is it bad?

[:) zoe :)]

i dont think you are aloud to discus breeding, but i am not really. I just dont really understand why everyone says it bad, is it because most people cant look after that many babies then they end up in rescue centers? not that i would but what if someone could look after the babies, would it be alright then?

 

[Cgilchrist]

someone mentioned it on here before but from what I read basically 1 in 3 pregnacies end up with dead babies, often pregnancies have complications causing the need for c-sections, toxemia, infections etc, obviously the problem with back to back pregnacies, risky for sows often they can die but obviously I'm sure there are 'good/ responsible' breeders out there but few and far between and sooo many unwanted piggies in rescues.

 

[:) zoe :)]

someone mentioned it on here before but from what I read basically 1 in 3 pregnacies end up with dead babies, often pregnancies have complications causing the need for c-sections, toxemia, infections etc, obviously the problem with back to back pregnacies, risky for sows often they can die but obviously I'm sure there are 'good/ responsible' breeders out there but few and far between and sooo many unwanted piggies in rescues.

oh dear, its awful then that some pets shops dont know the sex of the guinea pig and could give a pregnant piggy to them and they would have no experience what so ever when the piggy gives birth!:{

 

[Cgilchrist]

yeah and there are no regulations on small animal breeding so every tom dick and harry thinks its a great idea and buy a tiny cage, leave them all together, then you get inbred piggies, sold to anyone as they have to get rid of them etc the list is endless. but as i said i'm sure there are some responsible, caring breeders out there but i would always go to a rescue. x

 

[:) zoe :)]

yeah and there are no regulations on small animal breeding so every tom dick and harry thinks its a great idea and buy a tiny cage, leave them all together, then you get inbred piggies, sold to anyone as they have to get rid of them etc the list is endless. but as i said i'm sure there are some responsible, caring breeders out there but i would always go to a rescue. x

same

 

[MrPiggle]

pro rescue is a good thing as there are always "surplus" or "unwanted" aniamals, hence this is a pro rescue fourum that encourages rescue and which i agree with. However it should be considered that you cant tell people what they can or can not do (especialy and mentioned there is no governing laws), however i find any thing that promotes responsible breeding that may least may improve he welfare of some animals a benifit to guinea pig hobbyists. That and it must also be considered that some may breed there guinea pigs as they know theirs to be healthy and they know the parents and intend to keep the offspring for themselves knowing that they were breed responsibly and will have no ill effects. All this aside I'm more leanin toward pro rescue.

 

[Doeylicious]

I have been to a breeder for two of mine, however they were actually rescues not bred...she breeds 'specials' like Swiss, Texels etc and also takes them in when people think 'ah what a lovely fluffy one!' then realise all that fluff needs brushing!

Just talking to her made me realise breeding is something I will never ever do - she told me all about the females she has sadly lost, the babies that have had trouble, the difficult deliveries...she only breeds two or three litters a year (and has a LOT of piggies so her females are not 'overused') and only breeds if she can guarantee homes, largely via the Cavy Club.

I see so many ads on preloved etc for 'lovely fluffy (well obviously unless they are skinnies!) baby guinea pigs!' and it makes me so annoyed, WHY breed unless you know you can keep them or have homes ready, it's not a game.

I could never breed for the simple reason I couldn't ever risk losing one of my girls, and that's that.

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Besides pregnancy complications and bad breeders, there are just lots of unwanted guinea pigs in shelters in the UK.


There really are hardly any at all in Ireland, but I think I still wouldn't breed them as I'd be too scared of my sows dying, since it's meant to be so common. I'd love baby piggies, but if my sows died bcause I bred them, I'd feel incredibly guilty.


I think that at least good breeders are taking business away from the pet shops/bad breeders, but in an ideal world everyone would go to rescues.

 

[skrikopanik]

To me it's not about bad or good. This is a pro-rescue forum. When signing up to be a member I agreed to no discuss intentional breeding. If I had felt this rule was unfair or wrong I could have clicked "no" and that would have been the end of it.