Adopting Today!

[PumpkinPig]

Hi everyone! I wanted to introduce myself and also say that I've had a lot of fun going through all of the different posts and pictures on this website while I was preparing to adopt a new guinea pig. My last little girl, Bellatrix, passed away last November and it was a very hard loss to deal with as she was a pig with a personality I had never seen before (feisty and cuddly!).

Today I'm going back to the same shelter to pick out a piggy. The only downside about that is that the piggy's not coming home with me today as I'm going on a vacation out of country for a week, so I didn't want to bring him or her home and have a lot of adjustments and changes going on. But I do finally get to hold a piggy again and that makes me really happy.

 

[Starthecavy123]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If your going on vacation I would wait till you got back. Then check out the piggies and pick one or two out. Unless they are gonna let you adopt them then pick them up when you get back. Thats just my personal opinion.

 

[chewyguineapig]

Welcome! I think that is what she is doing. Have fun on your trip!

 

[PumpkinPig]

Thanks, chewyguineapig!

Starthecavy123, I am leaving the guinea pig with the shelter that I'm adopting from. I just went to choose one today, although I'm having a really hard time between two and they're both on hold until I decide and then the one I choose will stay there until I get back.

The two choices I have are a very sweet, small female who is less than a year old that likes to be held. The other is a less than a year old male who is very sweet and they know for sure that he's ok with dogs because he's been fostered before (we have two dogs). They're not sure about the female with dogs. Is that a make or break point with her? I'm having a really hard time deciding between the two because they were both very friendly. The male also has red eyes and she said that that has been putting people off with him. I'm so torn!

 

[PumpkinPig]

I'll show pictures of the two:

Here's Sprout. He's got a very silky coat and is just a sweet baby. They found him on the streets and like I said, they've had a hard time adopting him out because of the red eyes (which in no way bother me).


And here's the little girl who doesn't have a name. She's very small so she's probably only a few months old. Her sweet disposition makes her such a doll.

 

[Starthecavy123]

I'd go with the male just because he has been around dogs. Although you can get the girl used to the dogs. You also have to consider will your dogs be okay with the pig. Some breeds you really have to be careful with. If its a breed with a high prey drive you'll have to be careful of. Also I would take the male because of his eyes and the person said people have turned away from him because of his eyes. There's no problem with his but some people just get one look and think something's wrong with him. For me I'm more drawn to the ones people wouldn't give a second look at. Like for instance I got my first pig because he was black and the only black one there. Just like with dogs and cats black ones are usually picked last or overlooked. But honestly its your decision your the one who's gonna be taking care of him/her. I would just weigh all your options. Maybe make a list of pros and cons for both. But you also have to consider which you like better and their personality.

 

[Starthecavy123]

@PumpkinPig I know he's so cute. I would so take him but that's just me.

 

[Starthecavy123]

Looking at both pics I don't know but I seem to be drawn to the boy. I don't know for some reason I'm just drawn to the ones most look over.

But it's your decision and your the one who will be taking care of them.

 

[PumpkinPig]

@Starthecavy123 Thanks for your advice! It has been a really difficult decision and it was nice to hear that what your thinking is echoing what I'm thinking. My boyfriend really likes the girl and she really liked him, but he also concedes that she probably won't have any trouble being adopted because she's small and sweet. I think it's telling what the adoption counselor said about Sprout, that people are just immediately put off by his eye color even though he's incredibly sweet. He was cuddly with both my boyfriend and I and I like that he's been around dogs. I have two little weiner dogs that have grown up around guinea pigs and anytime they are out together I'm always around to supervise closely. One of them is completely disinterested and the other likes to hang out by the pigs and try to play. They have never shown any aggression towards a pig, but obviously I still supervise because I'd never want to risk any animal's safety.

I agree too that it's a good idea to go with the animals that might otherwise be looked over because of their coloring. After all, both of my dogs are black. My last guinea pig was black too and she was a sweet, amazing girl. Never overlook an animal due to coloring because they always seem to turn out to be the sweetest ones there.

 

[LucidCavies]

Its up to you, I live sweet cuddly pigs but I would go for the boy.
There is a statistic that claims black cats are the most euthanized cats in the world. All because of the stupid superstition.
Since I learned about that I've since had an extreme soft spot for "rejects" in the animal kingdom.

 

[stray hares]

Sprout looks like a satin to me.

It's so sad that some people don't like the pink eyed thing. I mean, we all have pink eyes underneath our eye pigments, pink eyed piggies are just more honest about it.

 

[PumpkinPig]

@stray hares Thank you! That's what she said he was and I couldn't remember. He has very silky hair. I've never seen that kind of coat before. And I like what you said about pink eyes a lot.
@cheyenneee I've heard that too about black cats and that makes me sad. I can definitely see where your soft spot comes from!

 

[Starthecavy123]

Yea @cheyenneee I think that's why I'm so drawn to the rejects. When I got star he was surrounded but multi colored pigs. And as I was looking them all over my eyes just kept looking at star. My grandmother is very superstitious. She breaks a mirror she freaks out. A black cat crosses her and all she can say that's bad luck. It gets annoying really. I myself believe you make your own luck. I don't know I've always been drawn to the ones most look past. I think black animals are the cutest I don't know why.

 

[Starthecavy123]

Another example my friend got a doxin and another lady who was also looking at him saw a bald patch on his head and chose a different dog. She probably thought something was wrong with him but low and behold he was absolutely fine. Oh well her loss he is the cutest thing. And happily he's now 7 years old.

 

[Rywen]

I know how hard it is to choose, if it were me I'd probably end up adopting both and keeping them separated and getting the male neutered when he's old enough so they could live together as bonded pair. I think it's great that you are getting a piggie and that you are adopting!

 

[LucidCavies]

@Starthecavy123
I couldn't have said it better. People like you give me faith in humanity.
I grew up being "color-blind" so to speak, and I am so thankful that my parents raised me like that.
I come from an extremely diverse family (grandpa and aunt are african american. a few aunts and uncles are hispanic. I have An uncle who is about as white as they come. etc.) So ive learned to be that way throughout different many of my life.
thankfully we've been able to move as a nation toward being more "color-blind" towards humans.
But we are currently in the 1910's thought process toward animals. It sucks so bad and I'm glad there are people out there who are "color--blind" also

 

[LucidCavies]

*throughout many different aspects of my life* sorry messed up my words there

 

[PumpkinPig]

@Rywen That is a wonderful idea and I really wish I could do that. Unfortunately we don't have enough room for two separate cages right now, but in the future when we do I'm going to upgrade his cage and work on finding him a buddy that's just as sweet as she is. I've heard a lot of people have success having a bonded pair of a neutered male with a female and I think that would be so sweet.

 

[Starthecavy123]

@cheyenneee yea thats pretty much how I was raised

 

[Starthecavy123]

@PumpkinPig Rywen actually has a neutered male and female pair and they get along beautifully