Post by angelwyche - ADMIN on Jan 8, 2008 16:10:33 GMT
This is mostly for the first time prospective owner.
Rescues
This should be the first call made when looking for pet cavies; there are many healthy guinea pigs in rescues around the country looking for loving homes. Many will be adults, but a few babies are some times available when a sow has been pregnant on arriving at the rescue.
These guinea pigs will have been given complete health checks, and any medical problems sorted before they are ready for adoption. The guinea pigs will also be socialized and assessed before any prospective new owners get to meet them.. The staff or owners of the rescue should be experienced at placing guinea pigs with new owners, assessing the environment that the new owners have and the family that the guinea pigs are moving into.
To find these rescues, check around local veterinary surgeries to see if they have notices, contacts or have customers who rescue. Search the internet for guinea pigs rescue, there are a lot around the UK that have websites. Also contact the RSPCA to find out if they have any guinea pigs in their rescue centres. The RSPCA may know of further guinea pig rescues and give you the contacts.
Breeders of quality Cavies:
There is need to be careful here, but most breeders (fanciers) of show Cavies will have healthy, chunky little guinea pigs, that are sound in health and temperament. The aim of the cavy fancier is to breed for 'Quality not Quantity' In fact if these pampered animals were cared for in any other way than the best, the fancier will not be able to show successfully. Mating are thought out before the boar and sow are introduced to each other, the babies are brought up on a good diet and socialised, both with other guinea pigs and humans. An animal that is nervous does not do well on a show table. Sows will only have 2 - 3 litters in a life time.
To find a good breeder, visit shows that may be advertised in your local paper, agricultural shows often have a small animal section. Do not buy from a show; but try to see as many breeds and types, ask about their care and characteristics, and decide what you would like as pets. Fanciers normally exchange cavies amongst themselves, when they are looking for new cavies to improve on their own line of show cavies. But they do sometimes have lovely little Guinea pigs that could go to a pet home.
When buying from a breeder, try to go to them to collect your new guinea pigs. It should be possible to see where they are kept, and what their living conditions are like. The caviarys should be clean and airy with no unpleasant odours. The guinea pigs should have good hay, food and clean water available. There should be a range of ages kept, with only a few babies up to old adults. If there are no older, re-tired guinea pigs, then you have to ask yourself what happens to these older animals. You should be able to meet Mum and Dad, unless the sow was bred to another fancier's boar which was borrowed
Pet Shops:
Be very careful, not all of them are bad, but the good are few and spread out. A lot of them will be supplied be back yard/box breeders who are out for money and it is impossible to look after animals properly and make money. Sometimes the animals are sold to a pet animal distribution company, this means they have been picked up and taken to a despatch dept' before being mixed with other guinea pigs and sent on again. The Stress is horrendous, not to mentions the possibilities of infections spreading through the whole lot.
Some pet shops buy from local breeders who have a few youngsters available, or from guinea pig owners who have had an 'accidental mating' these should come into the shop ready sexed in separate pens. They should have been quarantined, so that any problems will show up before they are sold. The sale pens should be clean with hay, food and water available (greens are usually given at night so they can be cleaned up before opening next day) and hopefully the guinea pigs will not be housed with rabbits (Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together is very unwise, so even if the pet shop staff say it's OK, don't) The staff should be knowledgeable and should be able to give advice, about the food presently being feed, care on introducing new diets and foods, and general care and handling. It should be possible to hold the guinea pigs under the supervision of one of the staff. There should be leaflets available, or at least books that you can purchase.
What to look for: When choosing your guinea pig
A fit animal that feels firm on handling.
Eyes should be bright and clear, with no discharge, opaqueness, crustiness or injury.
The nose should be clear with no discharge, and no ruttling noise on breathing.
Check the teeth, or ask to be shown them, the front teeth should be even and chisel-shaped. uneven front teeth can indicate trouble with the back teeth.
There should be no wetness around the mouth, or any drooling. It's alright is the guinea pig has just been drinking, some of them are really messy with their drinking water.
The ears should be clean, without excessive wax, and not smell.
The coat should be shiny and free from lice or fleas, with no bald patches (a bald spot behind each ear is normal)
The skin should not have breaks, dandruff or have scabs or pimples.
The genital area should be clean, not be excessively wet, with unpleasant smells and have no sign of diarrhoea or impaction.
Where ever the guinea pigs come from you should get a small amount of what ever food they are being fed on. Then the guinea pigs diet can be changed guadually to the type of food that they are going to be fed on at their new home.
Remember all guinea pigs are shy and nervous, after all in the wild they are dinner for many animals. So nervousness when first meeting your pets is to be expected. Once in their new home and the come to know you they are wonderful, talkative, loving, little animals.
They very, very rarely bite, if they do it is because they are in pain or are very scared.
Be sure to supervise young children when they are holding their guinea pigs. Accidents can happen
Also buy 2 of the same sex; they need company of their own kind.
Angelwyche 8th January 2008.
copyrights©angelwyche
Rescues
This should be the first call made when looking for pet cavies; there are many healthy guinea pigs in rescues around the country looking for loving homes. Many will be adults, but a few babies are some times available when a sow has been pregnant on arriving at the rescue.
These guinea pigs will have been given complete health checks, and any medical problems sorted before they are ready for adoption. The guinea pigs will also be socialized and assessed before any prospective new owners get to meet them.. The staff or owners of the rescue should be experienced at placing guinea pigs with new owners, assessing the environment that the new owners have and the family that the guinea pigs are moving into.
To find these rescues, check around local veterinary surgeries to see if they have notices, contacts or have customers who rescue. Search the internet for guinea pigs rescue, there are a lot around the UK that have websites. Also contact the RSPCA to find out if they have any guinea pigs in their rescue centres. The RSPCA may know of further guinea pig rescues and give you the contacts.
Breeders of quality Cavies:
There is need to be careful here, but most breeders (fanciers) of show Cavies will have healthy, chunky little guinea pigs, that are sound in health and temperament. The aim of the cavy fancier is to breed for 'Quality not Quantity' In fact if these pampered animals were cared for in any other way than the best, the fancier will not be able to show successfully. Mating are thought out before the boar and sow are introduced to each other, the babies are brought up on a good diet and socialised, both with other guinea pigs and humans. An animal that is nervous does not do well on a show table. Sows will only have 2 - 3 litters in a life time.
To find a good breeder, visit shows that may be advertised in your local paper, agricultural shows often have a small animal section. Do not buy from a show; but try to see as many breeds and types, ask about their care and characteristics, and decide what you would like as pets. Fanciers normally exchange cavies amongst themselves, when they are looking for new cavies to improve on their own line of show cavies. But they do sometimes have lovely little Guinea pigs that could go to a pet home.
When buying from a breeder, try to go to them to collect your new guinea pigs. It should be possible to see where they are kept, and what their living conditions are like. The caviarys should be clean and airy with no unpleasant odours. The guinea pigs should have good hay, food and clean water available. There should be a range of ages kept, with only a few babies up to old adults. If there are no older, re-tired guinea pigs, then you have to ask yourself what happens to these older animals. You should be able to meet Mum and Dad, unless the sow was bred to another fancier's boar which was borrowed
Pet Shops:
Be very careful, not all of them are bad, but the good are few and spread out. A lot of them will be supplied be back yard/box breeders who are out for money and it is impossible to look after animals properly and make money. Sometimes the animals are sold to a pet animal distribution company, this means they have been picked up and taken to a despatch dept' before being mixed with other guinea pigs and sent on again. The Stress is horrendous, not to mentions the possibilities of infections spreading through the whole lot.
Some pet shops buy from local breeders who have a few youngsters available, or from guinea pig owners who have had an 'accidental mating' these should come into the shop ready sexed in separate pens. They should have been quarantined, so that any problems will show up before they are sold. The sale pens should be clean with hay, food and water available (greens are usually given at night so they can be cleaned up before opening next day) and hopefully the guinea pigs will not be housed with rabbits (Keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together is very unwise, so even if the pet shop staff say it's OK, don't) The staff should be knowledgeable and should be able to give advice, about the food presently being feed, care on introducing new diets and foods, and general care and handling. It should be possible to hold the guinea pigs under the supervision of one of the staff. There should be leaflets available, or at least books that you can purchase.
What to look for: When choosing your guinea pig
A fit animal that feels firm on handling.
Eyes should be bright and clear, with no discharge, opaqueness, crustiness or injury.
The nose should be clear with no discharge, and no ruttling noise on breathing.
Check the teeth, or ask to be shown them, the front teeth should be even and chisel-shaped. uneven front teeth can indicate trouble with the back teeth.
There should be no wetness around the mouth, or any drooling. It's alright is the guinea pig has just been drinking, some of them are really messy with their drinking water.
The ears should be clean, without excessive wax, and not smell.
The coat should be shiny and free from lice or fleas, with no bald patches (a bald spot behind each ear is normal)
The skin should not have breaks, dandruff or have scabs or pimples.
The genital area should be clean, not be excessively wet, with unpleasant smells and have no sign of diarrhoea or impaction.
Where ever the guinea pigs come from you should get a small amount of what ever food they are being fed on. Then the guinea pigs diet can be changed guadually to the type of food that they are going to be fed on at their new home.
Remember all guinea pigs are shy and nervous, after all in the wild they are dinner for many animals. So nervousness when first meeting your pets is to be expected. Once in their new home and the come to know you they are wonderful, talkative, loving, little animals.
They very, very rarely bite, if they do it is because they are in pain or are very scared.
Be sure to supervise young children when they are holding their guinea pigs. Accidents can happen
Also buy 2 of the same sex; they need company of their own kind.
Angelwyche 8th January 2008.
copyrights©angelwyche
