Is it safe to take care of (feed, change the cage bedding, etc) guinea pigs when you are pregnant?
Answers:
I have never heard of any issues. Really, the only thing you could catch from a guinea pig would be ringworm (this is a fungus and NOT a worm) if your piggie had that. Ringworm is quite obvious (patches of hair loss, intense scratching) in pigs, so if your piggie had this, you'd know it.
As far as changing the bedding, I would use caution no matter what animal I owned. Just use regular hygiene precautions such as always washing your hands thoroughly after touching dirty bedding. You should be fine.
Touching the feed should pose no problem. Petting your piggie should not be a problem either. It would probably lower your stress level! LOL!
Good luck!
As far as I know the only animals people freak out about are cats, and even then they can only infect the woman if it's been eating birds and mice etc. The disease is called toxoplasmosis and I think people ought to ease their minds a bit if their cats are indoor pets! I cleaned my boxes while pregnant with both of my kids!
not that i know of.
id ring your doctor, hed be able to tell you.
The only animal I was told to stay away from (the litter) was our cat, toxoplasmosis (sp). I told the dr. about the guinea pig and she didn't say anything about staying away from him.
Guinea pigs are widely considered to be good pets. If handled correctly early in their life, they become very amenable to being picked up and carried, and seldom bite or scratch. They are timid explorers, and rarely attempt to escape from their cages, even when an opportunity presents itself. Guinea pigs who become familiar with their owner will whistle upon approach; they will also learn to whistle in response to the rustling of plastic bags or the opening of refrigerator doors, where their food is stored.
Domesticated guinea pigs come in many breeds which have been developed since their arrival in Europe and North America. These varieties vary widely in hair and color composition. The most common varieties found in pet stores are the English shorthair (also known as the American), which have a short, smooth coat, and the Abyssinian, whose coat is ruffled with cowlicks, or rosettes. Also popular among breeders are the Peruvian and the Sheltie (or Silkie), both straight longhair breeds, and the Texel, a curly longhair.
I have never heard any human health problem cases caused by guinea pigs. However, please consult your vet just to make sure about guinea pigs' health issues.
I would have someone else clean the cage because of the amount of dust if you are using shavings.
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