On Behalf of some of the GOOD petshops.

[Access]

Don't forget about hidden costs. Sure the pet store pig might cost you only 12, but then you have the vet checkup, the cost of de-miting, possibly a pregnant pig; and then on top of that your pig might die. By the end of the whole affair you'll be wishing you'd spent a little more up front rather than hundreds worth of vet bills down the line.

In my town there is one 'good' pet shop called 'the daily pet', they sometimes have 1-2 pigs but they are not for sale; they work with one of the local shelters and occasionally display the pigs who are up for adoption. I have chatted with the managers of other shops that do sell animals and they say the real money in the business is not so much selling the pigs since that is a one-time sale; it's in the return customers buying consumables like hay, pellets, carefresh, etc. But in this case, the shop kept selling animals since it got people into the store, especially families with small children who would then often make a purchase and become repeat customers.

Bromers, I wouldn't worry so much about that; the fact that there are evil people, be them criminals, politicians, dictators, mercenaries, small-animal breeders -- it's part of the human condition. We lock up, hinder, stop, etc. as many of these people as we can, no matter how good of a job we do, we will never completely eliminate all the breeders; the best we can do is hope to do is to move that balance from where it is now (massive overpopulation) back to some kind of balance where pigs aren't bred for profit. Like the type of breeding that zoos do, to try to 'bring back' species that are on the endangered list to where they can be re-introduced and such.

 

[DaCourt]

There are many people who get their first, and maybe even second pig from a store. But once you have been exposed to the problem, you then have a choice as to what to do next time. You obviously have paid attention to the people here, and have learned something. That is the key. Being open to the bigger picture.

My first pig was from a store too. Then a researched and now have 2 pigs from the rescue I now work with. Boy have we come a long way in 2 years.

I bought both my pigs from pet shops. I was 14 when I got Charlie, and now, being 16, I've grown up a lot and realised that if I were to try adding a cavy to my mini-herd (2 pigs), to adopt from a rescue.

I'm very ashamed to admit that I was very poorly educated on caring for guineas before I got Charlie in 2003...I relied on my Mum to teach me everything she knew. I was agoraphobic at the time, but I just about managed the trip to the pet shop and saw this gorgeous scruffy piggy in a large hutch/covered run (about 3 ft by 3 ft in size) and thats how I got Charlie.

If people start "having a go" at me for buying from pet shops, please bear (sp?) in mind that I volunteer at a local rescue and do all the cleaning out jobs on a weekly basis (I'm the longest serving member of the volunteer team), AND I'm fostering guineas who desparately need some intensive one-to-one training for a month. My goal is to start my own guinea pig holiday boarding home one day, and perhaps even expand into a rescue.

I think that little lot shows how much I've learnt over the last few years.

PS. I'm totally against the breeding of any animal, especially cavies.

 

[Peaches]

Agreed. Before coming to this site, I didnt even know there were such things as cavy rescues. Shelters around areas I lived usually only had cats and dogs and the occasional bird.

The point is you learned and changed your ways. You are never to young or old to do that. It is the sign of a maturing person to be able to do it and I'm glad you are one of them.

 

[Lyndsay]

I think alot of people myself including have gotten a pig or two from a pet store. I was young, 14 as well, and I knew next to nothing, about the whole pet store process. I've done alot of stupid things in my life in that sence, but there was more behind it than bad choice. In the small town where I live, our shelters do not deal with small animals, or anything other than dogs, and cats. Therefore getting on from a shelter was out of the question. As well I up untill a couple months ago didn't know there was an established rabbit breeder in Thunder Bay as well. We have no rabbit or cavie clubs, or any small animal shows and such. We rely on the import of our animals. We have one chain of pet stores that don't actually sell animals, and I applied to work there last week. The animals that are here, and make it to the store come from the shelters, or breeders, mostly accidental. Small animal that makes it to a shelter is either put down, or givin to the pet stores. Now I'll admitt I bought a cavy from the pet store, and lucky me *knock on wood* I havn't had a single problem with him for 2 years I've had him. The cage conditions were horrible, and I wanted to save at least one of them. Anyone that comes across this awsome website, and still goes to a pet store hasn't read well enough. Althought I would never give Smudgee back to the store, I do regret supporting thier horrible behaviour.

 

[Guinea_Gal]

Breeding is dangerous for ALL animals so anyone that breeds animals for a profit knowingly puts the life of the animal at risk. Look at how many women and children died in childbirth before modern medicine hit....Breeding is breeding no matter what spin is put on it and I have yet to see any breeder that has a logical reason for breeding beyond profits. It would be like me forcing my wife to stay pregnant and give birth repeatedly so I could sell the children. Only difference is that the human part offends people so it is illegal where as the pet part does not as much. A responsible pet owner has their pet fixed (or ensures they can not get pregnant). Gee, Bob Barker has been preaching this message for many many years on the Price is Right show and logically it makes sense.If someone could show me a logical reason for breeding beyond profit then I would change my stance but so far I haven't seen one.

my grandmother breeds standard poodles. she has only 1 litter about every 3 or 4 years. she also shows her dogs as well. she never advertises in the paper, instead, she is passed on by word of mouth because those who have purchased dogs from her are so happy. now my granmother is not rich, infact, she isn't vey well off. she owns a small dog grooming business, but it does not provide very well for her, yet she still manages to give her dogs the best care possible.

when she breeds dogs, she does it to better the breed and always keeps one as a show dog for herself. she very rarely has litters, and when she does, she makes almost no money even though she charges a lot, because of how much money she put into caring for the puppies.

she treats them like her kids and i have seen her turn many people away before finding a family that she knew would care for the dog.

yes there are a lot of horrible breeders interested in money, but i wanted to give you an example of someone who is not.

 

[bromers]

I like the petshop I live near.
They sell everything apart from animals. They do sell fish but before you can have the fish you have to show them a picture of your tank. Also you have to bring in a sample of your water so that they know the fish will be o.k. They are realy expensive fish aswell thats supposed tostop careless people from buyinh them. I have a fish who was twice as expensize as bromers.

 

[suzilovespiggie]

My 2 origional pigs came from a women who is very involved with 4H. She breeds for 4H and gives the children a "show pig" to work on for a year and then show at fair. My pigs were the "wrong color" and could not be shown. They were a brother and sister pair.
The boy was strong and healthy, his sister small and sickly. She died a very young age, less than a year. I still did not know of this site. I went to a showing of GP's for the fair that was coming up. so I could get another friend for Harold. The children sell GP's for 5-10 dollars. I bought 2 of them. These again are the pigs that can't be shown. The pigs that are for sale for show or breeding purposes are abit more expensive. I too have bought in the past from a petstore.
Then I found this site and learned what a ignorant owner I was. I loved my GP's but had them in a way to small cage, was not feeding near enough veggies, or enough hay. I do have a great GP vet who said my pigs were healthy but they were not living up to the best that I could give them. (not his words mine). I found out about breeders. I looked up the sites for adoption and was stunned at the amount of
GP's in shelters and who needed homes. It had never accured to me GP's would be put to sleep like cats and dogs. We have 2 PetsMarts in Tucson. They sell
gp's for 31 dollars. Money has nothing to do with it. After all the info I have learned
adoption is the only way. Where I live there were no piggies to be found. Thru the
sites for adoption, I found pigs available in Phoenix, 3 1/2 hours from me. I drove there to save 2 pigs. I don't regret it. What I do reget is all the pigs that will die because stores keep breeding, people keep buying. Pigs get thrown away. People don't care.
Well I care. This site cares. Keep preaching the big picture. Adopt! Adopt! Adopt!
Do not buy from stores that sell animals!
By the way what's a sticky?
I know this is long. I am sorry. I just feel so strongly about this.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

A sticky is a thread that stays at the top of the forum.

Very well said, suzi.

 

[daftscotslass]

There is one petstore I got my best piglet from and she was great! She had no health issues when we got her. I also do not know any rescues around here and do not like the idea of finding one of the internet.

Come on... it's hardly ebay. You see pictures of a pig that you like the look of online. You go and visit it at the rescue. You discuss over the phone or in person with the rescue what the arrangements will be, homechecks may be organised or a visit with any existing pigs set up. THEN the guinea pig MIGHT come home with you. It's not as if they Fed-Ex them to you or anything.

Rescues are the way forward. If you contribute to a pet store by buying their livestock, you are just helping continue the problem. Regardless of how good you think your store is.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

I know this is off topic, but this Alfie person keeps talking about how she can't trust ANYTHING on the internet... Soo if she dosen't have a compatible vet, she won't look it up, won't look up rescues or shelters or anything of the sort, or won't buy any food/hay/supplies off the internet.. What is SO bad about the internet I ask?

 

[toffeepig]

ANY excuse not to listen to good advice, huh?
I adopted my second piggie that I found ON THE INTERNET from our local humane society, easy as you please. I emailed them, they emailed back and said "come take a look!" I went, I saw, I adopted.

Alfie, you really need to open your eyes and start paying attention to the primo advice you're being given, instead of wasting energy looking for excuses and telling us why it won't work for you. It WILL if you even give it a shot. Read the website thoroughly and think long and hard about whether you're willing to commit to proper daily care of a gp for 5 years or more. If you have any hesitation at all maybe you should wait on getting any.

 

[citronsoul]

Why not from a rescue? You'd rather risk taking home a guinea pig that's sick, got mites, lice, is possibly pregnant...etc?

 

[daftscotslass]

My brothert has bought stuff off the internet and it never seems to work out plus its just too complicated when you need it on the spot.

You need the guinea pig now? Right now? What are you doing here? Off to the pet shop QUICK! The point is, if you've got enough time to be posting here about your intentions, then you've got the time to do a quick search, and then make a quick call/email to a local rescue.

If you can't heed this advice then I don't think you're responsible enough to be taking on a pig in the first place.