Customer Reviews

The Proper Care of Guinea Pigs

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a great book to have in your library if you have guinea pigs - anything you would need to know to take good care of your pet is in this book, or on his website - I refer to both quite often, when it comes to my pigs!

It is over 250 pages of information, with color photos. All different kinds of pigs are pictured, and everything from choosing a pig to routine care, to preventive maintainance to curative procedures are included, and even a section on guinea pig behavior. P.G. has a lot of pigs himself and obviously cares a great deal for these animals. I respect him very much!

This is one of the best guinea pig books out there. There is a lot of information and many pictures to go with it. Being the owner of six guinea pigs, I do like to read a lot about them. I was trying to find a book that contained more than just words and cute pictures. (Although this book is packed with great pictures!) I had a skin condition on a newly acquired pig, and I really needed a picture or two to help me figure out what I was dealing with. This was the ONLY book out of the ten I own that showed pictures of two of the most common skin conditions - ringworm and mites. Although I do have a knowledgeable veterinarian, I do like to have something on hand that helps me to recognize common conditions so that I know when it's something I can treat or when it needs a trip to the vet. (This time it did - mites!) I wish I had bought this book early on in my guinea pig ownership. I recommend it to all guinea pig owners.

I only wish I could give more than 5 stars! I absolutely love
this book. If you didn't already love guinea pigs you will after you read this entertaining and informative book. It is very helpful for guinea pig owners of all ages and the pictures are absolutely adorable. I could read it over an over and I never tire of it. If you have a g-pig or are thinking about getting one you have to have this book!

For those who haven't heard of Peter Gurney, he's a British layperson (non-veterinarian) who has a remarkable love for and knowledge of guinea pigs. He is a one-man public relations force for GPs around the world. He initiated a highly successful project which brings GPs into Children's hospitals in the UK for pet therapy. Through his many decades of experience living with (and for) GPs, he offers REAL information for GP owners - not fluff propaganda gleaned from manufacturers of pet supplies. This is an invaluable book for people who really want to understand their GPs, and is of immeasurable benefit to the health and welfare of the species.

His writing style is enjoyable and humorous, providing medical information in words the layperson can understand. Gurney addresses concepts including GP biology (how many teeth do GPs have?), behavior (what does that squeak mean?), nutrition (GPs, like humans, require vitamin C in their diets), husbandry (how to trim toenails with a minimum of pain to human and pig), housing (no cedar chips!), safe toys (GPs aren't hamsters - no exercise balls!) and so much more - all of which will help to make your life with GPs healthy and enjoyable.

If you're really interested in what makes your piggie tick (and squeek and wheeeeek and purr...), this book will help you get there.

This book is perfect for anyone who has a guinea pig or is thinking about buying one. You may find after reading it you know more than your veterinarian seems to know about guinea pigs. That's how it turned out for me. This book contains everything you need to know, including how to care for ailments, which is very valuable knowledge.

It is true that Peter Gurneys book is an excellent source about guinea care, but i also found it funny. The book includes a few phrases that may trigger laughter such as "the sight of a brood of guinea pigs suckling from their mother is for me one of lifes greates pleasures" and "[the guinea pig's] nose remains, for me, one of the most engaging of is physical assets. With the line of its split upper lip, below the flair of its delicate nostrils, it always reminds me of a lovingly stitched "y" on upon the face of a child's dearly cherished teddy bear." I thought such phrases as these were funny, and made for entertaining reading-rather than boring encyclopedia style. However Gurney manages to pull this off with a wealth of information as well. Also, a prime advantage of this book is the pictures. Peter Gurney has around 35 adorable guinea pigs. They are featured in the book in wonderful quality photos. If it is a book about guinea pigs you want this is probably your best bet.

All Guinea pig enthusiasts know Peter Gurney, and have spend many an hour researching and reviewing this book. All piggie experts will tell you that this is the book to own, and reference with those difficult questions. Next to biological hand books for veterinarians this is the best book for the care and health of Guinea pigs.

Peter has spent the better half of his life living with Cavys (guinea pigs) and has much to share on the subject. If you own a piggie, buy this book, if you are considering buying or adopting a guinea pig buy this book, if you need to do a school assignment on guinea pigs, buy this book. Just buy it, you won't be sorry.

A must read for any current or potential guinea pig owner! We (the TX Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue) recommend this book to all our new guinea pig adopters.
This book has many color photographs which helps in the depiction of ailments your piggies may suffer from, he also recommends treatments and advices on what products you can use to treat the more common / non life threatening conditions.

This book is a must for any guinea pig owner! It is not a basic facts on guinea pigs book. It gives so much more useful information on how to take of our guinea pigs when problems arise. Especially nice feature is what to do with birthing guinea pigs, their babies, and how to be a wet nurse when necessary.
The aurthor, Peter Gurney, is a guinea pig expert, and has done a great service for guinea pigs and their owners everywhere!

Peter's book is one of the very best on the proper care of guinea pigs. He treats them as serious pets and provides information about their housing, feeding and health needs; and also provides insight into how to identify health needs that the owner can handle. Throughout the book his love of the guinea pig shows through, both in text, comments and photographs. Many of the pictures are of his setup for animals in his fairly small London apartment. If you want some very friendly advice on how to handle your pet guinea pig, this is a great place to start. His advice is provided much as if you were sitting together and having a friendly little chat. He expresses his opinions as opinions and doesn't use a lot of technical terms. The book's only weakness is a lack of "international" nomenclature. Many of the treatments he mentions have to do with English (UK) products, it would help to know what these are in America or Europe.