Mites A skinny male, with mites left in a box

I'm glad to hear Dominic is doing so well! Did you ever get the X-ray to find out why his leg sticks out?

I'm so happy Dom is doing better! I hope his new family gives him an amazing life, which they probably will! Him and his new brothers are adorable!

I am glad that Dom is getting better! Keep up the good work.

It is wonderful to hear that Dom is going to a new home with his new buddies! He looks great after all your loving care.

Cosmic said:

I'm glad to hear Dominic is doing so well! Did you ever get the X-ray to find out why his leg sticks out?

Click to expand...

Yes, about a month ago (I think 23rd September) when Dom got neutered we did also get an X-ray done and from memory his hip isnt 100% right, most likely a genetic issue but because he isn't in pain from it we decided to leave it - however his new mum knows that if he does start showing that it hurts that something will need to be done.

He is also on a 6 week meds as the reason his foot/ankle kept swelling was because he most likely has an infection on the bone (not bumble foot, and nothing showed on an x-ray and meds have been helping)..so hopefully a long course of meds is going to sort it out. His new owner is keeping in contact with me.

It's great to know that his new owners will take care of him! I hope he has fun with his new friends. He looks great after all your love and care.

Finally. Tomorrow, the SPCA will be dropping off 8 - 10 guineas which they will have removed from Dominic's old owner's care. They are letting her keep four which she has to get de-sexed and she told them two of the babies have a home.

Two of the females are apparently heavily pregnant, so in the end it'll be more than the number of guineas which the SPCA drops off.

My hands were shaking when I got the email from the SPCA inspector, I'd sent them an email a couple weeks ago (including her current address) and wasn't sure if they were going to do anything.

It's a taken me a while, but Dom's older is finally stopped. Although I reckon the SPCA may have some troubles with her paying for the de-sexing...

Oh my gosh, that's great progress! Good for you for contacting them, those piggies and their pups will be so much better off with you! I hope the SPCA follows up and makes her do everything she said she will.

He is soooooo flippin cute!!!!!! OMG

I am so pleased to hear that. Good for you, and three cheers for the SPCA!!!

So glad these piggies are getting a better life.

-victory dance-!!!!!!! -happy emoticons- -ohmygod yay!!!!

The SPCA changed their mind.

They're taking in the pigs (even though they're overflowing with rabbits and it's kitten season), they asked if we could foster, but I do not wish to foster for them as I will have no say what so ever in what home they get, so after all the effort they'll get re-homed to an outside home for a kid to care for them..I do not have much faith in the SPCA's adoption process for guineas pigs.

I have still failed the pigs as their future could be just as bad if not worse (apart from the fact they wont be breed).

Why couldn't you still foster them? Even if you didn't get a say in where they went, you could still make their lives happy for a while! You could also educate their future owners a bit. Half the people who have guinea pigs in bad conditions don't even know the conditions are bad! I'm sure you could still help in some way.

I have to say that what you did for that guinea pig and the others was amazingly kind, caring, selfless, and brave. I know that the ones being adopted out by the SPCA might end up in another horrible place but at least now they have a sliver of hope for a good home which they wouldn't have had without you. It's not ideal but you did your best for those pigs and you should be proud of that. It's a hell of a lot more than most people would do.

LoveMyHerd said:

Why couldn't you still foster them? Even if you didn't get a say in where they went, you could still make their lives happy for a while! You could also educate their future owners a bit. Half the people who have guinea pigs in bad conditions don't even know the conditions are bad! I'm sure you could still help in some way.

Click to expand...

I will not foster them as I couldn't even look at them knowing what may happen to them, I don't have the strength to deal with seeing them, caring for them, getting to know them and then sending them back. I would not have any say what so ever, all someone would have to do is go into the spca, ask to adopt, fill in a page, pay the money and they've got the pigs.

Until I let them know, the SPCA kept the babies together (males & females) until they were 3 or so months old and were wondering why the babies always came back from foster pregnant. They are a dog & cat rescue, not a small animal rescue.

That is surprising that the SPCA did that! After all they must know how well you care for your guinea pigs. At least they are in better hands but it is a shame that you have no say in the homes that they get. I really wish that I could take them.

One thing that I do know is that you haven't failed them. You did everything you could to get them rescued from that awful place and you should be very proud that your efforts have been sucessful. I know that I wouldn't have had the guts to do what you did. You are a very kind and generious person, it is fantastic that Dom has a home and these pigs have been rescued!

Okay, @RodentCuddles, it's your decision. I didn't mean to push for something that would hurt you. I'm sorry.

RodentCuddles said:

I will not foster them as I couldn't even look at them knowing what may happen to them, I don't have the strength to deal with seeing them, caring for them, getting to know them and then sending them back. I would not have any say what so ever, all someone would have to do is go into the spca, ask to adopt, fill in a page, pay the money and they've got the pigs.

Until I let them know, the SPCA kept the babies together (males & females) until they were 3 or so months old and were wondering why the babies always came back from foster pregnant. They are a dog & cat rescue, not a small animal rescue.

Click to expand...

LoveMyHerd said:

Okay, @RodentCuddles, it's your decision. I didn't mean to push for something that would hurt you. I'm sorry.

Click to expand...

No need to be sorry, I do understand that fostering would allow them not be in a tiny cage for a while. A side from the fact I couldn't deal with not knowning who they went to/what sort of home/have a say, I have to put the pigs in my care first and if the SPCA does not wish these guineas to fully be in my care then I will only hope that they are find them okay homes.

(Funny things is that the SPCA hasn't let me adopt a couple times, first time was because they did not allow males to go with males, second time was because since the girls were 5 years old they did not allow me to adopt them as I was going to bond them with my herd as the girls "were too old to be introduced to other pigs"...that was a year ago, for the male it was three years ago; before the rescue)

Maybe it might be worth compiling information from guinea lynx and cavy spirit websites regarding their care and social norms, print it out with reference links and anonymously address it to the senior person in charge of setting guidelines for the animal care?

They might read through it and check out the material for accuracy. You could maybe add a note explaining that you're sending the document to various places that are less used to dealing with guinea pigs to ensure their care is up to date, or something along those lines so it feels less targeted specifically at them if you want to avoid them knowing it's you.