I’m suddenly a hands-off piggie parent.
My guinea pig,Honey, has been on medication since September and just recently passed on towards the Rainbow Bridge.
That leaves two: Chai and Mu-Xi. Chai has never been a problematic guinea pig but she used to be called The Militia, always being able to evade me when I tried to take her out of the cage. Now she’s old and I can easily pick her up as she’s entered her 7th year.
However, to pick up Chai usually means I break out in a rash. She has just that type of fur that my allergies hate.
Then there is Mu-Xi. All 1000+ grams of her… fearing for her life… always thinking I’m trying to eat her. When I can calm her down and assure her that today, no ma’am, not today… I won’t be eating you yet… then I get to give her snacks. She’s also shown that she gets very excited when it’s time for me to put new hay out in the pen.

I have two very hands-off guinea pigs.
You could always talk to Honey and she’d talk back at you and allow you to pet her and I scooped her up every day for her medication. *singsong* Honey-Dew *yoink* medicines!
She was a good kid.

on the other hand, I prepared for this over the last few years by getting birds. Toddlers with wings that never truly want to leave you alone, oh no *laughter* I brought this one on myself with the birds. I thought that they would be a great idea seeing as how they have extended longevity and I have a problem with wanting to adopt every short-lived rodent that ever came along my path.

It’s not the same. I love rodents. I used to have rats and I used to have so many more guinea pigs. Now I’m down to two. Just me, and the two guinea pigs, ages 7 and 2.