Wannabe piggy mum... Cheer me up and share your stories?

[Lolly_ozzy]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are looking at getting some piggies, we have a lovely big hutch that’s currently sat empty and it’s such a sad sight to see. I’d love to rescue a trio or pair but it is so much cheaper to buy!
Before I get shot down for this, I absolutely appreciate the time, money and resources that go into rescue, (having worked for an independent local dog rescue for years).
I work part time, money is tight and everything is budgeted closely. We live on a small holding and are so fortunate to have what we do; we work hard and have to be close and careful with our finances to make sure everyone’s needs are met and that we have a ‘safety net’ for any unexpected events. We buy our feed in bulk and as we have horses, bedding and hay will come at no extra cost for piggies on a monthly basis. I would be happy to take OAPs, any sex, colour or type as long as they’re suitable for our growing family and in need of a home- my heart will always be in rescue. But as for the initial outlay, I need to save if I’m going to rescue. I can go to P@H and pick up a pair of “adoption” piggies for £25- it’s madness! Again, I absolutely appreciate the need for extra checks/ costs etc. when homing from a rescue, this is in no way a whinge at that!
I guess I’m just a little down, I wish money wasn’t so tight- we have an empty hutch, room in our hearts but we can’t rescue any piggies yet, I have to wait and save to do so. I can’t be the only person to feel this, and you hear of it with all types of rescue but it doesn’t make it an ‘easier’ choice for people to make I don’t think.
Anyway, onwards and upwards and hopefully in the next month or so maybe we will have a trio or pair of our own at home! As the saying goes... good things come to those who wait...

So perhaps hit me with some hints, tips, preparations, pics and stories of your own to cheer me up and keep the excitement going for first time piggies?

Thanks
Ozzie

 

[Lady Kelly]

Depends how you view the cost. Going to a reputable rescue where you are guaranteed properly sexed, vet checked piggies who have been on pregnancy watch (if they are sows) being more expensive than pet store piggies who have often been mixed sexes either by accident in store or before they arrived at store by the breeder. 2 piggies easily become 3-5 or they come home with all sorts of illnesses - mites, fungal infections etc. The last piggy I got from P@H adoption centre caused a ringworm outbreak and I had to treat all 4 of them.

Personally before even thinking of bringing home piggies I would get saving as they are delicate creatures and vets bills can mount up. It's something we often see on here that people haven't planned for and it wouldn't be fair to have an animal suffering because the money isn't there for treatment.

 

[Piggies&buns]

To the forum! And @Lady Kelly is absolutely right. We see posts from people who unknowingly bring home pregnant and poorly pet shop piggies, so they may be cheaper to buy, but cost more when you’re suddenly thrown into vet bills within weeks of bringing them home. Saving for a vet fund in advance is a must.

Well, in terms of hints, tips and prep, you won’t go wrong by reading the guides in the links below! They will give you all the practical info necessary to prepare!

Quick Information Bundle For Wannabe Owners
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Have a browse of the information guides on the forum, they’re full of useful stuff.
There will be piggies out there for you when the time is right and we will celebrate with you.
My herd say hello

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

Thanks for that, as I said I absolutely understand the cost implications and reasons behind why it costs more to rescue. We’re still going to rescue, it’s why I posted and why I’ll be saving and waiting.
I’d love some hints and tips specific to piggies to keep the enthusiasm and it’s just nice sometimes to be able to share your feelings.
As I also said, we save monthly for all our animals, this will be the same for any future additions reagardless of species, it really is just the initial bulk outlay, it’s more than I expected and thus this month won’t be the one.

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

Thanks all! I know we’re making the right choice waiting, I don’t need convincing to continue to do so, I know well the benefits of rescue and how important it is to support.

Absolutely, I’ll check through the guides, that’ll keep the mojo going! Thank you

And my goodness, how utterly beautiful are your piggies I’m very much looking forward to our time to share back!

 

[Lady Kelly]

The green writing at the end of Piggies&buns post is links to some of our most useful guides for new owners which is a great starting point. It's also worth thinking about the weather if your hutch is outside. Rescues tend to keep their piggies indoors so you will need to wait for the weather to improve in temperature at least before you can rehome. This will give you time to save as well. I think mid-end April is going to be the earliest depending on what temperatures are doing at that time. My piggies are outdoors so it does limit rehoming times as they can't cope well with sudden changes in temperature

 

[Piggies&buns]

We are very much looking forward to hearing about your new additions when they arrive!

I have a pair of (about to turn) two year old boys!

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

The green writing at the end of Piggies&buns post is links to some of our most useful guides for new owners which is a great starting point. It's also worth thinking about the weather if your hutch is outside. Rescues tend to keep their piggies indoors so you will need to wait for the weather to improve in temperature at least before you can rehome. This will give you time to save as well. I think mid-end April is going to be the earliest depending on what temperatures are doing at that time. My piggies are outdoors so it does limit rehoming times as they can't cope well with sudden changes in temperature

This is really helpful- I hadn’t considered this aspect nor had it mentioned when talking with our local rescue. The wait is meant to be! I knew it’d be worthwhile posting- thank you

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

We are very much looking forward to hearing about your new additions when they arrive!

I have a pair of (about to turn) two year old boys!

They are just the cutest little bundles of fluff, the more I see the bigger I smile I each time

 

[Lady Kelly]

This is really helpful- I hadn’t considered this aspect nor had it mentioned when talking with our local rescue. The wait is meant to be! I knew it’d be worthwhile posting- thank you

It depends on rescues. The ones on our recommended list are the gold standard when it comes to rescues and will have this in their rehoming policies. As I have had piggies for a few years I feel able to judge other rescues on an individual need basis and have rehomed from ones that wouldn't meet the forum standard but I felt confident in that I wasn't getting a poorly cared for, ill or pregnant piggy. One of those had a shed with free roaming piggies in and it was literally "oh your piggy needs a friend, pick one" I think they would have been happy for her to go straight outdoors but to be honest I had brought my last girly indoors after losing 3 close together (2 from old age and 1 from complex health problems)

 

[Piggies&buns]

This is really helpful- I hadn’t considered this aspect nor had it mentioned when talking with our local rescue. The wait is meant to be! I knew it’d be worthwhile posting- thank you

Yes if they are to live outside, you can’t put them out until night time temperatures are much warmer. Once it’s warm enough they can stay outside but it’s far too cold for indoor piggies to go out any time soon.
My boys live in a hutch in my shed. They have the shed to play in during daylight hours and are locked in the hutch at night. During the winter, keeping them warm is hard work and while your new piggies will be way off having their first winter, it never hurts to plan ahead. I don’t have to worry about wet and wind given they are in a shed, but I still cover their hutch with two blankets, a thermal hutch cover and a duvet during winter nights to keep them warm enough inside. They also have four snugglesafe heatpads (one in each bed) to help keep them warm (Day and night if necessary). Even with all this, if it gets too cold and I just can’t keep them warm enough in their shed, then I have a spare indoor cage and a plan to bring them in if necessary (which then means they can’t go back out until it warms up).

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

Thank you both, this really isn’t something I’d considered, which in hindsight is daft. All our animals (save the dogs) are out 24/7 but of course this is no way to consider an animal that hasn’t lived this way previously, and we could still be in for a cold snap yet. I really appreciate the insight. I’ll also check out the recommendations for rescues, that will be insightful too and I’ll know if I need to be a little more aware.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

Great that you are doing your research beforehand! It will hopefully give you time to save up for what you need until the time is right.

We have got a collection of useful information for Wannabe Owners to bring the most important aspects of piggy ownership into play:
Click on this link: Are Guinea Pigs For Me? - A Guide

Here is our New Owners collection, which is basically a handbook that can be constantly updated. In it, we are specifically addressing all the questions and concerns that our new owner members come up against regularly. You may find the collection very interesting and helpful as it is looking at aspects you may likely never have considered!
Here is the link: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

Please take climate into consideration; not just the winter but also the warming summers. Hutches in hot weather have increasingly turned into death traps for far too many rabbits and guinea pigs over the last few years. Guinea pigs are not hardy but they also struggle with major temperature changes and the extremes of weather.
Here is our hot and cold weather advice:
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
Hot Weather Management And Heat Strokes

You are of course welcome to ask any questions, little and large ones, along the way. We are a friendly forum and will answe them all.
Our Care sections are there for any questions and advice. Some are specially monitored by knowledgeable and trusted members.
The Chat is there to talk about our guinea pigs.
You can access our full range of information on a very wide range of topics either via the Guides shortcut on the top bar or you can find it at the start of the various Care sections in the green field (but not in order).

I hope that this helps you? We could give you more local recommendations if you please added your county to location in your account details (via clicking on your username); this makes it appear with every post you make and allows us to tailor any advice straight away for what is available and relevant where you are. While we are a UK based forum, we have members and enquiries from literally all over the world and from very different backgrounds, climates, vet and rescue access and brand names. Thank you!

 

[Lady Kelly]

The rescues are all very helpful and open to discussion. One of my local ones won't rehome to me because I have mine outside year round but I respect their decision, after all they have to draw a line somewhere when considering what's best for the piggies. Most rescues will try and work with you and give you advice in getting your set up to meet their standard rather than an outright no. Definitely think about adding a thermal cover (for summer and winter) and some snugglesafes to your must buy list. I use aubiose horse bedding for the hutch but then add fleece snuggles during the winter to help them keep cosy, tons of hay and the snugglesafes. I then switch these for cardboard boxes, wooden log tunnels, cardboard tubes and ice pods/frozen water bottles in summer

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

Thanks all for such a warm and friendly welcome, I’ve got loads to look into and will consider if just our hutch is the best housing solution for us, and make sure we have all weather solutions if we decide to stick with it. Really appreciate all the handy hints and tips and for sharing your knowledge

 

[PigglePuggle]

Great you are doing your research and thinking of going to a reputable rescue!
Here's a photo of our Blodwen who came "free"... severely traumatised and needing £400 of emergency dental surgery and ringworm treatment in the first week we had her! Luckily we could afford that and we suspected she was maybe coming from an odd situation, but many trusting people rehome a "free" piggy that comes with nasty health problems they can't afford and weren't expecting... Blod sends piggy kisses x

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

Great you are doing your research and thinking of going to a reputable rescue!
Here's a photo of our Blodwen who came "free"... severely traumatised and needing £400 of emergency dental surgery and ringworm treatment in the first week we had her! Luckily we could afford that and we suspected she was maybe coming from an odd situation, but many trusting people rehome a "free" piggy that comes with nasty health problems they can't afford and weren't expecting... Blod sends piggy kisses x
View attachment 132521

Oh how beautiful is she! And how very lucky for her that she came into your lives she looks like one very happy piggy now!

 

[DMS260820]

Here's my boar and sow pair, just to cheer you up like you said in the title, they are the "adoption" pets at home stock, but were both on there own, because they both suffered respiratory infections as pups, and had to be taken from the "new" sale herd, only to all be sold when these 2 were back to full health again, I bought them from two sperate pets at homes, and introduced them to eachother after my boar was neutered. ( I ran a risk of them not getting along, it payed off, but I don't reccomend anyone trying this) View attachment 132557

Dorothy left, Bernie right

 

[DMS260820]

Hope you get some guinea pigs, and enjoy them as much as well all do

 

[DMS260820]

A video for you aswell

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

They are just adorable! Thank you for sharing, everyone here is so friendly

 

[Julie M]

Hi and welcome. It's good you're doing your research. Here's a laugh for you comparison of my 2 boys now and then. (both mine are from ayrs guinea pig rescue and rehoming centre where I volunteer) I know you say moneys tight for adopting but have you considered donating some hay or bedding in exchange for your piggies? Just an idea. As long as you've a vet fund saved then I don't see an issue with adoption.

 

[Lolly_ozzy]

Hi and welcome. It's good you're doing your research. Here's a laugh for you comparison of my 2 boys now and then. (both mine are from ayrs guinea pig rescue and rehoming centre where I volunteer) I know you say moneys tight for adopting but have you considered donating some hay or bedding in exchange for your piggies? Just an idea. As long as you've a vet fund saved then I don't see an issue with adoption. View attachment 132586

Oh wow! They are thriving with you! It’s such a wonderful things to rescue and adopt That’s what I was hoping to do alongside a monetary contribution, especially as we have ample bedding and fabulous quality hay which we buy in bulk. We currently have 150kg bales of the nicest hay, so plenty to share with our local rescue however it wasn’t quite the donation they were after, which is fair enough of course- but you make me feel less mad for thinking of this in the first instance so thank you!

 

[Siikibam]

How much do rescues ‘expect’ that makes you say it’s expensive to go with a rescue? I thought (from what I’ve read) it’s generally around £40-£50 for a pair?

 

[Fantasimo]

I got my boys from the adoption section at P@H when my local rescue was out of pigs. They’d had conjunctivitis and had been separated from the herd, but were all better. Until then I’d always had pigs from a local rescue and I’m sure I will again, but I don’t feel bad for rescuing from P@H. If I needed an older companion pig, then it’s an independent rescue every time, but since I was starting from scratch again and there were no pigs locally, P@H adoptions worked for me