Any idea how to find a local breeder (if that's best way to buy a gp)

[Therealyellowwiggle]

Hello, posted this before on Pets not realising there is a small pets area!
I read a very long thread on Guinea pigs yesterday that gave me lots of useful info as a hopeful owner, and it linked to a site where you could search for breeders by your area - but the link was out of date.
Can anyone offer any advice about this? I'm assuming buying them in pet store not recommended.
I'm in Edinburgh btw.
Tia

[FernieB]

Best way is to go to a rescue. They'll have matched pairs of piggies desperate for a lovely home and they're not all older pigs either. Rescues often have babies but TBH I wouldn't bother with a baby. I'd go for a pair aged about 9 months to 2 years. At that stage they've generally gone through the terrible teens and are settled with their friend. I know the tiny baby pigs look cute but they grow so fast it really doesn't last long. Also babies are so difficult to catch as they're really fast. A fully grown pig is lazier and much easier to capture.

[Therealyellowwiggle]

Thank you, that's very helpful. I had heard of rescued pigs but thought they might not be as friendly as might not have been handled much. Suppose it depends why they were handed in. Although I will be responsible for them, I do have two dcs who will be wanting to shower love on the wee fellows! (Or ladies)
Do cat/dog rescue places have gps, or is it just ones specifically for them? I can't see the latter in my area at all.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

My pigs GP1 through to GP6 have all come from Rescue.

The only one I'd say is less friendly (not unfriendly but she's a gnawer, DD and I don't mind the teeth but a child wouldn't like her)

We had a piglet than came to Rescue via a breeder who 'didn't like guinea pigs' .

Our most recent addition was a neutered boar (to bond with out girls) who is an utter Love Sponge of a pig

There are many reasons Pigs end up in Rescue, none of mine are in for violent behaviour or nastiness, just unwanted or part of a mass rescue .

They are very grateful not and not in the least bit judgey lie

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

You're best to look for Rabbit&Rodent - they'll assess the temperements of the piggies.
My first boar pair (DD wanted boars) came from a rabbit rescue, I phoned and asked if they had piggies handed in, we got the boars.

[Fairylea]

I had to give my very much loved piggies to a rescue some years ago now as my now ex dh suddenly left me and I had to move into a new home where I couldn't have them, so I had to rehome. They were friendly as anything and had been kept indoors with lots of love and attention. Guinea pigs end up in rescues for all kinds of reasons so don't be put off! :)

[Penguinepenguins]

I saw this and thought of people buying grandparents :) high temperature has sent me crazy delighted it's Guinea piggies :)

We have been Thinking of getting some for DC - loved my little fellas growing up, never thought of a rescue shelter, great idea and where we will begin our search! Thank you for posting this OP

[deepdarkwood]

Our two were rescue pigs - and came to us as babies. Their mother - along with a number of other pigs - had been rescued from a guinea pig farm, and was pregnant when she was found. She was nursed back to health and had 5 gorgeous healthy babies. They aren't little for long, but they are super cute! Also allowed us to have two sisters who have got on brilliantly.

[FernieB]

There are some special small animal rescues but other rescues also have piggies. Most piggies are amenable to being handled. They are ruled by their tummies so can be bribed to sit nicely on laps with parsley or cucumber etc.

[Slippersandacuppa]

Pets at Home have an adoption centre I their shops - for animals who 'too old' and weren't sold 😡

We rescued our second rabbit from there. She was only four months old but all alone and not a cute fluffy baby bunny. She's lovely and bonded with our rabbit fairly quickly.

[Therealyellowwiggle]

Thanks for all these replies, lots of food for thought Have made notes!
I really wasn't meaning to suggest rescue centres were for naughty pigs I just thought they might go a bit feral if not getting lots of handling.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

yellow my two sows were part of a huge rescue , both had piglets in Rescue. As a result, they weren't as used to contact as my other piggies, but I wanted feisty sows so I was prepared.

I could not catch the blighters took forever.

But most of the pigs in Rescue will be kids pets that they've got bored with/allergy/moving/accidental litters.

My pig was a livewire but settled down well, though she's still a little ratbag, but nothing nasty. Just needs her pig friends and some TLC .
My DDs sow is really cuddly and laid back.

[Therealyellowwiggle]

That's interesting about allergies, I'd better get everyone to hold one before we buy them!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Just a tip from our pig keeping-
My DD is fine with smooths and Abbys (the rossetted Abbysinians) but allergic to Rex (coarse short fur) and very allergic to Teddy (short but softer than Rex)
Our GP3 was Rex , our GP6 is Teddy. She gets a rash if she holds him near her face.......and guineas run up to your neck!
If she got too reactive, I'd take on the Teddy pig full time, leave her the smooth girls.(Though she has a slight reaction to them, they cuddle up to GP6)

Hay can be very allergenic too.

[Therealyellowwiggle]

That's really helpful, as someone with hay fever I really should have thought of that...
This might sound odd but are you able to ask to hold/touch the pigs in a pet shop like pets at home? Trying to think how to test out the allergy thing.

[FernieB]

Do you have any friends with GPs? You could offer to pig sit next time they go away. Pets at Home would possibly let you hold them - depends on the store. Or do you have any petting zoos nearby? They often have piggies for children to hold.

[Therealyellowwiggle]

Got to hold one at pet shop today
Have sneezed a bit Suspect it's the hay not the pig, though you can't have one without the other.

[EastMidsGPs]

I am a bit wheezy (well quite wheezy) when around the hay .. also a bit (quite) a bit itchy when Mollie decides to sit under my chin. My symptoms haven't got worse so i just ignore them. Did work with someone who was hospitalized with a late onset asthma attack 3 days after his children got piggies .. he never knew he was allergic ... so people do need to be careful .. but it is the same risk with any allergy. I consider mine to be mild and really just a nuisance.

As to piggies from rescue centres .. have usually got mine from local rescues apart from our youngest Sadie who we needed quickly whilst on holiday last year.
My experience of rescued gps has been positive. We did have Betty who was a bit strange, took her 3 years to go outside willingly and would scavenge anything including plastic, but she did become affectionate and was besotted with OH. She'd just had a bad start and was a RSPCA case. Her oddness made her a favourite and she actually became a star in a children into IT programme i worked on ...well her picture did.

We also had one that i swear was a pedigree or near as damn it. A really beautiful creature with navy blue eyes and long silky coat. Rejected by a child who became bored at a skittish baby .. she came to us with the name Princess Caramel Barbie ... quickly changed here to Tig
All rescues have lived long and relatively trouble free lives. I'd recommend wholeheartedly.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ahh our boar has amazing navy blue eyes , I've never had a Blue Eyed Pink before.

Our piggies were having a laze in the run today ( only for an hour, still building up their grass time) while DD and I cleaned the Pighouse.

It is lovely to give these little creatures a second chance, they don't really demand much from life Bless Them.

The allergies is a huge worry though, I need to keep a close eye on DD and her skin, though it would help if she didn't kiss GP6 fur.

But yes, hay+pigs go hand in hand.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Blue Eyed Pig

[Therealyellowwiggle]

Ok hay-sniffing ahead!
The Petshop said I needed wood shavings for the cage, is that not the opposite of what I've heard elsewhere? (Sorry for all the questions!)