Introduction and Overview:

Overall the eBook “The Ultimate Guide to a Happy Healthy Guinea Pig” is a very good reference guide about the care of your cavies. It gives you a lot of helpful tips on housing, diet, behavior, grooming, common health issues and breeding of these small pets. It also includes information on the history of the animal and some facts about different breeds of guinea pigs.

Product Overview:

The Ultimate Guide to a Happy Healthy Guinea Pig by Rachel Garlick is a 65 page PDF downloadable eBook. It is currently priced at $14.77 while it is being market tested, but the author warns that after the test market concludes it will rise in price to $20.00.

There are three bonuses that were included in the $14.77 price. The bonuses are Guinea Pig Names (PDF format), Guinea Pig Quick Start (PDF format), and Guinea Pig Shopping (HTML Document). The Guinea Pig Names bonus helps you to choose a name for your furry friend from many popular and creative categories like cartoon characters and food. Guinea Pig Quick Start is a guide for the items and supplies you will need when you first bring your piggy home. The last bonus “Guinea Pig Shopping” contains a number of pictures of the items you will need to shop for before you bring your companion home.

What I Like About The Ultimate Guide to a Happy Healthy Guinea Pig

The most important information that is included in this eBook in my opinion is the list of foods that your pig can eat and the foods that can harm or possibly kill your pig. It was especially helpful to read about the dangerous foods for your pigs. For example, did you know potato peels are bad for your pig to eat?

Also, it was interesting to learn that these small rodents and humans share a common trait: we both can’t manufacture vitamin C. That is why it is important that your pig has vitamin C in their pellets, veggies, fruits and a supplement to be healthy and to avoid getting scurvy.

When it comes to shopping for a cage for your pig(s) the bigger the better is the rule. The eBook suggests 7.5 sq. ft (30″x36″) for one and 10.5 sq. ft (30″x50″) for two pigs. This is consistent with what is generally recommended by pig rescue organizations for cage sizes. The eBook informs you that a wire grid bottom for your cage can harm your pig’s delicate feet and definitely should be avoided.

The guide discusses the different behaviors and that your pigs are social animals. This chapter was helpful on understanding my pigs and interpreting what their behavior means.

What I Did Not Like About The Ultimate Guide to a Happy Healthy Guinea Pig

The eBook does not include any information about the Cubes and Coroplast (C&C) cages that are a popular cage system for providing a larger and healthier environment for your small pig. The shopping guide bonus only included pictures of pet store cages that are too small and cramped.

I also would have liked to see a warning about keeping your pigs in an aquarium, which can cause respiratory problems from the ammonia fumes. The glass enclosure does not let the air circulate and the ammonia fumes from the urine can be harmful to your pig.

Rating

I would rate this eBook 4.0 out of 5 stars. The reason I did not rate it 5 stars is because they did not provide any information on how to build or obtain a larger and healthier C&C cage for your pigs that meets their minimum cage-size requirements.

The “Ultimate Guide to a Happy Healthy Guinea Pig” was worth the $14.77 for all of the helpful information and bonuses that it included. It would be especially beneficial for the beginner that never cared for a guinea pig before. Many people do not know the proper diet for a guinea pig and their need for vitamin C. In conclusion, I would recommend it for those that care enough to seek out the knowledge necessary to provide their pig(s) the best living environment possible.

We here at Blue Stone Commerce are pet owners as well as pet cage sellers. In fact, our very first cages were designed and built strictly for our own personal use. It wasn’t until we saw how much happier, more active and content our pigs became when we put them into their new spacious C&C cage; that we realized just how great an environment these cages could offer our pigs.

“The Dog Whisperer” is a popular television show in which a man uses his ability to communicate with dogs to help and train them. Along comes the book “The Man Who Listens to Horses” which tells a similar story about a man who is able to communicate with horses. Monty Roberts is the author, and this is truly a fascinating book that will take the reader on a journey into the internal workings of a horse’s mind. In this article we will not only review this book, but offer some glimpses into some of the highlights as well.

Monty Roberts has a story to tell; not only of himself, but of the horses he loves so much. Monty grew up in an abusive household, and his father was abusive not only to him, but to his horses as well. As Monty grew older he started to formulate a different viewpoint. There must be a better way to communicate with the horses that he loves so much, and he was determined to find out what it was.

The “join-up” technique is the author’s technique to break and train horses. The book goes into great detail on the process, but here it is in a nutshell. You need a round pen and an unbroken horse to start. The handler will stand in the middle of the pen in a very authoritative and imposing way, while the horse is encouraged to run around the pen in attempts to get away. During the process the handler will be looking for signs that the horse wishes to communicate with him. These three signs are:

The ear of the horse that is closest to the handler will turn towards him/her.

The horse will begin a process of licking and chewing.

As the horse runs around the pen he will move his head closer to the ground.

When the handler is assured that the horse wishes to communicate, he/she will turn his back and start to gradually move away. The horse will then come closer to the handler, and permit the handler to touch him. Now that contact has been established, the saddling, bridling, mounting, and riding process can begin.

The book takes us on a journey into Robert’s life (in addition to the “join-up” technique). We learn of the various stages of his life and the events that have helped to shape his view of horses, and the techniques he has developed along the way. Some of the highlights are:

-The author’s successful childhood riding career

-The author’s relationship with his father

-The Thoroughbred racehorse facility that the author developed

-His meeting with Queen Elizabeth II of England

-Wild deer and the use of the “join-up” technique

-His experience with mustang horses

-Three of his favorite horses: Dually, Brownie, and Johnny Tivio

Anyone who loves horses and is looking for a humane way to communicate with them and train them should check out this book. Read it over and let the information wrap around your mind.