Expanding The Brood..

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PeanutandGus

PeanutandGus

Junior Guinea Pig
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So I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment..

I currently have two beautiful boys who I adore- they are 5 months old and live in the kitchen :nod:

On my last few visits to pets at home for supplies for the piggies there have been two boys in the adoption section who are super cute.


Now before I go on I would like to point out that I'm definitely NOT considering putting them all in together!

I would buy them their own cage etc.. But I'm worried that my two boys will be put out by me having two new arrivals and my partner is worried I won't make as much time for them as I do now as I will have 4 piggies but equally I hate the thought of those poor piggies being stuck in P@H :bye:

What do people think?
 
Oh gosh what a dilemma. Your partner has a point, but it all depends on your circumstances. I know for me I need to limit the number of animals due to space and time. I have the amount that's just right for our home and circumstances, and ultimately them. However I would also find it very hard to just walk away.
I did just that from a beautiful sow named Galaxy in our local P@H and actually am regretting it in my heart, as I wanted so much to give her a good home, and yet my head tells me that if she couldn't slot into either of my two pairs there's just no way I would be able to keep her. Perhaps I should have given it a go.
It's a little different to your situation though, as you will have twice the cages, and you either have to spend more time as 'piggy-time' or you spend less time with each pair.

It's something only you can decide - head or heart? I went with head, and I'm not convinced it was right, but going by heart could have created a 'situation'. so I just don't know :hug:
 
Critter said:
Oh gosh what a dilemma. Your partner has a point, but it all depends on your circumstances. I know for me I need to limit the number of animals due to space and time. I have the amount that's just right for our home and circumstances, and ultimately them. However I would also find it very hard to just walk away.
I did just that from a beautiful sow named Galaxy in our local P@H and actually am regretting it in my heart, as I wanted so much to give her a good home, and yet my head tells me that if she couldn't slot into either of my two pairs there's just no way I would be able to keep her. Perhaps I should have given it a go.
It's a little different to your situation though, as you will have twice the cages, and you either have to spend more time as 'piggy-time' or you spend less time with each pair.

It's something only you can decide - head or heart? I went with head, and I'm not convinced it was right, but going by heart could have created a 'situation'. so I just don't know :hug:
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It really is a heart over head decision, I've been in a few times now and have looked to see if they are there and they are on my mind a lot! They had a little boy not so long back called William who I really regret not buying, but it's whether I will regret ending up with two large cages :doh:

I don't know how many times I can sleep on it before I know which decision is right! Id love to make them happy! But not at the cost of my piggies happiness :no: thank you for your advice though! :hug:
 
Same here, I regret not taking her, but don't want to cause upset as I have two closely bonded pairs and don't wish to rock the boat. Different circumstances but similar dilemma. xx
 
I agree it is a dilemma and I have to be strong when I go on Pets at Home.

I would dissuade anyone from buying from a petshop - even from the adoption centre. It is too easy for the heart take over from the head.

I recently fell in love with a long haired Guinea Pig in a rescue. It was the rescue owner who dissuaded me as she knew I would struggle with grooming him.

Please consider what your partner is saying. If you have reservations,now is not the time.
 
Tigermoth said:
And looking at the other side of the coin...

How often do you go to Pets at Home? If you brought this pair home then next time you went in there would be another, and another. Where do you draw the line?
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I had thought that, I think because I know I do have some space at the moment, I know that I COULD rescue them, however one more piggy cage and there wouldn't be any room for anymore so I literally couldn't have any more than 4 piggies in total! But that is a very valid point :roll:

PiggyOwner said:
I agree it is a dilemma and I have to be strong when I go on Pets at Home.

I would dissuade anyone from buying from a petshop - even from the adoption centre. It is too easy for the heart take over from the head.
.
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You are 100% right, it is so easy! They just look so sad, I want to cuddle them and give them a loving home with lots of veggies! Ahh such a dilemma!
 
PeanutandGus said:
I had thought that, I think because I know I do have some space at the moment, I know that I COULD rescue them, however one more piggy cage and there wouldn't be any room for anymore so I literally couldn't have any more than 4 piggies in total! But that is a very valid point :roll:



You are 100% right, it is so easy! They just look so sad, I want to cuddle them and give them a loving home with lots of veggies! Ahh such a dilemma!
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I know.

I am pro rescue . I will never buy from a pet shop. It is easy for me to say that as there a 3 rescues that I can easily get to. I can fit 4 in my hutch. My future plan is to have a 2nd hutch - and that'll be for foster pigs.
 
Be honest with yourself: Do you have the time, space etc. for double the number of piggies?

It is unfortunately going to happen from time to time that you come across situations where you are seriously confronted with comparable decisions - believe me, I know, and I still have pangs about all those piggies I have walked away from over the years! The temptation is always there, and it is not getting any less once you have got that pair; there will be a next time...

You will never be able to save all piggies in need of a loving home, so you will have to do some serious soul searching each time as to whether you can walk away or not when the chips are down. If you find that at the bottom of your heart you can't, then by all means get them, but if you find that in the cool light of the day you are not the perfect home for them, then please leave it. ;)
 
PeanutandGus said:
Thanks for all your advice guys @Wiebke @PiggyOwner @Tigermoth @Critter

I think I might get them, I've been thinking about it for weeks and still think about them so will sleep on it one more time and make the decision tomorrow ...

Eek, piggies are so exciting! :yahoo:
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If you get them, please be aware that you need to conduct a quarantine whenever your new guinea pigs don't come from a good standard rescue with a mandatory quarantine and necessary medical care before adoption in order to protect your current piggies.
Importance Of Quarantine
 
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