Microchipping guinea pigs

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cavykind

Rather than "hi jack" another thread, I've started this one to see what peoples thoughts are on microchipping their guineas.

Personally....I wouldn't do it to mine or the rescues, though I can see the benefits, I can also see the cons.

I think it would be very painful for a guinea pig as they often find injections with very fine needles painful and a "chipping needle" is considerably bigger.
It would be unlikely if they were actually stolen that they would ever be scanned anyway. Vets don't routinely scan every animal that comes through their doors with their owner.
The only benefit I can see is that if your guinea escaped and was handed into a vet surgery or rescue.

Most small guineas will not have their own scanner, I don't, though I have friends involved with cat rescue who would scan for me, or of course our vet :)

Great for cats and dogs, not very beneficial to guinea pigs in general. My thoughts only though ;)

Barbara
 
My opinion - I don't see the need for microchipping piggies either. Cats and dogs, yes :)

Saying that, Tatty-cat isn't chipped yet, but will be.
 
cavykind said:
The only benefit I can see is that if your guinea escaped and was handed into a vet surgery or rescue.
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I'm not sure they'd do it even then, as at the moment its not a routine procedure.

I have considered having my rabbits chipped, as my cat is, but for the moment have decided against it for all the reasons you have listed.
 
for normal "mongrel" mixed breed guineas, I wouldnt do it either.

However if you have some pedigree piggies, where the chances of them being stolen is significantly higher, I would consider it.

Piggies escape - but usually they dont go THAT far, so chances are, if they are picked up, it will be a few streets down maybe, almost 100 percent still in your village / city. so if you put up "MISSING" posters, you should have it back soon anyway because people know its yours.

But the case I am talking about is deliberate STEALING of piggies that are "worth something", and a way of proving that they are, in fact, YOURS. I mean even if you found out who stole your piggy, maybe because they are breeding from it and advertising it in the local paper, how could you ever prove its actually yours? with difficulty - unless its microchipped.

the normal pet piggies are not very likely to be stolen, so I wouldnt really spend the money on microchipping them... rather buy them lots of veggies with that money :)
 
My mother's friends had two guineas stolen out of their secure garden only a couple of months ago.
 
I wouldn't microchip them for reasons above.
 
Injecting the microchip into most dogs make them squeal the guns needle is larger than a normal injecting needle. I remember having a small dashound pup coming into the surgery I worked and it screamed out when the Vet chipped him, he was fine for the Vaccine injections. Maybe if it could be modified to be made smaller for small animals then yes I think a lot of people would do it. BUT a microchip isnt going to deter a thief, if they want a pig they would get it. Also if the cavy fancy isnt big on microchiping Guinea's how is anyone going to know to check for one? Unless the owner states so.
I do believe that large shows should have a different system instead of leaving them in cages.

GPQ
 
I hate those guns they use and the size of that needle thing,I know its gotta fit the chip in etc but OMG thats gotta hurt :(
 
GPQ said:
Injecting the microchip into most dogs make them squeal the guns needle is larger than a normal injecting needle. I remember having a small dashound pup coming into the surgery I worked and it screamed out when the Vet chipped him, he was fine for the Vaccine injections. Maybe if it could be modified to be made smaller for small animals then yes I think a lot of people would do it. BUT a microchip isnt going to deter a thief, if they want a pig they would get it. Also if the cavy fancy isnt big on microchiping Guinea's how is anyone going to know to check for one? Unless the owner states so.
I do believe that large shows should have a different system instead of leaving them in cages.

GPQ
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If it's a show winning pig that's stolen they'll just use it for breeding and it'll never see the light of day again so microchipping would have little use in this case
 
One of my horses is microchipped so I've seen the size of the gun and needle. When you take into account the chip is about the size of a grain of rice (it is for horses, not sure if its the same for other animals), its quite large for something small like a piggy.

Kat
 
i use to be a huge advocate for microchipping, till 1)our brothers collie went missing (stolen) & altho my brother asked in every vet in every village (rural dorset) to look out for him , most admit they VERY rarely scan dogs to see if they had a chip , only if there owners ask for a micro chip to be done would they look to see if there was one... :(
then 2) lilly my beautifull long haired cat went missing when next doors bully cat picked on her, we found her in a house locally 5 months later with a man who 'collects' local 'stray cats' l & even tho she was micro chipped we never got her back, as the police told us A) CHANGING DETAILS IS QUITE EASY ON A MICRO CHIP & B) THE NEW ''OWNER'' WOULD NEED TO LET SOMEONE SCAN HER TO PROVE SHE ISNT THERES IN THE FIRST PLACE ? we are still gutted now as we see her every day when we pass the house, but we have no way of getting her back,
& lastly 3) when abby my rotti was chipped at 4m the chip moved dangerously close to her heart , shes 7 1/2 stone so i would shudder to think what it could do to a tiny aniamal ! tho she is now 5 yrs old & very healthy ! so no i dont think it does help much as far as security is involved & hell its a huge great needles for little piggies & I'm sure mine would wheak the house down ! ;)

again this is an opion based on my personal experinces 10 of my 13 cats are chipped & all 4 dogs !
 
bramble said:
i use to be a huge advocate for microchipping, till 1)our brothers collie went missing (stolen) & altho my brother asked in every vet in every village (rural dorset) to look out for him , most admit they VERY rarely scan dogs to see if they had a chip , only if there owners ask for a micro chip to be done would they look to see if there was one... :(
then 2) lilly my beautifull long haired cat went missing when next doors bully cat picked on her, we found her in a house locally 5 months later with a man who 'collects' local 'stray cats' l & even tho she was micro chipped we never got her back, as the police told us A) CHANGING DETAILS IS QUITE EASY ON A MICRO CHIP & B) THE NEW ''OWNER'' WOULD NEED TO LET SOMEONE SCAN HER TO PROVE SHE ISNT THERES IN THE FIRST PLACE ? we are still gutted now as we see her every day when we pass the house, but we have no way of getting her back,
& lastly 3) when abby my rotti was chipped at 4m the chip moved dangerously close to her heart , shes 7 1/2 stone so i would shudder to think what it could do to a tiny aniamal ! tho she is now 5 yrs old & very healthy ! so no i dont think it does help much as far as security is involved & hell its a huge great needles for little piggies & I'm sure mine would wheak the house down ! ;)

again this is an opion based on my personal experinces 10 of my 13 cats are chipped & all 4 dogs !
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OMG that's awful about your poor cat, can't you just steal her back and get her scanned, surely it's theft if he's got your cat without your permission?

My mother-in-law is a bit potty and collects neighbours cats - in fact the last time she started feeding one I told the neighbour what was happening and said if she didn't want to lose her cat she should intervene. She just doesn't see what she's doing wrong and says she's only feeding them but of course they move in. Her next door neighbour lost their cat to her and moved house leaving him behind. Makes me really mad.
 
The chip my horse has has a special coating or something to stop it migrating :)

Kat
 
My point was though - if you foud out where abouts the piggy had got to, what other ways than having it microchipped could you use to prove that it is actually yours?
 
like paint a number on its back or make it wear a doggy collar with its name and address on? lol ;)
 
out of curiosity, some dogs are tattooed arent they? I think in the ear or something? does it actually hurt, I mean, do they get some sort of anaesthetic(sp) or something like that, or is it done while they are "with it" ?
 
Abnoba said:
out of curiosity, some dogs are tattooed arent they? I think in the ear or something? does it actually hurt, I mean, do they get some sort of anaesthetic(sp) or something like that, or is it done while they are "with it" ?
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,its on the inside of the ear

ive seen dogs with tattooed ears too,i hate to see it done,its on the inside of the ear :(
 
Racing greyhounds have their ears tattooed. Its mainly to prevent people entering one dog in a race but actually racing another ie, cheating. My dad has racing greyhounds, I'll have to ask him how the tattoos are done and if it hurts them.

Kat
 
KatsCavies said:
Racing greyhounds have their ears tattooed. Its mainly to prevent people entering one dog in a race but actually racing another ie, cheating. My dad has racing greyhounds, I'll have to ask him how the tattoos are done and if it hurts them.

Kat
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lol i can imagine them queueing with people at the tattoo shop to get it done
 
kayjay ... the 'person' with lilly lives in a first floor flat & she is now a 'house' cat that isnt let out , he has 4 'found' cats , its horrific i past her day on the way to work & always say hello :'( people round our way 'find' cats all the time , when i tried to rehome 3 cats last year no one wanted to know, put 3 of my long hair cats have gone missing :'( :'(

;D sorry just picturing my piggies q at my tattoo palour ( i have over 18 tats) i can see the boys all being tuff & wanting "all' there girl friends names & the girls wanting celtic bands on there bums ;D ;D
 
bramble said:
kayjay ... the 'person' with lilly lives in a first floor flat & she is now a 'house' cat that isnt let out , he has 4 'found' cats , its horrific i past her day on the way to work & always say hello :'( people round our way 'find' cats all the time , when i tried to rehome 3 cats last year no one wanted to know, put 3 of my long hair cats have gone missing :'( :'(

;D sorry just picturing my piggies q at my tattoo palour ( i have over 18 tats) i can see the boys all being tuff & wanting "all' there girl friends names & the girls wanting celtic bands on there bums ;D ;D
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lol they have a long way to go to catch up to my mums 35 tattoos and my 13 but it would be cute to see them standing in the queue
 
Personally..I think tattooing any animal is a barbaric and "cruel" thing to do. But this is just my opinion.
i have known Greyhounds have their ears cut off to destroy the evidence of where they originated :'(

There is no way anyone would get within a mile of any of my companon animals with a tattoo needle >:(
What people choose to do to themselves is no ones business but their own, but to do it to an animal is a big "no no" in my books.

As always, just my thoughts ;)
 
Yes, I met a lady from our greyhound rescue and she told me about the ear tattoos and that they have the ears cut off.

I want a greyhound.
 
I have seen some photos of a dog which had had its microchip cut out :( >:( >:(
 
Today I was on a website where they had a poor, poor Greyhound who had had his lovely, soft, silky ears chopped of to get rid of the tattoos; poor wee thing :'(

I personally don't agree with Greyhound racing at all; just have a look on that website I was earlier to see why. I won't add the link as it isn't cavy related.

Anyway; I'd better shut up about Greyhounds as this is a cavy thread.

Clare xx
 
If I had a cat or a dog I definately would get it chipped, a piggie would not be done, a free range house rabbit would probably get it chipped just in case it left home via the front doot.

If ARC take any strays in we always get them checked for chips, a lot of the vets in our area also check strays as well for chips.
 
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