Ginger the Hamster
Well, almost. This furry pet is a precious guinea pig named “Ginger” that is staying with us for a week, while her owner is off at Summer Camp.
Ginger’s owner is a friend of Broadway’s and brought Ginger home a few months ago. Imagineer has been desperately hoping we will relent and say “yes” to her constant requests for a guinea pig, so when the opportunity came up to babysit a guinea pig, we jumped at it.
What better way to learn the daily responsibilities than than babysitting for a week?
Imagineer has already learned how to clean the cage and re-stuff it with bedding and hay. Guinea pigs enjoy eating hay – who knew? I learn something new every day.
Will Imagineer finally become an owner of a cute guinea pig?
We have been hesitating because we do not feel that Dusty gets enough attention. However, Imagineer is showing quite a bit of maturing these days, and I am warming up to the idea of another furry family member. Imagineer is brushing Dusty’s hair more often and giving him daily walks.
Imagineer will be 9 in a few months, and it really is quite amazing how that number seems to be a turning point for many kids. She just seems to understand responsibility more. For example, she will remind me when it is time to go to swim practice, instead of complaining. She will make her bed without much prompting. She wants to know what the list of items is that she will need for third grade , which she will begin in August. These are all excellent signs. 🙂
The question is, “Are Mountain Man and I really ready for another live thing to enter our house?” I have a difficult time just keeping my plants watered. And they are the type of plants that need watering every few weeks. Yes, I’m talking about succulents.
About two years ago, we let Broadway adopt a hamster, and she promised us up and down that she would take good care of him. Well, the excitement lasted about 3 months. It then became a battle of wills when it came time every week to clean Beary’s cage. Not fun at all. Especially since I had a two year old at the time, Bam-Bam. He is 4 1/2 now and much more manageable. 🙂
About a year after bringing Beary home, we had a friend babysit Beary while we went to Disneyland for the week. When we came back, we noticed that this friend and her family loved Beary. So, I spoke with Broadway and we agreed to offer Beary and the cage, food etc… to our friend. They were thrilled and loved little Beary for a good year and a half or so, and gave him lots of attention, which made us all very happy.
Anyway, it does not seem fair to not let Imagineer try out having her own pet just because of her sister’s experience. So, we’ll see…..
Benefits of Guinea Pigs over Hamsters
- Guinea Pigs are nocturnal – love this! Hamsters typically are running on their wheels all night long. The quiet wheels help, but still….
- Guinea Pigs live 5-6 years – Hamsters live about 2-3 years, which is just so sad. Its so hard to say goodbye to a loved pet, and every 2-3 years would be very stressful.
- Guinea Pigs are cuddly – Since they are much larger than hamsters, you can really cuddle with these little guys, and they do not feel as vulnerable and weak.
- Guinea Pigs are social – They really enjoy being taken out of their cage and handled. They love being fed carrots, romaine lettuce and apples in particular. At least, thats been our experience this week.
As you can probably tell, by reading between the lines, I think the guinea pig is a pretty cool pet.
Still trying to decide if Imagineer is ready for the responsibility. We’ll see….
Have you ever had a guinea pig in your home? What was your experience like?
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