"I have yet to find a better feeling than making an animal feel good. And there's something deeply fulfilling about knowing that, even in a complicated and often unkind world, you've managed to create a pocket of perfect security and bliss for at least one small creature."
- Izzy
My animals are pretty much my world. There's never been a time in my life that I can remember not having animals in the house. They've just always been around. Currently, I have two guinea pigs and one chinchilla and they're all very ornery and adorable.

I've had Moe for about 4 1/2 years now. We got him when he was a baby. He’s very picky and only eats certain things; carrots, peppers, and spinach, and that's about it. He eats his guinea pig food but he's even picky with that too. He'll squeak every single morning on queue to get your attention to let you know it's time for his breakfast. He's very noisy and also very timid, but once you're holding him, he loves it when you rub his chin. I found Moe on Craigslist from a school teacher who couldn't keep him anymore.
I found Squirtle, my other guinea pig, in a local pet store (not one of the big chain stores) and they get their guinea pigs from local, loving breeders. I got him when he was 5 months old.
He has really developed a personality. Now Squirtle, unlike Moe, eats everything; spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, you name it, he'd probably eat it. He's a little garbage disposal!
He squeaks a lot for attention and when he does, it's very loud, but once you hold him he's all good. I can hold Squirtle and he'll just get all comfy under my chin and it just makes me so happy because he feels safe with me. I guess what I really love about animals is the fact that they're genuine and honest with you no matter what.

Furby is my chinchilla. He is very ornery, but also will cuddle you if it's on his terms. He likes hay, apple wood sticks, and even pop tarts, but only every once in a while.
He likes to jump around a lot and go really high and then falls down. Chinchillas are really fragile, so I get worried sometimes when he jumps too much. He likes to playfully nibble on fingers and also will bark if he doesn't get his way. Furby came from a friend of ours who found out they were allergic to chinchillas!
These are my babies and they make me feel safe. They're all so full of energy and humor, and I love them so much.
I have yet to find a better feeling than making an animal feel good. And there's something deeply fulfilling about knowing that, even in a complicated and often unkind world, you've managed to create a pocket of perfect security and bliss for at least one small creature.
It is also disgusting to know that “fur from China is often deliberately mislabeled as fur from other species and is exported to countries throughout the world to be sold to unsuspecting customers in retail stores.” (source) Guinea pigs are also used in research and experiments, and many times these experiments are painful. In fact, “every year more than 200,000 guinea pigs die because they're forced to breathe in tobacco smoke or locked in boxes for breeding and then the pregnant guineas are given alcohol which causes birth defects to their babies.” (source)
How can people do such things to small, helpless animals?