Can't Adopt

[Nerdychild7]

Hello I'm brand new to the world of guinea pigs and I though I would check out this forum. Okay I have checked every shelter in 100 miles of me none of them do guinea pig adoptions. I would really like a guinea pig I already have a c&c I think they are called cage it's huge and I'm ready to get them but I don't know anywhere that has guinea pigs plus I want to get two my question is is it okay to buy from a petshop if there is no adoption centers around please comment back

 

[Ayla]

where are you located?

 

[Ayla]

I have 8 piggies, and 2 are from a pet shop, the reason why i have 8 now is because the 2 i got from the pet shop were both pregnant and i never thought that would happen to me, but they keep males and females in the same cage (guaranteed pregnancy) at least where i got them. in a way i feel like getting pets from a pet store is rescuing because they are alive and in need too and they are treated awful and probably in poor health . but giving them money is also supporting what they do so it's a tough call. after that i looked on craiglist and found the most adorable piggies i couldn't resist i would look on craigslist or petfinder

 

[Ayla]

also don't just adopt one guinea pig because they are very social and would be very sad if kept alone . hope i helped

 

[LisaAli]

to the forum...

If you could add your location to your profile, then there may be a fellow member who can recommend a rescue nearer you..

 

[Veggies Galore]

to the forum

I am really pleased to hear that you would prefer to adopt a guinea pig and am sorry to hear this isn't running smoothly.

If you are happy to give us an idea of where you live, this will help with our advice.

personally, I would avoid getting your guinea pigs from a pet shop as this just perpetuates the cycle of them being replaced by more guinea pigs.

 

[hattie.r]

welcome to the forum-maybe check sites like gumtree, preloved etc if you can't find a rescue (although there are many ways of uniting potential piggies and owners!) as there are lots of adverts there from people wanting to rehome unwanted kids' pets etc.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry for your dilemma! We may be able to help you better with advice and recommendations if you please added your location to your details. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. That means that we can always give you the best advice for your part of the world straight away - and it can differ considerably depending on where you are and how good your access to rescues, vets and supplies in various countries around the world is.

There is no shame in going to a pet shop after you've made every attempt to find a rescue within your reach; it is the intent that counts! Sadly, there are whole states in the US. Australia and Canada without any guinea pig rescues, but there are also still areas in the UK where access to a rescue is a similar distance away.

If you rather want to looks at unwanted pets on places like Craigslist, you have to be aware that all the risks and responsibilities are on your side and that some owners can be more than economical with the truth. It can be a very steep and expensive learning curve for a newbie, especially when you come up against medical problems or an unplanned pregnancy. You will have to go into this with your eyes open, even with the support of this forum!

PS: We have got lots of information at the top of our various Care sections, but your are welcome to ask any questions you may have at any point!

 

[Nerdychild7]

I am from the us sadly there aren't even US guinea pig forums I have saved up close to $200 for this pet and I already have a super big cage I'm just worried because the only place I can get a guinea pig from is from petsmart (us pet store) And I don't know if it's the right option they are $32 dollars idk how many pounds but even my local rescues I went there and asked for guinea pigs but they said they only have bunnies I just don't know if it's the wrong choice to buy rather than adopt

 

[Wiebke]

Which state are you and can you add that to your details, please? That makes it a lot easier for us to give you advice without having to ask a lot of questions first.
Here is how to: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...cation-and-creating-an-avatar-picture.107444/

If you can, going to a good standard rescue is preferable because their piggies have been quarantined/health checked and treated, gone through a pregnancy watch (or have been gender separated properly if rescue born to a pregnant incoming sow) and have been paired up carefully - but if you can't, then you can't! The vast majority of pet shop piggies are fine, or they wouldn't have been in business for that long due to complaints.

These are the things that you have to be aware of or need to look out for when buying piggies:
If you get two young boars, you have to be aware that they are going through a hormonal teenage time between 4-14 months and that there is a certain risk that their personalities can clash if they turn out to be both fairly dominant. By far not all boar pairs will fall out though!
With sows there is a low risk that they can be pregnant when you buy them if there has been sexing mistake. The risk seems to be higher in the UK, as chain shop piggies there are imported from breeding farms on the Continent and not separated during a several days long transport to various shops even if they have been gender separated in the shop itself.
Make sure that any piggies you buy don't have gunky/crusty eyes or noses, are not itchy or have any bald spots. These are the symptoms for respiratory infection, mange mites or ringworm, which are the three rather infectious opportunists that can hit stressed little shop piggies. They can also appear up to two weeks after you bought them (incubation period).

Here is a list of good standard US rescues that we can recommend (we are currently in the process of integrating it into our own rescue locator in cooperation with Guinea Lynx): http://www.guinealynx.info/rescue_organizations.html