Many students at Elizabethtown College have cats and dogs at home, but it becomes far and few when it comes to guinea pigs. Sophomore early childhood education major Michaela Taylor has two precious guinea pigs who live with her at home.
Taylor found her love for these tiny creatures back in 2018 when she adopted her first guinea pig. Wiggles changed Taylor’s life for the better as soon as she was exposed to this adorable furry friend. Wiggles was a black and white guinea pig and was cagemates with one of Taylor’s current guinea pigs, Galileo. Wiggles means an incredible amount to Taylor because he was her very first pet.
Currently, Taylor just has two guinea pigs, Galileo and Pablo. Both of these fur babies have incredible warrior stories. Galileo is a white guinea pig who has two disabilities. He struggles with vertigo and vestibular syndrome. He developed this after an ear infection which led to severe ear damage, also causing poor motor skills.
Despite Galileo’s struggles, he thrives! Taylor says his giant personality shines through. Galileo is not shy and will shake and bite the cage to get her attention. When Galileo wants to be fed or held, he knows how to communicate perfectly. Galileo will be turning 6 years old this March.
Pablo is Taylor’s other guinea pig. Pablo was found abandoned on the side of a road in the middle of winter, freezing, scared and alone. Taylor volunteered to be his caretaker. She admits that when she first got him, he was incredibly skittish and shy. Thankfully, since his rescue, Pablo has come out of his shell and exposed his spunky and playful personality. Unfortunately, this leaves Pablo’s specific age a mystery, but it is estimated that he is about 3 to 4 years old.
The small but mighty pets love to munch on tasty foods such as lettuce and biscuits but also enjoy plenty of hay. When asked about her favorite part of taking care of guinea pigs, Taylor said, “There are a lot of things that can go into it but raising them and learning how different each one is and their accommodations. They have such big personalities in such little bodies.”
Guinea pigs are not as common of a pet compared to dogs or cats, but Taylor was enthusiastic about how they are just as loveable. Taylor advocates that they should be more validated in veterinary care and should be seen as more than just a rodent. Galileo and Pablo are her babies, and Taylor wants to see them be treated right by society.
“People should overlook the fact that they are rodents,” Taylor said.
When asked about the difficulty of caring for guinea pigs, it can be said that they are a handful, but so are all pets. Taylor explains that guinea pigs are amazing first time pets and make an excellent addition to the family.
Galileo and Pablo, along with Taylor’s previous fur babies, have done wonders for her life and she absolutely adores getting the opportunity to raise such incredible creatures.
