This is Charlie

[Nyingjé Tso]

...And he is awesome ! AWESOME !

Just my roommate...I mean, Guinea pig.

See ? See how AWESOME he is ?

Anyway just to share about this animal: before having Charlie, I had a hamster. And I have to say hamsters are quite stupid creatures (sorry for hamsters lovers, I just don't understand hamsters...) So I assume Guinea pigs were also as dumbs as hamsters.
Well, I was so wrong !
I got this guy totally by chance. I was alone and seeking company (animal company of course) and one night, my family just called me saying "hey, a friend of ours wants to get rid of their guinea pig, he is not treated well, you want him?"
I could I say no when it comes to mistreated animal ? I wasn't going to leave this thing dying in a dark cave without food and covered in excrements !

And that's how we met...

He was very very skinny (no food) and very very shy (never had good experience with human contact...) it took months and months before he finally accept to look at my face and interact with me. I guess he finally understood he wasn't in a bad family anymore...And he quickly gained the missing weight he needed !

Guinea pigs are awesome, and absolutely not dumb. I mean really. Charlie is as cute and as manipulative as a cat when he wants something. When I get up in the morning, he wakes up. When I sit to have breakfast, he sits in front of his bowl...And if he sees me eating without gaving him his carrot/salad, he is mad and PWIIIK PWIIIIK PWIIIK at me until I serve him.

When I watch TV, he watch TV too, and that's awesome. I tried to determine if he was really watching TV...So I put my hand in front of his eyes. Guess what ? He turned angry and headbutted my hand to see the TV !

He was a shy, traumatized animal and now he is just like a princess, always with a whim !
But can you say no to that face ? CAN YOU ? D:

Yet he is not completely an ungrateful jerk, he also have his "look how I'm cute, pet me!' times:

He is also a weird guy and sometimes sleep on his food for no apparent reason:

And he also looooove to go outside and pretend he is hidden by the very grass he is eating...No seriously, throw your lawnmoyer, this little a guy is a eating machine when it comes to clear a garden.
He is so cute with his little leash !

Okay so: many people tend to believe Guinea pigs, like hamsters or bunnies, are good for childrens...Not really. It's a very fragile creature and have to be manipulated with caution. He need calm and peace to socialize also, unless you want a dumb shy sociopath guinea pig...

So, students, adults, if you don't have money or space for a cat or a dog, these little guys are just perfect. Just like cats and dogs, guinea pigs have their own character and are very social and active creatures (Charlie being an exception, I've never seen such a lazy guy in all my life)

Unlike bunnies, guinea pigs generally don't eat cables, but it may depend on individuals. I knew someone who had a guinea pig that was completely free to run everywhere in the house all day, and like a cat when he needed to use the toilets, he just came back on his litter on his own. So yeah, they are clever and can learn those kind of things.
But of course, it requires patience. Charlie didn't trusted me so easily and it took months for him to just accept food from my hand. Well considering his tragic past he may have took a while longer however.

They don't cost very much...I buy cat litter for him (1euro) and also he need green hay (1,50euro). His food however cost more (4 to 8 euros for a pack) and they need also to eat a lot of vegetables like salad, carrot, etc...But they are not expensive, and the good side of it is that it makes you eat vegetables too !

Strictly vegetarian animal. They are not made to eat anything else and can get sick very quickly if you give them non-veg food or if they lack food for a long time.

There are different types of guinea pigs depending of their hairs: regular ones are short haired. Charlie is a breed called peruvian, and they have the longest hairs ! A good mix of the two (short and long haired) is the abyssinian. And if you like weird stuff, there are also a breed of "naked" guinea pig !

One last thing: whatever people say, they DO NOT get along with rabbits ! On the contrary when a guinea pig and a rabbit live together, they will fight...And trust me, a hit with his teeth, and the rabbit can open you little guinea pig's belly wide. They don't have any defensive or offensive hability and have a thin skin, so don't put them with rabbits ! D:


And also, to conclude this mess, here is a picture of a baby guinea pig with a hat that will answer all your questions about the universe and everything

 

[dawny0826]

Charlie is cute. We had guinea pigs growing up. One was named Nutty and our dog loved the thing it was her baby.

I had a hamster named Curmudgeon that recenty passed and it really upset me. I loved that little creature. I've never been much into rodents and didn't think that I could bond with a such a little thing, but, I genuinely loved the little guy. Super fun to watch and funny.

We have a robo hamster. He's tiny and enjoys attention. His name is Robo (very unoriginal). I may never have another rodent for a pet after this one, as they don't live long lives in comparison to dogs and cats and I personally, get too attached.

Have much fun with Charlie.

 

[Obsrvr]

Jaya, enjoyed the heck out of your post. : hamster :

 

[Horrorble]

Aaaaawwwwwww he so ccccuuuuuttteee!! I want one

 

[Madhuri]

Such a cutie!!

 

[lunamoth]

Totally cute. Great post and now I want a guinea pig. : hamster :

 

[Revoltingest]

A revolting ode to Charlie

There once was a pig not from Guinea.
Named Charlie, he's chubby, not skinny.
Way up in the Andes
he comes from there and he's
not really that big. He's a mini.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

After all this time...
He is still there
And he is still awesomely handsome

 

[illykitty]

Awwww! If cats didn't exist, I would so have one! He's so cute and fluffy! My aunt had one and it was so clever and spoke to you and so on.

It's really sweet that you rescued him and I'm sure he is grateful.

 

[Jainarayan]

That is great. Rescuing animals is one of the highest callings, I think. They know they are wanted and loved, and they show it.

 

[Iti oj]

Wow great hair

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

I'm sure he is grateful.

Grateful ? HIM ? Ahahahah not really x') He is really acting exactly like a cat, in the sense that he is the greatest person in the house and that we're all his slaves to feed him Let's not even talk about petting, it's only when he want to, and not the other way around !

But now that sping is there, it's warmer, so we put on the leash and go outside so he can eat fresh grass. Now all the cats of the neighbourhood are our friends x'D I think they are trying to gain our trust so they can eat Charlie
He is really adorable when he is outside, you can really tell by the way he moves and look around that he is happy. And he want more hugs after, as if to say "yaay thank you !"

I've put a empty toilet roll in his place, he plays with it like a dog with a stick ! It's so cute, I should try to film him... He have found a new way to bother me and attract attention: he takes everything he can found in his cage, than he throw it outside (his door is always open, he never jump out of the cage). When he want attention, he thow food, toys, even his food bowl on the floor ! Then he look at me with his cute face and angry eyes like "you forgot something... Human. Bring me the salad at once !"

 

[Knight of Albion]

Adorable!

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

*Suddenly Jaw music pops in*

*JAW MUSIC INTENSIFIES*

*WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE ? RUUUUUUUN !*

... Oh too late. He booped you.