A tale of caution and heartbreak

[lovelygirl]

Hi,

I don't consider myself an expert but i am not a complete novice. My landlord agreed I could have two guinea pigs and I was over the moon and flying after being a student for 10 years with NO animals allowed (had loads as a child, my own petting zoo, all unwanted wee souls). So researched and ordered bits for the other half to make a c and c cage. Decided i did not want babies from a pet shop, so trawled the online ads for unwanted piggies. I phoned a few places and they had already gone, then i thought i had struck lucky I wanted a pair of bonded guineas. Went to see them super cute as they all are checked them over eyes, bums, noses, skin etc said they needed their nails cut and the woman cut them for me there and then. I was told they were a about 12 months old but i thought they were older but i am no ageist. When i visited they were in a run on the kitchen floor huddled up together, all looked fine and friendly.

Took them home and instantly fell in love as you do. Well they started squabbling thats ok that is too be expected, poor jive kept getting attacked by tango anyways thought it was them just settling in drawing the boundaries. They were frenenemies under stress fine together but no stress not friends, tried bathing them but this led to fighting ball of fur! They had to be separated and living in a flat we do not have room for two large cages. I am pretty certain that they were two unbonded boars which were the other guinea pigs in the advert. So we have had to take my "babies" to a rescue yesterday been balling my eyes out since and have no appetite. I know that they will both find friends there but still completely gutted!

Be on your guard and try not to let your heart rule your head and if taking bonded boars see them in their hutch! If in doubt go to a proper rescue like I should and have done.

 

[Tinsel]

Hi,

I don't consider myself an expert but i am not a complete novice. My landlord agreed I could have two guinea pigs and I was over the moon and flying after being a student for 10 years with NO animals allowed (had loads as a child, my own petting zoo, all unwanted wee souls). So researched and ordered bits for the other half to make a c and c cage. Decided i did not want babies from a pet shop, so trawled the online ads for unwanted piggies. I phoned a few places and they had already gone, then i thought i had struck lucky I wanted a pair of bonded guineas. Went to see them super cute as they all are checked them over eyes, bums, noses, skin etc said they needed their nails cut and the woman cut them for me there and then. I was told they were a about 12 months old but i thought they were older but i am no ageist. When i visited they were in a run on the kitchen floor huddled up together, all looked fine and friendly.

Took them home and instantly fell in love as you do. Well they started squabbling thats ok that is too be expected, poor jive kept getting attacked by tango anyways thought it was them just settling in drawing the boundaries. They were frenenemies under stress fine together but no stress not friends, tried bathing them but this led to fighting ball of fur! They had to be separated and living in a flat we do not have room for two large cages. I am pretty certain that they were two unbonded boars which were the other guinea pigs in the advert. So we have had to take my "babies" to a rescue yesterday been balling my eyes out since and have no appetite. I know that they will both find friends there but still completely gutted!

Be on your guard and try not to let your heart rule your head and if taking bonded boars see them in their hutch! If in doubt go to a proper rescue like I should and have done.

Sounds like you were really misled. But you could maybe retrieve the less dominant one and get a baby boar to bond him with? Lots of single baby boars in rescues, I suspect...the rescue might bond them for you, perhaps? I know they do this with rabbits...

 

[shazbo]

so sorry for you . its heartbreaking we get attach so easy and other people think its only a guinea pig.i got mine though a woman who got sold a pregnant sow . i went round and saw mine in hutch together. they have a nip now and again but touch wood they had no fights

 

[lovelygirl]

I decided that is was going to be too hard on me to keep one and not the other i would forever be thinking about what the other poor wee mite was upto and whether he was as spoilt as the one I kept. So i am taking a pair of beautiful sexy girls home on thursday. Had lots of cuddles and licks from them yesterday but needed to give myself time to be sad about my boys first. Also cuddled nearly every other guinea pig in the place. It was lovely to see such happy little faces through all my tears.

 

[Wiebke]

I know how hard it is to give up guinea pigs; I was in a flood of tears after I had taken my surprise babies to a rescue, because I couldn't keep them at the time. I could have kept one at a push, but like you say, I would have always felt bad about choosing between them; that way, my babies could at least stay together in their new home.

I think starting with a new pair is the best solution. You'd always feel guilty about the one you had to give away!

Please, don't beat yourself up about Jive and Tango - I KNOW that you tried your very best, and every trick in the book to make them bond, but sometimes, it is not to be! Not your fault - you were not given the proper information.
(For your consolation, I tried to adopt a girl this spring that then went on to promptly attack my own piggy; had I been told relevant information beforehand, I wouldn't have proceeded with the adoption! Tought me a lesson only to trust specialist rescues to know their stuff! But, yes, I was very unhappy about the whole affair.)

I am looking very much foward to seeing pics of your girls and wish you all the best for your time with them!

Jive and Tango will hopefully find a new friend and a good new home soon.

 

[MommaPiggy]

What a horrible thing to have to do.

I understand you not being able to choose one. It does seem better to let them both go, if you have to.

I hope they both find wonderful homes with other furries.

I'm glad to hear you're getting some lady pigs. Good luck with that.
Be sure to show us some pictures when you get the chance. We want to share in your love of them! ")

 

[lovelygirl]

pic of the boys

Jive has a crest and tango does not

One of the few times they were not squabbling!

 

[fi.cantillon]

You are so gonna love the girls. I admire you so much I don't know that I could have made the decisions you have. Despite all, your first concern was the guinea pigs.

 

[Wiebke]

You are so gonna love the girls. I admire you so much I don't know that I could have made the decisions you have. Despite all, your first concern was the guinea pigs.

I adopted Dizzy from a lady who gave her up because she loved her so much that she put Dizzy's happiness first before her own, so Dizzy could find the companion she craved (which she did first with Minx and then with Llewelyn). But their bond was so deep that even after more than two years of separation, the lady felt it when Dizzy died four weeks ago!

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for the sake of a piggy is to let him go and find the home that is just RIGHT for him. It doesn't take away from you, because there will always be another one for which you ARE the right home. Knowing your limits is as important as making a commitment! What counts, is not what you do, but WHY you do it!

 

[lovelygirl]

It is more a case of how cruel some people can be to be to the poor animals they are "throwing out" and to the people who they think are unsuspecting schmucks. I think if the boys had gone to a home where they lived in a hutch in a garden where they were visited periodically it would probably have taken a lot longer to notice as they are both relatively timid. But i am a housebound epileptic and they were to keep me company during the day whilst my other half is at work so were watched like a hawk.

Will never forget them they are gorgeous guys!

 

[Millie's-Mummy]

Aww poor you.
All i can say is well done on thinking of your piggies (boys), i know how hard it must of been for you to of done what you did but at least you did what was best for them and I'm sure the rescue you gave them too will find them a lovely home.
Although you are hurting i'm sure your girls will heal your pain.
Keep us updated with the girls, do you have any piccies?

Louise xx

 

[Shiltontwister]

Hi Lovelygirl, Your story is so sad, there are some horrible humans about who do not care a jot for any animal. I hope your two boys found a lovely caring home. Suzy at Glynneath guinea pig rescue asks you to take your guinea with you to see if they get on with the one you are going to take home. She puts them in a run and we watch them for a while. When I adopted Sula from her, the one I originally wanted took lumps of fur out of my Jeeves, needless to say her name was Janine!. Sula is just the opposite, a lovely temperament and just beautiful and fits in with the others, thanks to Suzyp.

 

[Wiebke]

It is more a case of how cruel some people can be to be to the poor animals they are "throwing out" and to the people who they think are unsuspecting schmucks. I think if the boys had gone to a home where they lived in a hutch in a garden where they were visited periodically it would probably have taken a lot longer to notice as they are both relatively timid. But i am a housebound epileptic and they were to keep me company during the day whilst my other half is at work so were watched like a hawk.

Will never forget them they are gorgeous guys!

I know you never will, like I will never forget my babies, or even Olwen, the girl who did not work out. I am sure that Julie will keep you informed about what happens to them, as she knows how much you care.

These careless people, like the woman who sold them to you, make all of us on here feel so angry! In many ways, you can see yourself as the boys' true rescuer - had they gone to somebody else, God knows what would have happened! Thanks to you, they have now a chance to find a proper companion and a loving home, before serious damage has been done.

 

[lovelygirl]

Well today i woke up much happier and other half has ordered bits to make another level to the cage and excited to get the girls home and see them exploring their new home.

Come on and hurry up and be thursday already!

 

[Wiebke]

Well today i woke up much happier and other half has ordered bits to make another level to the cage and excited to get the girls home and see them exploring their new home.

Come on and hurry up and be thursday already!

At least you don't have to wait for your new girls as I do! But then, I'm not without piggies...
Wishing you the best of luck with the girls and looking forward to pics when they have settled in!