Today, I want to share the story of how we began our guinea pig product company, GuineaDad. The journey started with the adoption of my first guinea pig, Peanut, in June 2016. Peanut and her friend Tofu became the foundation of what we now know as GuineaDad and BunnyDad.
Early Beginnings of Our Guinea Pig Product Company
It all started when my friend’s school lab decided to stop keeping guinea pigs for animal rights reasons. These guinea pigs needed a new home, and I eagerly offered to adopt them. Excited, I went to Petco and bought all the supplies: pellets, paper bedding, a water bottle, hay, a pigloo, a cage, and treats.
However, the next day, I learned that a lab assistant had decided to adopt all the guinea pigs because she was very attached to them. Now, I had all these guinea pig products, but no guinea pig. Determined, I went back to Petco and found the smallest guinea pig there, who seemed to be getting bullied by a bigger one.
She was so cute and small that I named her Peanut. Little did I know, this sassy, bossy guinea pig would turn out to be a real character.
Adjusting to a New Home
I was super excited to bring Peanut home. I set up her cage and expected her to be happy away from the bully. But Peanut was super shy and scared. She hid in the pigloo’s corner, not wanting to come out to eat or drink.
I gave her some time alone and turned to Google for help. I remember typing “raising guinea pig for the first time” and “how to make my guinea pigs happy.” The first thing that caught my attention was that guinea pigs are social animals and need friends.
Finding a Friend
A few days later, I went back to Petco and saw another small, tri-colored guinea pig who seemed really shy too. I didn’t want a bigger guinea pig that might bully Peanut, so I adopted the shy one and named her Tofu.
Following advice from Google, I introduced them in a clean bathtub with veggies sprinkled around. It was a bit scary, but they seemed to get along, or at least were too distracted by the carrots and lettuce to care.
New Dynamics
Once Tofu joined Peanut, their personalities began to shine. Peanut, being a bit older, started poking Tofu and asserting herself. Fortunately, Tofu was very indifferent and let Peanut be the boss.
Watching them interact and grow comfortable with each other was heartwarming and solidified my love for these amazing pets. It was Tofu’s presence that made me realize the importance of friendship and companionship, not just for guinea pigs, but for all of us. This realization was the spark that eventually led to the creation of our guinea pig product company, GuineaDad.
The Power of Friendship
The most important takeaway from this story is the effect of friendship. Seeing how Peanut’s personality flourished with the right companion was incredibly heartwarming. Just like Peanut, I believe in having the right person near me to encourage and create a more fruitful and meaningful life.
I hope everyone can find that special someone, whether it’s a person, a cute friend like a guinea pig, rabbit, cat, dog, or any other pet out there.
Next Episode
Stay tuned for the next episode, where I’ll introduce Dumpling, the third member of our awesome trio, and share more about how our guinea pig product company, GuineaDad, came to be. And here’s a hint: Tofu played a crucial role in the birth of GuineaDad, and I can’t wait to tell you how.
Thank you for being part of our journey. Your support means everything to us. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow our blog for more exciting content. See you next time!
