Update!

I have very good news to share with you! Firstly, look how happy Petina & Biscuit are in their new home.....

Secondly, Gertie & Spook have found a lovely new home in Chorlton. They have a large outdoor set up complete with run that you can stand up in with a roof. Lucky girls!

Finally, Mouse, Cosmo & Nova have a viewing on Saturday so please keep your fingers (and paws) crossed. Wheek wheek!

Day 56 & 57: All good things must come to an end

This will be the last 'proper' post on the blog, bring out the violin! I hope that you've enjoyed reading (and maybe learning?) all about piggies and particularly the ones that come into our care.

I will update the blog with any new pictures of adopted piggies or when the remaining pigs Gertie, Spook, Mouse, Cosmo & Nova find a loving home. Until then it's farewell from me but rest assured we will continue to work hard for our small furry friends!

Here's the latest picture of little boy Otto with his new big brother Chas...

And my final words would be please make sure your piggies (and rabbits) have oodles of space, lots of hay & a suitable friend. They shouldn't be alone and Otto agrees!

Day 54 & 55: Going home

Today Brad and Ginger officially went home after a few weeks bonding at my house. They get on brilliantly and I had no problems with them at all. I wish my own piggies would bond so easily!

Big thank you to Jenny and her lovely family for adopting Brad and giving him a second chance. Jenny was told by the pet shop she rescued Ginger from that she was 'a biter' and couldn't be with other guinea pigs.... another example of certain pet shops giving bad advice and not understanding the sophisicated and subtle animals they are breeding and selling.

It's a great ending for two lonely piggies that should never have been alone in the first place.

Day 52 & 53: Juba & Cyril

I have yet more good news on the piggy front! Our young male pair of guineas, Juba and Cyril were reserved on Saturday, home visit completed on Sunday and collected that very evening to live in lovely Glossop!

Hopefully, I'll be able to post some updates and photos very soon....

So we just have Mouse with her babies - Cosmo & Nova and Gertie with her baby Spook to rehome! If you know anyone that is looking for a pair or trio of female piggies pretty please direct them to our website:

http://www.rspca-manchesterandsalford.org.uk/

We provide a bespoke home visit going through all aspects of piggy care and behaviour and of course answer all of your questions. We are a friendly lot so get in touch! We rehome up to 1 - 1 1/2 hours from Stockport.

Gertie & Spook

Mouse (above), Cosmo and Nova (below)

Day 50 & 51: Very happy days!

I have various bits of wonderful news that you are going to love!

Firstly, I did Petina & Biscuit's home visit today which passed with flying colours. It's great to see adopters educating themselves before getting a new animal. Petina & Biscuit will have a lovely C&C cage, complete with fleecey blankets, huts and lots of toys. Lucky pigs! They will hopefully be collected on Tuesday.

Secondly, remember Ralph the neutered male? Well he's been rehomed to live with 2 lady pigs. After a few weeks of living side by side they are now together and very happy! See picture below of one very smug Ralph (he's at the front of the run)....

I got the following text from his adopter Cheryl:

''As you can see progress is being made - Ralph is now enjoying time with the girls enjoying fresh dandelions - bonding going very well. He's had a bath and been groomed too!''
This is definitely the best part about volunteering for an animal charity.

Thirdly, Otto, one of Mouse's babies has been rehomed and successfully bonded with new big brother Chas! How cute is this picture?

Finally, bonding with neutered male Brad and potential lady friend Ginger is looking very promising. They have been living in my house for a week side by side in neighbouring cages. They have been interacting and sleeping side by side so today I introduced them on neutral territory.

No scraps, squeals or anything of any great note. I was ready for a battle on my hands but thankfully not! Ginger is extremely confident whilst Brad is very nervous so it works well. Ginger would annoy less tolerant piggies and I'm sure would start a fight with a dominant female. She constantly follows him, nudges him and generally is an annoying teenager with him! But he puts up with it very well and warns her off when she's gone too far. She has not stopped popcorning and I'm so pleased she's no longer alone (don't let me down now Ginger!)

We are at the stage when they are being a bit amorous but that will start to disapear when they are less of a novelty to eachother. Happy days!

I'm still keeping a very close eye on them but they are in the same cage now - lots of noise but no scrapping. I will keep you posted! Here's some pictures from today....

First thing this morning - bonding starts over parsley

Following each other around.... Brad looking scared of me rather than Ginger!

This evening after a whole day on neutral ground, just before going into new cage for the night. Brad taking cover!

I love being a guinea pig match maker even if it may give me an ulcer through stress..... :-)

Day 48 & 49: C&C cages v 'Shop bought' cages

Recently I’ve had a few people asking me about housing for piggies. I had a look online at the cages available and it was pretty shocking. Most cages are 100cm and under and cost a fortune! The largest I could find was over 150cm but cost £160!

I hate to think that piggies get stuck in pokey cages and their owners end up paying through the teeth. This is why I built my own C&C cages.

Hebe loves her comfy bed and fleece to sleep on rather than traditional wood shavings

I’ve mentioned them in a past blog but I thought I’d include more pictures & explain at bit more why they are great.

1.       They are cheap £30 roughly for a box of cubes/ £15 for a sheet of plastic for the base.

2.       You can make them to any shape and size you like.

3.       Easy to clean (sweep up everyday, change fleece and litter trays once a week).

4.       Unlimited headroom.

5.       Can be personalised with fleeces and lighting to blend in to your home.

6.       Most importantly piggies love the space!
7.        You can put the cage on the floor or on a table to easily reach your piggies.

Only problem is that you have to build them yourself. Clicking the cubes together is easy as is rounding up the toys, litter trays, hidey huts etc (you can spend more after saving so much money on the cage!).

You can be creative with C&Cs!

It’s the plastic base that is a bit of a faff. I ordered mine online and then cut it to fit my cage by measuring the internal dimensions and scoring the plastic, bending to fit. You just need to google ‘sign plastic’ ‘corrugated plastic’ or ‘coroplast’ and you can buy a sheet in different colours if you like. Lasts pretty much forever though!

Two groups of pigs living separately but side by side

 So yes, C&C cages are the best – your piggy and wallet will thank you for building one!

Day 47: Making friends

After the fun and games that was the Liverpool Half Marathon I'm quite pleased to have a relatively quiet week ahead. I only have 2 guinea pig related tasks to complete! Petina & Biscuit's home visit is on Saturday so I'll be doing that and secondly I'm continuing to bond Brad the RSPCA piggy with his potential girlfriend Ginger.

It's going very well so far, they are living side by side and definitely enjoying eachothers company. Brad is a very timid piggy but when he's near Ginger he becomes much happier, more relaxed and chatty. It's lovely to see him acting like a guinea pig should instead of being scared and lonely on his own. Why people keep these sociable animals alone is beyond my comprehension - I can only presume they have never experienced a group of happy, chattering and pottering piggies!

Here's some pictures from the first few days...

Ginger having a nosey

The first day meeting Brad through the bars (you can see him in the background hiding!)

Nudging noses and chatting to eachother 

Dinner time!

Ginger reminding me that her claws need a manicure!



It's still early days but I hope by the weekend we can introduce them on a neutral ground and see how we get on. Often reactions through bars don't give you a proper indication of how they will get on when physically together but I really do think it takes the 'edge' off when they finally meet. They get used to each others movements and smells etc.

I will keep you posted!