Pignapper

[seagirl96]

I have stolen a pig from Petco!

Today I went back to the store that I vowed I would never enter again, but I needed a comfy bed for my oldest piggy who is leaving this world. On Easter Sunday Petco was the only place open. I didn't like their beds but I had to pass the cavies as I was leaving. There was a nasty aquarium with three pigs, one very tiny. No hay, empty water bottle and the little one was getting beaten up by the other two. I know all the rules and I totally agree but I found the nearest clerk and said "give me the small guinea pig and please give the other two some water". She put it in a box, I picked it up, thanked her and left. I was a mile away before I even realized that I did not pay for this pig!

Now I have this stolen piggy in my isolation cage. It is terrified and so tiny. I can feel every one of its little bones. I am seriously wondering if it was too young to leave its mother. It hasn't tried any hay or pellets or carrot or water. If this was any other business I would go right back and apologise and pay, but this is Petco and an abused & stressed out piggy. Any advice? I know, I know, stay out of that store, but what about my moral dilemma. I am such a dweeb :crazy: .

 

[fourbwabbys]

Haha. At least they didn't get any money from you! If you can tell how skinny he is, take pictures and file a report on them for not providing food and water.

At this point, he may just be nervous in a new home or sick. Keep a close eye on exactly how much he eats and drinks and if he doesn't start eating soon, I would handfeed him a mash with some acidophilus incase he's sick. A vet visit in definitely in order anyway.

 

[sweetjay6891]

Keep him...and don't take him back. I'm glad you didn't pay!

 

[Percy's Mom]

You may have not given them any money, but you still opened a spot for another breeder pig. Hopefully, the clerk won't realize what happened and call the police.

Good luck.

 

[seagirl96]

Don't worry about the police. I'm a respectable matron and would be so embarrassed and abject in my apologies. I do feel badly about opening up a spot though. That's why I have to stay out of that place. I always see something awful in there.

Wee Piggy is female and will get checked out very quickly. I will treat for mites as I am assuming she has them, but no signs or symptoms of uri, just thinner than I would like. She has a slice on one ear from getting chewed on but her eyes are bright and clear. If she eats I think she'll be okay.

 

[Piggersrule]

Oh, that poor piggy but you know what...I may have done the same thing. My conscience wouldn't allowed me to leave without her. I am glad you saved her. I would take some pictures and report it to your SPCA. How old/young do you think she is? Can you post pictures of her?

 

[sweetjay6891]

Once everything calms down a bit, I'd love to see pigtures of this very lucky girl!

 

[pignewton]

I would not feel bad about not paying, it was an accident.

 

[seagirl96]

She may be three weeks old but just barely at most. She has munched a little hay and tried a pellet. She also knows how to use the water bottle. She definitely has never seen a veggie. I will try to get my daughter-in-law to take some pigtures. I don't have a digital camera. I enjoy everyone else's pigtures so much and never have any to share.

I just measured & she is six inches long. It looks like most of my big girls are about eleven inches and up. Her ears still are standing up, another sign that she is very young. My daughter is calling her Munchkin.

I made a judgement call that I know will not meet with approval, but I put my gentlest female in the isolation cage with her. That is when she started to eat and drink. This wee piggy has never been alone before. It means they will both have to be treated for mites but I think I would have lost her if she stayed alone.

 

[DocDolittle]

I know you were trying to do good and take care of the piggies, which I commend, but honestly, if you really wanted to help the animals, you should have called your spca. I'm almost positive they would have been written up for no water, because that's the number one thing animals need. Check in again and see if the same thing happens.

Good luck with her, especially adding the fact that you placed her with your other female, and that female was probably later placed with her current friend. I'd make a vet appointment for tomorrow, and have all of the pigs who had contact with her checked out.

 

[MinnieMay9]

Wow, you accidentally did what I have been joking around with my mom about for the past week! I saw the cutest little piggie, looked almost like a skunk.
Well, at least that little baby found a good home with you. And you won't be buying other things for her from the place. (even though they would want you to)

 

[cusunfireguy]

Don't feel too bad. I probably would have demanded that they give me all 3. Then I would have called Animal Control.

Steven

 

[avcavies]

Whoa! I really hope you don't get in trouble for stealing, although that was pretty sweet that you did that for the little piglet. Another thing that might help you out if you get busted is the fact you didn't realize you didn't pay. If I were you I would risk everything and go back to the Petco and explain the importance of proper piglet/animal care. I would also call the nearest animal shelter and explain the living conditions at the petco. Good luck. GREAT job by the way!lol

 

[this_lil_piggy]

My son and I dropped in at a local Petco Friday just to check on the animals conditions there. I was glad to see the "cages" were clean, water bottles were full with plain water, pellet bowls were full, and all the pigs looked healthy--clear eyes, energetic, no scratching, good fur condition....... but it didn't help the fact that there was no hay or veggies, one pigloo, and about 8 pigs per 29 gallon aquarium. Argh. It was further aggrivating to see two used boxes with bedding and apples in them sitting on the floor next to the hamsters..... I am sure probably contained sick returned hammies (wet tail seems to always be a problem at this store) that were either returned to the enclosure to expose other hammies, or were fed to snakes *sigh* I was geared up to "educate" unsuspecting shoppers, but I surely won't complain that there was no one there interested in purchasing any during the 45 minutes we were there. Was a relief since I expected there to be plenty of people stupidly out buying rabbits and pigs for Easter presents.
I did see a couple oo'ing and ahh'ing at the baby ferrets, and made it a point to say to my son within their ear shot that we would contact the ferret rescue in Southaven to adopt a ferret friend for Daxter --it is less than half the cost of purchasing a sick one from Petco hehe

I wouldn't go back and pay either Seagirl. What's done is done, and I sure wouldn't give them my money. I would definitely call the SPCA and report them for no water in the cages though. Can't hurt a thing, and maybe they will get caught "with their pants down".

 

[mommyoffive]

I would have taken her to if I saw her in that living condition. Good luck with her!

 

[gpigluver14]

It's good you didn't pay them! I would have stolen them all if they were in those conditions. Just ignore your conscience that want you to go back and pay for it, because Petco shouldn't be payed for animal cruelty.

 

[seagirl96]

I mostly feel guilty about taking her because I know I should have left her. Doc Dolittle is absolutely right. But I know she would have died there and she is so happy today. I saw her popcorn! I will never go in that store again, I promise. I have gone in twice and come out with a piggy both times. The first time I stopped the employees as they were about to drop a returned female in with two sick looking boars so I grabbed her. The good thing is I have never given Petco a dime for ANYthing but as my son reminds me, you can't save them all.

My emotions took over yesterday, maybe because I knew I had to take the boys, my oldest piggers, to the Vet's today and I knew what he was going to say. They were dying slowly. One of them hadn't eaten or drunk in three days. They were almost sixyears old, brothers, and they seemed to be determined to go out the same way they came in to this world; together. Watching a baby start to thrive helps the pain a little.

 

[DocDolittle]

I'm so sorry that your two boys are leaving you. What's done is done, and your new girly will hopefully keep your spirits up. You're in my thoughts.

 

[cavyowner2007]

I am glad to hear you rescued. I am the exact same way, I always want to walk out with a new pet, but I always stick up a wall and say no. We have no places around here that sells pet supplies besides petmart and petland. petmart, which I am happy to say have stopped the selling of guinea pigs! *HOORAY!* They still sell rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, cocktiels, and lizards though. :-(

I am wishing you the best of luck with your new baby girl.
Sorry to hear about you little boys :tombstone. :-(

 

[seagirl96]

My Fat Boy and Ziggy are gone. They have been a fixture in my life for nearly six years. They were my experiment piggies in the sense that I didn't know what I was doing until I found the right sources of information. Poor boys! I gave their cage & its contents a good scrub and moved Munchkin and her auntie pig in. It's better than looking at that empty cage.

Munchkin has never seen such wide open spaces. She is amazed and getting braver by the minute. She has been pigging out on hay, although she is leery of the alfalfa I bought her. I am going to check Oxbow this morning to see how fast I can get their alfalfa. I had to buy Kaytee and it is all giant stems. She eats the occasional pellet and drinks a lot of water so I'm hoping to see some weight gain soon.

Auntie Ink Spot has totally taken over the rearing of this piggy baby. They sleep side by side every night. Ink Spot was just drinking and when she was done she nudged Munchkin over to the bottle and waited while she drank! Too cute! They look so funny together. Ink Spot is 100% totally inky black, short hair American and Munchkin looks to be mostly abby, mostly white with a black patch over her left eye and one dark ear on her right side. She hoppity skips everywhere she goes except when running. Everyone who has seen baby piggies knows that they are so fast they blur when they run. Adults are fast but babies are SUPER FAST!