Adopting Guinea Pigs

If you are thinking about getting guinea pigs, or even if you already know how awesome they are and are thinking of expanding your herd –have you thought about adopting?!

It might not be something that automatically springs to mind with small animals, but there are LOADS of rescue centres out there looking for responsible animal lovers who want to adopt guinea pigs! These piggy sanctuaries might not get as much press as the likes of Battersea or the RSPCA. However, trust us, there are many hard-working, dedicated and knowledgeable individuals (and/or small teams) up and down the country running rescues for abandoned or unwanted guinea pigs.

So, please do take a moment to do your research and see if there is a guinea pig rescue (or animal shelter) that is fairly local to you.That’s exactly what we did when we were thinking of getting our first two piggies back in 2014 and we have never looked back!

We live in Chelmsford and our nearest rescue centre, Blackberry Patch Guinea Pig Rescue, happens to be about 15 minutes away. This is AWESOME! Why is it so great? Well, not only have we since returned a number of times (I’ll be honest, I’ve lost count!) to adopt more guinea pigs, we have also benefited from the valuable health and well-being ‘know-how’ that comes from someone who has been rescuing and caring for guinea pigs for many, many years. Added to that, rescues can provide valuable assistance when bonding an existing guinea pig with a new one on a ‘playdate’. If, for example, you have a pair of guinea pigs and one of them passes away, a rescue centre can be a great way to find a new friend for your lonely piggy. As they are working so closely each day with the piggies who reside at their rescue, they get to know their personalities and will be ‘hands on’ to help ensure a successful pairing/grouping.

By adopting, you might not always have the opportunity to get the ‘tiny baby guinea pigs’ that you imagined. Rescue centres often have a wide range of ages, breeds and piggy personalities. You can’t just request baby guinea pigs, for example, if there are none currently in the rescue! But you can look for the type of piggies that will suit your family/lifestyle; for example, those that are happy to be handled and will do well around younger children, or those that are more nervous and suited to an adult-only household. What you will also get by visiting a guinea pig rescue is the chance to give an animal a second chance in a loving home, along with support, help and knowledge from the rescue centre themselves.