Hello Wheeklies!
We have a very exciting blog post to share with you today as we got the opportunity to speak with the lovely lady behind Gorgeous Guineas. Chrissie is very passionate about both aromatherapy and guinea pigs, so putting her passions together she created the very first specialized guinea pig skin care line as gorgeous guineas. Read more of Chrissie’s interview with us here!
1. When and how did your passion for Guinea pigs start?
I had guinea pigs as a child and always enjoyed having them around. Many years later I got two as a birthday present from me, to me and adopted many more over the years. Life wouldn’t be complete without guineas around!
2. What sparked the idea to make your own piggie care products and where did the name “Gorgeous Guineas ” come from?
It all happened thanks to a guinea pig called Florence. Flo (as she was affectionately called) appeared in an article in the local paper looking for an experienced home. Several people wanted her, but I ended up being the lucky one to adopt her from the RSPCA via their local guinea pig fosterer Karen in 2002. Shortly afterwards, Karen took in 17 guineas with very bad crusts and scurfy skin.
As she wasn’t having much luck with the Veterinary products on offer, a suggested we might try a few gentle handmade products that included essential oils. I’d always been interested in Aromatherapy, and had completed a Human Diploma Course for my own interest. I’d never made shampoo from scratch before, but I did my research, purchased some ingredients and whizzed up some shampoo and a few other potions.
The results were great, the skin problems soon cleared up and that was the start of Gorgeous Guineas. During 2003 I spent every spare minute researching ingredients, developing products and getting feedback from my “little product testers” from Reading Guinea Pig Rescue and Thistle Cavies Rescue in Scotland (both now closed).
The name came from the fact that the crusty, scurfy guineas soon became gorgeous again with a bit of aromatic help. All the products are specifically tailored for use on guineas – both for routine maintenance (regular bathing / foot care) and problem solving (scurfy skin, external parasites, crusty feet, mouths etc). I started off with just 3 products and over the years, the range grew – often as a result of requests from customers with specific skin problems that they were looking for help with!
3. Most fondest guineapig memory?
Adopting Marvellous Marbles. He was only about 8 weeks old at the time and small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. He had the most gorgeous colouring, amazing personality and grew into a chunky 3lb guinea. Marbles was Flo’s “toy boar” and they lived happily together from 2003 to 2008 when they both went on their way within a couple of months of each other.
4. Lastly what’s your personal recipe for a happy piggie?
A nice big C&C cage with plenty of space for indoor piggy playtime in a shed that is warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. Plenty of good quality meadow hay for the guineas to eat, sleep and play in along with fresh food twice a day, a small amount of dry food, fresh water, along with plenty of herbs and different types of hay for variety.
Bags Of Fun, Chubes and Fiddlestix to keep them amused indoors. A nice run for lawn mowing duties when the weather is suitable, cool in the winter heated in the winter, air conditioned in the summer. Daily cuddles, daily observation and quick checks to ensure they are healthy and easy access to a good guinea-competent Vet (or 3!) for prompt treatment when required. Regular nail trims and a bath every 4-6 weeks to keep their hair and skin in good condition.
Wherever possible, guineas should be allowed to choose their own friends as they are very sociable little creatures and need the companionship of other guineas. This is where reputable guinea pig rescues come into their own as they can help to find a suitable friend for a lone guinea.
A wheekly big thank you to Chrissie for taking the time to do this interview with us. If you’d like to find out more about the gorgeous guinea skin care range you can do so here.
Katie x
Guineapig Wheekly UK Blog 