Advice: Pet Store closeing, is a rescue or still just buying from a petstore?

[AmandaErlandson]

I need advice. There is a pet store in my area that is closeing & still has 4 guinea pig babies for sale. 2 boys / 2 girls (or so she says, haven't been there yet) A friend of mine called me and told me about this. She knows I want girls & she is looking for boys. She is going to get the boys today. The thing is, I think they have been housed together. So probably more babies will be coming. Soooo, is it a rescue since who knows what she will do with them if no one buys them. And she won't be buying more to restock her "invantory". And I really want piggies & I'm having so much trouble finding ones to adopt. Also the ones I have found to adopt are like $50 each & hours away. These are $13.00 each & 15 minutes from my house, I am a huge bargin shopper so I am really struggling with this one. But I also face the potential of all the issues you have when you buy a petstore piggie. (mites, pregnancy, ect!) Please help!!!!!

[JD In Van]

If the stores closing could you call, tell her you will take (not buy) the pigs. Tell her you're aware that they're likely pregnant and are likely going to need extensive vet treatment which you're willing to provide but with that in mind you'd like her to give them to you not sell them to you?

If your buget is so tight though I would suggest you reconsider cavy owning. Especially taking on pregnant pigs who will certianly need vet checks and care (which can potentially be very espensive).

[fieryone]

Originally Posted by JD In Van

If your buget is so tight though I would suggest you reconsider cavy owning.

To be fair, she didn't say that her budget is tight. She said she was a bargain shopper. I am too but I do not have a tight budget

Originally Posted by JD In Van

If the stores closing could you call, tell her you will take (not buy) the pigs

I completely agree with this part. If no one buys these pigs what is the store going to do with them? They'll lose the money on them regardless so I think it's worth a try. That is, if you're willing and able to take in a potentially pregnant pair of pigs.

[AmandaErlandson]

I don't know if she will consider giving them away or not. I'm pretty sure she is wanting to sell them. I will call her though.

About the budget thing... It isn't that we are really strapped for cash (we don't have an endless supply either), it is just that I HATE paying more for something. I will usually shop for a long time until I find the absolute best deal. Since I am new to cavy owning I have alot of start-up cost (c & c, hay, food, veggies, toys, bedding, & of course, piggies) $26 vs $100 for two piggies is a pretty big differance.

[JD In Van]

50 each does seem high to me. Rehoming fees in my area are usually 15-30/each.

[Paula]

If you pay for them, they are still making money off of them, so to me, the only way you could really consider it a "rescue" is if you get them for free. What's she going to do with them if they don't sell? Is she going to take them to a rescue or try to sell them herself? If they've hit dire straits, I'd think they'd want the animals off their hands rather than holding out to get someone to pay for them.

I'm sorry, but that it's a "bargain" shouldn't really be the deciding factor, or really any factor at all.

[AmandaErlandson]

Ugh!!! I'm so irritated! I'm not sure what happened when my friend called or what was said. She had heard they were going out of business so she called and got the info listed above, she called me and I posted all this. I just called and she said she is NOT going out of business. So just forget this whole thing! Thanks for all your advice, but I guess I'm still on the hunt for adoptable piggies since this is definitely not a rescue. Thanks!!!

[1frankie7]

my piggie was 10$ from the spca. But it was an hour drive so...