In several months I will need a pig breeder in my area to replace a baby I lost.

Does anyone know of one that is within an hour from Fort Worth, TX?

I went looking online and the nearest one I could find was 6 hours away.

I do know there is a pig rescue close to me but from what I understand most of those pigs are pet store pigs that people didn't want anymore and come from breeding mills and I am just not experienced enough or emotional stable enough after the recent loss to take on a rescue pig.

Please let me know if there are any in the area.

Thank you

Sigh. I don't know how else to tell you. Rescue pigs are NOT unhealthy. THEY ARE NOT. The rescues quarantine them to ensure they are healthy. They will not let you have a special needs animal. They won't.

The pigs from pet stores are sick because they have RECENTLY come from breeding mills which are teeming hothouses of bacteria. The pigs in the rescue have been quarantined and vet checked.

Sorry for my exapseration, it's just absolutely mindblowing to see someone within HALF AN HOUR of OVER 140 homeless guinea pigs and be looking for a breeder. It's like you didn't read any of the information I gave you, just went "DURRRRR, she said pet stores pigs and rescue pigs share the same background!"

yes, animals from a shelter are fine, vet checked and healthy, even though alot are from pet shops. They would not give you an animal with underlying health issues. The only thing you cant do with shelter pigs is breed, aside from the fact that most/all will be nuetred spayed, because you do not know their background which is most likely a mill. I will have a look for a breeder if thats what you still want but get back to us first!

I did listen to you and I understand that they are healthy when they get to the new owners but they will more than likely not live as long or be as genetically sound as a pig that has been bred for health and personality.


I just don't want another pig who will need to visit the vet all the time because of it's genetic defects.


I know petmills do not take the time to pick and choose which pigs would make a better line.


I just don't understand.


I was in the rat forum and a girl asked for a breeder in her area and everyone was very helpful and I ask here and I am told I am stupid "Duurrrrr."


Is it now considered taboo to want a pig from a sound breeder with pigs that are geneically better than a petmill pig?


Is the only acceptable option among animal activists now to go to a rescue where I will have to fill out tons of paperwork, pay an arm and a leg and be psychologically tested and my home visited several times over several months to prove I am a good enough person to take in a guinea pig that came from a petstore anyway?


I truely understand that rescues are great places but I do not want to go through that kind of trouble for a pig that is genetically inferior to a home bred pig from a reputable breeder.


This forum appears to be filled with pretentious people who only find it acceptable to get petmill pigs from rescues. God forbid someone make a choice on their own and go elsewhere.


And seriously for all the people that are bullying others into getting a rescue pig, have you ever thought that maybe those petstore pigs that keep coming in may be from people that have been shamed by people like you to the point that they bring the pig to the nearest rescue so they can go buy from a breeder so you will no longer shun them and treat them as incompetent fools?


Obviously, this is not a very friendly forum and the people here can't see past where the pig came from and can only harp on the fact that the pig is not an elite rescue pig.


So sorry I stumbled into your magical rescue pig world and asked for help thinking people out there might be more interested in helping the pig at hand and not just telling me "so sad for that "filthy" store pig, next time get a rescue pig."

This is in no way pointed at you, Rodentzrule. You have been very kind in both posts. Please do not feel this is in anyway referencing you.

Guinea pigs are not bred for health by most breeders. There are no genetic tests that can be done on guinea pigs to determine if they will be healthy, and guinea pigs must be bred by a relatively young age (8 months). Most chronic genetic problems only show up as the pigs age (much like hip displaysia in dogs). Only the most gross deformities will be avoided, and many breeders will not even do that. I have 2 pigs that came from a breeder, and they were both dead by 4.5 years old. One died of osteodystrophy, and the other struggled with lifelong problems with gi stasis. Of the group, the majority died before the age of 4 due to the inbreeding that the breeder did in order to make the pretty swirlies in the coat so that the piggie could win lots of ribbons, YAY!

I'm sorry that I'm not willing to lie to you. Your pig was sick because it came from a pet store. I can't change that fact. It is the most common thing rescues see every single day, and you came to the forum feeling guilty and wanting an explanation as to why your pig died. Your pig died because it was purchased from a mill. The majority of guinea pig breeders are also backyard breeders, and there is no way for them to guarantee a healthy pig at this time because of the fact that pigs are bred before they have a chance to display any genetic problems. Heck, a pig can have 3 generations of progeny before a genetic problem shows up -- most breeders will not bother tracking down 150+ pigs and taking them out of production.

Rat breeding is very different because of their shorter lifespans (genetic problems become apparent much more quickly and when they're still in good physical breeding condition) and because (quite frankly) most rat breeders care more about the longevity and the health of their animals than the majority of guinea pig breeders. I would buy a breeder rat from a responsible breeder in a heartbeat. Guinea pigs are typically raised in "livestock" conditions because their overarching "show" body is an offshoot of ARBA. They raise meat and laboratory animals as well. I wish I could type every single awful breeder experience that we've had at the rescue, but you'd just throw up your hands and accuse me of bullying you more. A responsible rat breeder would be horrified at the thought that their rats may be "culled" for snake food, yet this is the most popular way of "disposing" of "ugly" guinea pigs and rabbits that don't fit their standards.

I'm not saying that breeding guinea pigs for health can't be done, but I've never met a breeder that tracked their progeny, enforced no breeding contracts, etc, like the responsible breeders in the rat community; whereas I have met and talked to dozens and dozens of responsible rat breeders that I would happily shake hands with if I ever met..

And seriously for all the people that are bullying others into getting a rescue pig, have you ever thought that maybe those petstore pigs that keep coming in may be from people that have been shamed by people like you to the point that they bring the pig to the nearest rescue so they can go buy from a breeder so you will no longer shun them and treat them as incompetent fools?

No, most people would be ashamed to abandon an animal because of what someone on the internet said.

This thread will no doubt be locked in moments and I have requested being removed from this forum.

I never asked you to tell me about whether the petshop killed her. I asked if giving the meds to the pig the wrong way could kill her. And then you decided that it was time for you to jump on your soap box and preach at me about buying a pig from the store.

I NEVER once asked you to preach about that. I asked if you could kill a pig by giving meds the wrong way. Plain and simply.

But I checked your history of posts and you are a cynical person who wanders from thread to thread preaching about how people are doing everything wrong.

I don't know why I would expect anything else from you.

Good Luck on finding a new pig!

Alright, fine. Yes, you can kill guinea pigs by giving them medicine wrong. They can aspirate it. That will not cause them to drown. It will cause them to develop pnuemonia. Not feeding them by hand while they are sick will also cause them to starve to death while you are medicating them. Buying them sick also contributes to them dying. Not having a savvy vet will also contribute to them dying. I have told you as much as I could about all these things. Do whatever the heck you want. You said you did not want a pig that would get sick -- I figured you would appreciate hearing that a breeder pig will not necessarily be healthy before another pig died in your arms. I thought maybe you would like a rescue pig that will come to you healthy and a rescue that would support you if they ever became sick as time passed.

Seriously, I lol'ed in my office.

I love the random happy bits in the middle.

You should be happy, your searching for a PIG!

Ok, you can try http://www.topix.com/./fort-worth-tx
or
http://www.nosacrificepigsandbuns.freeservers.com/

Awe....Teddies. That was what my pig was when I was in high school. A little black and white teddie named Oreo! =)

Trying a rescue would be better then from a breeder.
Alot of homeless piggers are out there and are perfectly healthy.
No rescue center will rehome a pig thats unhealthy or sick.
Even bred pigs can get sick and will cost you money in the vets.
But good luck