WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A GUINEA PIG
California is facing a CRISIS with unwanted guinea pigs being dumped at alarming rates. We are receiving messages weekly now from people who have found guinea pigs in dumpsters, hiking trails, abandoned homes, sidewalks, public parks, behind banks, in the middle of streets, you get the idea!
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Domestic guinea pigs CANNOT survive in the streets of your neighborhood much less the wild. They are susceptible to heat stroke, they have little to no survival skills other than hiding, and are at risk of being killed or harmed by predators. Due to their specific dietary needs, they usually cannot find anything to eat when dumped to fend for themselves .
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80% of a guinea pigs diet is hay! They can eat fresh grass if that is their only option BUT they need hay!
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If you have found guinea pigs and have taken the action to try and save them, congratulations, you are one of the good humans on this planet, we need more of you!
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PLEASE NOTE: This is not a comprehensive guide on how to care for guinea pigs. This is a quick guide for anyone who has just found guinea pigs and needs to know what to do immediately to keep them alive while you seek assistance and work on a long term plan.
For more in depth information - See our complete Guinea Pig Care Guide here
Guinea pigs are prey animals and naturally run and hide. If you are having trouble catching the guinea pigs, try these techniques:​
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Block off their escape route and set up a box or open crate with a towels inside
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Place veggies like cilantro, romaine and carrots inside the box/crate
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Crinkle a plastic bag
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Play sounds of guinea pigs making noise, this is called WHEEKING
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Try to coax them from behind so they run into the box/crate
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You can also use a pool net to GENTLY catch them.
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Raccoon traps can work, cover the trap with a towel and place a towel and veggies inside, the more inviting the better.
GUINEA PIGS ARE DOMESTICATED ANIMALS, THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE OUT THERE FENDING FOR THEMSELVES, THEY WOULD RATHER BE IN A SAFE COZY CAGE WITH ALL OF THE HAY, PELLETS AND COMFORTS THAT THEY NEED.
You Caught Them! Now What?
First off, don't be afraid to pick them up. They are more afraid of you, than you need be of them.
Gently look them over, do you see any open wounds, missing hair, heavy breathing, anything alarming about their condition?
If you are at all concerned about injuries or their medical condition, please seek veterinary care as soon as possible
Scotty's Animals has a good nationwide VET LIST
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If you think they need medical care and you cannot take them to a vet, you NEED to take the guinea pig to your nearest animal control or humane society. At the very least, the animal shelter will be able to humanely euthanize them if their condition is so bad that recovery isn't possible.
Don't wait for a reply from a rescue like ours. Rescues are often entirely volunteer run and like you, we have no access to after hours veterinary care. City and County shelters usually have a veterinarian on staff.
If in Los Angeles. You can find 24 hour emergency care HERE
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Make a Temporary Cage
You need to set them up in a temporary safe spot. Unless you happen to have a guinea pig cage lying around, you will need to improvise.
An empty bathtub with towels down makes a great temporary pen.
If you happen to have a cat carrier or dog crate you can put them in there.
A large plastic tub with the lid off and a towel on the bottom works well in a pinch. If you have nothing else, a large open cardboard box with towels down will do for the night.
Guinea pigs like to have a place to hide, so if you have space in their temporary cage you can make a hidey house for them. Take a box and cut out the bottom off and cut a doorway for them.
You Need To Feed Them
80% of a guinea pigs diet is hay! They can and do eat vegetables but too much will make them sick. They need to eat hay constantly to keep their stomachs moving, to keep their teeth worn down and to prevent GI Stasis.
Unless you happen to live on a farm, you probably don't have hay but all pet stores, and stores like Target and Walmart sell timothy hay.
PLEASE get the guinea pigs hay the same day you take them in.
They will also need guinea pig pellets, preferably plain looking ones with no seeds or nuts in them and a water bottle.
THEY NEED THESE THINGS ASAP!
So What's Next?
You've set them up in a temp cage, you went out and bought hay and pellets correct?
Now what?
You will need to figure out if you have male or female guinea pigs. If you have multiple pigs of both sexes, the girls are likely pregnant and they will need to be separated. This video can help determine the sex of a guinea pig. As we said before, this is a crisis the likes of which we have not ever seen in our 20+ years rescuing.
Can you foster? If you are in LA, OC or Ventura County and can foster these guinea pigs that you have found, we will set you up with a proper cage and get you up to speed on all care info. If you cannot keep them, taking them to your nearest shelter may be their best chance. You can also post on your local Nextdoor group and ask all of your friends and family members if they would like to adopt some adorable guinea pigs.
Thank You For Stepping Up And Saving Their Lives
If you have found guinea pigs and have taken all of the above steps to make sure they are safe, secure and fed, please Email Us
We will help if we can
Sadly we cannot take in every guinea pig that we get messages about. Pregnant mamas and very young nursing babies are considered urgent and so we will do our best to make room for them.
We are a small foster based rescue made up of dedicated people just like you! If you can foster the guinea pigs that you have found or know someone who can foster them, we will be able to set you up with all supplies.
Thank You