Image courtesy of Twitter

Justin Bieber's Hamster, PAC.

TMZ posted a poor quality video where you can see Justin walking towards a mob of screaming fans. It’s difficult to see anything but the report claims he then hand his hamster cage to a female fan saying, “That’s all you,” followed shortly by “You gotta take care of PAC.” The fan screams, “I will take care of him!”

Jonathan Stinson of The Sand Mountain Reporter revealed the fan was Victoria McClure of Albertville, Alabama, and posted a photo of the fan with what appears to be Justin’s cage. Since receiving Justin’s pet, her popularity online has skyrocketed to 7,000 Twitter followers. McClure tells fans she hasn’t owned a hamster since she was seven but planned to consult a veterinarian on Wednesday to learn proper care techniques.

Ideally, pet owners should provide the best care possible for the life of the pet. Acquiring hamsters and guinea pigs as “starter pets” is a common problem. Perhaps Justin should have chosen a pet that was better suited for his living situation. However life on the road, as in a concert tour, can be incredibly stressful for any animal or human.

In March 2010, Popdirt.com reports Justin said, “My biggest heartbreak moment was when my hamster died… I was 7, and it was the first thing that ever died in my life. It was a very sad moment.” In November 2011, Justin sold his young Boa Constrictor, Johnson, on Charitybuzz.com for $1,000 and donated the money to Pencils of Promise, an organization that builds schools around the world. He introduced the snake at the MTV Video Music Awards in August of that same year.

The eighteen year old heartthrob first announced his new tour pet, PAC, on October 20th and posted a photo on his Twitter feed claiming “I will bring him to every meet n greet.” That puts his pet owner commitment at less than two months assuming he acquired the hamster the same day he posted the Tweet. It’s unclear exactly what type of dwarf hamster Justin owned but they can usually live about two years.

There is only speculation surrounding why Justin felt the need to abandon his pet in this way. One comment made by limepenguin67 hinted on Twitter, “I heard it was because he couldn’t bring PAC on the plane. Sad isn’t it?”

Did Justin Bieber set a bad example for small pet owners? What do you think?

If you have a great idea for an article about guinea pigs, please let us know. Guinea Pig Today is a network of guinea pig lovers and we’re always looking for the next great story. View our submissions page for more information on how to submit your idea.

Image courtesy of iStock

For one couple in Clarksville, Tennessee, a discussion over the feeding of their guinea pig got one man charged with domestic violence. Emmanuel Igbokwe, 31, was released on $250 bond after allegedly pushing his girlfriend and causing her to almost fall down the stairs. According to police reports, the victim told police she was walking down the stairs when the argument occurred. Igbokwe denied touching his girlfriend.

For your health and the health of your pet, Guinea Pig Today recommends coming to a peaceful agreement on how to care for your pets before bringing guinea pigs into your home. Some guinea pig rescues will require you to sign a contract before bringing your pet home ensuring you are well educated of the proper techniques of cavy care.

Have you had an argument over the care of your guinea pig? Share your experience in the comments below.

If you have a great idea for an article about guinea pigs, please let us know. Guinea Pig Today is a network of guinea pig lovers and we’re always looking for the next great story. View our submissions page for more information on how to submit your idea.

Image courtesy of Vitakraft Bedding

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Holly Hoffman, Director of Marketing for Vitakraft Sunseed is pleased to introduce the new ECO-Bedding for small animals. The clean, absorbent and dust-free bedding is made of 100 percent recycled double-layer paper and is ideal for pet rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, ferrets and chinchillas. Simply spread on the bottom of the cage and remove and replace when soiled.

“We are excited to introduce our newest line of earth-friendly bedding for small animals,” said Hoffman. “Not only do the paper crinkles expand and absorb quickly to help reduce odors, but the bedding is a simple way to provide pets with a safe, clean and comfortable home.”

The earth-friendly ECO-Bedding helps reduce odors and features Super-Clean, high-absorbency, double-layer paper crinkles, expanding to more than 30 Liters. The hypoallergenic bedding is completely dust-free and made in the USA. Eco-Bedding is available in 1.5-pound packages in purple/white, blue/white and brown varieties.

For more information, hi-res images or interview opportunities visit www.vitakraftsunseed.com or contact Jamie Brant at 775-322-4022 or Jamie@theimpetusagency.com.

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Celebrating 175 years of expertise in pet care and nutrition, Vitakraft of Germany joined with Sunseed of Ohio, celebrating over 30 years in the pet industry, to create VitakraftSunseed Inc. in 2008. They now offer a wide range of more than 500 products, including bird and small animal food, treats, supplements and accessories and dog, cat and horse treats. By offering a wide selection, the company works to help ensure every type of pet gets theproper care and nutrition.

If you have a great idea for an article about guinea pigs, please let us know. Guinea Pig Today is a network of guinea pig lovers and we’re always looking for the next great story. View our submissions page for more information on how to submit your idea.

Image courtesy of Michiko Vartanian

An example of a guinea pig cage with a loft. Whenever possible, more room is better!

Guinea pigs like to roam, and popcorn, and run around. Most cages that can be bought at typical pet stores are not going to provide enough room for your guinea pig to get proper exercise, or to satisfy the instinct to roam and run. So here are some tips:

What type of cage is best?
We use C&C cages, which you can learn about at this website http://www.guineapigcages.com. Our volunteers actually build these cages as a way to fund the rescue. So when we get an adopter who is just learning about proper cage size, many of them just order from us and pick up their piggies and their cage at the same time.

A couple notes of caution on the grids: If you are going to order the storage grids and try to build your own cage, please make sure you order the grids with 9 openings across. Some stores have started selling the grids with larger openings and piggies can get their heads stuck in them. Also, if you have baby guinea pigs, you will need to reinforce the grids to “baby-proof” them until baby is at least 6-9 months old and too big to get his head stuck. We reinforce with grids with thinner openings (which can be bought at most pet stores). Just make sure the openings are small and you can attach the “baby grids” to the outside of your regular grids with cable ties.

What is the proper size?
We recommend that two guinea pigs have a minimum of 8 sq. ft. to stretch their legs in. The rule of thumb with guinea pig cages is: The bigger, the better. So if room is an issue in your house or apartment (as it is for many of us) and you want to give your piggies that extra space to roam in, we recommend a 2”x3” C&aC cage with a loft (pictured). The loft is also very nice for those times when piggies just decide they need their space. The loft serves as a “time out” area where one piggy can go and hang out if he/she feels the need to be alone for awhile.

Of course, if you have a little more room, a 2”x4” with a loft is even better! And you can see pictures on the website link provided of how creative people can be with cage size and structure.

The idea is that, the more room piggies have to roam and play in, the happier they will be. We have had great success in helping two piggies who have decided they don’t like each other work out their issues simply by adding on to their cage and giving them a little more room.

If you have a great idea for an article about guinea pigs, please let us know. Guinea Pig Today is a network of guinea pig lovers and we’re always looking for the next great story. View our submissions page for more information on how to submit your idea.

Image courtesy of Michiko Vartanian

There are many things to consider when adopting a senior guinea pig like Alfredo but their love and care can be very rewarding.

I adopted my first guinea pig, Ethan, when he was almost four years old, and his cagemate, Hobbes, was just over a year old. My adoption counselor at Orange County Cavy Haven made sure that I understood his age and that I really meant to adopt that particular pig. I responded to this email immediately and in no uncertain terms – I wanted Ethan, yes, that pig. The thing is, as I looked through the adoptable pigs on the website, his face just jumped out at me. I fell in love with his picture, and then proceeded to fall in love with the real thing as soon as I held him. Unfortunately, Ethan was only with me for a year and a half (although his “brother,” Hobbes, is still as feisty as ever at five and a half years old now). Of course, I would have loved to have him longer – he was the perfect first guinea pig with a huge personality and he hooked me for life – but I take so much comfort in the life I was able to give Ethan for the time he was with me. He was able to free roam, which he loved. I showered him with treats, toys, and affection. What more could any piggy want?

Then there was Alfredo. Alfredo had been a “sanctuary” pig with the rescue and had many different foster moms along the way. He came to me at nine years old. I was actually just supposed to baby-sit him for a week, but I fell so in love with him and was able to convince his foster mom that he should stay with me because I lived only a block away from the cavy vet and, with his age, that was a major consideration. Alfredo lived with me for only a year, but he was able to free roam and he just loved having so much freedom and a younger boar friend whom he could “show the ropes” to. Because of his advanced age, I had to give him meds for arthritis and for his heart every day, and I had to do boar cleanings on him more often to avoid impaction, but this only made me bond with him more.

There is something so wonderful about taking in an older guinea pig and making those last years of his life special, giving him a place to call home. At Cavy Haven, it is very rare that someone wants to adopt a pig older than one and a half or two years old. This means that many of our pigs live out their lives as fosters. And, although our fosters take very good care of their foster pigs, it often makes me sad to see older pigs – who have so much love and joy to bring to a family – get passed over time and time again.

I hope that anyone considering adopting their next family member, will take a closer look at the older pigs. After all, there is no guarantee with any pig that we get to love them for anything more than just today. And I think you will find that giving an older pig a forever home and a family brings with it so much joy that you won’t regret your decision.

If you have a great idea for an article about guinea pigs, please let us know. Guinea Pig Today is a network of guinea pig lovers and we’re always looking for the next great story. View our submissions page for more information on how to submit your idea.