Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig !

Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig !

written by Patty of CatCalls

Tooey in Food

March is Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month!

And I am delighted to say... that I have already done so!

I am the happy owner of three fabulous fur balls that are a constant source of entertainment for me and my boys. Tooey, who I admit is my favorite, actually came from a pet store that was closing and was free with a bag of food.

Tooey preening

It was the first time in over 20 years that I bought a guinea pig from a pet store. But he and his cage mate were the only rodents left, and even though I was only going on a fun outing with my son, I came home with two new friends! They were added to the two I already I had.

CG

About a year after that, my daughter in law was working at the Akron Human Society, mainly with cats. It was August of 2008 when she told me they had just obtained a number of animals from a hoarder, including two guinea pigs. And one was gray! She knew that gray was one of my favorites, so she immediately called when they arrived. I was leaving for vacation the next week, so I couldn't take them, but she set them aside for me.

Thea's face

Two weeks later I became the owner of two young, very skittish piggies who were in dire need of a bath! My husband and I took them to the laundry room, gave them a good scrub and.... WOW! How bright and soft they became! Poor girls, though, were so scared. But with much love and lots of handling by my two sons and me, they eventually relaxed and became calm, friendly, happy pets.

Thea bathing

Today, CG and Thea are like extra kids in the family. CG is the brunt of many fat jokes as she is extremely large for a guinea pig! And Thea is always getting the "OH...what a pretty guinea pig!" comments. They both squeal daily when the refrigerator opens in mid morning as my husband makes his lunch for work. He always gives them treats. They have been the subject of many, many home school writing assignments. They each have their own little personality, though Tooey was endowed with an extremely feisty one that has won him the most favored position. But both CG and Thea are very sweet and entertaining as well.

CG with cucumbers

Guinea pigs have been a part of my life for over 30 years. I really cannot imagine life without them. They are very easy to care for, quite hearty and healthy, and very affectionate. They make great first pets for school age children. They can be shown in county fairs thorough 4-H, get along with rabbits well, and can even be trained to do simple tricks. My son once had a boar that would come when he called his name!

Tooey with glasses

This month, why not consider the rodent section of your local shelter in your quest for a furry addition to your family ?!

Wanna read more about Guinea Pigs ?

click HERE to see Patty's

article on Guinea Pig care !