Me and My Pig(s): Long time lurker finally posts! (Long)

[tree_hugger]

Hi everyone!

What a wealth of information this site is. I have been reading here for a few months now, looking for ways to improve my pig's lives. I was doing so much wrong, but now I know I am giving my pigs everything they need, and it feels great!

I want to share our story here so you can all appreciate how much this site has already given my family and our pigs. I KNOW that I did pretty much everything wrong in the early days of owning pigs - I wish I could go back with the knowledge I have now and start over, but since I can't, I am just going to continue to do the best I can.

My name is Kath, and I have three children, who are 8, 6 and 3. We got our first pigs about a year ago. They were brothers my mother got for us from a backyard breeder. I knew never to buy puppies or kittens from petshops or backyard breeders, but I never thought about the same rules applying to smaller pets like guinea pigs. Obviously, I know better now.

The two boys lived outside, as is typical for guinea pigs and rabbits here in Australia. Amazingly, the survived the weather extremes and lack of hay and fresh veggies.

One day, I went to feed the pigs and they were just gone from their hutch. I realised I had moved it onto uneven ground and they had escaped. I thought we would never see them again, but after a few days I started catching little glimpses of them around the garden. I tried to catch them as I knew they were unsafe, but they were so fast! Finally, I just started leaving water out for them and hoped for the best.

Sadly, our neighbour's dog managed to get through the fence and got into our yard. It is a terrier, and somehow, he found one of the pigs and killed him. It was devastating. I wrapped him up in a towel and took him next door to show them what had happened, my tears flowing freely. They apologised, but I don't think they cared that much.

A few days after that, my ex-husband was visiting when he said to me, "Do you want to catch that guinea pig? Because he's in the perfect spot right now." He had wandered into the front yard and was sitting on an open patch of grass. Between the two of us and our three sons, we managed to catch him using a laundry basket!

Here is a picture of Arthur being weighed:



And having a cuddle with my oldest son (Believe it or not, this seems to be Arthur's favourite way to be held!):



I immediately began searching the net for info on caring for guinea pigs - I so wanted to make it up to this little guy! He had had a terrible life and it was my fault. The first thing I did was go out and buy the supplies to make a C&C cage. I built him a 2 x 4, but kept it outside on our enclosed veranda. I did this because I felt he would be too scared of all the noises and comings and goings in the house. I also thought that the house would smell and fleece was too complicated, even though I had used basically the same system for my sons' nappies for years.

So, next, I went to a pet shop and bought a friend for him. I checked our local RSPCA and they had no guinea pigs, and I didn't want to make him wait any longer for a friend. I didn't even know that guinea pig rescues exist, or I would have gone there.

Here is Oliver being handfed by my middle son:

[tree_hugger]

A few months went by and Arthur and Oliver seemed happy living outside. We fed them pellets, hay and a carrot everyday. Around this time, I started reading this forum, and realising that Arthur and Oliver needed so much more than I was giving them! I decided to finally move their home inside. In the dining room, to be exact.

I also made the switch to fleece, and changed their diet to fit in with the guidelines here. We also adopted a sweet baby pig from our local RSPCA.

Meet Charlie:



And my new hobby is now sewing guinea pig accessories:



So that brings me to today! As I said before, I now know I am giving my pigs everything they need, and they are happy, healthy and content. Animal welfare has always been important to me - I am vegan! - and I can't believe I was so ignorant for so long.

Now - I posted a little about this on Guinea Lynx today, but here is the rest of the story. Today I was running some errands and drove past a pet shop in my area. I have never been in there - nor have I ever wanted to - but for some reason I really felt that I should drop in and have a look.

It is a large store that sells mostly fish and birds. It smelled horrible and the noise of all the birds and the radio blaring was overwhelming. I walked up and down the isles, feeling sorry for all the birds in tiny cages, when I found the guinea pigs. They had food and water, but were majorly overcrowded.

I noticed a tiny, sweet piggy face peeking out from an igloo in the rabbit cage - after a moment he came out, and I could see he had some horrible, painful looking sores on his body. Thanks to all the reading I had done here, my first thought was mange, and this boy needs a vet!

I asked the pet shop lady to give him to me, but she refused. I ended up paying ten dollars to get him out of there! I swore I would never support pet shops again, but I do think I did the right thing. I drove him straight to my vet who gave me some questionable advice on how to treat him.

I decided to bring him home and get online to help me figure out what to do. Henry (or Hank) was settling into his quarantine cage when I managed to locate a local cavy savvy vet! She gave Henry an invermectin injection and prescribed oral and topical antibiotics. He are some pictures of Henry and his wounds:

[tree_hugger]

I am so completely appalled that anyone would think it is okay to keep an animal in this condition, let alone sell one like that! I have reported the pet shop to the RSPCA for denying veterinary care.

My plan is to continue his treatment and help him to get healthy and happy, and then decide if he will live with us or be adopted into a new home. I hope to introduce him to Arthur, and have those two together and Oliver and Charlie together. We'll see how it goes!

If you've read this far, I thank you! I look forward to being a part of this community and contributing where ever I can.

[IluvePiggies]

Those are some horrible conditions! I'm glad you saved him and I'm glad you finally know not to buy from Pet Stores again. Of course, that piggie might have never gotten adopted because of his sores.

[Peggysu]

Welcome to GPC! Your piggies are beautiful.

I would suggest making a stink and having the pet shop pay for your vet bills.

[Paula]

Welcome to GPC!

[Binzer]

Hi! I am mostly a lurker too! I was in the same boat. I had been a piggy owner most of my life but we lived on a farm for most of it so animals were just that. They got water and hay and had a hutch but not the care they deserve thats for sure. When I was in high school (this was still before the internet) I started thinking that the piggies were not happy in their tiny cage so when I saw that my neighbors were throwing out an old rigid kiddie splash pool I hauled it into my room (much to my mothers dismay) and made a fairly large cage for them. I then went into a fifteen year pig free period in my life. I dont know why but I started missing the squeals and tutting and so I got two more a few years back. I bought the largest cage, in fact I special ordered it (I work at a dog and cat pet store but we still get access to small pet supplies) and thought I was doing okay. For some reason the two piggies were never really nice or cuddly. Once day my niece asked me to pigsit while she was on vacation. After she got back she was bathing her piggies and said her piggies had what looked like lice. So I took her pigs (her dad thinks pigs are snake food so I pay for their care) and mine to the vet. I was not happy with the treatment he suggested (buy spray at petco and bathe them frequently) so I took to the internet and found this site. In the few months I have been lurking I have built a few C&C cages, a custom bookshelf cage, and treated my piggies health problems and found a cavy savy vet. Now I special order pig stuff at work for mine and sell it at cost to the rescues, or donate it when I can. I am trying to build up good pig karma for my previous misdeeds. I feel terrible that I was such a poor pet owner. I make my living (I am a dog groomer) caring and pampering dogs and cats, yet I never took the same care with my pigs. In a way I am grateful for those rotten lice because without them I would never have found this site (and guinea lynx). All because of them I have happy and friendly pigs now. They are gentle and sweet now that they arent itchy and in pain anymore!

[SpacePig]

Welcome! Its a good thing you were walking past that day, hope he gets better soon!

[angiekay]

Your babies are beautiful, I read your post, and that's awesome that you got him out of that condition! He reminds me of one my favorite pigs on this site "Paddington", he will be a gorgeous piggy once you get him healed up, good luck with that! Hope he feels better soon!!

[Cogni]

Wow, it is unbelievable what people will do to animals. Poor baby but lucky for him that you had an impulse to go in and look at the piggies.

[GizzyandMe]

I do think this was the one time that it was okay to buy him and having had a horrible experience with a Vet shop last week I take my hat off for you for also having the guts to contact the Anti Animal Cruelty in your area.

Thank you for caring enough about Hank-Henry to take him in (even if it is just till he is beter!)

[JD In Van]

Originally Posted by Peggysu

Welcome to GPC! Your piggies are beautiful.

I would suggest making a stink and having the pet shop pay for your vet bills.

Threaten write an editorial for the local news paper if they don't. And if they won't pay the bills, do it.