Ok - hands up - I was a little harsh in my dissing of the fishes!
We had a tank of minnows and a tank with 2 boggly eyed black fish - I never realised how much work they would need to look after them and I couldn't even have a cuddle! They were sweet but not my pet of choice - now, guinea pigs are a whole different matter! 
nothing wrong with fish.... had one of my goldfish (comet) in the pond for 26yrs & i was gutted when i lost him
i have a fish in my indoor aquarium that that i've had at least 21yrs & a couple of my fish (Oscars) have had far more personality than it sounds like your ex friend has @MJG .
they used to keep moving ornaments around, getting strop ons, follow me from one end of the tank to the other watching what i was doing & yet the first one loved his tummy being tickled, the other got addicted to peeled frozen(defrosted) peas being hand fed to him
if people are shallow enough to be that inconsiderate & hurtful to you about your pets, they are not worth your friendship
you are obviously the better person, just ignore him as a waste of space. he's probably just jealous he's so inferior to you & the guineas.
if he finds getting a dog is acceptable as a "proper" pet, then how does it work that my brother has a chihuahua that is actually lighter in weight than one of my guineas?hmm go figure that! (i also have a dog Alsation x Ridgeback (not little), ponds, aquarium & in the past i have had a labrador cross, cats & hamsters... oh & shared my brothers mice, stick insects & shared a rabbit with my next door neighbour when i was at primary school - so quite a selection).
wonder if he has obnoxious kids like him?
& yes your boy is utterly adorableswoon
xx
they just weren't the pet for me. How wonderful for your to have yours for such a long time - losing any pet after all that time is devastating *goes and stands in corner in shame*
Her's is 7 years old and can be very cute and loving (especially when there's food/treats to be had) but can then become inexplicably sulky and grumpy... HANG ON A MINUTE, SHE SOUNDS LIKE SHE MIGHT BE A GUINEA PIG 
@GPTV Kids? That's one pet I've not had - I understand their food and hutch requirements are extensive, costly and unpredictable. My sister has one - whom I adore - but I'm expected to buy food and treats when I see it even though I'm not the owner
ok you can come out of the naughty corner nowI stand corrected re. fish being boring
you're forgiven 
