Guinea Pig Rescues

[Cavy Lover]

There is no guinea pig rescue or rehoming centres near where I live.

I'm not looking into getting a new guinea pig but I was just wondering if I was to get a new piggy, would I buy a pig from a pet shop or look on Gumtree or something. I'm not sure.

Sorry in advance if this is in the wrong section.

Thanks

 

[MerryPip]

I know Ireland is difficult for small animal rehoming so you don't have all the same options we would normally recommend.

I guess what you need to do is work out what's best for you. You need to be aware that guinea pigs offered for free can come with problems (not always but they can) and can end up costing you in vets bills... If you genuinely can't rehome a guinea pig, the same pricinples apply to how you would choose any other pet:

You want to get them from somewhere that has a good reputation. Try asking vets or other guinea pig owners that you trust for a recommendation.
Make sure they are healthy and you can't see any others in the group that cause you concern.
Make sure they are sexed properly (some pet shops are renowned for mis-sexing which causes problems in the future)
Ideally you want a pair who are already living together. Particularly for boys, picking any two out of a random herd isn't a great way to get a stable pair who have a good bond.

I hope that makes some sense and maybe someone else who lives in Ireland can give you more targeted advice...

 

[Cavy Lover]

I know Ireland is difficult for small animal rehoming so you don't have all the same options we would normally recommend.

I guess what you need to do is work out what's best for you. You need to be aware that guinea pigs offered for free can come with problems (not always but they can) and can end up costing you in vets bills... If you genuinely can't rehome a guinea pig, the same pricinples apply to how you would choose any other pet:

You want to get them from somewhere that has a good reputation. Try asking vets or other guinea pig owners that you trust for a recommendation.
Make sure they are healthy and you can't see any others in the group that cause you concern.
Make sure they are sexed properly (some pet shops are renowned for mis-sexing which causes problems in the future)
Ideally you want a pair who are already living together. Particularly for boys, picking any two out of a random herd isn't a great way to get a stable pair who have a good bond.

I hope that makes some sense and maybe someone else who lives in Ireland can give you more targeted advice...

Thank you. I know what you mean by mis-sexing. Because of that I ended up with three new pigs (who have gotten nice new homes).