Pets@Home Guinea Pig ages

[Beautifulmess]

I messaged Pets@home for ages of guinea pigs *** well I've never known... obviously take it with a pinch of salt as we know they can be a bit of a dodgy company

Further to your recent email. We receive Guinea pigs into our stores no younger than 8 weeks old, generally when they are sold they are between 8-10 weeks.

 

[fayejones]

I used to work there an we got told that age, but some of them definitely were younger! X

 

[Claire W]

When I had Eliza from there, I was told she was about 12-14 weeks old which made sense. She was the last female left and was slightly bigger than the males who were next door. Apparently, nobody wanted her and if she wasn't sold by the time the new 'babies' came in, she would have ended up in the adoption centre.

 

[Beautifulmess]

Not nice! My two were small when I got them, so I'm assuming they were young, we've had them since early August and they're getting big so I'm assuming they were right this time

 

[Bailey]

When I had Eliza from there, I was told she was about 12-14 weeks old which made sense. She was the last female left and was slightly bigger than the males who were next door. Apparently, nobody wanted her and if she wasn't sold by the time the new 'babies' came in, she would have ended up in the adoption centre.

I think it's a bit cheeky how they put them in the adoption centre, my local store makes out that they've been returned to them but you can tell by their ages they're just not at the "cute baby" stage anymore.

 

[Claire W]

I think it's a bit cheeky how they put them in the adoption centre, my local store makes out that they've been returned to them but you can tell by their ages they're just not at the "cute baby" stage anymore.

Agreed. Although I must admit, my local store does state that they are now 'to old' to be sold so this is why they are in the adoption centre

When I brought Eliza (I didn't know much about rescue's back then and was looking for a companion for Connie), they did say that more babies would be available within the next few weeks but I jumped at the chance to bring Eliza home.

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Where I am you hardly ever see very young guinea pigs for sale, so this kinda surprises me. I just got two babies who I'd guess are about 2 months old, but you usually see much bigger ones in pet shops. Still young but almost fully grown usually. But they don't seem like they're as popular pets here . . .

 

[BellasMummy]

I saw some in there that were teeny and I'm not exaggerating looked less than 2 weeks old but i have also seen some looked older between 6 months-1 year jusdging by the size of them.

 

[Claire W]

I have heard that by law, a pet shop can not sell a guinea pig less than 6 weeks old. How true this is, I am not sure but it does sound about right.

 

[ASHLiix]

As pets at home is ibviously a large franchise I doubt very much so that they would sell under age guinea pigs. (as they have a high turnover and the risk wouldnt be worth it) And I know that all animals need certain documentation to say where they came from and ages etc. When they say roughly certain litters are born within days of each other so some might be a couple of says older than the other. Baby guineas come in a variety of shapes and sizes some bigger than others. I think people are far too quick to "burn" them.

 

[BellasMummy]

I'm just speaking from my point of view, i am no expert on piggies. The piggies i saw looked really small and thin. I have seen a baby piggie that had been born that day so know the size they are and it was only just a bit bigger than that.
I got my pigs at 5 weeks old as a mistake was made but my piggies were a LOT bigger than the ones i saw in P@H.

 

[Beautifulmess]

Thing is, it all depends on our experience with the certain pet stores. I've bought 4 pigs from pets at home in all. Leo, Africa, Kenya and Callis (bad idea but my boyfriend was smitten) anyhow, only leo and africa had skin problems (under weight) both Kenya and Callis were in perfect condition, even quite tame... altho Kenya has a ear fungi now lol.

Never have I seen bad guinea pigs in there pens but i don't go all the time. I'm just glad my pets at home seems pretty decent, apart from the guy who caught our pigs checked their eyes and not their sex... silly man.

 

[CiaraPatricia]

At least Pets at Home sounds better than the chains of pet shops you get in Ireland. rolleyes There are two that are really bad.

And Pets at Home is probably better than a lot of independant pet shops. I find the really small ones can actually be the worst shops. Though sometimes are fine.

Do you guys have Maxi Zoo in the UK? I love Maxi Zoo. Only one of them in Ireland sells pets (kinda near me too) but they're in great conditions really.



I was thinking a lot of pigs in Pets at Home, if they come from bad breeders, could be very small and underweight from being in bad conditions? Even if they are six weeks. Also if it's a bad breeder, they might get the ages wrong. Like they might just have loads in together and not know the ages.

 

[Jacs]

I think some Pets at Home stores vary as I live near two big stores and one have the pigs/rabbits in the same space and just don't look well looked after but the other store which has not been opened long as sperate spaces for pigs and rabbits and the animals they look alot happier and healthier.

I was looking at some of the pigs in the adoption part of the store and was told they were just 8 months old and needed a home, it was plainly obvious to me they these two male pigs were not so young they looked at least 2 years old they were so big and both pigs were not happy in such a small enclosure together as both showing signs of agression to each other I mentioned this to the shop assistant who said no they fine they just playing, if i had the means to house them seperate I would have taken them, but I couldn't I just hope someone could take them.