REHOME OR FOSTER ... WHAT TO DO

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clowny

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Well, as some of you will know we lost Clowny yesterday.

Over tea last night my daughter, Martha, asked whether we would get another piggie/piggies (she knows there are lots in need from me being on the site). My son, Joe, suggested fostering. It is something I have thought about, but have never had a spare hutch.

We obviously have a spare one now.

We will be rearranging our 3 piggies tonight (couldn't face it last night). Ginger and Toffee are moving upstairs and Skip 'the bully', will be moving from his hutch into the bottom of the large hutch. Skips old hutch, whilst not the largest, was what we could afford at the time when he started attacking the others (Clowny ended up have a wound glued back together) in the summer last year.

The spare hutch is only 3 foot and when the weather was nice and Skip was in the run all day was fine. My hubby and I have talked about putting in a second floor to give an extra couple of feet running space. He even joked about cutting a hole through into the bed area and putting a pole in so they could slide down ;D ;D But if a piggie(s) was/were in need, its safe and warm.

Anyway, do I rehome or foster?

I think from a financial point of view, fostering would be the better option, but could I part with the piggie/piggies? I think I could, if I knew he was going to a new forever home.

So, I think the question is, is there anyone out there who needs a fosterer? Boys only - don't want to get my boys excited with girlies :-* :o :-* :o

Am 6 miles from the M42 junction 11 (Appleby Magna) or 12 (Ashby).
 
Well I'd go for rehoming an older boar, there are so many in rescue that stand little chance of getting a forever home :( but obviously fostering is a very good thing to do... guess it's how you feel about giving him to another home
 
Whether you rehome or foster you will need a bigger hutch. It really is not fair to keep a piggie in a hutch so small. Understandable temporarily to stop them injuring eachother, but not to deliberatly take in a new guinea pig.

My minimum size requirement for anyone adopting is 4ft by 2ft, or a 4ft double, plus run of course. My fosterer provides much more space than this, two groups have half a shed each, the other groups have big sections of a bedroom.

Without more space available you should stick with the ones you have.
 
Thank you for your thoughs and comments, they are appreciated as always. When i bought Skips hutch I had been to the vets with Clowny (having his wound glued) and picked up 'Gertys Guide to Guinea Pigs'. In there is quoted the min length hutch for a guinea is 3 foot. We had been looking for a larger hutch (the big one we have being 5 foot), but could not stretch to it at the timeand we needed one urgently to separate them. Seeing the info in Gertys Guide made me feel better. Skip had practically all day in the run during the summer and we give as many cuddles and as much floor time as we can. now. The comments about it being too small has now made me feel guilty.

My son asked this morning about fostering and I told him about the comments made. His answer was 'So would they rather a guinea pig livie in muck or be in danger than safe in our hutch Mom'. I tried to explain that this wasn't what was meant, it was what that Rescue would rather the guinea pig have. But through the eyes of a nine year old, this is how he saw it.

I don't know what to do now. I am minded to leave it. i am thinking if this rescue views the hutch as too small, I am assuming others will too - whether fostering or rehoming.
 
Every rescue has different opinions and ideas of what is suitable, please don't get upset or feel guilty.... Weighing up your options, looking at different ideas and asking shows that you are a good piggy mum and want the best for them!

The more space the better yes ideally but with anything, we can't all offer the same so make the best of what we have.
 
cavy cages gives minimum cages sizes

http://www.guineapigcages.com/index.htm

I personally think 3ft hutches should be banned (and I saw a 2ft one in P@H last week!), but if that's what you have and he had plenty of time outside of it then don't feel guilty, many more guineapigs live in far worse.

One idea I saw on RU the other day was a girl who's 4ft didn't meet rescue requirements bought another 4ft and joined them together. Just an idea, you could buy the 2ft one from P@H £29 and join them together to make a 5ft one which any rescue surely would approve?

I recently bought rabbitshack hutches from ebay for a really good price and I'm very happy with them:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Extreme-Distribution_Animal-products_W0QQfsubZ12
 
Thanks for that, I felt really guilty. Those hutch prices are incredible. I like the look of the 3ft double, but wish they did it a 4ft double. I will have a look at finances and see what space I can make in the shed - not sure I could get the 4ft one in. We have the hutches one side and large stacks of hay and straw etc the other side. I totally agree with comments made about more space is better. I wish I had more space and money for my piggies to live in an eight foot one like my two buns. I can't believe 2 foot hutches are even made. I bet someone who buys one that size, doesn't even give their piggy cuddles or floor space :'(
 
I bought a 5ft single and have just put it together on my own and it was dead easy! Going to move my girls in soon, they're going into the dining room which is a dumping ground at the moment and being acclimatised slowly for the shed! I'm thinking of getting a 4ft one for Hugo and Hurley too.

They do do a 4ft double

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-WOO...hZ018QQcategoryZ63513QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Gemma's got Ernest and Emily in one of these and it's a nice size for a pair
 
Move over Handy Andy ;D ;D

I liked the look of the 3ft one, although looking again it looks like two sep hutches rather than being joined with a ramp - not sure. It was just that it looked like it had two 'bed' areas.

As mentioned I am going to have a measure and count the pennies.
 
Well i think that's a lovely offer, you've been given some great advice and you've listened, well done.

Do what you really feel comfortable with what ever it be your heart will tell you, good luck and let us know we hope all goes well :-*
 
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