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Giga Pet
Health Suggestions
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This page reproduces portions of several letters we have received or seen in the newsgroups with suggestions for improving the health of your giga pet. We do not know if they work or not. We only reprint them here as possible suggestions and and "food for thought." Please go to our Giga Pet Health Page to see our entire report on giga pet health.
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997
From:
To: polsong@virtualpet.com
Subject: Re: Giga Pets
Thanks for your help. But I have a solution now. My friend
Jennifer told me. See, when your Giga is healthy but it's score
in health and age and weight is going down, you have to give it
medicine, even though it shows the strong sign, and then after
that give him a bath, and then put it to sleep. My score went
from a 14 to an 83.
-Julie
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997
From: Donna
Newsgroups: alt.toys.virtual-pets
Subject: Re: GigaPet Digital Doggie Health Problem
Gigapets' health is a tricky thing--dependent on not-so-obvious
factors. A few tips I've found will improve the health score:
Give the pet one bath a day--I find it's easier to remember to
do it first thing in the morning.
Never use the discipline button! Keep the discipline level
up by teaching the pet one trick per day. Only give a
snack when the pet learns the trick--too many snacks
are bad for the health.
Every time the pet does the trick scores 10 on the discipline
meter. Try to keep discipline at 100 or close to 100 without
going "over." For example, don't make the pet do the trick
if discipline is at 95. One trick if it's at 90 or 85, two tricks
if it's at 80, etc.
Similarly try to keep the hunger meter as close to 100 as
possible without overfeeding. One nourishing meal=20
points. So don't feed the pet if the hunger meter is above
80. Only feed it once if it's between 61 and 80--feed it
twice if it's at 60, etc.
Take the pet to the vet only once a day, and only if the
health meter is below 100. Taking it to the vet any more
than that can actually bring the health down.
Hope this helps--
Donna
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997
From: Peter
Newsgroups: alt.toys.virtual-pets
Subject: Digital Doggie Care Sheet
Back in August of this year I asked for help with my
young son's Digital Doggie. Many of you responded
with helpful advice. That Digital Doggie is now 120
years old. So I'm posting this Care Sheet as both a
"Thank You" and a "Happy Holidays" to you all.
I invite comments, corrections and additions to the
material below.
CARE SHEET FOR DIGITAL DOGGIE
1. It’s really quite easy to take care of a Digital Doggie.
When he’s first born, his health will usually be 80 or so.
If you follow the advice given below, in a couple of
days his health should be 100. From there on it’s a
simple matter of doing the routine outlined in 14. By
the way, my digital doggie has long reached 99 - the
maximum age the Lifesigns (Heart icon) will display -
and is still in perfect health and going strong. So, it works!
2. Make sure his clock is set to your clock (MODE
button gets you to the time set). All the times stated
below assume this. Besides, do you want him
waking you at 3:00 AM ???
3. If he barks twice, he simply wants attention - you
can ignore him. If he barks twice over and over again,
his discipline is very low (and probably his food level,
too) - it’s best NOT to ignore him. If he barks four/five
times, then he really needs something - DON’T ignore
him!
4. He wants to go to bed around 9:30 PM (4 barks)
and gets up around 7:00 AM all by himself. Make sure
you turn off his light (Sleep icon) when he wants to sleep -
the longer you leave him awake or the light on
when he’s sleeping, the more his health goes down.
This can also throw sleep/nap times out of whack for the
rest of the day. Doing it right can bring his health up a
point or two (assuming it’s not at 100 already).
5. He needs 3 naps a day , around 10:45 AM, 2:45 PM
and 6:45 PM (4 barks each time). Again, turn off his light
right away. (His health and sleep/nap times will be
affected or not as in 4.) He'll wake up by himself in
about 15 minutes. Don’t put him to sleep if he hasn’t
asked for it - his health will go down.
6. One helping of food (bowl) = 20 Food points.
If his Food level is at 50, then 2 helpings brings him up to
90. If you feed him up to or over the full 100, that makes
him gain a pound. Fine when he's young (less than two),
but not great after - just like real life! In fact, it’s best to
feed him just enough to get him into the 80’s - his health
can go up a point by doing that. If his Food level gets to
zero - it shouldn’t if you are following the routine in 14.- he
may tell you (4 barks) but not always. By the way, he
automatically gains a pound or two overnight (to a max
of 100 pounds).
7. One treat (bone) = 5 Food points. Too many treats
(more than 2/3 per day), either as rewards for doing tricks
or as food, are bad for him and generally will bring his
health down. Reserve treats for his daily training (see 10).
8. He usually poos (4 barks) after every couple of
meals / 20 Food points. Clean it up right away (Bath icon).
Not doing it can bring his health down. Doing it can bring
his health up. (Notice his big smile when he shows you
the poo? Somebody had a sense of humour!)
9. Don't use the Discipline icon - maintain discipline
by having him do a trick (Training icon). Using the
Discipline icon will certainly get him disciplined but
will bring his happiness and, sometimes, his health
down. Training, on the other hand, does the
opposite (see 10).
10. I teach him one trick a day, first thing in the
morning, and then have him do that trick the rest
of the day (he forgets overnight). To teach him
the trick, keep asking him to do it until he does it
right once. Immediately give him a reward using
the Training icon NOT the Food icon. Now make
him do the trick three or four times to fix it in his
mind. One correct trick = 10 Discipline points.
11. His happiness is easy to keep up. In fact, his
health could be way down and, yet, have a happiness
score of 100. Having said that, most things that bring
his health down will also bring his happiness down:
the difference is that it is much easier to get his
happiness back up than to get his health back up.
Simply doing things for him when needed and the
occassional game of catch (see 14. below) will keep
his happiness at or near 100. By the way, if after
playing catch with him, you notice that the happiness
score went down, that usually means he’s tired -
you either played too much or it’s really close to
nap / bedtime - so let him rest before playing with
him again. Oh yes, it could also be that he
missed the ball too often - do learn how to play catch!
12. Taking him to the vet isn't usually necessary -
once or twice when he's young but after that Anyway,
too many trips to the vet will, strangely enough, bring
his health down. If he has a real need for something
(4 barks) but its not naptime / bedtime / poo, then the
vet might be a good idea - if it was, his health will go
up. (Regardless, his happiness will go down!)
13. Giving him a bath sort of works the same way -
he doesn't mind it once in a while but too many
baths will, again, bring his health down. Sometimes,
a bath will bring it up.
14. Check his Lifesigns (Heart icon) every hour
or so. If anything is down below 70, then take
appropriate steps (food / discipline / etc). My
usual routine when something is needed is:
a) have him do his trick three to five times
(usually gets his Discipline to 100),
b) play catch with him once or twice (usually gets
his Happiness to 100) and, finally,
c) feed him just enough to get his Food level
into the 80’s
15. If you have left him alone for a period of time,
you may find him frowning when you come back.
This usually means that either
a) you missed a 4 bark request (see 16. below, etc.) or
b) his discipline is close to zero (see 9. and 10. above).
If he constantly frowns, then it’s because he isn’t feeling
well - until his health improves, he’ll keep frowning (in
this case, I call it looking sad).
16. So, when he barks 4 times, how can you tell what
he needs? Sometimes he’ll tell you what he wants
by making the appropriate icon blink, especially if
a request has been ignored for a while. Usually, though,
it’s a simple case of logic: Has he pooped - it might be
a few seconds before he shows it to you (see 8. above)?
If not, then is it a sleep time (see 4. and 5. above)?
If not, then check his Lifesigns - he may be starving
(see 6. above) or sick (see 12. above). In my experience,
those are the only things that will make him bark 4 times.
17. Finally, is there a way to pause him? Sort of.
Going into Time set (Mode button) and leaving it there
apparently does achieve a limited pause BUT if left too
long you’ll find an angel - he died! - when you come out
of Time set. I haven’t tried it myself and don’t intend to.
Afterall, this is supposed to be a simulation of a real live
dog - try pausing a real one! - therefore, pausing him is
defeating both the purpose and the spirit of Digital Doggie.
18. Good Luck and enjoy! Your Digital Doggie should
live in good health and happiness till the batteries run out.
© 1997 Peter W. Skwarczynski
Permission is granted to copy and distribute the Care Sheet as long as
no fee whatsoever is charged for the distribution or use of this
material.
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997
From: Carrie
To: Gary Polson
Subject: Treats are not bad for gigapet health
Would you please in some way make this info clear on your gigapet health
page. I've done some very scientific study here:
Out of curiosity, I decided to test some things about health with my
gigapet. Everyone here has beleived that the gigapet's health will go down
when you give him too many snacks. When my gigapet's health index,
happiness index, and food indexes were at full, I went and fed him 5 snacks.
I went back and looked; again they were all full. I continued testing this
throughout the day and have concluded that treats are not bad for health as
long as the gigapet's food index is full. If it is not, it will not eat
healthy food therefor health will go down. If you need to give your pet a
treat make sure it is full of healthy food first! I did not take him to the
vet at all today and his health remains at full.
Thanks,
Carrie
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 1998
From: Melissa
To: polsong@virtualpet.com
Subject: floppy frog xmas giga pet
I've have been one of the frustrated new owners and read the care sheet
about the digital doggie and have been using it for the frog and it's
working great. I must have had 8 angles before I found your website THANKS
and my Son Thanks you also.
Melissa
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998
From: Ronald
To: polsong@virtualpet.com
Subject: Re: Giga Pet health suggestion
I hope you put this in you'r Giga page. Anyway, my cat is three years
old. her score is 95 & health 93. here are my secerets....
1. Only feed you'r Giga Pet when it's food is 58-80. If you feed it
when it's food is other wise, his health will begin to go down.
2. Let it nap when he beeps 4 times and makes a sad face.
He likes to take naps around 10:30pm 2:30pm & 6:30pm. Only give him naps
when he beeps for them.
3. Don't pay to much attention to them but then again, don't ignore
them.
Date: Wed, 07 Jan 1998
From: Ronald
To: polsong@virtualpet.com
Subject: Giga health sugg.
I hope you put this in you'r Giga Pet health complaints Mr. Polsong.
Becuse this is a message to all the people with compu kitty that
kneed help.
1. Put you'r compu kitty asleep around 9:30.
2. Make shore you set the clock to the correct time.
3. Only take you'r kitty to the vet a few times a day.
4. wait about an hour untill the next feeding.
5. Let you'r compu kitty rest when he beeps & makes sad faces. (He will
uessaly beep for a nap around 10:30, 2:30, & 6:30.)
6. also, if you want more tips, visit the health suggestions page.
