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24
APR
2015
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For years, small pets were only provided with food, water and bedding, and they spent the majority of their days in their cages. However, today's small animal pet owners are more apt to recognize the importance of offering plenty of out-of-cage time mixed with positive social interaction and a variety of challenging toys to keep their pets happily occupied throughout the day.
Whether it’s called a toy or a treat, having something to chew on is top priority for small animals. These pets have teeth that grow continuously, and gnawing is a natural way for them to keep their teeth at the proper level to provide healthy eating habits and good dentition. But chew toys aren’t just a necessity, they’re also fun.
Interactive Toys
An increasing number of small animal pet owners seek interactive toys. Similar to dog owners who wish to play catch with their pets, small pet owners also crave one-on-one interactions with their pets. There is no need to ke.. [More]
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Tags :
Benefits of Small Animal Chew Toys South Africa , Boredom Breakers South Africa , Hamster Toys South Africa , Guinea Pig Toys South Africa , Chinchilla Toys South Africa , Rabbit Toys South Africa ,
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14
APR
2015
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Did you know that it can be pretty easy to train your guinea pigs to do tricks? Guinea pigs can’t really be trained in the same way as a dog can but, with a bit of patience, time and a couple of treats your guinea pig will be able to carry out tricks at a basic level. It may take you a little while to teach your guinea pig to jump through a hoop but the important thing is to make sure you have fun with it! You’ll probably be better sticking to one trick at a time to avoid any confusion.
Repetition and consistency is the key! So make sure you show your guinea pig the same way every time – even your body language needs to stay the same! You may need to show your guinea pigs 3 times or 15 times or even 30 times, but, once your guinea pig has mastered it you’ll both feel great! The key is not to lose your patience, try to relax and enjoy bonding process with your pet.
If you’re struggling to teach your guinea pig new tricks then this could be.. [More]
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Tags :
Training Your Guinea Pigs , Guinea Pigs South Africa
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29
MAR
2015
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Pellets are a smaller but important part of your guinea pig, chinchilla or rabbit's diet. They are designed to be concentrated sources of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals to help ensure that your pet is getting all the nutrients he or she needs.
When feeding pellets, it is important to remember that a rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla's natural diet contains a high volume of low nutrient food. They are grazers by nature and in the wild they spend much of their days munching on grass and grazing for food.
While pellets enable owners to protect their pet's health and give them the range of nutrients they need, they are ultimately a low volume of high nutrient food that runs contrary to the diet in the wild. Therefore, it is important to follow feeding guidelines closely to make sure that they receive as balanced a diet as possible.
Mixes vs Pellets
Mixes, also known as "muesli," are dry food mixes that are primarily cereal-base.. [More]
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Tags :
Choosing A Pellet Food For Guinea Pigs , Rabbits and Chinchillas in South Africa , Chinchilla Food South Africa , Guinea Pig Food South Africa , Pet Rabbit Food South Africa
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22
MAR
2015
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Guinea pigs' teeth grow continuously throughout their life, so they need to chew regularly to keep their teeth down to a healthy size. Chewing on their cage bars could mean they do not have enough things to chew on, but most likely they simply enjoy the feeling of the metal bars.
Why Guinea Pigs Chew
Guinea pigs are born with a natural instinct to chew. Their teeth grow continually throughout their life and chewing keeps them at a healthy length. If guinea pigs are not given enough things to chew on, they will begin chewing on items like their cage bars. If your guinea pig is chewing on her cage bars, there is no need to be alarmed. It could mean that she simply enjoys the sensation that it provides. As long as she has plenty of other chew toys designed for chewing and gnawing, your guinea pig is probably very content.
Chewing, Treats and Interaction
One fun way to get some interaction in with your guinea pigs in addition to satisfying their need to chew and p.. [More]
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Tags :
Why Do Guinea Pigs Chew Their Cage South Africa? , Gunea Pig Cages South Africa , Guinea Pig Care South Africa
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15
JAN
2015
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It’s not like any of us need an excuse to look at photos of adorable guinea pigs… But we thought that some of these rarer breeds should get a little bit more love today! After scrolling through the expanse of the internet, here are our 5 favourite unusual guinea pig breeds which you may not have heard of.
1. Texel Guinea Pig
The Texel breed caught our eyes immediately with its distinctive curly, long haired coat. However this amount of hair also makes the Texel a high maintenance pig; requiring a lot of grooming to keep up that coat in tip top shape. This breed was only recognised in 1998 and originates from the UK.
2. Peruvian Guinea Pig
The Peruvian pig were originally a wild breed in (you guessed it!) Peru. Although known for their long hair, the Peruvian is born with short hair which grows as they age. Again, these pigs need a lot of care and attention due to the grooming needs of their locks – which can grow to a whopping 20 inc.. [More]
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Tags :
Five Most Unusual Guinea Pig Breeds
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11
DEC
2014
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Guinea pigs (which are also called cavies) are remarkable pets to have. They are quite funny and charming most of the time, even when they are hiding (perhaps, especially when they are hiding). With adorable faces and long, round bodies, it is little wonder that guinea pigs have captured our attention and found a way into our hearts.
But, although they are small, guinea pigs are still pets, and that means that they need some loving attention from their owners. The biggest hurdle is, of course, ensuring that your guinea pigs have a comfortable home that is both snuggly, but not in the sun – and airy, but not in any draughts. And, once you have this right, you are well on your way to providing your pets with the best home possible. After that it is mostly a matter of feeding your guinea pigs the best possible diet and then… enjoying them as they play.
Guinea Pigs Are Fibrevores
As you learned in school, some animals are herbivores; some are (us.. [More]
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Tags :
Feeding Your Guinea Pigs
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06
DEC
2014
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Why Do You Need to Groom Your Guinea Pigs and How Often? Long haired guinea pigs offer a convenient hiding place for mites and other parasites. It’s just so easy to snuggle into their hair and so difficult for other guinea pigs to take care of these pests. Besides mites and lice, long haired guinea pigs battle with knotted fur which can become dangerous for them. And, with all that hair, it’s easy for all sorts of dirt and debris to remain on your piggy. And that never smells good.
Your long haired guinea pigs need your help with a monthly bath and grooming session. If you notice that your piggy needs it more often, then do it. Don’t forget that you may need to pull out the comb or scissors a little more frequently if you spot tangles and troubles.
How Do You Give a Guinea Pig a Grooming Bath?
The short answer to this is… very carefully. It’s important to bear in mind that you should only ever bathe your guinea pigs if absolutely .. [More]
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Grooming Long Haired Guinea Pigs
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02
OCT
2014
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Timothy hay is an essential part of your rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla’s diet. Hopefully, most owners will be aware of this as there are many factors which make Timothy hay extremely important to your pets.
Timothy hay is basically the dried, preserved form of Timothy Grass that grows throughout the UK. This type of grass is full of essential fibre which is exactly what your fibrevores need to live long and healthy lives.
It’s recommended that you feed your fibrevores the equivalent to their own body size in Timothy hay every single day. You’ll then need to give them extra to sleep in and to play with.
Our Burgess Excel Herbage is made using Timothy hay, with added dried herbs and flowers including dandelions, chamomile, marigold and birch bark to add extra variety, taste and nutritional benefits.
Here are a few reasons as to why your pets should be having Timothy hay in their diets…
Dental
Fibrevore’s teeth never stop gro.. [More]
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Tags :
Why is Timothy Hay Important For Fibrevores , Timothy Hay South Africa , Chinchilla Hay South Africa , Rabbit Hay South Africa , Guinea Pig Hay South Africa
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12
SEP
2014
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Many homes are simply not complete without a few pets around. And, not every pet is a cat or a dog. There are many, many different pets that people can keep in their homes. Each one of them has special needs and dietary requirements. And, feeding your pets the right food – and the right amount of food is paramount to their continued health. Indeed, it is one of the things you’ll need to consider long before you bring home your pets. Otherwise, you’ll run the risk of them falling ill – or worse.
Keep in mind, that with all the different needs that every pet has, they don’t all need dry food. While this may be the best bet for your dogs and cats, other animals require different foods. Sometimes, those foods may seem rather boring to you, such as Timothy Hay, but they are essential to some animals.
Who Eats Timothy Hay?
Some animals are carnivores (or rather, omnivores) and some that are strictly vegetarian. Within that latter group a.. [More]
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Tags :
Guide To Feeding Hay To Fibrevores , Pet Guinea Pig Food South Africa , Pet Rabbit Food South Africa , Chinchilla Food South Africa , Timothy Hay South Africa
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08
SEP
2014
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You should never feed rolled oats, wheat, crackers, weetbix or any breakfast cereals to chinchillas, rabbits or guinea pigs as it affects their calcium and phosphorus ratio and reduces the absorption of essential nutrients from hay, depleting calcium in their bodies and causing digestive, dental and bone problems.
Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas should have a diet high in fibre, and fairly low in calories (especially fats and starches). And we not referring to Crude fibre because it is poor measure of plant lignin and cellulose, but rather digestive and indigestible fibre, which is only present in high quantities in hay. Over time pellet diets have been sold as the mainstay of their diet, but pellets was originally formulated for non household pets (i.e. laboratory or farmed rabbits and chinchillas).
Some of the problems associated with feeding too much lucerne based pellets are:
Obesity
Dental disease
Soft stools (with norm st.. [More]
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Tags :
Feeding Rabbits , Guinea Pigs & Chinchillas Dry Food in South Africa , Dangers of Feeding Dry Food To Guinea Pigs , Rabbits & Chinchillas in South Africa
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