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Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Living overseas

Can you take guinea pigs to New Zealand?!

14 replies

Elf · 11/05/2008 13:47

Does anyone know? I read somewhere that taking pets is such a bureaucratic nightmare that it really isn't worth it unless it's for a dog or something. HOWEVER, does anyone know? It would be great if they could come too!

Do people have guinea pigs as pets in NZ much? They are quite common here in England.

Thanks people.

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ninedragons · 11/05/2008 14:30

It will be VERY expensive. Several hundred pounds each, at a guess. I am pretty sure you'd be looking at a few months' quarantine, at whatever the hell the government wants to charge for it.

Get new ones once you arrive. I'm sure your guinea pigs are lovely, but not that lovely.

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beansmum · 11/05/2008 17:39

I don't think it would be too difficult to do, just really expensive. There wouldn't be any quarantine from the UK.

I got a quote from these people for taking my dog over (£2000). They take other pets as well and when I enquired sent me a list of all the things that would need doing, blood tests, injections etc and the sort of time it would take to get everthing sorted. If you were seriously thinking of taking your guinea pigs you could find out what would need doing but I wouldn't bother TBH. Get new ones over there, guinea pigs are quite common in NZ.

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easyjet · 11/05/2008 17:39

why would you want to take them?

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Elf · 11/05/2008 19:32

Easyjet, we would like to take them because the dcs love them and it would be sad for them to leave them here of course.

Beansmum nad Ninedragons thank you, I have contacted those people to ask about it. I realise it will probably be not possible but we wanted to find out. Thank you.

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GordontheGopher · 11/05/2008 19:34

The stress would probably kill them to be honest.

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ninedragons · 12/05/2008 08:31

Poor kids. I do think it would be less cruel to re-home them in the UK. That's an awfully long flight. I enquired about taking my cat from the UK to Hong Kong and the vet said they wouldn't be able to sedate it long enough and the flight would be extremely stressful.

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beansmum · 12/05/2008 10:35

Could you find a friend to re-home them with, then you could get updates on how they are doing and photos etc.

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CoffeeCrazedMama · 12/05/2008 10:40

Agree with Gordon - they have very weak hearts and are easily distressed. I really think this would be unbearably cruel - that journey is bad enough if you are a human!

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Elf · 13/05/2008 13:53

Re stress for the journey - DH said he read somewhere recently that they would travel well so who knows. I agree it doesn't sound great though.

We just wanted to check out the options. thanks again.

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Expectant · 15/05/2008 11:50

We bought our cats with us from the UK (now in Singapore) - Ninedragons can't believe your vet even suggested sedating your cat for the flight - that is contrary to all the advice we were given. Our cats were pretty ok after the flight and completely clean (they were desperate to go but that's what cats are like I guess) - I'm not too sure about Guinea pigs though.

Yes it was expensive but there was no quarrantine (similar to NZ I understand) which is a big consideration and I would say completely worth it. They are a part of our family after all.

We used PetAir UK and they were really good. They organised all the paperwork for us. It did take us 2 hours to get them out of the freight airport when they arrived but this was mainly because they took a long time to get from the plane to the place where we had to pick them up. We actually cleared customs and the vets pretty quickly once they were out as all the documents were in order.

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wannaBe · 15/05/2008 11:55

they stress easily. Imagine paying 2 grand for two guinea pigs and they died.

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Miggsie · 15/05/2008 11:58

...NZ won't let you take in a sheepskin rug (origianlly bought in NZ) unless it is fumigated, which is £100.
And you can't take in an APPLE...they have sniffer dogs trained to spot fruit.

I shudder to think what they charge or would do to a gineau pig.

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eidsvold · 15/05/2008 11:59

I would do as someone else suggested - rehome them with someone you know who can give you updates and get new ones when you get to NZ. It is a very long way and seems a lot of work for a very common animal.

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Elf · 15/05/2008 13:21

Eidsvold - common - my dear, our guinea pigs are certainly NOT common.

Everyone - I know it isn't feasible really, but I felt I wanted to check out the options for the dcs' sake really.