Homeless guinea pigs are not a problem that most people are even conscious of; however, the folks at Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue are only too well aware of this reality.
They just saved Miles, a name derived from Milli, who was their 1000th pig rescued since they were founded in January 2002. As the largest guinea pig rescue in Texas, they are often called on to help in any number of situations; people wanting to surrender their pets, breeders who want to get out of business, people whose pet accidentally had a litter, pigs who have been dumped and found wandering outside, or when they have been relinquished to city shelters that are ill-equipped to hand animals other than cats or dogs. In fact at any time, Texas Rustlers has anywhere between 150-200 adoptable animals, and when only 20-30 per month find new families, that means a lot of these furry cuties are still in need of homes.
Guinea pigs make for wonderful companion animals and come in an assortment of types; including short, long, curly and fluffy haired varieties. Like cats and dogs, each piggy has its own personality, is intelligent, is gentle by nature and can be very loving. Their vocabulary and body language includes wheeking (a loud squeak) and popcorning (jumping straight up in the air) when excited to purring and cooing when bring affectionate.
They are also social creatures and do best in pairs or multiples. But as a prey animal, they can be easily startled, so it is important to learn appropriate ways on how to approach and handle them. As with other rodents, they are capable of reproducing in large numbers quickly. Although it only takes about 6 weeks from birth to be adoptable, the animals can become fertile at only 3 weeks old and can give birth to 1-7 pups at a time. Texas Rustlers makes sure all males are neutered, though females are only spayed for medical reasons, because the surgery is very invasive.
All pet stores that sell guinea pigs are profit-driven and are often uneducated about the breed, thus various basics are overlooked. Unintentional breeding occurs when stores sell pairs after incorrect gender identification of the animals. Many pet stores sell alfalfa based feed for guinea pigs, which is too high in calcium for adults. Guinea pigs should actually have access to timothy based grain and hay at all times, be fed a variety of fresh vegetables twice a day, and receive a dose of vitamin C daily, but not added to their drinking water.
Cedar and pine shavings are still sold as bedding, however, this has shown to cause liver issues in guineas, and instead aspen or paper should be utilized. Pre-manufactured guinea pig housing tends to be expensive, difficult to clean, and contain insufficient space. Texas Rustlers recommends C & C (cubes and coroplast) habitats which can be constructed for guinea pig housing.
In addition to being low-cost, it is easy to clean and gives plenty of space for the pigs to run and play, particularly if there are multiples, which is highly recommended. Guinea pigs offer a lot of love in a small package and if you wish to add one to your family, please be sure to rescue instead of purchase from a store. A life will be saved and you will receive appropriate educational information about the care of your new friend.
For those interested in helping Texas Rustlers, they always need assistance. Volunteers are needed on Saturdays to help clean habitats, trim nails, groom and socialize homeless piggies. Additional foster homes would allow the group to rescue more animals.
Of course, they are always in need of funds to help pay for veterinary fees (for health issues as well as neutering), food, and pen supplies. Even something as simple as donating newspaper to line the bottom of pens or vinegar for cleaning can help a lot. Texas Rustlers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so all donations are tax deductible.
Interested in learning more? Join Texas Rustlers at their Hoedown Event on April 29th. They are offering free guinea pig wellness exams, nail trimming, educational facts on proper care and feeding, and adoption knowledge to the public. It will be from 1-4 PM at Grapevine Convention Center , 1209 South Main St. , Grapevine , TX . When transporting your guinea pigs, they ask that you please have a proper carrier and bring plenty of fresh food and water, so that you and your piggy enjoy the celebration too.
Additional details about the organization, including a link to construction plans for building a C & C habitat, can be found on,
www.theguineapigrescue.com. While March may be the official Adopt-A-Rescued Guinea Pig month, please know that piggies make wonderful pets year round and may be just the companion that makes your life complete.
By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Network Texas Community Team Leader
With special thanks to Carol Lathrop of Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue
Photo of Hannah, one of their past rescues, reprinted with permission of Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue
Posted by Jennifer Hayes