oscar and Pryn got haircuts!

Bear's still here!

Oliver's Stitches Removed

Bowl missing!

Bear's not doing well!

Cam's back!

Easter Photo Shoot!

What's with all of the meds?

GPF Website Updated: 8 comics & 27 photos

UPDATES: 4-1-10

Why is there a bear in the house?

The computer died ...

More computer problems ...