Bay Area GP breeders/stores/rescues?

Hi all,
I'm upgrading from my childhood hamster (lost to me about 12 years ago) to a bigger, stronger, more personality filled Cavy.

But where do I find a Cavy in the Bay Area? I'm located in Berkeley (next to the campus), communte to Oakland a few days a week (I'm a part time college advisor at Castlemont high), have friends in San Francisco, and return to my home town of Sonoma/Glen Ellen every couple/few weeks - so these are the places where I'd like to locate a cavy breeder or (reputible) store selling cavies. A rescue/adoption center would be best, but I'd like a fairly specific breed and age (I'll move on to adopting once I've begun with a critter I can mostly easily care for and have full knowledge about -- besides, I believe that rescues prefer it if you already have another cavy).

So my question is: where should I go to find a cavy in the Bay Area (Berkeley, SF, Alameda, Oakland, Sonoma, or Glen Ellen)?

Abe

PS - the breed I'm after is basically short haired, "aguoti", I think dutch or other short haired. The following link has one with the look and varity I'm after:
www.meerschweinchen.de/ca...agouti.gif

PPS - if anything I've said makes no sense or is just plain ignorant, please feel free to harshly criticize me, I need to be corrected!

Still looking, any Bay Area folks with advice? Berkeley?

The pet stores in Berkeley that I've noticed are
(1) Your Basic Bird (not much help here as you can imagine)
(2) Petco (there are two of these, okay for basic, mainstream supplies I suppose).

Here's the temporary cage I built. Not complete, but this is the basic idea:
<img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/188437/P1000781e.jpg" style="height:276;width:309;"/>
It will be changed to 2x3 rather than 2x2 shortly, but for now it will have to do (space constraint will shortly not be a problem but for the remaining 4 weeks it is. I'll also be adding a second level, but only half way up the cage (at about 7 inches) with a ramp and a second little home area on the second floor (not a full grid high, only 7 inches or so with a ramp).

What do you think of the improvised hidey house? I'll be covering it with a towel inside and out that will be removable for washing (though unless my cavies' waste can defy gravity that shouldn't be a big problem.

I feel like I'm designing a home on the Sims (they kinda sound like Cavies too!).

Still looking for a Bay Area store that I can trust and a place to buy a Cavy,
Abe

PS - if the image is not working, you can see it at the following address:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-.../P1000781e.jpg

Hey jbrams,

I know this seems quite obvious, but have you tried contacting Teresa. She runs a rescue in San Mateo.

www.cavyspirit.com

I am sure she would be most happy to help you to find you a wonderful pig. You could also check out the SPCA at Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco. Stores I usually check out are Pet Food Express. They don't sell animals. And they are really helpful and willing to take orders for things they may not normally carry.

Most pet owners are anti-Petco because of their inhumane treatment towards animals and so forth. Contact 4 presented a case on some stores in the Bay Area. Plenty of reading available on that.

Thanks for the reply. I've acutally been getting more replies on the guinea lynx forums, they seem more active. I've gotten a cavy, from the Sonoma County Humane Society (in Santa Rosa). His name is Osito (little bear) and for pictures, or for a continuation of this thread, go to <a href="http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9155&start=60" target="top">www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9155&start=60</a>

Thanks!
Abe

I'm a member at the guinealynx forum. They are a great group.