![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
juushikaI'm a bit guilty, still surprised, and absolutely giddy...
Ladies and gentlemen...
Meet Kuzco.
Just over three weeks old, arbitrary birth date November 15th, named for The Emperor's New Groove, runt of the litter, black eyed, Abyssinian cross in honey, brown, and black with one white foot, and my new baby and Dink's eventual cagemate.
Ok, now let me explain.
Yesterday, Saturday, Devon and I started out Christmas shopping. We went to Lloyd Center mostly to take a look around, get an idea for things, etc. While there, we stopped in Scamps. Now, I don't buy anything from pet stores like that, pets nor products, because the conditions they keep animals in just breaks my heart. I sometimes can't help but look in them and torture myself, however, which is what I ended up doing. I had forgotten how terrible those conditions were, how small the babies could be, and how miserable it made me to look at it all. After coming back I was a complete wreck, and made the decision that I needed to find a pig somewhere—for Dink, who needs a cagemate; for myself, who has plenty of room in my heart, money, love, time, and space to care for another baby; for the guinea pig, because I know I can give it a perfect home.
I spent all evening and all morning looking for rescues, shelters, sellers, anyone that had healthy pigs up for adoption and that I wouldn't mind supporting. I couldn't find any for the life of me. Emailed some people and got back negative replies, tried everything I could, even contacted a rescue three hours from here in Washington to see about available pigs. My search was narrowed because I was looking for a male (no babies that way), young, passive guinea pig, because Dink has dominate behavior and is absolutely my little boy, so pairing him with an older or dominant pig would be a bad idea. Found one candidate, finally: Hairy Potter, at a rescue in Auburn, WA. Contacted the seller, she wanted more information about my cage, had nearly made up my mind to pay the deposit and pick him up next weekend, when I would have time for the drive.
This afternoon, then, Devon and I went to Pets on Broadway for Oxbow carrot treats for Dink. I thought I would be safe because they usually just have 6 month to 1 year old guinea pigs, and I've only seen about three or for of them there—and most were female. Figured I was safe and turned out to be very wrong. They had six babies, all about three to five weeks old, weaned and sexed. I nearly started crying when I saw them.
Pets on Broadway is the only pet store I've ever found that I would be comfortable buying a pet from. They have wonderful facilities, good staff, locked cages, wonderful food, healthy bedding, big cages—the works. I trust them and have said since I found them that I could imagine buying a pet from them if I ran out of options. Apparently that was what it came down to, because I did. I looked everywhere and considered everything and there were no realistic options out there in terms of young, passive male guinea pigs, at least not right now. Dink deserves a cagemate—he has for a while. I'll admit, this was a very sudden choice and I had to do some last minute shopping and laundry, but as scared silly as I am I don't regret it at all.
Kuzco is scared and tiny and tries to hide, and he is currently in quarantine on the otherside of my room. He will be for the next two weeks, and I'll be watching him for diseases. I'll introduce the boys right before break (and then I'll tell my mum I have two guinea pigs). It's so tempting to let them meet, but I'm a better pig Mum than that. Oh, but Kuzco is a sweety. I like adult pigs so much more than babies, but there's still a thrill to something so small, vulnerable, and needy. He's delicate and wonderful, and will be a perfect match for Dink when the two of them are ready.
Oh my god, I have another guinea pig. Dink will be so much happier when he finds out, and it was a wonderful early Christmas gift, and I've been giddy and silly and thrilled since then. Kuzco! I have a Kuzco!
Ladies and gentlemen...
Meet Kuzco.
Just over three weeks old, arbitrary birth date November 15th, named for The Emperor's New Groove, runt of the litter, black eyed, Abyssinian cross in honey, brown, and black with one white foot, and my new baby and Dink's eventual cagemate.
Ok, now let me explain.
Yesterday, Saturday, Devon and I started out Christmas shopping. We went to Lloyd Center mostly to take a look around, get an idea for things, etc. While there, we stopped in Scamps. Now, I don't buy anything from pet stores like that, pets nor products, because the conditions they keep animals in just breaks my heart. I sometimes can't help but look in them and torture myself, however, which is what I ended up doing. I had forgotten how terrible those conditions were, how small the babies could be, and how miserable it made me to look at it all. After coming back I was a complete wreck, and made the decision that I needed to find a pig somewhere—for Dink, who needs a cagemate; for myself, who has plenty of room in my heart, money, love, time, and space to care for another baby; for the guinea pig, because I know I can give it a perfect home.
I spent all evening and all morning looking for rescues, shelters, sellers, anyone that had healthy pigs up for adoption and that I wouldn't mind supporting. I couldn't find any for the life of me. Emailed some people and got back negative replies, tried everything I could, even contacted a rescue three hours from here in Washington to see about available pigs. My search was narrowed because I was looking for a male (no babies that way), young, passive guinea pig, because Dink has dominate behavior and is absolutely my little boy, so pairing him with an older or dominant pig would be a bad idea. Found one candidate, finally: Hairy Potter, at a rescue in Auburn, WA. Contacted the seller, she wanted more information about my cage, had nearly made up my mind to pay the deposit and pick him up next weekend, when I would have time for the drive.
This afternoon, then, Devon and I went to Pets on Broadway for Oxbow carrot treats for Dink. I thought I would be safe because they usually just have 6 month to 1 year old guinea pigs, and I've only seen about three or for of them there—and most were female. Figured I was safe and turned out to be very wrong. They had six babies, all about three to five weeks old, weaned and sexed. I nearly started crying when I saw them.
Pets on Broadway is the only pet store I've ever found that I would be comfortable buying a pet from. They have wonderful facilities, good staff, locked cages, wonderful food, healthy bedding, big cages—the works. I trust them and have said since I found them that I could imagine buying a pet from them if I ran out of options. Apparently that was what it came down to, because I did. I looked everywhere and considered everything and there were no realistic options out there in terms of young, passive male guinea pigs, at least not right now. Dink deserves a cagemate—he has for a while. I'll admit, this was a very sudden choice and I had to do some last minute shopping and laundry, but as scared silly as I am I don't regret it at all.
Kuzco is scared and tiny and tries to hide, and he is currently in quarantine on the otherside of my room. He will be for the next two weeks, and I'll be watching him for diseases. I'll introduce the boys right before break (and then I'll tell my mum I have two guinea pigs). It's so tempting to let them meet, but I'm a better pig Mum than that. Oh, but Kuzco is a sweety. I like adult pigs so much more than babies, but there's still a thrill to something so small, vulnerable, and needy. He's delicate and wonderful, and will be a perfect match for Dink when the two of them are ready.
Oh my god, I have another guinea pig. Dink will be so much happier when he finds out, and it was a wonderful early Christmas gift, and I've been giddy and silly and thrilled since then. Kuzco! I have a Kuzco!
