New piggie!?!

[PetsRLife23]

Yesterday I needed to go shopping for pet supplies, and in my rat cages I like using Petco's aspen it's my favorite. So when I am in the store I walk right past the piggie cages. Sometimes i'll look, well because lets face piggies are just too cute. I stood there for all of 5 seconds and this one pig jumped on top of the pigloo giving me a nice view of his rear. He was clogged with poop! I was immediately worried.

I looked in the cage and there was no water and no hay! You guys know the size of the tanks, there were 5 MALE pigs in there. They were fighting this particular pig had a cut by his nose. There was 1 small water bottle and only 2 houses. This pig was walking around and he would stop and like push. He looked to be extremely uncomfortable. I was going to talk to the manager, but decided against it since all they would do is take the poor thing to the back to die. I left the store to go talk to my mom.

I then went back to the store and sure enough they were filling the water bottles. I know one of the employees saw me standing there for awhile and I took a picture of the pig. So i'm sure that is why they filled up the bottles I had only been gone for 5 minutes. The lady I had help me was very rude and saying stuff to me as if I knew nothing about guinea pigs when I know more than she could ever learn in a lifetime. Anyways I bought him. She wasn't even paying attention and didn't notice his butt.

I took him home and gave him fresh bottled water and tons Of delicious kleenmama timothy hay. Within 2 hours he pooped a TON!! It was already night so I couldn't take him to a vet. I did take him to a vet today though. She said everything looks good, but to keep a eye on him because after going through something like that it can cause problems.

Well my problem right now is what should I do with him? I have a 4x2 C&C cage with 2 male pigs in it already that I just rebonded recently since they were separated after one had surgery on an abscess, so I don't think they will get along with him.

I can make another 4x2 cage under that, but I don't want him to be alone. I was thinking of having him neutered so I can get a girl piggie, but my vet said to keep in mind that sometimes when they get neutered an abscess can form. I don't want to spend $120 on a neuter then over $200 for a possible abscess. I didn't get the chance to talk to her about more because there was an emergency, but I will go back Tuesday because my rat just had a mass removed and it needs to be rechecked.

This vet is really good and has not lost a small animal to surgery yet, they have a great success rate. So should I get him neutered? Also I read because I do have 2 boys together already that having a female in the same room can make them fight. The cage in the dining room downstairs it is a opened up room not enclosed by 4 walls and what I was planning on doing was building another 4x2 under my current 4x2 will this affect my other 2 males?

Having a female below them. I would get another male, but this guy seemed to not like the other boys in the cage so I was thinking to get him a girlfriend. Should I just get another male? Sorry this is super long I just need some advice. Oh and trust me I am reporting Petco ASAP!

P.S. I don't like buying from pet stores, but I just couldn't leave this poor little guy behind. I do not regret it so please no rude comments. Thanks in advance!

[Zuidy]

1: A 2x4 would not be enough room for 3 pigs, and is small for even your 2. So unless you can extend the cage I wouldn't put him in with them. I know you might have wanted to help, but if you don't have proper housing and he doesn't get along with the other Pigs, you will have a problem. But you have about a month of quarantine to do with him anyway, so get him nice and cozy in whatever live-able space you have for now with everything he needs to be happy, and you can decide about a permanent home at a later time. You need to quarantine in a separate cage, in a separate room.

2: I can't help you with getting neutered. There are risks with any surgery, more so because we are talking about a small exotic animal. There is a big risk, but on the same note, it is your decision. If you want him to have a girlfriend super bad, then decide for yourself. But if you could live without him having a girl, then forget about it and take the safest route.

3: I don't know about having a female. If you already have boars and fear that there may be disturbances caused, stick with boars and boars only. I would just get another male.

__

Good luck, keep us posted!

[PetsRLife23]

A 2x4 is the recomendation for 2 and was the biggest I could fit in the area. They do get a hour of floortime everyday. I wasn't planning to put him in there anyway because I know it is too small for 3. He is in another room in a 2x3 for now, I know about quarantine. He has everything he needs and more in his temporary cage. I don't care if the other pig I get is a boy or girl I am just saying I think he will do better with a girl, but I do think I will get him a male friend though because I need to put my other boys first and I do think a girl in the same room will cause problems. When should I get the other pig though? Thanks for the advice.

[Zuidy]

A 2x4 is the recomendation for 2 and was the biggest I could fit in the area. They do get a hour of floortime everyday. I wasn't planning to put him in there anyway because I know it is too small for 3. He is in another room in a 2x3 for now, I know about quarantine. He has everything he needs and more in his temporary cage. I don't care if the other pig I get is a boy or girl I am just saying I think he will do better with a girl, but I do think I will get him a male friend though because I need to put my other boys first and I do think a girl in the same room will cause problems. When should I get the other pig though? Thanks for the advice.

Don't get a female unless you are willing to have him neutered. It is up to you, we can't tell you what to do. Personally I would introduce him with the bores.

Get the other pig when this one is done with quarantine, but you will have to quarantine this one as well. You might be able to get another one now and they can be quarantined at the same time.

[CavyMama]

Your options are this:

1 - have him neutered and adopt a female friend for him. I know having him neutered is a concern for you. I would talk to some of the members here who have had their males neutered and find out what their experience with it was. With any surgery there is risk but if you want him to have a female friend, it's the only option. You could adopt a spayed female but they tend to be a little hard to find.

2 - Get a male friend for him. No need to neuter but the new boy would need his own 21 day quarantine as you know.

If the two boars you already have are bonded, I wouldn't try expanding the cage and introducing the new boy to them. It can mess with the dominance hierachy they have established.

While he is in quarantine, you might want to start perusing petfinder and craigslist to see what you can find in terms of a friend for the newbie.

[PetsRLife23]

I know for a fact my other ones won't do well with him as they are both somewhat dominant and this one seems to be too. I did finally get my other 2 bonded and I don't want to do anything that might make them fight again. So I will most likely start searching for a male friend on petfinder as you said. I might wait to get the second one until after quarantine so we will see. Thanks again. Oh and just so everyone knows I do not want to breed at all. I have no intentions what so ever to breed. Too many piggies do not have homes.

[foggycreekcavy]

I wish you had made the pet store accountable for their neglect of the guinea pig. They need to be made aware that their treatment is unacceptable.

[PetsRLife23]

I reported the store. I did not tell them anything while I was there because they would have just taken him to the back to suffer or god knows what and I couldn't let that happen. I did all I could do, but honestly petco has had problems since they opened in the 90's and they are still here in 2012.

In America it is all about the money not the well being of the animals and though I shouldn't have bought him because it basically supports the store he didn't deserve to not be able to go to a good home and lets face most people to buy pets from places like petco don't have a clue as to how to care fore them.

Small store bought cages, seed mixes, low vitamin C because the store doesn't even tell you how important it is for a guinea pig to have a high in vitamin C diet. The dumb clerk only asked me if I had a cage already and I said yeah a C&C cage and she looked at me like I was an idiot because she's never heard of something other than a crittertrail or super pet cage. (I apologize for being a bit harsh, but I believe if you are going to work somwhere like that you should educate yourself on the care of all those animals.) She didn't ask anything else besides that.

I don't know whats going to stop these stores, but I do know those animals deserve just as much as those from shelters. I do not regret my decision to just take him and go. All of my pets are my life and he is now a part of my family and is the happiest little guy, he is already used to me and loves to be pet behind his ears and he eats his timothy hay like it is going out of style. He has a great personality.

I named him Everett which means "brave/strong as a wild boar" which I think suits him perfectly. I call him Ever though because he is in is "ever" after. I am sorry this post is long again, but I felt that I needed to explain to everyone why I did what I did in case someone doesn't agree, which is fine everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is mine.

[PetsRLife23]

Thought I should put a face to this beautiful little guy:




Everett

[foggycreekcavy]

lets face most people to buy pets from places like petco don't have a clue as to how to care fore them.


Oh, but now with the money you spent to buy him, they are now going to buy four more to take his place, so that's four more pigs that people (who don't have a clue as to how to care for them) will buy.

And you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but remember that this is a rescue oriented board and we will never advocate or praise anyone for buying from a pet store.

[PetsRLife23]

That would have happened anyway! They will always keep their inventory stocked. I didn't ask for any praise. I shared my story and his. I completely agree with the whole pet store thing, but I couldn't shake this pig from my head. He needed help. I belive in fate and I think that I was meant to be there to save his life.

If you aren't ok with that it's fine, but you do not need to be rude. I have no regrets. I myself not buying from petco isn't going to change a thing. These animals fly off the shelves EVERY WEEK!

So instead of preaching your beliefs on here, you should be out there in the real world trying to tell this to the common people who do not know about the manufactuer and pet stores cruelty. Like I said before everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I won't take someone being rude and hurtful.

[Zuidy]

That would have happened anyway! They will always keep their inventory stocked. I didn't ask for any praise. I shared my story and his. I completely agree with the whole pet store thing, but I couldn't shake this pig from my head. He needed help. I belive in fate and I think that I was meant to be there to save his life.

If you aren't ok with that it's fine, but you do not need to be rude. I have no regrets. I myself not buying from petco isn't going to change a thing. These animals fly off the shelves EVERY WEEK!

So instead of preaching your beliefs on here, you should be out there in the real world trying to tell this to the common people who do not know about the manufactuer and pet stores cruelty. Like I said before everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I won't take someone being rude and hurtful.

You have been on this site long enough to know our thoughts on breeding, buying from pet stores, and all of our other beliefs.

And YOU want to come HERE and tell us to stop "preaching our beliefs" when you posted a thread saying how this guy needed help and all that? Well, news flash, the Pigs at rescues NEED HELP TOO.

You AREN'T rescuing, you are taking in one pig, handing the store the key to getting more Pigs and cramming them into cages.

And you "won't take someones being rude and hurtful" ? Nobody is being rude or hurtful. We are telling you what we believe in.

You can't expect to post here saying how you bought from a pet store and all this and that, and have us NOT tell you what you could have done instead. I think you are just being a little bit too butthurt here. We are not being rude at all.

You bought from a pet store, we are addressing our standing on the topic. If you disagree with us and think we should stop preaching, you would be better off elsewhere than the Guinea Pig Cages discussion boards.

[CanadianComforts]

He sure is cute.

[EverGreenly]

I love gray piggies!!!!!! Gorgeous little boy!

[Wildcavy]

@PetsRLife23 , your piggy is super-cute, let me say, and it isn't about individual pigs. All pigs deserve a loving home. However (and my "reply with quotes" will still not work, so the quotes in italics are from your response above):

"That would have happened anyway! They will always keep their inventory stocked."

Maybe for Everett, someone would've purchased him. Maybe not. The only reason they have to keep their inventory stocked is so that people will keep buying. If no one buys, they will have no reason to stock pigs, and no reason to buy from breeder mills or anywhere else.

"I myself not buying from petco isn't going to change a thing. These animals fly off the shelves EVERY WEEK!"

That is the danger of group-think: you think that since everyone else is doing it, you may as well go ahead and do it, because nothing you do is going to change anything. If 100 people who really mean well would make the individual decision to NOT buy a pig, that would make a difference. Multiply that again. A thousand people making an individual decision would be huge. Automakers stopped making Gremlins because no one wanted them. People rebelled against New Coke -- goodbye! I hate to make piggies a product, but that is all they are to Petco. Stop buying the product, voice your concerns against it, and it will stop being carried.

How many times have all of us thought "I am only one person, I may as well go along with the crowd, I can't make a difference." Can you imagine what the world would be like if MLK had that attitude? Gandhi? Aung san suu kyi?

"So instead of preaching your beliefs on here, you should be out there in the real world trying to tell this to the common people who do not know about the manufactuer and pet stores cruelty."

What is the point of having a forum if people don't preach their beliefs? Ultimately, no one is forced to participate here. Unlike pet store piggies, we can walk away if we don't like the environment. Unlike pet store owners, the site admin is not profiting from ignorance. Additionally, why do you assume that we are not in the real world educatiing people about the cruelty of pet stores? Isn't this what we are trying to do here, with you? And yet you are angry because we are pointing out to you how you have contributed to this cruelty.

I won't shop at Petco or Petsmart or other such stores at all, not even for supplies. It is inconvenient. I drive out of my way to go to a pet shop that does not sell ANY living animals. They used to 15 years ago, but people pressured them, stopped buying, and GUESS WHAT? They stopped selling live animals!

You know, I also won't go into a Petco because it hurts to see the animals there and I don't want to walk away without wanting to help. It hurts even worse to have our local shelter kill all of their pigs on Friday, stick them in a bag, and incinerate them, because people went to a pet store and bought pigs, instead of going to the shelter.

Yell at us if you like, ask us why we don't go out and educate the public about pet store cruelty. Go ahead. One thing I can say when I am educating people is that I have NEVER purchased a pig from a pet store. All of mine are rescues. So, unlike someone who has purchased from a pet store and brags about it (i.e., does not regret it), I do not have to worry about being hypocritical. What sort of question are you going to get when someone says "Okay, pet store mills are bad. Have you ever bought a pig from one? You did? Then why is it bad for me to buy one?"

How will you answer that?

[PetsRLife23]

I understand that you are telling me what you believe in, but there is a much nicer way to go about it that was all I am trying to get out. I always try to adopt, this time I didn't. Sorry. I know guinea pigs in recues need to be rescued, all guineas with no homes need to be rescued. He did need help he was impacted and in pain.

What I said came out a little wrong about the preaching. I was just trying to say I know this already so you don't need to tell me go tell someone who does not know. Most people on here do know, most people out there don't. I am not trying to be all "I rescued him yay praise me everyone!"

I know the consequences of my actions. Read the way you typed what you said. It is being a little rude and harsh. I do not want to start problems here. I have been on here long enough yes, so I know that this forum wants to be a friendly place to participate. Well it isn't feeling so friendly right now.

When it comes to animals I adopt when I can, I will report where I can of cruelty, and I do not eat meat because of the way slaughter houses treat their animals. I do one wrong thing and everyone is going to punish me for it? I am only human I make mistakes, but as I said before I don't regret getting him and making him healthy.

I apologize myself for being rude right back to her because I do not believe in acting like that towards people it is not who I am, I was hurt about the way she said it because I already feel guilty I don't need that rubbed in my face. I am sorry I didn't know I wasn't welcomed here. If that is how you feel then I guess I will find elsewhere.

[Wildcavy]

@PetsRLife23 , no one is asking you to leave. At least I am not. But as has been said, you've been here for several weeks, and know that announcing you have purchased a pig from a petstore, knowing it was a poor choice AND not regretting the action, is going to get a strong reaction.

My own observation on many of threads like these is that people start them already on the defensive, knowing that the majority of the people here are not going to approve. There are people on this forum who have purchased pigs from stores who came to realize that it was a bad idea, regret having done it, and will never do it again. I have NEVER seen anyone take them to task about it -- lesson learned, we move on.

I understand your temptation. That is why I do not go into pet stores that carry live animals (in addition to not wanting to give them any of my money). It would rip me apart to see what is being done to them. I know enough already to be able to speak out against them credibly.

You have a passion for animals. Why diminish your voice by giving into Petco or other such stores?

Now that you have Everett, I personally encourage you to stay on this forum because there are others here who have experience with pet store piggies and the surprise ailments that sometimes go along with them. I wouldn't keep going back to how you don't regret buying from a pet store. I would -- just my two cents -- focus on continuing to help him be the happiest piggy he can be.

Everyone on this forum would agree with you that every pig deserves a loving home. I think that I can say that, if breeders were shut down, and every pet store stopped carrying piggies and other live animals, then of course we'd want all of the piggies in all of the stores to be adopted out (not sold). Just as we would with shelter pigs.

This can't happen as long as they are getting money. It's that much more painful to see them get money from a fellow animal lover like yourself.

Everett is a charmer and I hope that you will stick around and let us know how he does and what he's up to.

[PetsRLife23]

@PetsRLife23 , your piggy is super-cute, let me say, and it isn't about individual pigs. All pigs deserve a loving home. However (and my "reply with quotes" will still not work, so the quotes in italics are from your response above):

"That would have happened anyway! They will always keep their inventory stocked."

Maybe for Everett, someone would've purchased him. Maybe not. The only reason they have to keep their inventory stocked is so that people will keep buying. If no one buys, they will have no reason to stock pigs, and no reason to buy from breeder mills or anywhere else.

"I myself not buying from petco isn't going to change a thing. These animals fly off the shelves EVERY WEEK!"

That is the danger of group-think: you think that since everyone else is doing it, you may as well go ahead and do it, because nothing you do is going to change anything. If 100 people who really mean well would make the individual decision to NOT buy a pig, that would make a difference. Multiply that again. A thousand people making an individual decision would be huge. Automakers stopped making Gremlins because no one wanted them. People rebelled against New Coke -- goodbye! I hate to make piggies a product, but that is all they are to Petco. Stop buying the product, voice your concerns against it, and it will stop being carried.

How many times have all of us thought "I am only one person, I may as well go along with the crowd, I can't make a difference." Can you imagine what the world would be like if MLK had that attitude? Gandhi? Aung san suu kyi?

"So instead of preaching your beliefs on here, you should be out there in the real world trying to tell this to the common people who do not know about the manufactuer and pet stores cruelty."

What is the point of having a forum if people don't preach their beliefs? Ultimately, no one is forced to participate here. Unlike pet store piggies, we can walk away if we don't like the environment. Unlike pet store owners, the site admin is not profiting from ignorance. Additionally, why do you assume that we are not in the real world educatiing people about the cruelty of pet stores? Isn't this what we are trying to do here, with you? And yet you are angry because we are pointing out to you how you have contributed to this cruelty.

I won't shop at Petco or Petsmart or other such stores at all, not even for supplies. It is inconvenient. I drive out of my way to go to a pet shop that does not sell ANY living animals. They used to 15 years ago, but people pressured them, stopped buying, and GUESS WHAT? They stopped selling live animals!

You know, I also won't go into a Petco because it hurts to see the animals there and I don't want to walk away without wanting to help. It hurts even worse to have our local shelter kill all of their pigs on Friday, stick them in a bag, and incinerate them, because people went to a pet store and bought pigs, instead of going to the shelter.

Yell at us if you like, ask us why we don't go out and educate the public about pet store cruelty. Go ahead. One thing I can say when I am educating people is that I have NEVER purchased a pig from a pet store. All of mine are rescues. So, unlike someone who has purchased from a pet store and brags about it (i.e., does not regret it), I do not have to worry about being hypocritical. What sort of question are you going to get when someone says "Okay, pet store mills are bad. Have you ever bought a pig from one? You did? Then why is it bad for me to buy one?"

How will you answer that?

The only reason I shop at pet stores is for bedding and dog/cat food I get everything else online. There is no store out here that doesn't sell animals, not even the local pet stores. I am not bragging I just said I don't regret him. Would everyone like to come tell my pig he shouldn't have been bought? You said all pigs need homes, but at the same time sounded as if he doesn't matter. I will answer it. I made a mistake that I do not regret, but don't do what I did.

[Wildcavy]

@PetsRLife23 , every pig matters. Everett matters. The unfortunate thing is, that by buying Everett, another pig or pigs will be born into misery to be sold at Petco, or destroyed.

Everett as an individual pig matters very much. I would never tell an individual pig or other animal that they do not matter. Unfortunately, hard choices do have to be made, and one of them is to not go over to the small animal section in Petco unless you are prepared to (a) take photos to report any cruelty and leave or (b) just leave.

All piggies are innocent. All piggies in petstores are victims of a kind of trafficking. We can't stop this if we keep feeding the Beast that is pet store breeders. You keep throwing money at something, it is going to keep on keeping on. You stop enough demand (purchasers) you are going to make things unprofitable for the suppliers (pet stores and breeders).

And remember: you do not have to shut down every single pet store or supplying breeder. You just have to shut down enough so that it becomes unprofitable for them to keep breeding and selling pigs. Few if any parents or impulse buyers are going to pay $50 at Petco for a pig. Drive up their costs. Refuse to buy your supplies there, if possible, and make it impossible for them to make up the money elsewhere.

Money speaks.

Everett matters much. I hope you will remind him of that every single day.

[PetsRLife23]

Ok I have been saying it wrong. I do not regret him, however I do feel guilty that I bought him at a petstore I know it was wrong. I have already tried not going there, but I can't buy dog food and cat food online it is too expensive to ship. I buy everything else online not from petco or petsmart. I wish I had a store out here that didn't sell animals that I could go to, but I don't have such a luxury.