Upset by garden centre

[Claire W]

We went to a garden centre today and they had a pet section. They had an 'offer' on where you could buy a guinea pig starter kit for £70. The offer included a 3ft hutch, food, hay, water bottle, food bowl and a guinea pig. Whilst we were there, a couple brought a guinea pig and the starter kit for their young daughter. Fair enough, the assistant explained the basics to the couple and even pointed out that piggies are happier in pairs but the couple still left with one piggy. I am now imagining the little piggy in his hutch on his own in a garden somewhere

 

[Wiebke]

Oh, no!

Why do they have to do it like that? >>>>>>>>>

 

[Claire W]

I know It wouldn't be as bad if they would only let you take 2 guinea pigs. It was a male guinea pig as well

 

[Wiebke]

Why can't they push it with two piggies and a 2x4 ft cage - but that would be too expensive for impulse buyers, I guess!

Poor little piggies...

 

[Lisajazz]

That's very sad isn't it. I SO wish there was some kind of law about it - I mean piggies really suffer alone (or the ones I have had to quarantine first have). It's really sad to see.

Maybe they will get them a friend soon.

Garden centres and piggies - not a good combination. We just came back from one that had been keeping a little girl in with 3 boys! They have seperated her now but it could be too late.

 

[Angeladeedah]

We went to a garden centre today and they had a pet section. They had an 'offer' on where you could buy a guinea pig starter kit for £70. The offer included a 3ft hutch, food, hay, water bottle, food bowl and a guinea pig. Whilst we were there, a couple brought a guinea pig and the starter kit for their young daughter. Fair enough, the assistant explained the basics to the couple and even pointed out that piggies are happier in pairs but the couple still left with one piggy. I am now imagining the little piggy in his hutch on his own in a garden somewhere

Aw, that poor piggy. I just hope that little girl loves it more than anything and gives it company all the time - you never know! I don't understand why they wouldn't take 2 - it hardly costs more to feed another one and it's fantastic to watch them interact with each other.

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

My local pet shop sells girls in pairs but boys on their own... Well I'm sure they will sell a pair of boys, but the prices are listed as per male or per pair female. And the males are more expensive.

 

[Logiebear]

I am in the process of trying to get a friend to rehome her piggy and it is a sow as it's on her own! Annoys the hell outta me

 

[Andersons]

I`m so sorry for that piggie being on its own. I hope they think of putting in a mirror (which might help the loneliness) but these type of people don`t have much brain power so I doubt it.

I believe its illegal to own one piggie in the Provence of Tuscany in Italy. We should perhaps get involved in the `system` to change our law too.

I may start a thread along these lines. Any ideas would be welcome.

Anders, xx>>>

 

[Claire W]

I just keep thinking of the poor little black and white piggy Especially on a day like today when it is raining. I look at my girls all cosy and snuggled up and think of the lonely pig all by himself

 

[PiggiePal]

i dont think i would have been able to help myself, i'd have gone over and butted in and talked to the couple and explained that it would be better to get 2 pigs rather than one!:x

 

[Kira]

poor little piggy
It's good to hear that the assistant did explain he would be better off in a pair but as said, there should be some sort of law about selling them in pairs

I'd hate to think about my piggys being on their own, I can't wait til Teddy is all better and I can get him a friend

 

[Delia]

I agree that selling one piggy should be banned,unless of course it is someone who already has a piggy and is looking for a companion.the problem with this is that a garden centre/or pet shop would not know the truth of this.I think the only answer is a drastic one and have pet stores/garden centres banned from selling live animals.There are loads of gp`s and other animals sitting in rescues looking for a good home.



Maryh

 

[Claire W]

I did say to my hubby rather loudly that it is cruel to just take one guinea pig and I hate to think what sort of life the pig in question was going to have. The couple kind of just glared at me in discussed and still took the one Garden centre's should stick to selling plants and not pets

 

[Rachael]

I don't want to sound like I'm the one who doesn't really care, because I do, but maybe they couldn't cope with 2? I only bought one at first. And males do usually live alone, 2 could possibly fight. But it is sad for piggies to live alone and most of them usually do love the company. Hopefully they were buying one for company for one they already had? Sorry to sound cruel but that's the way I think of it. But I agree, it is horrible for a piggie to go from so many to his/her own. It would be worse if it was a female, it's like there's a 99% of females that live together get along. Not AS bad it was a male as I already mentioned they usually fight over a female, even when they know there isn't one there, to see who's the biggest of them both/all. But even if he did go alone, they make their own fun up, that's what mine did:p

 

[Rachael]

But, oh my god, I agree with you there, "stick to selling plants not pets"! They have no clue. Never buy hamsters from pet shops, they don't even know which is male or female. They should do it properly or not at all.
Rescue centres, breeders or proper pet shops who know what they're doing ..

 

[Claire W]

I don't want to sound like I'm the one who doesn't really care, because I do, but maybe they couldn't cope with 2? I only bought one at first. And males do usually live alone, 2 could possibly fight. But it is sad for piggies to live alone and most of them usually do love the company. Hopefully they were buying one for company for one they already had? Sorry to sound cruel but that's the way I think of it. But I agree, it is horrible for a piggie to go from so many to his/her own. It would be worse if it was a female, it's like there's a 99% of females that live together get along. Not AS bad it was a male as I already mentioned they usually fight over a female, even when they know there isn't one there, to see who's the biggest of them both/all. But even if he did go alone, they make their own fun up, that's what mine did:p

I think that the problem I have is because I have had experience of a lonely piggy. I took Connie on from a home where she wasn't wanted anymore When she first arrived here she seemed very quiet. I asked for advice and looked online and realised that she may be lonely. Two days later, I brought another piggy (Eliza) and when I introduced the 2 of them, Connie's personality changed almost over night. She was like a different pig. Connie and Eliza were inseperable for a good year and a half before we lost poor Connie When Connie died, Eliza changed and became withdrawn. Since we rescued a friend for her (Eleanor) she is happy again and so is Ellie p I am pretty convinced that the piggy at the garden centre wasn't being brought as company for another as the couple didn't seem familar with guinea pigs and they were buying a guinea pig starter kit xx

 

[snowy/twinkle]

my local p@h sell single piggies, iam a regular there so alot of the staff know me,so when i went in this afternoon i spoke to the manager and told him that is was cruel to sell singles. He told me that his staff do try to encourage people to buy 2 but it is often seen as a sales ploy. There was a couple in there who were looking at the sows, i walked straight up to them and told them that they should get 2, i also directed them to this site. They went away empty handed saying that they were going to do some research first. Hopefully if they do log on they will consider rescue!

I just hope I'm not persona non grata at P@H!

 

[Rachael]

I think that the problem I have is because I have had experience of a lonely piggy. I took Connie on from a home where she wasn't wanted anymore When she first arrived here she seemed very quiet. I asked for advice and looked online and realised that she may be lonely. Two days later, I brought another piggy (Eliza) and when I introduced the 2 of them, Connie's personality changed almost over night. She was like a different pig. Connie and Eliza were inseperable for a good year and a half before we lost poor Connie When Connie died, Eliza changed and became withdrawn. Since we rescued a friend for her (Eleanor) she is happy again and so is Ellie p I am pretty convinced that the piggy at the garden centre wasn't being brought as company for another as the couple didn't seem familar with guinea pigs and they were buying a guinea pig starter kit xx

Oh .. well if they were buying a starter kit maybe they were'nt buying it for company. But I defintly do think it's because they probably don't know anything about guinea pigs. Just buying one, to see how it goes. That's what we did at first. Then you do a bit more research, find out what they eat and where they sleep and stuff, and eventually they might get another one. That's what we did, I begged my mum for another because we knew so much about them now.
But I do agree, it is sad when they go alone. Maybe it's for the best?