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Adopting Where did you buy your guinea pig?

KatiesPiggies

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I'm curious where you all got your piggies! :) Rescues? Breeders? Pet store?

I got River and Teddy from Petland. I know, shame on me :( There are no local breeders around here and my rescues almost never have guinea pigs. Otherwise I would have adopted in a heart beat!

If you got yours from a breeder, I'd love to know the name!

On a side note...I have 2 opinions on pet stores. On one hand I feel I am rescuing the animal from nasty pet store conditions and on another I feel I am supporting the pet store. I mean, the animals are already there so are we just going to leave them with no proper care and home? But if we do buy then more come in. Anyway, off topic but I'm stuck between those 2 opinions x) I always say I rescued my pigs because I feel pet stores are improper homes for animals :)
 

Aleks

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If you got yours from a breeder, I'd love to know the name!

On a side note...I have 2 opinions on pet stores. On one hand I feel I am rescuing the animal from nasty pet store conditions and on another I feel I am supporting the pet store. I mean, the animals are already there so are we just going to leave them with no proper care and home? But if we do buy then more come in. Anyway, off topic but I'm stuck between those 2 opinions x) I always say I rescued my pigs because I feel pet stores are improper homes for animals :)

We don't support breeding here, for future reference.
The majority of us adopted our piggies from shelters/rescues, got them off craigslist from someone needing to re-home them, and some people bought theirs at pet stores not realizing that it's not a good thing to do.
It's best to stay out of the stores entirely, because you'll see a piggy in unfit conditions, feel bad for it, and possibly even end up buying it. Buying animals from pet stores/breeders shows that there is a demand for them, thus they breed more and more piggies are forced to live in bad conditions usually without proper medical care.
Honestly, it would be better to wait for the rescues near you to have piggies or to drive to a rescue somewhere else that does, rather than buy a pig from a pet store.

Since you got your pigs from a pet store there is a chance that they could be ill or of opposite genders.
You'll want to make sure they're the same gender, and if they aren't they should be separated immediately.
This page has some pictures you can use to compare: https://www.guinealynx.info/sexing.html

This page has a list of signs of illness to look out for: https://www.guinealynx.info/emergency.html
A drop in weight is usually the first sign of illness, so it's recommended to weigh your piggies at least once a week. https://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html

The last thing i want to add is that you didn't rescue your pigs, you purchased them. I'm sorry if that comes off as rude, I really don't mean for it to, but that's just the facts.
There was actually a thread about that not too long ago: https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...-consider-him-a-rescue!-quot?highlight=rescue
 

PiggieGuinea

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I got my oldest guinea pig from a pet store in New York on a road trip. Then we got the others from Animal Jungle.
 

NormaS

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I got Nikolai from Petsmart before I knew any better. Luckily he is a very healthy pig. Vladimir was a pig that was in need of anew home because his family couldn't take care of him anymore. However, he was originally a Petsmart pig too. He has had several health issues with four visits to the vet.
 

filchikmcr

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I got my two girls from a rescue in Los Angeles.
 

Sunny

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Two from Petsmart, one from Petland, one from Petco.

Yeah, I get around. LOL.

Herman and Oliver were planned buys, Willow and Rosie were impulses. From now on I am going to do everything I can to buy my stuff online and not in stores. I just get sucked in to the adorable faces sitting in teeny aquariums......
I have no restraint!


I don't regret getting any of them, but geez.... the pain and frustration of getting a sick pig is a nightmare. One of the many reasons why pet stores suck. Two vet bills already, let's hope that's it.
 

KatiesPiggies

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@Aleks I completely agree with what you said! Whenever I go into a pet store I feel like I am ignoring their needs and feel I am doing the wrong thing. My pigs are definitely boys haha which I found out right when I got them :) I have had them for awhile. They have also been to the vet twice (today was the second trip) for check ups and my suspicions. I appreciate your input!
 

KatiesPiggies

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@Sunny You do! Haha :) Seeing their little squishy faces kills me because I know some 5 year old will have it as a pet in a pet store cage :/ But I know I have to walk away. I have had two vet bills as well! It definitely adds up super quick. Hopefully that's it for me too.
 

TheMuffinPiggy

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I got my Peruvian piggie Muffin from Petsmart... :( I know, very bad :((
 

spudsthepiget

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I adopted all 5 of mine from petco's think adoption first program. 3 of mine I consider rescues; all 3 of my girls were in bad shape from their previous homes. My other 2 I consider adopted.

I don't go in there anymore, though; they got mad at me after I complained about their guinea pig housing.
 

ClemmyOddieIndy

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I bought my first from PetCo in 2009 (I didn't know any better at the time), my second was a Craigslist in 2009 rescue baby (she was part of an accidental litter), and my final pig was from a rescue in 2012 (I know better now and all my future pigs will be from rescues).
 

lunarminx

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Two from a feed store and two from a shelter.
 

RodentCuddles

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First two from a breeder, 3rd was given to me, 4th was given to me, 5th and 6th were adopted from the SPCA, 7th and 8th were given to me...and then 9th was rescued.
 

Pink Portrait

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My situation was pretty bizarre. My dad found Debbie wandering around a parking lot. She's going to have babies.
EDIT: And by babies i mean she came to us pregnant.
 
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EllaBellaMuffin

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We get our 3 pigs from Petco in Manhattan. Thank god they were all females, not pregnant or sick. I found this website after we got the pigs. I live in Manhattan so there are not any guinea pig rescues here, but if I want a 4th piggie will look into craigslist before buying.
 

KatiesPiggies

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@spudsthepiget That's admirable that you questioned them though! I've wanted to do that for so long but don't have the guts x)
[MENTION=23045]RodentCuddles[/MENTION] 9 pigs?! Lucky! :)
[MENTION=28467]Pink Portrait[/MENTION] That is bizarre! You don't see piggies running around parking lots very often x) That's too bad that she was left there :/ I'm glad her and the new babies will have a proper home!
[MENTION=26829]EllaBellaMuffin[/MENTION] Manhattan NY or KS? I live in Kansas :)
 

kendalm7

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I rescued my two boys from a woman on Craigslist that had 6 of them in a tiny cage with improper food no veggies and they never had hay before! Everything quickly changed for my boys!:) wish I could have taken them all but I couldn't fit that many nor was she letting go of all 6!:(
 

KatiesPiggies

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@kendalm7 Never had hay?? That's the very basics of owning a guinea pig! I'm glad you at least got 2 out of there :)
 

RodentCuddles

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@KatiesPiggies ...It was 8 until yesterday when we decided the newest rescue a (lethal white girl) will be staying in the rescue with us till she passes.:)
 

EllaBellaMuffin

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@KatiesPiggies. I live in New York Manhattan, didnt even know there is another Manhattan somewhere lol
 
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