Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
I have some free time today so I thought I would update you all on Merrypigs rescue's most recent problem... STRAYS!
In December last year (so around 8 months ago) we were called out to our first strays - later named AUGUSTINE AND CLEMENTINE.
These two girls had been released into a local churchyard on a miserable winter day, around 3 degrees above freezing. With the help of two kind strangers who stayed with them until we arrived, the girls were caught with little effort; they were very scared, cold and tired. Clementine was emaciated and at one point we thought we would lose her.
We estimated them to be around 8 weeks and 4 weeks old respectively.
Both girls then started compulsory pregnancy watch. It's a good job they did because a few weeks later it became very clear that Augustine was pregnant. She gave birth to five healthy babies, three boys and two girls.
Augustine, Clementine and the two baby girls named Joanie and Loretta have since been rehomed together and are now living in the lap of luxury!
One baby boy, Sherman, was bonded and rehomed with one of our single boars, Socks.
The remaining baby boys, Buddy and William, are still here.
Into the spring time and we were called on again, this time to a single guinea pig who had been dumped along the local canal with loads of children's stuff. He was later named ORLANDO.
There were times that evening when we were so close to catching him. We had to give up when it went dark but returned three days straight, with the help of a local guinea pig lover and her two daughters we combed the area but there was no sign. We had to admit defeat after three days, but left behind a cardboard box where he was last seen, filled with hay and veggies, just in case.
Fast forward TWO WEEKS at Merrypigs founder Amy is at the local wildlife reserve opposite the canal. Using her camera to zoom in on the box, would you believe it, there he was. Sitting by his box, munching on some grass! Straight back to the car to collect the guinea pig catching kit, with the help of some guinea pig noises from Youtube he was quickly in the box. It was clear he had been living in there for the past two weeks.
He was in remarkably good condition.
We estimated him to be around 10 weeks old.
A couple of months ago, you guessed it, we were called out again to a local beauty spot to find another stray. This time we were unsuccessful. However another kind soul headed to the area after us and managed to catch this piggy. He is now living happily with them and their other piggies.
Middle of June, we were called to a trio of guinea pigs dumped at another location on the canal at the back of a supermarket. Three boys were easily spotted. Two hours later, and with the help of 11 kind strangers who came to help with fishing nets and bashing down the undergrowth, and an awful lot of stings and bites later all three were caught. All very thin, and of course all with ringworm, we believe they were around 8-14 weeks old. They are RORY, RUFUS AND ROLAND. They are still with us at the rescue. Rory and Roland live as a pair, and Rufus lives happily with Orlando.
Then last week. Every time it breaks our hearts but we head out to look for them because they need us. In the same spot as Orlando, another single pig dumped, this time with loads of empty cans. It took three days to catch her, with the help again of kind strangers, one of whom had a very useful humane squirrel trap! Some irresistible celery chunks eventually persuaded her safely into the trap. We believe her to be around 10 weeks old; we are glad to have caught her before the heatwave kicks in! She is now on pregnancy watch, and although terrified (I have only seen her out of her hidey house once) she fell asleep the evening after her capture snuggled up to my chest. She is as of yet UNNAMED.
What is going on here? You are bound to notice these guinea pigs all look remarkably similar. We have some ideas as to who may be responsible, but unfortunately no proof. Yet. We won't stop rescuing these pigs while they need us. But when we find out who's doing this... >
Anyway sorry for the long post. Enjoy the photos!
And if you're interested in adopting BUDDY AND WILLIAM, RORY AND ROLAND, ORLANDO AND RUFUS or our as of yet UNNAMED sow please head over to our website www.merrypigs.com and fill in an application form.
In December last year (so around 8 months ago) we were called out to our first strays - later named AUGUSTINE AND CLEMENTINE.
These two girls had been released into a local churchyard on a miserable winter day, around 3 degrees above freezing. With the help of two kind strangers who stayed with them until we arrived, the girls were caught with little effort; they were very scared, cold and tired. Clementine was emaciated and at one point we thought we would lose her.
We estimated them to be around 8 weeks and 4 weeks old respectively.
Both girls then started compulsory pregnancy watch. It's a good job they did because a few weeks later it became very clear that Augustine was pregnant. She gave birth to five healthy babies, three boys and two girls.
Augustine, Clementine and the two baby girls named Joanie and Loretta have since been rehomed together and are now living in the lap of luxury!
One baby boy, Sherman, was bonded and rehomed with one of our single boars, Socks.
The remaining baby boys, Buddy and William, are still here.
Into the spring time and we were called on again, this time to a single guinea pig who had been dumped along the local canal with loads of children's stuff. He was later named ORLANDO.
There were times that evening when we were so close to catching him. We had to give up when it went dark but returned three days straight, with the help of a local guinea pig lover and her two daughters we combed the area but there was no sign. We had to admit defeat after three days, but left behind a cardboard box where he was last seen, filled with hay and veggies, just in case.
Fast forward TWO WEEKS at Merrypigs founder Amy is at the local wildlife reserve opposite the canal. Using her camera to zoom in on the box, would you believe it, there he was. Sitting by his box, munching on some grass! Straight back to the car to collect the guinea pig catching kit, with the help of some guinea pig noises from Youtube he was quickly in the box. It was clear he had been living in there for the past two weeks.
He was in remarkably good condition.
We estimated him to be around 10 weeks old.
A couple of months ago, you guessed it, we were called out again to a local beauty spot to find another stray. This time we were unsuccessful. However another kind soul headed to the area after us and managed to catch this piggy. He is now living happily with them and their other piggies.
Middle of June, we were called to a trio of guinea pigs dumped at another location on the canal at the back of a supermarket. Three boys were easily spotted. Two hours later, and with the help of 11 kind strangers who came to help with fishing nets and bashing down the undergrowth, and an awful lot of stings and bites later all three were caught. All very thin, and of course all with ringworm, we believe they were around 8-14 weeks old. They are RORY, RUFUS AND ROLAND. They are still with us at the rescue. Rory and Roland live as a pair, and Rufus lives happily with Orlando.
Then last week. Every time it breaks our hearts but we head out to look for them because they need us. In the same spot as Orlando, another single pig dumped, this time with loads of empty cans. It took three days to catch her, with the help again of kind strangers, one of whom had a very useful humane squirrel trap! Some irresistible celery chunks eventually persuaded her safely into the trap. We believe her to be around 10 weeks old; we are glad to have caught her before the heatwave kicks in! She is now on pregnancy watch, and although terrified (I have only seen her out of her hidey house once) she fell asleep the evening after her capture snuggled up to my chest. She is as of yet UNNAMED.
What is going on here? You are bound to notice these guinea pigs all look remarkably similar. We have some ideas as to who may be responsible, but unfortunately no proof. Yet. We won't stop rescuing these pigs while they need us. But when we find out who's doing this... >
Anyway sorry for the long post. Enjoy the photos!
And if you're interested in adopting BUDDY AND WILLIAM, RORY AND ROLAND, ORLANDO AND RUFUS or our as of yet UNNAMED sow please head over to our website www.merrypigs.com and fill in an application form.
