Video.....Old Guinea Pig Care Book.....Terrible!

Nothing is showing up for me on your link, but care information has changed a lot over the years!
 
It certainly has changed! I had my first piggies when the boys where little, the only information I could find was a book about guinea pigs. My Mum's partner made them a hutch (he was a Cabinet Maker) to the specifications in the book - 4ft x 2ft for 2 piggies which I now know is too small for 2 boys. Lenny and Gizmo lived happily in that hutch and came out when the weather was nice in their 6ft x 2ft run on the grass (made by my Mum's partner). They got no health checks or weigh ins, no nail clips, ate muesli and never saw the vet in the 4 years for Lenny and 5 years for Gizmo that I had them except for a week before Lenny died when he had a massive abscess come up and burst on his neck overnight. They were looked after as well as I could at the time.
 
I’m glad I didn’t have Guinea pigs as a child because there was no internet in the 80s. Also, I don’t know if my parents were available to pick up the slack of a little kid who’s not going to look after them 💯 %.

I have 5 Guinea pigs today and while I say they’re my kids Guinea pigs. I think they’re actually mine because I do 90% of the work and I still enjoy them daily.
 
piggieminder said:
Things have changed hugely since I first had guinea pigs 54 years ago! I have a collection of old guinea pig books, one from the 1890s! I wouldn't follow any of the advise in the books now but they make interesting reading and the pictures are lovely!
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Wow! The book from the 1890's would be so interesting to read.
 
Gem789 said:
Wow! The book from the 1890's would be so interesting to read.
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You can find it on line for sale occasionally but it's expensive! I'm sure I read somewhere it can be downloaded cheaply as it's out of copyright but I can't find the link now. I'm not very good with google! I'll come back to this thread if I find it.
It's called The Guinea Pig for Food, Fur, and Fancy. I skip the food chapter, I'm far too sensitive for that! It's by C. Cumberland, F.Z.S.
There's a picture in the front of the breeds at the time - English smooth, Abyssinian and a Peruvian that looks just like my Timmy.
 
piggieminder said:
You can find it on line for sale occasionally but it's expensive! I'm sure I read somewhere it can be downloaded cheaply as it's out of copyright but I can't find the link now. I'm not very good with google! I'll come back to this thread if I find it.
It's called The Guinea Pig for Food, Fur, and Fancy. I skip the food chapter, I'm far too sensitive for that! It's by C. Cumberland, F.Z.S.
There's a picture in the front of the breeds at the time - English smooth, Abyssinian and a Peruvian that looks just like my Timmy.
Click to expand...
Is it this one?
(Hopefully this link works!)
I find old animal care guides so upsetting but also so amusing to read. It’s amazing how far animal care has come!
 
Even some modern books aren’t great on pig and other small animal care.

I work in a college library at a site that teaches Animal Management diplomas and also runs some veterinary nursing courses. Finding books can be a challenge for some species. Even some of the BSAVA texts aren’t great on pig care. 🤔

Luckily I can add web links to the library catalogue. 😊
 
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