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Piggy at Petco

LuvMyPiggers

Well-known Member
Cavy Gazer
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
Messages
964
I went to Petco a couple months ago to pick up essentials for the pigs because the other pet store I go to which is better was closed. I picked up some carefresh and such and was about to go up to pay when I knew I should at least visit the small critters. I visited the hamsters, the gerbils, the chins, the mice, the rats, the ferrets, and FINALLY the guinea pigs. I saw them, asked a lady to pet EVERY SINGLE ONE. Haha. Then I went on my way. Well a couple days ago I had to go again. I went to the guinea pigs cage and noticed that there was a HUGE one in there. THE SAME PIG I SAW A MONTH AGO. I asked the woman if she would give it to me free because he had been in there so long. She said yes and to think a bit. Do you think I should take him since he's free? I feel terrible for him.
 
I say just take him, its not like your giving them any money. Help him if he has been living in there is whole life.
 
Are you sure it's a HE? When you said the GP was huge, and you had just seen it a month before, my first thought was they mixed the sexes and it was a pregnant female. You only said you petted them, not that you checked the sexes on the pigs.
 
Ok. I asked them to hold him for me. I'm going on Tuesday after I do a bit more research on something.

Yes I sexed him, he is a male. He is a bigger breed (A mix TSW)
 
If it were me I would because since it is probably pregnant (I highly doubt it isn't) then once she gives birth if there are any males in the cage she will just get pregnant right after she gives birth then she won't survive due to over stress and way to much pregnances. Also once she gives birth the babies might not survive and also if she gets pregnant again then all of those babies and she wont survive (unless in very rare cases she will barley survive).

Also you aren't giving Petco any money to pay the breeders to make more piggers.
 
LuvMyPiggers said:
Ok. I asked them to hold him for me. I'm going on Tuesday after I do a bit more research on something.

Yes I sexed him, he is a male. He is a bigger breed (A mix TSW)

Hopefully everyone else in the cage is male as well.

Personally, knowing what I've learned since coming here, I'd still leave him there, even as heartbreaking as it might be for you. If he's been there that long, they're just waiting for him to be taken or sold to make room for a couple smaller pigs.
 
Nevermind my earlier post (three of us posted at the same time) . Are you sure he is a male? If he is why is he so big.
 
I don't think I'd have the heart to do it. Yes everyone else in the cage is a male as well. If I do get him, I promise you he will get a full vet check-up. And when I saw huge I just mean he got bigger than he was in size in a month.
 
It's a tough call. I have taken free animals from pet shops a few times but I try to avoid it (mostly by not going into shops that sell animal).

The last free animal a took from a pet shop was a rabbit that was sick and malnourished and bound to become snake food if he wasn't sold. I talked the store into giving me the rabbit, the small cage he was in, some food, a water bottle and a food dish all for free.

I threw out the crappy food (I only took it to "stick it" to the pet shop), stored the free cage in the shed after moving the rabbit into a bigger cage. Then went to a non animal selling shop to buy Oxbow Bunny Basics and other supplies I would need for the little guy.

Patches the rabbit is now healthy, happy and full of bunnitude. I'm glad I took him. Out of the 10 adult rabbits they had to get rid of, 2 still ended up betting killed and frozen for snake food.

It's up to you. Just make certain they will still cover medical bills if he turns out to be sick if you take him home.
 
I think my brain is telling me too. Not just my heart. I think I'm going to do it.
 
Please keep us updated! :)
 
If you do we need pig-tures!
 
I say this, if the pig is sick and desperately needs out of there then take him. If not, I wouldn't do it even if they do give him to you for free. It's just going to create more space for this store to stock even more pigs.
 
I would I think it would jsut be so sad to leave the pet there. Although I just went to a petco today because we were near by and I wanted a little idea on pricing of some stuff, even know I plan on buying somewhere else.
 
Arn't you having trouble with your parents making you build a smaller cage?
 
It's sad to leave the guinea pig in the shelter behind too. If they are healthy, I'd leave him. They'll just order more from the distributor, who gets them from pet mills and backyard breeders.

I hope you're changing your clothes and washing your hands before handling your own piggies. Any piggies can give yours lice/ mites or other illnesses. I've seen it happen.
 
slap_maxwell said:
Arn't you having trouble with your parents making you build a smaller cage?

I've started paying for my own supplies now as I explained in another post. They said if I can support these pigs, I can have a bigger cage. They are just really picky when I change the cage too much. Not so much when I make it bigger.
 
EEEEK! I guess it was for the better but something unfortunate happened today. The poor piggy was sold! They lied to me! I am never going to petco again unless it's a true emergency!
 
Just another example that petshops are more interested in profit then great homes for their animals.

Of course they sold the pig out from under you. You were going to do them a favor and take the pig from them for free...someone else wanted to be a customer and give them money. It's sad that animals are viewed as product, but it's a fact until everyone gets together to put a stop to it.
 
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