Guinea pigs and COVID-19

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Sat Apr 18, 2020 7:24 pm


I thought about that too. They are waiving the adoption fee right now which attracts the unthinkable. I just have to hope that anyone with bad intentions towards these animals don't catch on. They do have one rabbit who's been there for several weeks and they just got a ferret in the day after the Abby girl was adopted. Hope they find loving homes too.

DonkeyBrainz

Post   » Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:32 am


I live with my parents (I'm 29 but have health problems) and have been begging them to let me foster guinea pigs during this difficult time, but the answer is no. I don't understand their reasoning since I have 2 full size extra cages and plenty of room. I think their main thought is that I'll grow attached and they'll end up staying forever (which, to be honest, is probably what would happen lol). We do already have 4 cats (not fosters) but they just ignore the piggies. Except for my oldest cat, Penguin. She is their "protector." She sleeps next to their cages at night and the piggies love to groom her :) I've been trying to get it on video because it's adorable but you know how that goes...as soon as they see you they stop XD

I'm assuming everyone knows this already, but just to be sure, remember to clean under your fingernails! I have acrylics so I use a brush to get under them really good. I'm mentioning this partly because someone recently told me there is "no way" that I can be sanitary with acrylics and that I am exposing my pigs and other pets to germs. Obviously I did not take that comment well. I know how to wash my hands for surgical procedures (which is the way I always wash them, being immunocompromised) and no veterinarian has ever had a problem with it before (I keep my nails short. I only have acrylics to stop me from biting my nails.)

Are you guys washing fruits and veggies with soap and water, or just rinsing them well? I'm sorry if that is a stupid question, I just want to be extra safe. Normally I rinse lettuce very well (keep in mind, I share this food with my piggies, I would never give them anything I wouldn't eat), but I'm thinking maybe things like tomatoes and green peppers could be washed with vinegar water. Vinegar and water is my main cleaning product for literally everything because I know it's all natural.

Also, I had no idea about the Amazon thing, but I will use that link from now on!

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:44 pm


"I live with my parents (I'm 29 but have health problems)" - we've got the same situation here.

Soap is not good to use on vegetables. It gets absorbed through pores. The latest I've seen on how to handle veggies is rinsing well.

I don't know about vinegar one way or the other.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:52 pm


I'm just rinsing veggies thoroughly, same as I ordinarily would.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Mon Apr 20, 2020 1:49 pm


I just rinse fruit and veggies with water. I was using a watered-down dish soap spray on cukes since I hate that waxy stuff on the peels. Apparently that's not a good idea, so water it is.

I was aware of the fingernail thing for everyone since my friend's mom who was a nurse always kept her nail short and scrubbed underneath with a nail brush. I do too much crafty stuff to have longer nails, they get in the way.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Mon Apr 20, 2020 6:24 pm


Same with my fingernails. I have no choice but to keep them trimmed. As far as the cucumbers go, I just peel them to avoid that waxy stuff. Everything else gets a thorough rinse.

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:16 pm


Ditto on the cukes.

DonkeyBrainz

Post   » Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:48 am


Thank you everyone!

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M1dn1ght

Post   » Tue May 19, 2020 2:54 pm


Sef -

I get all my pet stuff from Chewy.com and though they are running behind, they are working very hard to get their orders out when they say they will. I am posting here because we had to wait for the credit card to cycle before I could order pellets for my boys and I had to cut it pretty close with the deliveries being behind.

What advice would you offer to someone who runs out of pellets before a fresh supply comes? As someone who is at high risk for developing severe symptoms if I'm infected with Covid-19, my whole family is in lockdown and none of us can just nip out to the store to pick up a fresh bag.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue May 19, 2020 3:07 pm


Can you harvest fresh clean grass from your lawn? Introduce slowly?
https://www.guinealynx.info/forages.html

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Tue May 19, 2020 3:08 pm


I've used curbside pickup. I ordered some vitamin c tabs & paid for them online. Drove over and called them from my car. Popped my trunk and left them in there for 3 days. I didn't even roll my window down. I don't know if you'd be comfortable with that.

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M1dn1ght

Post   » Tue May 19, 2020 4:23 pm


I can harvest fresh grass from my lawn! Our lawn is completely organic. I harvest dandelions all the time for them. I just wasn't sure about how to give them an all-grass diet when they've been on pellets. Thanks, Lynx! This is super-helpful!

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