Oswego County Guinea Pig Rescue

Maya and Pickles ADOPTED

2012-02-11T18:18:00.003-05:00

Again, I am woefully behind in the blog, as I spend more time on Facebook..but wanted to let everyone know that Maya and Pickles got adopted last night. Right now, our only young, available guinea pig is Noodles, but he is a chronic biter and I'm afraid he may end up staying with us permanently.

200 Guinea Pigs!

2012-01-17T18:25:00.003-05:00

We have officially reached 200 guinea pigs in almost 9 years with the arrival of Pickles two days ago. I will have pictures of him soon!

I also went through our adoptions and saw that we adopted out 38 guinea pigs in 2011 and took in 42. We lost a dozen in 2011 to old age or severe illness. Right now we have 21 here in our home, and we look forward to helping find great homes for many more guinea pigs in the years to come!

New Phone!

2012-01-07T17:04:00.002-05:00

Ok, my phone number is functional again..fortunately no one called me during the downtime! It's 315-532-2434 still and I have a brand-new Samsung Stratosphere that I'm still trying to figure out, so bear with me!

Cell Phone Died

2012-01-05T14:43:00.003-05:00

*sigh* My Blackberry died a couple days ago, so if anyone needs to get a hold of me, please call my husband's phone at 315-530-7308. Hopefully he will do a good job of taking messages for me in the meantime, if anyone calls. I don't post my home number because it is unlisted. Sorry for any inconvenience! I will let everyone know when I get a new phone; should be the same number.

Adoption Fee Increase for 2012

2011-12-29T23:32:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, because prices keep climbing on pretty much everything from pellets to produce, we will be raising our adoption fees as of 1/1/12. It will now be $40 for a single guinea pig with cage/accessories, $50 for two. A guinea pig by itself, without a cage, will be $20, or two for $30. I am making the change to this site now, and will have to fill in the changes on the hard copies of the adoption forms. We're not crazy about doing this, but with all the calls we get from people wanting to surrender guinea pigs, we need to make sure we are able to care for them.

Merry Christmas! Update...

2011-12-25T12:21:00.003-05:00

So here's what's been going on: AJ went to her new home yesterday. I removed the barrier inside the Brats' large cage, so everyone has free run again..they are all happy to have their space back without anyone fighting!

That being said, I plan on introducing our new female, Maya, to the group as soon as I clean out the cage. Maya is a young (under a year) rust-colored, self-crested female. I have taken pictures and will have her on here soon; she is very calm and healthy and would make a great companion for someone.

Olive's adoption is pending; an application has been put in and she will be leaving us sometime after Jan. 9 as a companion for another older guinea pig.

Lastly, we hate to bring any sad news, but Frosted passed away two nights ago. He was older, and had started losing weight..when he stopped eating the day before his death, we figured his time was almost done, and he passed peacefully during the night. He left behind a good-sized cage, but for now it's sitting empty...I just don't have the heart to put anyone else in it right now. :(

Available for Adoption...Noodles

2011-12-14T14:25:00.003-05:00

Noodles is a young male, I'm guessing about 5-6 months. He came from a classroom of toddlers in Shoppingtown Mall and he did NOT like the noise and commotion of his surroundings, so he was a little nippy when we first brought him home. I have been taking him out every day to show him that he is in a quieter environment; he is still a little jumpy, but is very curious and vocal when you hold him! When frightened, he will run onto your chest and then all the way up to your shoulder. He would do well in a fairly quiet home without small children.

AJ, Noodles

2011-12-11T18:22:00.002-05:00

AJ has found a home for Christmas, and is being picked up on Christmas Eve day. Hooray!

Noodles is our newest arrival; he is very scared but now that we have moved him into a much larger cage, he seems to be settling in and eating more than he was when he first arrived. He is very young, so with time and lots of love and handling, we hope he will be a good candidate for adoption after the holidays!

Baby Boys Available from CNY Piggies, Oneida

2011-12-06T19:31:00.002-05:00

My friend Mary has two baby boy guinea pigs that need to be adopted together, or singly only if they are going as companions for another male. A lot of people have been asking if I have babies or very young guinea pigs and right now I do not, but Mary was kind enough to take the pregnant mom from us, so if anyone is interested in two babies I will pass along her contact information.

New E-Mail

2011-12-05T13:21:00.002-05:00

Ok, I have deleted my old Gmail account and the new address is cavygirl72@gmail.com if anyone needs to e-mail me. This e-mail address is also listed on our Facebook page now.

New E-mail Address Coming Soon

2011-12-02T22:53:00.002-05:00

There has been a security breach in my Gmail account, so I have just deleted it..it will take two days for it to be permanently erased, and I will set up a new Gmail as soon as I can. I want to make sure the old account is gone before I try to set up a new one.

In the meantime, if you need to get a hold of me by e-mail, you can reach me at jennyj66@hotmail.com. I apologize for any inconvenience..a lot of people have been calling about guinea pigs lately, so if you do e-mail me and I don't get back to you right away, it's because I'm trying to get things secured. Thanks!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T14:29:00.002-05:00

Wanted to say a special thanks to someone who came by the other day while I was out, and my husband didn't catch her name..anyway, she brought us one large and one medium Marchioro cage, plus LOTS of water bottles, dishes, and a bag of food. Rocky and Olive have been moved into the larger cage so they have more space. We also removed the barrier in the largest cage and AJ is slowly assimilating with the four other girls.

I will be out of town for a few days and will probably not update the site until after I return; Ryan is in charge of the piggies over Thanksgiving. Thank you to everyone who has been generous to us this year and over the past few years..we always greatly appreciate ANY donation we receive! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Separated!

2011-11-20T18:36:00.001-05:00

Tulip was adopted Saturday, so we put Aunt Jemima in with the brats as there was more space. Unfortunately, AJ and Jeana really don't get along, so I put a divider in the cage. They can see and smell each other without anyone getting hurt, and AJ is with Pudding so she can get used to having a companion. After Thanksgiving, we'll remove the barrier and see how things go.

Adoption Events

2011-11-14T14:27:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend we attended two adoption events, one at Tractor Supply in Clay (which brought in just enough money to buy pellets before we left) and one in Oswego. Both had fairly low attendance, but we are hoping we got more word out about our rescue, and one person was interested in getting her daughter a guinea pig for Christmas. We took Aunt Jemima, Rocky and Olive with us. They got a lot of attention from the kids that showed up!

Sadly, also over the weekend, Rodney, our albino abby who lived with Buttons the texel, passed away, most likely from old age. Many of our guinea pigs have been with us since even before we started the rescue/adoption program, so they are pushing 5-6 at this point. This has already been a sad year (we've lost 11 to age or sickness), but I'm afraid more of our old-timers will be leaving us soon.

In the meantime, I am unemployed again and my husband is laid off for at least the next three weeks. If anyone is interested in donating even a small amount, please hit the button in the left hand column. It goes securely into my PayPal account, and can then be transferred to my regular bank account. Donations go toward pellets, bedding, produce, and possibly Christmas treats if we have enough.

Adopted...Simon

2011-11-09T11:41:00.002-05:00

Simon was adopted just a few days ago..I'm sorry I've fallen behind on the blog again. He had been living with Jack, but not for very long. Jack is fine on his own; I think he enjoys having the space to himself again, and Simon had been living alone when I got him.

It turns out that one of the females who came with Simon (and went on to CNY Piggies' Mary Green) is pregnant; I need to check Aunt Jemima again as I am having a hard time telling. Either she is not pregnant or is having a small litter.

We will be at TWO adoption events this weekend...at Tractor Supply in Clay on Saturday, from 11-4, and at the Oswego YMCA/Armory Sunday for the Home for the Holidays Adoption Event. I will bring any available guinea pigs that I have, plus LOTS of our business cards!

Aunt Jemima

2011-10-28T18:08:00.002-04:00

Took AJ out tonight for some cuddles (she is still nervous, and very afraid of our dogs). I still can't tell if she is pregnant; it may be a little too soon, but because she was small to begin with, I would think she would start showing very soon. She is in a large cage by herself until we know for sure. If she is not pregnant, she will be available for adoption sometime in November. She is a solid black shorthair, less than a year old, and in very good health.

October Update

2011-10-20T12:23:00.002-04:00

Again, I apologize for falling behind here..this is what's been happening:

All three of Aunt Jemima's babies have now been adopted. I am keeping her by herself in the cage for now, until we find out if she is pregnant again or not.

We got a call a few days ago from a group of young ladies who found an older male guinea pig, severely impacted, under a bush in Syracuse. They drove out immediately, and as soon as I saw him I knew he wouldn't last the night. The girls had named him Ron Paul; we kept him warm and comfortable until he passed a few hours later. Ryan made him a coffin and he was buried today. It makes me so angry that someone would just throw him away at the end of his life, and I am also happy that someone cared enough to scoop him up and make the call to us so that he didn't have to die alone and in pain.

I have been receiving MANY calls from people who are trying to surrender their guinea pigs, but at this point I cannot take anymore. I did take one 5 year old female, Pudding, last night, only because I had talked to her owner over a month ago and offered to give Pudding a permanent home here because of her age. She is now in with the four Brats (Jeana, Gobbles, Jazz and Tulip). Someone contacted me about adopting a female, so Tulip will be a candidate as she is one of our youngest.

We currently have 113 "likes" on our Facebook page, and we have received some donations from people all over the place, even some we have never met. As always, we greatly appreciate ANY donation..they keep our piggies clean, healthy and well-fed!

Baby Update

2011-10-09T19:05:00.001-04:00

Morgan and I took a close look at the babies tonight..it seems that Coffee is a boy, while Flapjack and Waffle are girls. Right now, it seems that we may have homes lined up for all three..but for anyone else interested in babies, Aunt Jemima is most likely pregnant again..however, it will be probably another 6 weeks before she gives birth, then another three before the babies are weaned. We will keep you posted!

New Piggies! Aunt Jemima and Babies

2011-09-30T19:40:00.003-04:00

Went to Central Square this afternoon to get a mom and three babies, who will be a week old tomorrow. Long story, but there is the chance the mom and/or the other females I couldn't take may be pregnant (a mom guinea pig can get pregnant again RIGHT AFTER giving birth). The family is settling in, getting lots to eat..they are all in good shape but the babies must stay with momma at least two more weeks before they will be available for adoption. By then, we will also know which are boys and girls!

Adopted...Brandon and Zippy

2011-09-28T20:34:00.002-04:00

I have been so behind in the blog that I don't even remember if I posted these guys, but they went to their new home tonight. We had expected the family to take the four "Brats" but they felt that four guinea pigs would be too many, and the daughter fell in love with the boys. The cage had to be disassembled to fit in the car but they are in a great new home!

Fortunately, no one has passed in the last two weeks. We did take in three 4-week old babies, one female and two males..the female has already gone on to her new home, and the boys are leaving in the next few days to be companions for other guinea pigs.

Because of the recent adoptions, I was able to call someone on my "waiting list" and tell them that I could take four of their group of 8 guinea pigs. On Friday, I am picking up a mom and three babies, who will be 6 days old. They will remain with the mom for at least two more weeks, and will then be available for adoption as well. Another person called to see if I could take two females, but I had to turn her down for now..we only have room for so many!

RIP Jabby...More Guinea Pigs Arriving

2011-09-15T19:23:00.003-04:00

Jabby died Tuesday night, very peacefully. We buried him in a little wooden coffin with some flowers.

We are getting Natasha, Olive, and Rocky this weekend as their owner is very allergic to their bedding and does not feel she has the time to care for them properly. I believe Rocky is about four years old, which is pushing it a bit for a guinea pig, but I will still list all three as available for adoption if anyone is interested.

We will be at Home Depot on Route 11 on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 10-2 as part of an event that is including rescues, hoping to get them some publicity. You can come pick up one or more of our new business cards, and possibly take home a furry friend! I will have applications available; you will need vet and personal references (the vet reference is just the name/number of a vet who can care for your guinea pig if it does get sick or injured).

September Update

2011-09-12T19:46:00.002-04:00

We received two donations today via our button on this site; one is particularly generous, and before I transfer the funds into my bank account, I'm waiting to hear back from the donor to verify the amount. We have never had a donation over $25 so I want to make sure it was not a mistake! If not, then part of it will go toward our vet bill, and the rest will be used for food and bedding later in the week.

Sadly, we are about to lose another guinea pig to old age. Jabby is about 4-5 and is a lilac Peruvian male with red eyes; he was horribly neglected before he arrived here and was extremely fearful. It took many months to get him to come around to people. We eventually gave him a friend, another Peruvian named Giorgio, who passed about two years ago. Jabby was not my first Peruvian, but one of my favorites and one of the most beautiful, and he truly turned me on to that particular breed. He stopped eating produce over the last two days, and when I took him out for grooming I noticed that he had lost weight. I cleaned his cage, gave him a brush and trim, and he is resting comfortably in his cage. He wouldn't even eat the dandelion leaves I offered, so I know the time is coming soon. Jabby will be sorely missed.

Adopted...Herman

2011-08-27T10:17:00.003-04:00

The person who was thinking of taking Rodney and Buttons adopted Herman instead..I'm glad because no one else has been interested in him, and he really is a sweetheart.

Dora and Joslin should be arriving tomorrow evening (we'll see what happens with the weather!). In the meantime, Martini has not been eating his produce so I am keeping an eye on him. I took him out this morning and he seems ok but looks as if he's lost a little weight. He is one of our older piggies and losing weight is a sign of old age.

We also very suddenly lost Twix..again, older, about 5, but he showed no signs of slowing down. I'm concerned about his cagemate, Jack, who has been spending a lot of time in his igloo but is still eating, etc. We will keep you updated on everyone.

More Piggies Being Returned

2011-08-22T19:34:00.002-04:00

Rodney and Buttons are back, and we just got word that Dora and Joslin, our two Peruvian girl babies, are on their way back as their owner is also moving. I'm not sure if their pictures are still on our site, but they are on the OCGPR page on Facebook. Dora is solid gray, Joslin is solid black. They are still very young, and I'm hoping to find someone interested before their current owner moves.

HOWEVER, we do have someone coming to look at R&B this Friday, hopefully..she had adopted Buttercup and is interested in adopting from us again once she returns from vacation. Keep your fingers crossed!

News

2011-08-11T20:39:00.002-04:00

We just got word yesterday that Buttercup, who had gone to her third adoptive home, suddenly passed away with no signs of illness. She was one of our worst neglect cases and had a spunky personality; we are so sorry she is gone.

Blanche got adopted the day after the Canine Carnival.

Herman is still available but may be adopted late next week by Buttercup's previous owner.

Rodney and Buttons have returned after their second adopter was forced to move to a small apartment that had no room for a 2x3 CC cage. I will be taking new pics of them soon and posting them for adoption; this time I would like them to go to a PERMANENT home.

We are still waiting to hear from Juan's pending adopter, who has been out of the country but has filled out her application and come to see Juan once already.

UPDATE

2011-08-07T12:40:00.002-04:00

Again, I apologize for my laziness with this blog...here is an update of what's been happening the last week and a half:

BLANCHE has someone coming out to meet her this afternoon. I took her and Herman to the Canine Carnival yesterday and handed out some applications, but no one got adopted that day.

HERMAN is still available. He is fine being a bachelor now, although he could possibly be a companion for another male.

BOXIE is living with Joe after Moe died. Joe is very old, and has accepted Boxie as a companion, so at this point Boxie is still listed as available, but I think they may be bonding. Boxie could also be a companion for another male as he is still quite young.

We did get some donations at the Canine Carnival and let a lot of people know that we exist and can either help out or offer up guinea pigs for adoption. We look forward to attending next year!

7/6/2011 Update

2011-07-06T19:25:00.002-04:00

We have been quite busy the last few days. Friday, we picked up three female guinea pigs; they ended up getting adopted just two days later. I'm glad we were able to keep them all together!

There has been someone interested in Juan; she came out to meet him Monday. She is going to S. Africa to do an animal research project; when she returns, Juan will be going home with her! She also generously donated 20 pounds of guinea pig pellets and a few bags of treats.

We may also have another person interested in Bo. Hopefully she is coming out sometime this weekend, although things are getting busy with summer in full gear. This Sunday is Amanda's Bon Voyage picnic before she leaves for Europe on July 17, and we have to drive to Cortland. We also need to catch up on farm chores like cleaning out the barn stalls, so we are going to be busy!

I am also taking in FOUR male piggies of assorted ages from someone on Facebook. If you know anyone who would like a pair, most of them are quite young and I don't want to break them up completely. There is a father and his three sons.

Sorry!

2011-06-29T14:18:00.002-04:00

I apologize for being woefully behind in updating the blog, but now that I am on FB I honestly spend more time there. Nothing on this end has changed; Bo, Jeana, and Juan are still available for adoption, and we do have several people interested in either one or two. However, as usual, there are people who want to surrender...I am taking in three females on Friday, and I still know someone on FB who is trying to rehome some of her piggies as there were two accidental litters. If adoptions go through, I may be able to help her out. If you'd like to see the picture of her boys (who are living in a kiddie pool), go to FB and search Oswego County Guinea Pig Rescue to see our page...you will have to scroll down a bit to find the picture.

In other news, for those of you who don't already know, we lost Foofer over the weekend. She was very old and showing the signs of age; eventually she quit eating and drinking and passed away on Saturday. She was a beautiful little girl and we did not have her for very long, but she will be missed.

6/7 Update

2011-06-07T14:10:00.002-04:00

Chunky unfortunately took a turn for the worse and passed away over the weekend. We were syringe feeding him but he was just too far gone. He was such a sweet little guy; the light finally went out of his eyes, and his poor little body gave up.

We are getting Juan back from his adopter; he should be arriving sometime this week, and he is young and healthy enough to be placed back up for adoption. I will get pictures and post them as soon as I can.

Again, we will be at the Canine Carnival August 6 from 10-2 with a few of our piggies that you can meet in person. I will post reminders as the date gets closer. Don't forget we are now on Facebook with our own page! :) It's got 31 likes so far and we have met some really great people on it.

Chunky

2011-06-02T20:27:00.002-04:00

Chunky is not doing well right now...I think he has lost weight and has stopped drinking his water, plus he is having diarrhea. We cut his vegetables and have him on a dry diet; he is eating his hay and we have given him oral Ivermectin, but at this point I have no idea what could be wrong with him and I may have Ryan take him to the vet tomorrow.

Jillian--Update

2011-05-31T22:48:00.002-04:00

Jillian's bump does seem to be shrinking now after five days of antibiotics, so we are going to do the full 10 day course before we decide whether or not to have it surgically removed. She is doing well, eating and drinking and seems to be ok without her daughter Toffee, although I would like to reunite them asap.

Chunky, our latest neglect case, is still very thin...I can feel his hip and shoulder bones. On the upside, he is eating more foods and he LOVES his timothy hay, so we will keep feeding him to his heart's content. I am thinking of also getting him a vitamin supplement for his food to help beef him up and get his coat in better shape.

Update

2011-05-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

We took Jillian to the vet and found out that her bump is actually a benign tumor that we plan on having removed sometime next week. We are waiting to see if it will respond to antibiotics, as it had been infected, but the only real permanent solution will be surgery, which will probably set us back about $300. Well, that's the price you pay when you have animals!

In other news, after losing his cagemate Cookie while we were in Vegas, Willy has passed away this morning. Over the last week he had stopped eating and drinking; when he quit eating dandelion leaves I knew where things were headed. He had been with Cookie ever since he was a baby so I'm not surprised that he died from grief when he lost him. I'm sure they will find each other at the Rainbow Bridge, along with all of the other furry friends we have lost over the years.

Jillian Goes to the Vet (Tomorrow)

2011-05-25T18:48:00.002-04:00

Jillian, who came to us with her daughter Toffee, has an abscess on her backside that until today had been fine. When I cleaned the cage this morning, I saw that it had burst, oozing pus and blood. We got most of it cleaned up and I separated her from Toffee, putting her in a cage with fleece so that nothing will get stuck inside the wound. The earliest I could get her into the vet's was tomorrow at 10 a.m., and since it is not life-threatening and she is acting normal (eating/drinking and running around), I decided to go to the regular vet and not to emergency care. She will probalby get a bath tonight as she smells REALLY bad, but from the looks of it, she should be ok and I doubt the abscess will return once it's treated.

Lots of Piggies

2011-05-18T18:31:00.002-04:00

I've had more people ask me if I can take their guinea pigs, and sadly I have to say no. One of them is meeting me Saturday to see if a female she's gotten is pregnant...hopefully not! She is the same woman who gave us Angus and Moo Moo; she has gotten three more guinea pigs since then and is trying to find homes for some. She has a lilac abby mother/daughter pair, so if anyone is interested please let me know and I can get in touch with her.

I'm also giving her one of my spare cages so she can keep the possibly pregnant female alone, and I'm getting a free bag of shavings, so that's a pretty good trade!

Tomorrow I am mailing in my registration for the Canine Carnival...I need to get a color ink cartridge so I can finish my binder of photos of some of our most severe rescue cases. They are graphic photos but I want people to know that guinea pigs can suffer from the same abuse and neglect as any other animal.

We Now Have a Facebook Page!

2011-05-13T15:56:00.003-04:00

That's right! Just search for us under Oswego County Guinea Pig Rescue and "like" us! I just joined so I'm still setting things up but there are a couple pictures, including Chunky on my personal home page. I will keep up with this site but I wanted to be on Facebook since so many people are on it and it will help get the word out about the rescue, plus connect us with other animal lovers and rescuers.

We also just found out that Frosted, Ryan's pig, has bumblefoot, so we are treating it in the hopes of keeping it under control so it doesn't get as bad as Prescott's did.

Bumblefoot Strikes Again :(

2011-05-12T15:43:00.000-04:00

I clipped Frosted's nails this morning and saw that he has indeed developed bumblefoot in one front foot. Hopefully we caught it early enough to treat it and keep it from getting worse. I've started giving him foot soaks and we still have the cream from Prescott. I'm not sure how he got it since it usually happens to guinea pigs that live on wire-bottomed cages, which irritates their feet. We will do our best to keep him comfortable and see if we can bring the swelling down.

R.I.P. Cookie

2011-05-08T11:44:00.002-04:00

Cookie was one of our older guinea pigs, with short black hair. Unfortunately, he passed away while Ryan and I were in Las Vegas this week. Ryan is going to make him a little "coffin" and we will bury him on the farm, with the rest of our lost guinea pigs. His cagemate Willy is quite depressed so we will keep an eye on him, and possibly find him a new companion.

In the meantime, we did get an e-mail from someone whose mother died and left a guinea pig behind, whose nails are overgrown and who might possibly have skin mites. I did agree to take him and hopefully he will be joining us soon.

At Capacity

2011-04-27T14:47:00.002-04:00

I just saw that Mary Green of CNY Piggies has written that she is full, and so are we. I've had two people call in the last two days asking me to take 3 guinea pigs, and I've unfortunately had to say no. I also removed my ad from Craigslist; I thought I would be able to take in more, but I received the two females and now I have no space for anyone new. I hate telling people no but I do have to know my limits.

Right now my only adoptable is Jeana; I had thought of adopting out Jazz but she is really neurotic and jumpy and would probably not make a good pet, especially for a child. I have a hard time grooming her as well. She's really cute though and I'm glad we will be keeping her.

So, if anyone out there would be interested in starting up their own guinea pig rescue, or at least fostering in this area, please let me know. Mary and I both have lots of info and could help someone get started and provide support along the way. The guinea pigs need your help!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T09:53:00.003-04:00

I've been mega-lazy about putting new pictures on here but I just wanted to get a post up and wish everyone a happy Easter. My kids were up at 6 a.m. to search for eggs (which is good since they will be getting up early again for school tomorrow, ha ha).

The chicks are growing rapidly and getting a lot more feathers. Ryan and Morgan built twelve nesting boxes and moved them down to the coop, but the chicks will still have to stay in the house for a while. They're a lot like the guinea pigs, eating and pooping.

Our two new girls (now renamed Toffee and Jillian) are settling in well and getting into the routine. They squeak loudly at breakfast time and are eating veggies but aren't too interested in any fruit except for apples. I can't wait for the dandelion leaves to grow and for our garden to get under way so we can give them fresh goodies!

Spring Update

2011-04-15T10:11:00.002-04:00

Not much has been going on with the guinea pigs so I haven't posted in a while (although right now they are all squeaking at me, waiting for their midmorning snack). Jeana and Buttercup are still available for adoption; I called about Angus and Moo Moo and they are doing very well.

Ryan and I will continue working on the chicken coop...the chicks are growing really quickly. They eat LOTS and are growing new feathers every day. I was going to post pictures but we have been having issues with the computer again, so I am actually using my daughter's laptop right now.

We had Jeana out last night and she is so funny..we put her on the couch and she was crawling over and snuggling with our dog Lady. She has a great personality and I hope we can find her a home, but if not I won't be too upset!

CHICKS!

2011-04-08T09:02:00.003-04:00

I don't have pictures of them yet, but yesterday we went to TSC and picked up a dozen chicks. They're a few days old and are SO cute! Ryan and I will be working on their coop over the weekend, and in a few weeks they should be able to move in. Right now they are in an enclosure in my gym and Morgan is obsessed with them; I thought she might actually sleep in there last night! I know some people get "Easter chicks," but these guys aren't "pets." We're going to get lots of fresh eggs so we'll give them a nice house and feed them right. I'm so excited! :)

Adopted! Angus and Moo Moo

2011-04-03T12:45:00.002-04:00

Angus and Moo Moo went to their new home yesterday. The family loves animals and have owned many types of pets over the years. The boys have grown quite a bit in just the two weeks we've had them and I'm sure they will be well-loved by their new owner!

Of course, usually when we adopt out two, we end up getting two more in their place, so we'll wait and see!

R.I.P. Malcolm

2011-03-28T14:48:00.003-04:00

Just a couple short weeks after being adopted with his pal, Mort, Malcolm suddenly passed away with no indication that anything was wrong. His owner said he had been eating and drinking normally, and he was fine in the short time he was with us. Sometimes these things happen, but it's always sad to hear when one of our piggies passes, especially when the new family didn't have enough time to enjoy them. :(

New Piggy...Jeana

2011-03-26T08:26:00.003-04:00

I'm heading out to West Monroe in a bit to pick up Jeana, a black/white female. I was supposed to get Ginger today, but when I called the lady said she really wanted to keep her despite her allergies, so she changed bedding and is going to give Ginger the compressed hay cubes instead of loose hay. I also recommended she get some sisal toys Ginger can chew on. I'm glad the owner has decided to try to keep her; it's never good for guinea pigs to get shuffled around a lot.

So, as soon as I found out Ginger wasn't coming, I decided to take Jeana. Pictures will be posted soon!

New Developments

2011-03-22T17:33:00.002-04:00

A woman trying to find a new home for her female guinea pig, Ginger, asked if she could bring her here and of course we said yes, as we adopted out Bo and have a little room. I have also listed Buttercup as "available" after I spoke to her previous owner today; they have fallen on really rough times and most likely will not be able to take her back, so because she is young and healthy and has a great personality, we will try to find her a new home. Ginger will also be available shortly after arrival if anyone is interested; we will post pics when we get her.

Adopted...Bo

2011-03-21T08:31:00.003-04:00

Bo went to his new home yesterday, as a birthday present for a 12 year old boy. They drove all the way from Hannibal and had done lots of research ahead of time. Bo did end up biting my hand while I was holding him, but if you set him on the couch, he will just snuggle...he really is a sweet guy and we're going to miss him!
Angus and Moo Moo swapped cages with Bo, so the family could have an enclosed cage, and now the boys have more room to run around. They are SO loud!

New Pig

2011-03-17T10:04:00.002-04:00

Someone is coming out Saturday to look at piggies for adoption, but on the same day Ryan is meeting a friend of his to pick up a guinea pig we promised to take long ago. I have no idea if it's a boy or girl; all I know is that it's 4 years old, which is pushing it as far as being adoptable goes, but who knows. So, as usual, one piggy in, one piggy out!
Angus and Moo Moo are doing very well. They are VERY LOUD and constantly beg for food. I've put them on baby guinea pig pellets for a while. They are still nervous but with handling I'm sure they will warm up to people pretty quickly. I'm going to post more pics of them soon now that our computer is back.

Babies

2011-03-07T17:49:00.003-05:00

I got in touch with a woman who is taking in seven guinea pigs from a hospice situation (the owner just passed away and the family has no interest in caring for them). I was asked to take the two six-week old boys, and fortunately we just got another large spare cage that will be perfect for them. As soon as we get them I will take pictures to post, and hopefully they will be adopted soon!
In the meantime, poor Bo hasn't had anyone interested; I have decided to place Mort and Malcolm up for adoption as well as we are again at capacity!

March is Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month!

2011-03-01T09:12:00.002-05:00

It's true! There is now a month set aside to celebrate the adoption of rescued guinea pigs. So, if you or anyone you know has been thinking about getting one, skip the pet store and find a rescue group near you...it doesn't have to be us (though that would be great). I'm always looking through Craigslist and many people do place ads for guinea pigs there, so it's just as good to get your new piggy from someone looking to find it a good home.

Sidenote to Last Post

2011-02-20T14:58:00.002-05:00

I know in my last post I said that we never buy from pet stores, but my friend Mary made a good point about an exception: If the pet store (or farm supply store or whatever type of store) has guinea pigs that are in bad shape, of course it would be a good idea to get them out of there if possible. I've personally never had that happen, but I know other people who rescued guinea pigs from that type of situation.

Why You Should Donate to Our Rescue

2011-02-19T14:11:00.002-05:00

Ok, let me preface this by saying I am not trying to send anyone on a guilt trip. We have only had two donations (which were very generous, thank you) since we had our donate button installed, and while I am grateful for any donation, I was hoping for a better response. We are certainly not in dire straits, but even small donations can be used to help the guinea pigs. So here is my list of reasons why you should consider hitting that button:
1. WE SPEND OUR MONEY WISELY.
I was paying $15 for a 25 lb. bag of premium guinea pig food at our local feed store. When I went to Tractor Supply, I found a comparable food in a 50 lb. bag for around $18. Double the food, only a few bucks more, so I had to switch. The good news is, the guinea pigs still love it. While Romaine and carrots are a must-have each week, I wait until certain produce is on sale before I buy it. We're always looking for ways to save.
2. BUT WE'RE NOT CHEAP!
That being said, it does not mean that we skimp on care or food for our guinea pigs. I don't care if cedar bedding is less expensive; it's toxic. I don't care if lettuce is out of season; I buy it. If a guinea pig is hurt or sick, it goes to the vet.
3. WE SUPPORT THE LOCALS WHEN POSSIBLE.
We may have switched pellets, but we still buy our bedding from the feed store up the road. They've been hit as hard as everyone else and we'd like them to stay in business. We also like to promote local businesses that have helped us, such as Piggy Bed Spreads. By using the fleeces, we are able to cut down on our bedding expenses even further.
4. WE HAVE A STRICT NO BREEDING/BUYING POLICY.
Absolutely NONE of our guinea pigs have gotten pregnant while they were here, nor have any of them come from us buying them from pet stores. The vast majority of our guinea pigs were purchased at pet stores, the owners tired of them, and they came to us. We have had only two new litters, from sows that were pregnant before they arrived. It's like Jurassic Park: No unauthorized breeding!
5. WE SUPPORT OTHER ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS.
Just because we specialize in guinea pigs does not mean we don't care about other animals. Our goats, donkey, barn cats and one of our dogs were adopted, and we support organizations like Farm Sanctuary and Best Friends Animal Society. If I feel another guinea pig rescue could give someone what they need, I am happy to pass on that information. We're all in this together!
I realize we are not an "official" nonprofit. We may be private, but we are always nonprofit, which to us means not even attempting to make money from our adoptions. Adoption fees are in place to ensure that our guinea pigs go to responsible homes. Only $6 buys bedding for one week for 27 guinea pigs; $9 provides 25 lbs. of pellets.
I guess I wanted to write this to let our followers know their donations are always used wisely, whether it is financial or in the form of cages, food, bedding, etc. My purpose in life is to take care of these animals, not take advantage of anyone. So, if you've been considering it, go ahead and hit the donate button, and it will be much appreciated.

Digging Out

2011-02-07T13:06:00.003-05:00

Well, like everyone else, we've been digging out after all the snow we got. Ryan is back to work (hooray!), which means I'll start getting my weekly "allowance" again (it goes from his check right into my account). That's good because the money I'd saved from my temporary job is almost gone!
In the meantime, I'm just cleaning cages, taking piggies out when I can, and keeping everyone warm. I suppose I could do Tractor Supply again, but right now I only have Pudge available and I don't like taking any guinea pigs out in cold weather. January got us off to a great start with adoptions (I think we had 8), but now things have really slowed down, so we're waiting for spring to arrive!

Booooooooooored

2011-02-01T14:39:00.002-05:00

Well, not much is going on here...I've been sitting around in my pajamas looking for a job, sending resumes, playing computer games, etc. We've gotten only one donation recently. I've seen a lot of guinea pigs in the newspaper and online, but I'm still pretty much out of room. The good news is, Ryan is expected to go back to work next week (hooray!) We've been bored out of our minds here at home but he's been helping fix up a friend's house, so at least he has something to do. I'm trying to be a good housewife, doing all my cleaning and baking banana bread.
Oh, and if the person who wanted Jazz reads this, I somehow lost your e-mail address so please contact me! :)

Guinea Pig Swap

2011-01-28T18:34:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I picked up a guinea pig in Phoenix who is a chronic biter; the last time one of the kids held him he got dropped because they were afraid he was going to bite. They were so upset to see him go that they came by tonight to pick out another guinea pig, and they chose Rex because he is so well-behaved, gentle and calm. The family really wanted a guinea pig and hated to see Bo go, but hopefully Rex will be more suited to their lifestyle, as they do like to take him out for cuddles.

Now Everyone Can Find Our House!

2011-01-24T11:27:00.002-05:00

Sad News :(

2011-01-23T09:29:00.002-05:00

The two piggies I was expecting this weekend have not arrived...Lisa discovered that one of them was very sick, and despite her best efforts, he died yesterday. His brother seems to be doing well, but his diet was poor so we will wait a few days to see how he does and then, if the weather is ok, we will get him here.

Breakdown of Expenses

2011-01-18T18:17:00.003-05:00

Here is an approximation of what we spend per week on our guinea pigs:
4 heads of Romaine @ 1.99 each=7.96
15 lb. carrots @ 2.99/5 lb. bag=8.97
3 lb. apples= about 3.00 (whatever is on sale)
3 cucumbers, ONLY if on sale=1.98
timothy hay=(depends on size of bag and where I buy it..anywhere from 6 to 9 dollars)
pine shavings, one bale per week=6.00
Blue Seal pellets, 50 lb. bag=about 9.00 per week (we buy one every other week)
This comes out to just about $42 per week, or $168 per month. I'm not sure how much we spend on laundry detergent and utilities just for the fleeces we wash. I guess the point is that we are happy to get ANY donations, no matter how small. Whenever we adopt out some guinea pigs, we almost always end up getting more, so we can always use a little help!

Donate Button...Hooray!

2011-01-18T18:07:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed that we now have a donate button on our site, courtesy of Mary Green from CNY Piggies. Mary is a little more computer savvy than I am; I tried to do it myself and failed miserably, so I had to enlist some help! The money will go straight into PayPal. I'm going to mark our post about expenses, so everyone can see the general breakdown of what we spend on the guinea pigs. These expenses are mainly for pellets, bedding, and produce. We do take our guinea pigs to the vet whenever needed, but these expenses are few and far between. So far our most expensive single bill was about $600, when Nova was hurt and needed staples (he was only four days old). Other than that, we average $40 a week on food and bedding.
We are not an official "nonprofit" in New York, but we do NOT make any profits on adoption fees or donations. I am also still hoping to get funding so that we can provide emergency assistance to people who want to keep their piggies but can't afford to.

Adopted! Lola and Roxy

2011-01-13T11:33:00.002-05:00

I realize I didn't post pics of these cute little texel girls; I didn't have much time, as they arrived last night and just left for their new home. They had LOTS of stuff to go with them so we know they will be well-cared for.
We also have interest in a couple other guinea pigs, so I will keep you all posted over the next few days. We also have another person who wants to surrender her male piggy; his name is Rex and he should be here by Saturday!

The Adoption Process

2011-01-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

I've had a few people get a little confused regarding adopting from us, so in this post I'd like to explain it step by step:
1. My Gmail account is specifically for the rescue, so someone who finds me on Craigslist or Google contacts me either via my cell phone or Gmail. I then send them the application as an attachment via e-mail.
2. There are a few options as far as returning the application. You can either do it right on the computer and send it back to my e-mail (I'm not exactly sure how this is done, but a few people have done it). It can be printed out, completed and brought here, or it can be filled out here, but I do let people know they will need vet and personal references, so they can have those ready ahead of time.
3. Once the application has been reviewed, I set up a time/day to meet the adopter(s) and they can meet their guinea pigs in person. Some people aren't sure who they're interested in and want to see who's here; some people definitely have a specific guinea pig in mind. Either one is fine; I don't like to rush the adoption process and I want to make sure the new owner picks out the best match for them.
4. A few people wonder about the vet reference. All I need is the name and phone number of a vet you would take your guinea pig to IF it were sick or injured. I don't need any type of letter, etc. from the vet; I just want to know that the adopter knows who treats guinea pigs in their area, just in case.
5. In most cases, the guinea pig is adopted the day the person comes out to meet them. Some people like to think about it or discuss it with other family members, which is fine. If the application is approved, I will also hold onto a guinea pig if the new owner has to pick it up at a later date; this does NOT require any additional "boarding fee."
6. When the application is approved and the adoption fee paid, the piggy goes to its new home. Hooray! :)
7. I will follow up about a week later with either a phone call or e-mail to see how things are going. I will also take back any guinea pigs if things don't work out, HOWEVER, if the animal is sick/injured it MUST see a vet before coming back to me. I do not believe any animal should be returned to a rescue without first getting needed medical treatment, as the new owner is responsible for vet care.
Hopefully that covers everything!

Priscilla Mahar Animal Welfare Fund

2010-12-31T08:20:00.000-05:00

I contacted PMAWF after reading an article in the Pennysaver a few months ago; they have funds set aside for animal rescues. I heard back shortly after from Wayne Mahar (NBC 3) and within the next month or so we should be hearing from someone. Even if we don't end up getting funded, we've been invited to the Canine Carnival on Saturday, August 6 to promote the rescue. Wayne did say that because we are pretty much the only guinea pig rescue, that's a good thing, and that all kinds of animals are welcome at the carnival. So, we'll see what happens!
As much as Ryan may complain about the number of guinea pigs we have here, he was volunteering at a blood drive yesterday and found someone else who wants to give one up, so pretty soon we may have another new arrival.

Statistics for 2010

2010-12-29T16:36:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I went through the adoption log today and found that (not counting guinea pigs that were returned and adopted out again) we have adopted out 49 guinea pigs in 2010. In 7 1/2 years, we have had 156 guinea pigs pass through our doors...and guess what? We have four more coming in a few weeks. I have pics already but will post them closer to the date; two of them are adorable texel sisters that were rescued from someone on Craigslist, but the new owner has found she does not have the time or funds for her four piggies. They arrive here January 12.

Christmas Pictures

2010-12-28T11:58:00.000-05:00

Foofer (top), hiding in her hut!

Jazz (middle), Foofer's roomie..isn't she beautiful? She came from the Fair.

Frosted (bottom) with his stocking hung up, getting a pretzel treat.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T09:42:00.001-05:00

I am going out of town from Friday to Monday (Ryan is staying to take care of the piggies), so I wanted to wish everyone a merry Christmas as I will not be posting again until I get back. I will be checking e-mails regularly from my phone, though, so if anyone needs to contact me I will still be available to some extent.
Scotchie should be going to her new home in just a few hours; I will have to go through my adoption log and see how we did in 2010. I will also have some cute new pictures of a few of our piggies just doing what they do!

Winter Update

2010-12-16T20:19:00.000-05:00

I had Snooki out tonight, and Sammi out the other night..Sammi is the more "nervous" of the two girls, and is thinner than her sister. Snooki is very calm when held. I'm giving them Oxbow Performance for babies/pregnant sows to help get their weights up.
Pauly D is also very calm when you hold him; I need to move him into a bigger cage. Someone is interested in adopting Mister, so if he goes, he will need an enclosed cage, so I will move Pauly into the CC cage where he will have more space.
I am also going to take pictures of Jazz and see if anyone wants to adopt her as a companion female..she has been living with Foofer and Gobbles and would make a great buddy for another female, especially since she is so young.

"Visitation"

2010-12-11T19:22:00.000-05:00

I have a few guinea pigs that I've kept here as permanent residents because the previous owners requested "visitation rights." As a result, I have several guinea pigs that are perfectly adoptable, but remain here at the request of the original owners.
I've decided I can no longer do this, and I will let people know when they are surrendering their guinea pigs. Adoptable guinea pigs may be sent on to a new home if the adoption application is approved, and believe me, I don't let my animals go to just anyone. The application requires vet and personal references and asks VERY detailed questions about the new home. As always, any guinea pigs that do not get adopted remain here until their final days. And trust me, they are all spoiled rotten! :)

Good News!

2010-12-08T16:08:00.000-05:00

Our friends at Piggy Bed Spreads are going to place a "donate" button on their site, and the donations will go straight to our PayPal account to take care of our guinea pigs!
I wanted to give everyone a breakdown of what we spend each week on the piggies, so that anyone who wants to know how the money is spent will be able to see it here. I went grocery shopping today so here is the amount we spend on produce:
Romaine lettuce...5 heads per week...9.95 (1.99 per head)
carrots, three 5 lb. bags...3 bags @ 2.99 each...8.97
one 3 lb. bag of apples...3.49 (approximately..depends on what's on sale)
3 cucumbers only if on sale, 3/1.98
We also spend about $17 every two weeks on a 50 lb. bag of Blue Seal guinea pig pellets, and about $13 every two weeks on pine bedding from our local feed store.
Obviously, the biggest initial expense with guinea pigs comes when you buy the cage and accessories, but once you have these things, the cost is relatively low to maintain the animals. The problem is, larger cages are more expensive (up to $120), and many people aren't willing to spend that kind of money, so the guinea pig(s) end up in cages that are too small. I've had many of these cages; whenever possible, I will "upgrade" guinea pigs to bigger cages and I get rid of the old ones. I have several cages set aside for emergencies, but they are all a decent size.
So, we may not be a "certified" nonprofit, but we are still and will always be nonprofit, even with our adoption fees. Any and all donations we receive will be used to get supplies for our guinea pigs...right now we have 27, with three new ones arriving soon. Details later! :)
And many thanks to Martha and Tim for getting our button set up!

Gearing Up for Christmas!

2010-12-03T11:16:00.001-05:00

Well, other than Scotchie's pending adoption (as a Christmas gift), we have had little activity here. I was going through the closet looking for the girls' stockings, and found a very small red and green one that is now hanging on Frosted's cage. Maybe if the piggies are good they will all get treats!
I have been trying to sell a few of my spare cages and I'm still searching for a more permanent job, as mine will end at the end of December. Ryan is still out of work so things are going to start getting really tight soon. We've been trying to sell what we can and find ways to cut corners. Fortunately, most of my Christmas shopping is done; we definitely did not go crazy this year.

Update

2010-11-28T09:15:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy weekend for everyone, so I'm finally finding time to sit down and post again. Scotchie's adoption is pending; a family is interested in her as a Christmas gift, and they do have experience with guinea pigs, so Scotchie is biding her time until she goes to her new home. I've been handling her as she is still a bit nervous, but she is really sweet and sooo cute!
No one has shown interest in Mister, but we have been handling him as well and I have a new picture I will post soon. I have had many people ask if I could take their guinea pigs, but unfortunately I still do not have room. Other people have wanted to adopt anywhere from 2-4, but I don't have any multiples available, so I have been referring people to CNY Piggies, as I know Mary has quite a few still!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving; ours was pretty uneventful. I had to work on Black Friday but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be; I think shopping is worse than working at this point! :)

Adopted! Dora and Joslin

2010-11-17T20:00:00.001-05:00

Well, I let my Peruvian girls go tonight, but the application was excellent and I know they went to a good home. Right now we are back at 28 guinea pigs. I was supposed to get three new girls yesterday, but we got the two because the youngest daughter was attached to her long haired girl, so that one stayed behind.
I have not gotten my work schedule for the weekend, so I'm still not sure if I will be at the adoption event in Oswego this Sunday. If not, oh well...I have pictures of the available piggies up now, so hopefully we can find them good homes.

Update

2010-11-12T10:22:00.000-05:00

I hadn't planned on doing this, but someone is very interested in adopting Dora and Joslin, my two young Peruvian girls...they have already filled out the application and really want a pair so they can keep each other company. They will most likely be going next week.
In the meantime, I got a call from someone looking to rehome three females (two shorthair, one long). At first I had to say no, but once I realized two would be adopted, I called back and told them that if they could just wait until next week, I could take them. As I always say, it's like a revolving door around here!
I am also hoping to be at the holiday adoption event on Sunday, November 21, but right now my new job has me working every Sunday, so that may not be possible. I will try to get back out to TSC once I get the new girls next week.

One Year of OCGPR Website!

2010-11-01T20:49:00.000-04:00

I went back to look at Prescott's picture, and found that our website was launched on October 22, 2009, so we have surpassed the one year mark! Thanks to everyone for spreading the word and supporting the rescue because we always need your help. Ever since the website/blog was launched, we have had a HUGE uptick in inquiries and adoptions. I can't thank everyone enough for all the donations, help, etc. that have made this rescue a success in my eyes.

Oops! Adopted...Rocky!

2010-10-26T19:57:00.000-04:00

I totally forgot to tell everyone that Rocky FINALLY found a home! A mom and her three kids came out to look at him; I did show them Kobe as well, but the youngest daughter fell in love with Rocky. They just lost their guinea pig and wanted another one, and I know he found a great home. Hooray!

Adopted! Rodney and Buttons

2010-10-26T11:14:00.000-04:00

Rodney and Buttons went to their new home last night; the woman said their 2x5 cage wouldn't fit in her apartment, but I was able to give her a 2x3 so they weren't stuck in the smaller cage they had been living in. Foofer and Gobbles have been moved into the 2x5 and seem pretty happy about it.
I was contacted by an SU student who would like to use us for a multimedia project involving photos, video and an interview. It's good exposure for us, so I'm waiting for her to get back to me with a date and time. Her parents used to foster guinea pigs, so she's quite familiar with them and I think this will be a great project.
I did write to two people about taking their guinea pigs; one said she will keep me in mind and I have not yet heard from the other person. Now that we have adopted a few out, we do have a little more space...I just have to remind myself not to go crazy!

Goodbye Luigi :(

2010-10-19T14:01:00.001-04:00

Luigi was adopted just a couple weeks ago, and unfortunately he passed away after only about a week. Like Newman, it was a mystery death..no signs of illness, etc. and he was in his own cage alone while he was here. I don't let piggies "intermingle," partly because some will fight (even females) and I don't want to risk spreading any unknown diseases, but Luigi never met Newman, so again I'm surprised and baffled to hear that a healthy young guinea pig died so suddenly.
On a better note, we do have a family coming out Friday evening to look for a guinea pig after theirs passed away a couple days ago. Not sure yet if they would like a pair or a single one; I would love to find Rocky a home, or possibly Rodney and Buttons. The two boys have not been getting along well since they came back here, probably because they are in a smaller cage for now (I don't have floor space for their 2x5); I have actually considered separating them if someone is interested, but I'm always reluctant to separate even unrelated males if they get along most of the time.
I can't remember if I wrote this, but we also got a new male named Kobe..he is very sweet and I would hate to give him up, but if someone falls in love with him I might have to. He's been watching TV with me, snuggling in my lap. He reminds me of a cow so I call him Kobe Beef, haha!

Being Lazy

2010-10-16T11:27:00.001-04:00

I haven't uploaded any pictures, nor have I been updating the blog much this week...I've had this nasty violent coughing disease that I'm just getting over. For a while, people didn't recognize my voice when I answered the phone, it was that bad!
Anyway, I have not taken in any new guinea pigs, although there are quite a few on Craigslist now and I do not know the fate of the six at the SPCA. I will be at Tractor Supply again next Saturday with Rodney and Buttons; they are slowly adjusting to being back here but are still timid. We also have a young male crested, Kobe, who has the cutest markings (he reminds me of a cow) and is about a year old. His owners felt very badly about giving him up..they gave us everything that came with him, plus a bottle of wine! I love cresteds almost as much as Peruvians, so I think Kobe may be staying here.

Goodbye Newman

2010-10-11T14:05:00.001-04:00

Newman died very suddenly and unexpectedly (but peacefully) earlier this afternoon. We have no idea what happened...unlike Giorgio, he wasn't losing weight and had a good appetite. He didn't show any signs of sickness, so we don't know what happened. I went to feed him his lunchtime carrot and he was lying in his cage, still warm. He was a sweet little guy and I'm sad that he had to leave us already.

Adopted! Luigi

2010-10-04T12:42:00.000-04:00

A woman and her 8 year old son came out yesterday (right after we got Rodney and Buttons back) to look at adopting, and the little boy fell in love with Luigi. He was lying on the floor with Luigi on his stomach, and Luigi just sat there! He's very calm and quiet and enjoys being held, so I think he will be the perfect match for his new owner. I'm so glad Luigi has a new home..he was one of my best candidates for adoption and is such a sweet little guy!

Adopted! Ginger and Nutmeg

2010-10-02T19:07:00.000-04:00

Ginger and Nutmeg have been adopted, and I removed them from our website today. I do have someone coming out possibly tomorrow to look at who we have left here. Rocky and Luigi went with me to Tractor Supply today, but there were no takers.

News and Such

2010-09-25T17:56:00.000-04:00

All the guinea pigs were lounging in the hot weather yesterday, then I opened up the house this morning only to have to shut it a little while ago so they wouldn't get cold! Crazy weather!
I spent part of the morning at the Farm Sanctuary Walk for Farm Animals, which was not on the news and only had a handful of people (and it was in Thornden Park, so not a lot of folks actually saw us walking). Anyway, it was still fun and I met some die-hard animal lovers. (By the way, if you have never been to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, go! It's beautiful and there are WINERIES along the way!)
We are getting two guinea pigs tomorrow..a Peruvian male who looks just like Jabbie and his shorthaired companion. They are from a student who is only allowed one guinea pig at school, but he does not want to separate the pair. I'm hoping to get to Tractor Supply next Saturday to take Rocky and Luigi, as they are still here and we will again be back up to 30 piggies. I am still working on socializing the two little girls we got, and will post pics at some point, but they are very timid right now and just starting to get into our routine.

Computer Issues/Update

2010-09-22T13:10:00.000-04:00

We just got the computer back after having multiple issues with it...I couldn't even put new posts on the blog, so I wanted to give you a quick update:
Our lovely black and white Peruvian male, Giorgio, passed away two days ago. He had been losing a lot of weight in the last few months, probably due to age as he was not sick and had a good appetite up until the very end. We will give his cagemate Jabbie some extra love this week. They were unrelated but became fast friends as soon as I put them together. Giorgio had been used as a stud until he and several other guinea pigs were rescued by a friend of mine and brought here.
Last night we got two cute little females, an 8 month old mom we named Ginger and her 4 month old daughter Nutmeg (they look identical except for size). If you do the math, that means that Mom had gotten pregnant at only two months old! She only had two babies and the owners wanted to keep the sole male, so the girls are now here.

Adopted! Foxy and Roxy

2010-09-19T09:36:00.000-04:00

Well, after about two years of trying to get these two girls adopted, they finally went to a new home in Ithaca yesterday afternoon. They were not too happy about getting one last nail trim but it had to be done!
I have seen quite a few guinea pigs on Craigslist again, but I have decided to slow things down as far as taking them in. This is in part because I get mixed reactions when I tell people I am a rescue; some are thrilled, some are suspicious and/or don't want their guinea pigs readopted out. This is understandable; some of the guinea pigs I take in do end up going on to new homes, but the adopters are carefully screened and must fill out an application with references. I also follow up one week after adoption with either an email or phone call to see how things are going.
So, if you know anyone who needs to surrender a guinea pig, or wants to adopt one, send them my way! (If they are in the Oneida area, or want to see other guinea pigs, please refer them to CNY Piggies...their link is on this site).

Running Out of Adoptables

2010-09-13T14:04:00.000-04:00

Not that it's a bad problem to have, but I am nearly out of adoptable guinea pigs. Rascal was adopted yesterday, and Almond was adopted just before we left on vacation. That basically leaves Luigi and Rocky, and I do have someone interested in Foxy and Roxy even though they are a little bit older.
I don't want to disappoint people when they come out to meet the piggies, but right now this place is almost a nursing home! I have one pair who is 6 and many pairs who are around 4-5. Guinea pigs live on average from 4-8 years, and if someone is getting one for their child, an older guinea pig is not a good option as it might result in heartbreak if the pet passes away.
So, right now things are very quiet on this front...I will probably call Tractor Supply and see if I can get out there next Saturday with whoever is left.

We're Back!

2010-09-09T18:44:00.001-04:00

We just got back from our cruise a couple hours ago, and basically spent the evening cleaning out cages! Everyone is fine and pretty soon we will be trying to adopt some of our piggies out again. Our newest, Newman, has been moved into a larger cage, and we may be putting Taz into a larger cage soon as well.
I'm a bit sunburned but we had a lot of fun..good to be home! :)

Vacation!

2010-09-01T16:50:00.000-04:00

We are leaving for our last family summer vacation soon, so I will not be updating the blog until I get back. I do have someone coming out tomorrow to look at a single male who will be a companion for another male, but for now adoptions, etc. will be on hold until we get back.
We have a housesitter staying to care for the animals, and I've been busy preparing things so that they are easier on her. Rocky and Rascal have been moved into a wider cage (same length) and put back on shavings for the time being (their fleece needs to be changed about every 3-4 days, the shavings won't be quite so bad while we're gone). I will be washing the rest of the fleeces tomorrow and possibly putting Foofer and Gobbles on shavings while we're gone. It's going to be enough of a challenge feeding and watering 31 guinea pigs; I don't expect our sitter to clean cages as well.
Almond is getting used to having a bit more attention; Dora and Joslin are still quite nervous but the girls have been handling them frequently. Our latest addition is Newman, but because we just got him I don't plan on putting him up for adoption yet. His previous owners were very concerned about finding him a good home, so he may become our next permanent resident.
We finally started picking fresh carrots from the garden..some are still a bit small, but the guinea pigs love to eat both the tops and the roots. I've stocked up on Romaine and carrots and will fill a big bag with dandelion greens before we go.

Goodbye Beau

2010-08-30T14:10:00.000-04:00

I realize this has nothing to do with guinea pigs, but as you know we do have a farm with many other types of rescued animals. One of them (well, not a rescue but a gift) was Beau, our second llama. He was taken on as a guard for our small herd of goats; personally, I thought he was lazy and snotty...he wouldn't let you pet him at all and was minimally concerned about the goats.
Unfortunately, Beau fell ill three days ago with the same thing our first llama had. Although we immediately started him on medications, he died sometime last night and we buried him today. His favorite snack was bread; in his final days he had some Pillsbury Grands biscuits and spent his time lying on a fresh bed of hay with water nearby. Because he was still eating and drinking, we kept our hopes up, but his illness (possibly EEE) overcame him. He was a much loved member of our "crazy farm," and will be missed tremendously.

(crickets chirping)

2010-08-23T18:12:00.001-04:00

Well, adoptions have come to a screeching halt, and we are getting another male guinea pig later this week. Not much happening on this front..we've been handling the two Peruvian girls daily and they are starting to come around.
After the storm yesterday I went down to the garden this morning to survey the damage; we had one large cucumber that I brought in and cut up for everyone's snack. (Ryan wants US to eat the garden cucumbers, but I sneak them to the guinea pigs anyway.) The carrots were a little beaten down, but our tomatoes are starting to turn red and everything looks pretty good.

Boomerang Piggies!

2010-08-19T20:06:00.000-04:00

It's been an interesting day...this morning I went to Palermo to meet someone giving away a guinea pig on Craigslist, only to find out I had adopted him out to this family over a year ago. The daughter "lost interest" and they felt it was better to give him up (without calling me, of course, even though I would have taken him back anyway). Almond's cagemate passed away, and right now he is really frightened and it will take some time for him to adjust to being back here.
We also adopted out Luigi earlier this evening, only to have him come back a few hours later when the family dog tried to attack him while he was in his cage. Fortunately, he was not hurt, and the adopter did the right thing by bringing him back for his own safety.
So, not a great day for guinea pigs, but we will keep putting out ads and trying to get some of them adopted, as well as taking in some that need good new homes.

Frustration

2010-08-18T22:05:00.000-04:00

I'm a little frustrated with both people who don't get back to me about adoptions and the others who don't get back to me about possibly giving me their guinea pigs. I feel that the least anyone can do is say yes or no...don't leave us hanging. Just because we're a rescue doesn't mean we're not human beings with feelings. Common courtesy would ask that you at least respond one way or the other!!! If you're on Craigslist and have already found a home for your animal, PLEASE remove the ad or at least say your pet is gone. If you want to adopt and call several times saying "I'm busy, etc." then at least let us know you can't do it now. What I'm doing is trying to take in guinea pigs that need homes, and for all the people who "wanted" to adopt...you're not helping by being indecisive. I can't take in more until I adopt a few more out, so if you're serious, yes, please contact me, but I'm getting sick of people who can't seem to make up their minds. I know I'm not the only rescuer who feels this way; it applies to every rescuer of every type of animal. Just give us the courtesy of an answer either way so we can try to get our pets into a safe, secure home.

Adopted...Mario!

2010-08-10T18:05:00.000-04:00

Mario just left for his new home as a companion for a younger male guinea pig. He has a great personality and is a loud squeaker, and he's going to a great home with someone who's adopted from us before. Hooray!
I just took in two very young Peruvian females, Dora and Joslin. Dora is lilac, like Jabbie, and Joslin is solid black. They're GORGEOUS and right now are very scared...they're not even eating much of the fresh veggies being offered. I'm sure with time they'll get into our routine and will start eating everything we put in front of them!
I still haven't decided who to take with me to Tractor Supply; probably Luigi, maybe Taz again, but someone else is coming out here to adopt tomorrow evening. I'll have to see who's left!

Update 8/9/10

2010-08-09T19:00:00.000-04:00

Today I went out to pick up Joslin and Dora, two baby Peruvian girls. One is solid gray with pink eyes (like Jabbie), her sister is solid black. They are BEAUTIFUL, and because I'm crazy about Peruvians, chances are they will stay here.
In other news, a couple came out looking for one or two guinea pigs, and fell in love with Steve, who has wry neck. I wasn't planning on adopting Steve out, but they were really taken by him and said they were more interested in a guinea pig that was "different" and less likely to be adopted. I'll be calling them in a few days to see how things are going, but they have owned guinea pigs before and gotten them from shelters, so I'm sure Steve went to a great home.
I am still trying to find homes for Rocky, Rascal, Mario, and Luigi, so if you know anyone who wants either a pair or a single boy, please contact me!

New Blog

2010-08-04T17:55:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, I have added a link to a new blog called CNY Piggies. It has just been created by a woman in Oneida who has decided to get into rescue...hooray! We certainly need more people in the central NY area to do guinea pig rescue! She already has several piggies for adoption, so if you live closer to Oneida than Oswego, check out her site.
Adoptions have slowed down; I was hoping to hear from a few people this week about coming out to meet everyone, but it's been pretty quiet. Mario and Luigi are still nervous but settling into the routine. I had to crank the AC today because of the heat; everyone has been pretty listless so I'm trying to cool the house down and we're making sure all the water bottles are full.

Revolving Door of Rescue...

2010-08-01T16:54:00.001-04:00

Well, my dining room floor did not stay empty for long..we now have TWO males. We were expecting one but the owner decided at the last minute to bring both, so they are in separate cages next to each other and are named Mario and Luigi. Pics as soon as I can get some...
I also had a friend who does rescue contact me hoping I could take a few of her guinea pigs as she is totally overwhelmed and facing health issues, so I agreed to take two, which will put us back at 28 guinea pigs. In the next few days, expect to see new pictures and descriptions..hopefully I can get a few more adopted out.
We also received another surprise friend...someone pulled in yesterday and randomly gave us a rooster, now named Bubba. Bubba is very young and has been in and out of the barn inspecting his new home..he's actually kinda cool!

100 Guinea Pigs!

2010-07-30T14:55:00.000-04:00

Today we reached our biggest milestone...we adopted out Chocolate and Snowball, which means we have now (in three years) adopted out 100 guinea pigs! Hooray!!! They are going to a great family that loves our blog and did their research before deciding to adopt.
This means we now have 24 guinea pigs here, with a new male arriving tomorrow and two more possibly leaving us next week. I now have a little more space on my dining room floor, but I'm sure that won't last long!
The piggies have been very happy to get fresh cucumbers from our neighbor's garden. We were a little behind in getting ours planted, so it will be a little longer before our carrots and cucumbers are ready. And of course, there are always dandelion leaves to pick! With the weather getting cooler and drier, I'm also going to get some of these guys outside for some fresh air.

Not Just Oswego County!

2010-07-28T20:41:00.001-04:00

I recently spoke to someone who was confused about which county we operate in; yes, we are located in southern Oswego County, but we are about five minutes from Great Northern Mall in Clay, so we do a lot of rescues/adoptions in Onondaga County and beyond. I have actually toyed with the idea of changing our name to "CNY Guinea Pig Rescue," since we are pretty much the only rescue of this type in the area.
Anyway, I have traveled as far away as Martville and Watertown and have had people come from as far as Oneida, Palmyra and Binghamton. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure guinea pigs get good homes, so if you don't live in Oswego County, don't worry! We can always meet somewhere and work something out if you are interested in either surrendering or adopting.

R.I.P. Ernie

2010-07-27T19:59:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately, Ernie (who was adopted with Bert) had to be euthanized today after a short, severe illness. He was healthy when adopted out, and his new owner took excellent care of him until the very end. We are both upset, but sometimes this happens for no particular reason. We are both hoping that Bert will adjust well to the loss, as guinea pigs do grieve the loss of a cagemate.

Piggy-Busy!

2010-07-24T17:08:00.000-04:00

We got home from NJ a little while ago, and I have been catching up with everyone as it seems that whenever I leave town, everyone wants to give up or get guinea pigs!
Tom and Jerry are being adopted out tomorrow afternoon. I am also getting two more new piggies, not sure yet if they are boys or girls and what they look like. I have two other people interested in adopting, so I have been sending out the application to make sure they are ready to handle having a pair of guinea pigs. I see that there are some folks on Craigslist giving away or selling guinea pigs, so I just posted a new ad for the rescue and we'll see what happens.
I'm glad to be home with all my furries! Ryan did an excellent job of caring for everyone while I was gone..even washed fleeces. Thanks honey!! :)
(P.S. His coworkers that read this blog will be laughing now!)

Heading Out of Town

2010-07-19T17:13:00.000-04:00

I am leaving tomorrow for New Jersey and will be back Saturday, so Ryan has the "honor" of taking care of all the guinea pigs while I'm gone. Tom and Jerry's adoption is pending and someone is coming out to get them over the weekend. I've noticed that there are a few guinea pigs on Craigslist again, but instead of contacting anyone, I decided to just put a new ad up in the hopes that maybe someone will bring their piggy to us if they're not able to find a home on CL.
I will be able to access my e-mails from NJ but won't update the blog again until I get back. Have a great week everyone!

Sidetracking...Say NO to the Bion Plant in Oswego County!!!

2010-07-17T11:39:00.000-04:00

I realize this has nothing to do with guinea pigs, but I wanted to help get the word out about the proposed ethanol plant/slaughterhouse that Bion wants to build not too far from our farm. They say it is a "closed-loop" system, which uses waste from one part to help fuel the other. That may be partially true, but the real truth is no matter how "closed" it is, you can't contain the smell of 72,000 cattle a year!
These things are bad for the soil, water, air, our health, and the animals. The proposal has already been rejected in St. Lawrence County; that county and ours are two of the poorest in New York State. People here are desperate for jobs, but what would the long-term health effects be after working in such a place?
For more information, please visit www.PhoenixTalks.com. You can read news articles and get information on how to help. We got our protest lawn signs a couple days ago...I feel like such an activist!! haha

Update...Website Changes

2010-07-14T16:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, I have changed the list of names to show who is available and who has been adopted. If neither is next to a name, that guinea pig (or pigs) is a permanent resident. These are guinea pigs that do not like being handled, are too old, or have long-term health problems. ONLY the ones who have "available" next to their names are truly available.
I have also posted the adoption fees, so that everyone has them up-front.
In other news, there has been a lot of interest in Tom and Jerry now that their new pictures are up! Someone is coming out to meet them in the next day or two, so we will see what happens and of course I will keep everyone posted. Anyone who has considered Tom and Jerry would probably like Rocky and Rascal...those two boys are super-friendly and love attention! They are also around the same age as Tom and Jerry, from what I can tell.