[erikablanchettexo]

I was at the pet store tonight and noticed that they housed 2 bunnies with a guinea pig and had a huge cage with just one guinea pig in it and it was squealing like crazy.

Is it okay to house them together? I didn't think that two different animals were to be housed together but I could be wrong.

 

[Jess <3]

They don't attack each other purposely but when a rabbit binkies it can accidentally hit the guinea pig with it's back legs and the force can injure them, sometimes even breaking their ribs. The pet shop near me use to house them together but luckily they don't anymore! Also the guinea pig squealing probably wasn't fear, they tend to be vocal especially when they want food or attention.

 

[erikablanchettexo]

Okay. That's good at least.

This pet store in particular isn't very good in other aspects. When I picked up my newest girl Aurora in November, they had probably 20 rats all in one glass tank, male and female and there were like 3 or 4 pups in there also which pissed me off.

 

[Jess <3]

That's awful! It's sad that some people will neglect animals all in the name of making some money. The pet shop near me (pets at home) comes across a little better now with slightly better housing (although the rats are still behind glass with lights beating down on them all day) and their 'rescue' area which all seems a little vague. But i doubt behind doors it's gotten any better, especially since i experience so many more health problems with my shop rats over the rats i get from breeders.

Is the pet shop near you a chain or an independent shop? I'm just asking because there could be some way of contacting them and informing them of proper animal care.

 

[erikablanchettexo]

It's Jungle Pets and there are quite a few here. When I got very first rat I'm 80% sure she had pneumonia ever since day 1. I didn't know what was wrong being a first time rat owner and it progressed into something really bad. I was so upset and ended up bringing her back because no vet would see her. Needless to say, I think they're horrible but I always go in and check and see what's new since it's the only pet store in my area.

 

[Jess <3]

It could have been a URI, lots of pet shop rats already have them when you get them and even seemingly healthy rats can develop one since they're so prone to respiratory infections. I didn't realise vets were allowed to turn down an animal that needed treatment?!

I'm a little ashamed to admit but lot of my pet shop rats are impulse buys, I spend too much time talking to them through the glass and then I can't walk away and leave them behind (Casper came home with me because he was already fully grown and in a tiny tank all by himself and i couldn't leave him!)

 

[erikablanchettexo]

I don't know if it was a URI. Like she was really bad. It was almost like she was gurgling and she was almost barking when she sneezed. I felt so badly about bringing her back but no one would help me.

I went back and talked to the guy who worked at the shop (he was an assistant manager I think?) and he said he'd help me if I brought her in on a Monday which was like 3 days away from the point and time I talked to him. So I bring her and he doesn't even work there anymore.... And no one could get ahold of him to see what he could do for me. So I ended up giving her back because I didn't know what to do.

As far as the vet thing, they said they weren't comfortable seeing rats but referred me to somewhere that was like an hour away. I don't have a car so it was kinda like... Well crap.

Then a month and a half later I went back and got another female rat and she had a bad realities infection which we are still fighting off. But she's doing so much better. I've finally found an exotic vet that would see her

 

[untidyvenus]

here in San Francisco at the city zoo they keep their rabbits and G-pigs together. I have been told its fine as long as the guinea pigs get the extra vitamin c they require :3

 

[erikablanchettexo]

here in San Francisco at the city zoo they keep their rabbits and G-pigs together. I have been told its fine as long as the guinea pigs get the extra vitamin c they require :3

Good to know! Thank you

 

[Jess <3]

here in San Francisco at the city zoo they keep their rabbits and G-pigs together. I have been told its fine as long as the guinea pigs get the extra vitamin c they require :3

Zoos aren't really the best places to trust when it comes to animal welfare, I really do advise against anyone housing guinea pigs and rabbits together. Beside the fact that they can cause physical injury, rabbits and guinea pigs communicate in different ways so being in each others company 24/7 can become confusing for them.

 

[avwood93]

I used to keep a rabbit with my four guinea pigs...he kind of adopted them and it was adorable. He would groom them and cuddle. We just made sure the piggies had enough vitamin C

Very, very sadly (I still haven't forgiven myself for this 8 years later) we ended up getting stuck for 4 hours in traffic coming back from a family visit, and the animals were still out in their outdoor pen and it was far too cold for them to be out at night. We got home and my favourite guinea pig had died of the cold but peppy bunny had been sitting on him to try and keep him warm, so he was almost completely flat. It was so sad to see he had tried so hard to keep him warm they had such a strong friendship