Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Today I was at my pet store, and a woman had just dumped a pair of guinea pigs off, saying she was allergic to them. Said she's had them 4 years and they've had 2 litters of babies but lately nothing. I got a look at them and geeze, I wish I could have smacked that woman! Neither animal has EVER had nails clipped, they were growing right back into the feet on both of them. The female has a large bald spot down the back, and the male has poop caked on his butt - he's going to have to soak in the tub awhile, and if that doesn't work I'll have to shave him.

Neither animal has any parasite which is a nice surprise but man, these animals are not in great shape. Makes me mad.

I totally hear you. I work at a pet store, and today I got to work, to find that someone had dropped off a pair of female adult cavies. They were in the smallest super pet cage you can buy (approx. 1'x2'), and were on ceder bedding. their food bowl had an inch of build up on the bottom (am I the only one that CLEANS animal bowls!?) and the cage was soaked with urine. I was APPAULED. If I had been there when they dropped the guineas off, i would have flipped out on the person. But at least they are finally being cared for properly.

A situation that resulted in my first guinea pig is a bit more shocking. I was working at a petstore at that time, and a lady came in a said "someone needs to take this guinea pig or I'm going to drown it." This guinea pig was in (and had been living in for over a year!) a plastic carrying case used for stuffed animals. Seriously, this "cage" was about 8 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 6 inches tall. It had NO bedding, and the guinea pig was sitting in a pool of urine and feces. She was completely soaked in urine. The water bottle was secured with a wire coat hanger, and had no supplements (vit c). The food bowl was a cat bowl and it took up the remainder of the "cage" space that was left. It was empty. She had no hay, of course.
Her nails were as long as her foot itself.

I took her in, got her a 6 X 2 X 3 cage, clipped her nails, gave her a bath (actually 3 baths, because the urine smell would not come out!), got supplements, carefresh bedding, timothy hay, and a friend for her.

I still have the carrying case (I keep supplements and stuff in it) and I can't believe someone would keep a pet like that.
By the way, she is the calico one below, and her friend is the gray and white.