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RSPCA guinea pig diet.

Osidian

Osidian

New Born Pup
Joined
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Location
Glasgow
So the other day I come across the guide line for a guinea pig diet on the rspca website. And they advise kale and brocoli as a daily source of vitamin C.
As we know both are not the best options, high calcium, and brocoli can make a guinea pig bloated, what is very dungerous.
I coment this with my partner, that end up posting on the RSPCA Facebook.

Print screen atach.
The main problem for me here is that, this kind of wrong information is more common then not, with site that people will blindly trust.
 

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I think it's a misunderstanding. I think the advice is to feed greens daily with kale and broccoli being an example but yes that is open to the incorrect interpretation that these can be fed daily. I find their response missed your point completely and very disappointing
 
It’s such a shame they don’t get it right when there’s so much good info on this forum. I believe that local RSPCA centres are mainly run by volunteers like the one we have down here in Cornwall.
I was looking for a boar companion for Ted after Bill died and they would not listen to the advice about a boar they had advertised which they would only let go to a home with a spayed female. He had been there for months on his own and looked so sad and I offered to try bond him with my Ted at their premises and if it worked out give a generous donation. I told them the likelihood of him ever getting a home with a spayed female was remote, but they would not have it.
 
They have a national policy that they won't rehome boars to homes with boars at all. They neuter all their boars and will only rehome to go with sows. It's so sad they are missing out on really good homes, and what happens to the old boars that can't be neutered? Do they split up bonded pairs?
Their cage size recommendations are too small as well.
I used to support the RSPCA and make regular donations, I stopped a few years ago when they changed their rehoming policy.
 
I had a really good experience with Walsall RSPCA when I adopted Merry a year ago. But a few years before that I wanted to adopt my boy Henry from a different branch. Through email I was having a conversation with the RSPCA lady who asked me about my cage size. I said I had a 6x2 C&C. Her answer was 'what's a C&C? Errrrrr........
 
Zanzan said:
I had a really good experience with Walsall RSPCA when I adopted Merry a year ago. But a few years before that I wanted to adopt my boy Henry from a different branch. Through email I was having a conversation with the RSPCA lady who asked me about my cage size. I said I had a 6x2 C&C. Her answer was 'what's a C&C? Errrrrr........
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I think this is a key thing. Many RSPCAs are volunteer led and independent. Walsall RSPCA in terms of rabbits and guinea pigs is run by one lady who knows her stuff and has an excellent arrangement going on. I too have adopted from them previously. Sadly many RSPCAs don't have this so unless it's a cat or dog they don't have much of a clue
 
stef.trg said:
That is so disappointing! In fact, it disappointed me so much that I went ahead, looked for your comment on FB and backed you up.
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Thank you for the backup! What is really annoying was the way they answer, like they can't be wrong..

The big problem is that, if you type guinea pig diet on Google, the first websites are this big platforms, RSPCA is the second for me, and the first is PDSA, both have wrong information on the daily vegetables...

People who are geting they first guinea pig don't have a clue and will trust this sources!


Atach RSPCA and PDSA print screen.
 

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piggieminder said:
They have a national policy that they won't rehome boars to homes with boars at all. They neuter all their boars and will only rehome to go with sows. It's so sad they are missing out on really good homes, and what happens to the old boars that can't be neutered? Do they split up bonded pairs?
Their cage size recommendations are too small as well.
I used to support the RSPCA and make regular donations, I stopped a few years ago when they changed their rehoming policy.
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He wasn’t neutered and was quite an mature boar, (about 4 years old) that’s why they insisted he needed a spayed female. they said he had been bullied by his cage mate and could only go with a female. I told them that was mad, he could be bonded with another boar, it was just getting the right match.
I really appreciate what the RSPCA do and any charity that involves rescuing animals but do think some are more knowledge than others when it comes to guinea pigs.

The one in Newquay is funded and run by volunteers and locally led. They have a lovely set up but really need someone who knows about GP’s. If I lived nearer I would have offered to get involved but it’s 20 miles each way and summer traffic around Newquay is not great
 
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Bill & Ted said:
He wasn’t neutered and was quite an mature boar, (about 4 years old) that’s why they insisted he needed a spayed female. they said he had been bullied by his cage mate and could only go with a female. I told them that was mad, he could be bonded with another boar, it was just getting the right match.
I really appreciate what the RSPCA do and any charity that involves rescuing animals but do think some are more knowledge than others when it comes to guinea pigs.

The one in Newquay is funded and run by volunteers and locally led. They have a lovely set up but really need someone who knows about GP’s. If I lived nearer I would have offered to get involved but it’s 20 miles each way and summer traffic around Newquay is not great
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I don't knock the local centres that are run by volunteers who do their best with the knowledge they have. It's the National rules that are the problem. If you or the animal don't tick the right boxes there seems to be no way round them.
 
piggieminder said:
They have a national policy that they won't rehome boars to homes with boars at all. They neuter all their boars and will only rehome to go with sows. It's so sad they are missing out on really good homes, and what happens to the old boars that can't be neutered? Do they split up bonded pairs?
Their cage size recommendations are too small as well.
I used to support the RSPCA and make regular donations, I stopped a few years ago when they changed their rehoming policy.
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That isn't correct across all RSPCA branches. Our local RSPCA Northamptonshire Branch will rehome boars to live with boars. I know this for sure, as I have done bonds for them.
 
piggieminder said:
I don't knock the local centres that are run by volunteers who do their best with the knowledge they have. It's the National rules that are the problem. If you or the animal don't tick the right boxes there seems to be no way round them.
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yes, that’s absolutely right. I was also told they get very little funding from Head Office and that most of their revenues is self funded, yet they have to adhere by RSPCA rules. Most of the monies raised in donations goes directly to fund enforcement and cruelty cases going on court costs and solicitors
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
That isn't correct across all RSPCA branches. Our local RSPCA Northamptonshire Branch will rehome boars to live with boars. I know this for sure, as I have done bonds for them.
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I wish ours would! It does state on the website they won't home boars to homes with intact boars.
 
Bill & Ted said:
yes, that’s absolutely right. I was also told they get very little funding from Head Office and that most of their revenues is self funded, yet they have to adhere by RSPCA rules and most of the monies raised in donations goes directly to fund enforcement and cruelty cases going on court costs and solicitors
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All the RSPCA branches are run as separate charities, so they don't get funding from central RSPCA. Our local branch is brilliant and does an amazing job!
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
All the RSPCA branches are run as separate charities, so they don't get funding from central RSPCA. Our local branch is brilliant and does an amazing job!
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yes I’m not knocking our local branch, they do a fab job with cats and dogs, I just don’t think they have loads of knowledge when it comes to GP’s. I think most go to Maria’s Animal Shelter in Probus where I got Ginger, Posh and Hector who have amazing facilities and are really clued up on Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
 
Have any of you thought of volunteering for your local branches? Alot of branches really struggle with knowledgeable volunteers, even suggesting reading or writing piggy information for websites? Taking photos ect. I know if someone came to us for information about a rat or ferret I wouldn't have a clue where to start.

All branches are different with different strengths and weaknesses, but it's really important to try to promote good animal care for all species.
 
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