Hello all! I am new, and head over heals!

[lisapierce]

hello! my name is lisa pierce, and i live in a small spot outside of Houston. i have fallen under the cavy spell, and am now obsessed. i have just read the post on the actual meanings of rescue, and adoption, and am a bit sad that i never thought of those things before. i purchased both of my piggies from a petco, thinking i was taking these amazing little critters out of a stinky overcrowded aquarium and bringing them into 'chez pierce'. i didnt stop to think that their cost purpetrated to the squaller conditions of further piggles. for this i feel terrible. i have been non stop researching and soaking up everything i can on guineas. i have even made plans to be available to rescue a piggie if the need arises. we are in the process of moving, and i am hoping to have future available space to house a few needy pigs. my children (13, 5) are hopeless animal lovers as well, and want to help put an end to unwanted exotic pets in our small community. too many ppl seem to want pets to dress them up ect, but get discouraged when they realize all animals need more than to be arm candy. a few poops later..... you know the story. we want those animals before they become homeless or snake food. my husband shudders thinking i will keep every one of them, but i want to find good animals great families. i had no idea that pet shelters even had a 'back room' where little piggies stay, quiet, unnoticed, and scared. *UGH!* i want to help.
in advance, it is nice to e-meet everyone in here, and ANY piggie info is requested! TEACH ME!
i have two sows, aprox. 4-5mo. old. Pumkin & Cuddles.

[sus4rabbitsnpigs]

Welcome. Are you absolutely sure you have two females? Pet store pigs often are missexed, on top of having mites and URI.

[cielo]

Hey, Welcome to the forum! We always apreciate pictures of the Piggies...Hope you post some soon!

[guineapiggoddess]

Yes, Pigtures of Cuddles and Pumpkin would be great! I love their names!

[piggieluver101]

Welcome to the world of slaves! See? You already fit in with us cavy slaves! lol

[lisapierce]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! what a warm welcoming! *love it here!* i will gladly post pics! my cell phone is full of them, lol! my husband has expressed much exasperation at the multitudes of piggle picks i send him all day.

i have a question for you, it falls along the contro. topic of pet stores. due to lack of fund-age i have been toying around with the idea of part timing at a local store, either wally world or *gasp* a pet store.) the pet store idea was a new one posed by my hubby because i am always looking for a reason to go there and hold animals.....
i have the kooky notion that the animals get a break from their darn aquariums everytime some goofy person comes in wanting to hold as many as possible. (yeah, thats me....)
i dont want to perpetuate the pet store jungle of doom, but regardless they are still going to be there. after reading much of the info on this site, i realized that by purchasing my piggies from one, i just made room for two more little pigs to live in squaller.
i did meet a girl at a pet store yesterday asking a shop keeper if they take in piggies that need new homes, and the man (acting cornered) said 'uh, yeah, sure. we have to quarantine them for three weeks, then....' *ugh* i gave the girl my number and told her i would be more than happy to re-home her piggie. i sure hope she calls.
side tracked, sorry. i guess what i am wondering is that if i went and worked for a pet store, if i would be doing something bad for the animals there. i do see possitive opportunities to communicate with other animal lovers, and be kind to the animals that are there...... idk. i am intending to rescue piggies and give them new homes- i want all the piggies that are losing their families and finding them better families. that i am going to do- but would working for a pet store- the place where so many piggies that are displaced come from- be as evil as it sounds??????
some people at the stores seem to be so big hearted and compassionate, and some seem to just not care at all. holding the animals that no one plays with and getting paid to buy more piggie items just seems like a good idea, but on the 'right thing' front, is it wrong?

[sus4rabbitsnpigs]

Starting a rescue is a lot of work and money. And it is heartbreaking. Working at a pet store only perpetuates the cycle and contrary to what rescues do.

It's going to be to watch the sick pet mills pets arriving each week and watching them get sent back when they can't sell them or going as kids toys or to live outdoors in awful homes.

[piggieluver101]

I was wondering the same thing: if I could help out the retards at the petstores properly sex and care for the pigs, and possably get them better cages.

[guineapiggoddess]

I know I would like to work at a pet store to help them out with the small animals but the way sus put it I don't think I would be able to help. I think I will just talk my mom into letting me foster a few piggies from the local shelter. And I think that will help with my Community Service (I'm not a crimanal! It's school standards lol).

[lisapierce]

Originally Posted by sus4rabbitsnpigs

Welcome. Are you absolutely sure you have two females? Pet store pigs often are missexed, on top of having mites and URI.

actually, i was REALLY worried for a bit- Pumpkin, (aka. Piggle-Roo) seemed to be taking a, uhhhh.... 'liking' of sorts to Cuddles. i ran to the internet searching 'guinea pig sexing' in hopes of finding piggle part picks. all i found was a sketch! ARGH! after much squirming, poor Pumpkin relented and showed me no male type thingies. ! yes!

that was actually a big concern for about a week. after the intial, 'lemme see' trauma, poor Pumpkin still went through scrutiny as she went for the alpha female spot.
she won it though. she is the head sow- she even owns me.

still though, every once in a while, i worry. she is a tom-pig of sorts.