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Cavy Book Reviews

There are so many guinea pig books available, but not all of them give up-to-date advice. Some are more readable than others, some have great information in some resepcts but poor details in other areas.

Due to those reasons I am currently writing a care book, full of up-to-date, useful, unique information about the modern day care of guinea pigs. I am planning to have it complete and ready to send out to various publishers within 6 months.

For now, I have reviewed some of the 15 care books I have to advise you on which books are better in which areas, and to give an overall grade for the book. I mark them based on the information I give on my website and the information I have researched at other updated cavy websites. I will grade each section out of 5:

1 - very poor;
2 - not great;
3 - average;
4 - better than most;
5 - excellent.

I will use an exact same star system to rate the overall book.

Please remember that not everyone will agree with my opinions on these books; as a very knowledgeable, respected cavy carer I have given my "professional" opinion on them and I am sorry if you do not agree with me. These are only basic guides to advise you on which guinea pig book gives the most useful, safe information bearing in mind the modern day revelations.

Title:
Guinea Pig-lopedia
A Complete Guide to Guinea Pig Care

Authors:
Margaret Elward & Mette Ruelokke

Information Scores:

Getting your piggy - 3
Housing size guide - 2
Feeding - 4
Behaviour - n/a
Health - 4

Overall book review:

Very detailed in some aspects. A little outdated in some areas, but generally one of the better ones. Does contain details on breeding and showing - however there is no outstanding warning of the dangers of breeding.

I give this book three stars:
* * *

Title:
Guinea Pigs
A Complete Pet Owner's Manual

Authors:
Katrin Behrend

Information Scores:

Getting your piggy - 2
Housing size guide - 2
Feeding - 1
Behaviour - 3
Health - 2

Overall book review:

Not very detailed and aimed more at a younger audience. Some information is outdated. There is barely any information on feeding at all; just a quick 9-point checklist and a couple of tiny hints on a couple of pages of the book.

I give this book two stars
* *

Title:
The Guinea Pig Handbook

Authors:
Sharon L. Vanderlip, D.V.M

Information Scores:

Getting your piggy - 3
Housing size guide - 2
Feeding - 3
Behaviour - 4
Health - 3

Overall book review:

This book is very detailed. As with most others, it is slightly outdated in some areas. Some advice given is poor - such as the recommendation of exercise wheels, and the housing size recommendations. However it is a good book and one worth looking through if you cannot access any great guinea pig websites (other than this one!). In terms of the health section, it is quite detailed, but some advice given isn't too great.

I give this book three stars
* * *

Title:
Care For Your Guinea Pig
RSPCA Pet Guide
[3rd Edition]

Authors:
RSPCA

Information Scores:

Getting your piggy - 1
Housing size guide - n/a
Feeding - 2
Behaviour - n/a
Health - 2

Overall book review:

The RSPCA guide (3rd Edition; published 2004) is very, very basic. The advice given is simple and not always very good. Considering this is from the RSPCA I expected a lot more.

I give this book one star
*

Title:
[Family Pet Guides]
Guinea Pig
A practical guide to caring for your guinea pig

Authors:
Peter Gurney

Information Scores:

Getting your piggy - 2
Housing size guide - 2
Feeding - 3
Behaviour - 3
Health - 3

Overall book review:

Peter Gurney is considered a "guinea pig guru" in the guinea pig world. After hearing this I was disappointed to see how outdated some of the information in the book is. Some information is acceptable, but there are many things that need to be improved in it.

I give this book three stars
* * *

Title:
The Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide

Authors:
Myra Mahoney

Information Scores:

Getting your piggy - 2
Housing size guide - 3
Feeding - 3
Behaviour - n/a
Health - 3

Overall book review:

The house size guide was okay. The size recommended for two piggies is much better than most, but the size for one pig reverts to the "old" recommendation of 2ft^2.Some aspects are outdated as with most other books.

I give this book three stars
* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Cavy Book Reviews There are so many guinea pig books available, but not all of them give up-to-date advice. Some are more readable than others, some have great information in some resepcts but poor details in other areas. Due to those reasons I am currently writing a care book, full of up-to-date, useful, unique information about the modern day care of guinea pigs. I am planning to have it complete and ready to send out to various publishers within 6 months. For now, I have reviewed some of the 15 care books I have to advise you on which books are better in which areas, and to give an overall grade for the book. I mark them based on the information I give on my website and the information I have researched at other updated cavy websites. I will grade each section out of 5: 1 - very poor; 2 - not great; 3 - average; 4 - better than most; 5 - excellent. I will use an exact same star system to rate the overall book. Please remember that not everyone will agree with my opinions on these books; as a very knowledgeable, respected cavy carer I have given my "professional" opinion on them and I am sorry if you do not agree with me. These are only basic guides to advise you on which guinea pig book gives the most useful, safe information bearing in mind the modern day revelations. ~ Title: Guinea Pig-lopedia A Complete Guide to Guinea Pig Care Authors: Margaret Elward & Mette Ruelokke Information Scores: Getting your piggy - 3 Housing size guide - 2 Feeding - 4 Behaviour - n/a Health - 4 Overall book review: Very detailed in some aspects. A little outdated in some areas, but generally one of the better ones. Does contain details on breeding and showing - however there is no outstanding warning of the dangers of breeding. I give this book three stars: *** * *** ~ Title: Guinea Pigs A Complete Pet Owner's Manual Authors: Katrin Behrend Information Scores: Getting your piggy - 2 Housing size guide - 2 Feeding - 1 Behaviour - 3 Health - 2 Overall book review: Not very detailed and aimed more at a younger audience. Some information is outdated. There is barely any information on feeding at all; just a quick 9-point checklist and a couple of tiny hints on a couple of pages of the book. I give this book two stars * * ~ Title: The Guinea Pig Handbook Authors: Sharon L. Vanderlip, D.V.M Information Scores: Getting your piggy - 3 Housing size guide - 2 Feeding - 3 Behaviour - 4 Health - 3 Overall book review: This book is very detailed. As with most others, it is slightly outdated in some areas. Some advice given is poor - such as the recommendation of exercise wheels, and the housing size recommendations. However it is a good book and one worth looking through if you cannot access any great guinea pig websites (other than this one!). In terms of the health section, it is quite detailed, but some advice given isn't too great. I give this book three stars * * * ~ Title: Care For Your Guinea Pig RSPCA Pet Guide [3rd Edition] Authors: RSPCA Information Scores: Getting your piggy - 1 Housing size guide - n/a Feeding - 2 Behaviour - n/a Health - 2 Overall book review: The RSPCA guide (3rd Edition; published 2004) is very, very basic. The advice given is simple and not always very good. Considering this is from the RSPCA I expected a lot more. I give this book one star * ~ Title: [Family Pet Guides] Guinea Pig A practical guide to caring for your guinea pig Authors: Peter Gurney Information Scores: Getting your piggy - 2 Housing size guide - 2 Feeding - 3 Behaviour - 3 Health - 3 Overall book review: Peter Gurney is considered a "guinea pig guru" in the guinea pig world. After hearing this I was disappointed to see how outdated some of the information in the book is. Some information is acceptable, but there are many things that need to be improved in it. I give this book three stars * * * ~ Title: The Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide Authors: Myra Mahoney Information Scores: Getting your piggy - 2 Housing size guide - 3 Feeding - 3 Behaviour - n/a Health - 3 Overall book review: The house size guide was okay. The size recommended for two piggies is much better than most, but the size for one pig reverts to the "old" recommendation of 2ft^2.Some aspects are outdated as with most other books. I give this book three stars * * * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COPYRIGHT LAURA HUMPHREYS 2006-08