Recommended Courses UK

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Gazzdw

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi guys,

After loosing so many pigs without knowing the cause plus a very deep interest in animal behaviour has made me/us want to undertake a course in guinea pig behaviour and health.
I get the sense after searching through the forums that there are very few options. I have come across:

BAR: Rodent Health Advisory - where I have read good and bad feedback. It is a lot of money for something that is not recognised by any awarding bodies or vets. I spoke to someone on the phone from the CCT and visited the 1 page website and I don't get good vibes. Can anyone recommend this still?

Animal Jobs Direct - Level 3 certificate Guinea Pig care and welfare - accredited by ABC Awards (Ofqual recognised body): Guinea Pig Course Certificate
Has anyone completed this?

Ethology Institute Cambridge with ethologist Roger Abrantes: Guinea Pig Camp: Guinea Pig Camp
This is mainly for dog trainers (which I have a background in) wanting to hone their skills through attention to detail training guinea pigs.

If anyone could recommend a guinea pig behaviour/health course (ideally accredited) maybe even a college/university course I would be really appreciative, we are desperate to learn as much as possible about them. Thank you very much!
 
@Gazzdw I don't know anything about the second and third course but I know the first one. I actually did the RHA myself many years ago. I found it interesting and but it hasn't helped with any illnesses that my pigs have suffered since. It is also very outdated.

The problem with doing courses like this is that you won't be a qualified vet afterwards, and so cannot treat your guinea pig yourself.

I would either invest in looking for a good guinea pig vet, or training as a vet or vet nurse.
 
Hmm I would research each course outside of their own websites. I just googled Cambridge cavy trust and other than their page the first link up is this Animal medicines improvement notice: Cambridge Cavy Trust

For me personally, I would not want to be taught how to care for my pets by someone who has been found to be prescribing inappropriate medications.

Guinea pig camp sounds very odd and it doesn't sound like you will gain what you say you are wanting which is a better understanding of piggy behaviour and health.

The second one sounds a lot better depending on whether the content is up to date, however I don't see the point in paying for a course full of material that is freely available online. A lot of the things mentioned about health checks and spotting parasites and illnesses I have learnt through being a member of this forum, reading posts and following vets investigations, reading links through to sites like guinea lynx. Ok I don't have a qualification to show for it but then realistically what am I going to use a qualification on guinea pigs for? (It doesn't fit my line of work).

Particularly for new owners it can be daunting and stressful considering health and whether we have missed anything but I think the best course you can do is with your own piggies, getting to know them and learn with them. You will still get unexpected and unexplained deaths because that's life. With humans these deaths require a post mortem so we generally find out why, this can be done with piggies but it is expensive
 
Gazzdw said:
Hi guys,

After loosing so many pigs without knowing the cause plus a very deep interest in animal behaviour has made me/us want to undertake a course in guinea pig behaviour and health.
I get the sense after searching through the forums that there are very few options. I have come across:

BAR: Rodent Health Advisory - where I have read good and bad feedback. It is a lot of money for something that is not recognised by any awarding bodies or vets. I spoke to someone on the phone from the CCT and visited the 1 page website and I don't get good vibes. Can anyone recommend this still?

Animal Jobs Direct - Level 3 certificate Guinea Pig care and welfare - accredited by ABC Awards (Ofqual recognised body): Guinea Pig Course Certificate
Has anyone completed this?

Ethology Institute Cambridge with ethologist Roger Abrantes: Guinea Pig Camp: Guinea Pig Camp
This is mainly for dog trainers (which I have a background in) wanting to hone their skills through attention to detail training guinea pigs.

If anyone could recommend a guinea pig behaviour/health course (ideally accredited) maybe even a college/university course I would be really appreciative, we are desperate to learn as much as possible about them. Thank you very much!
Click to expand...

Hi, I just wondered if you'd decided to pursue any of the options you mentioned and if so, how are you finding it?
 
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