WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A GUINEA PIG?
California is facing a CRISIS with unwanted guinea pigs being dumped at alarming rates. We receive messages almost daily from people who have found guinea pigs in dumpsters, hiking trails, abandoned homes, sidewalks, public parks, behind banks, inside stores, you get the idea!
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Domestic guinea pigs CANNOT survive in the wild. They have no survival skills other than hiding, are susceptible to heat stroke and are at risk of being killed or harmed by predators. Due to their specific dietary needs, they cannot find food when dumped to fend for themselves.
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​If you have found guinea pigs and have taken the action to try and save them, thank you! You are one of the good humans on this planet, we need more of you!
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
Guinea pigs are prey animals and will 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 with cardboard, baby gates etc. and set up a box or open crate with a towel inside
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Place veggies like cilantro, romaine lettuce 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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Coax them from behind if possible, they will likely run right into the box/crate
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You can also use a pool net to GENTLY try and catch them
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Humane (raccoon size) traps can work, cover the trap with a towel and place a towel and veggies inside, the more inviting the better
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You may need to round up friends and family to help you
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YOU CAUGHT THEM! NOW WHAT?
First off, don't be afraid to pick them up. They are more afraid of you than you need to be of them. Guinea pigs do not usually bite and if they do, they rarely break the skin. They will squirm and try to jump out of your hands. Try to bring them to a quiet area where they are not at risk of jumping out of your hands and running away.
Gently look them over, do you see any open wounds, missing fur, labored breathing, crusty eyes, are all their limbs functioning, do you see 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 ​
If you are in the Southern California area, please see our list of Recommended Vets
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.
Please 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 animal shelters usually have a veterinarian on staff.
If in Los Angeles, find 24 hour emergency care locations here
CRITICAL STEPS FOR CAGE SETUP AND PROPER FEEDING
FIRST
Make a Temporary Cage
You need to set them up in a temporary safe spot.
If you don't have a guinea pig cage, you'll need to improvise.
An empty bathtub with towels makes a suitable temporary pen.
A cat carrier or dog crate lined with a towel is a great option.
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 will do for the night.
Guinea pigs like to have a place to hide, 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.
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Please keep the guinea pigs indoors in a quiet room if possible, secure from other pets and small children.
SECOND
Provide Food & Water
They will most likely be dehydrated and starving.
It's critical they start moving food through their bodies right away. It needs to be the correct food for them.
HAY: 80% of a guinea pig's diet is hay, it is extremely important they have access to hay as soon as possible.
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PLEASE get the guinea pigs hay the same day you take them in.
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You can purchase Timothy or Orchard hay at pet stores, feed stores, equine supply stores, and often times stores like Target and Walmart in the small pet supply department.
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​They will also need guinea pig pellets, preferably plain with no seeds or nuts in them, you can purchase these at all the stores listed above where hay is sold.
They will also need a water bottle. A water bowl can also work but not all guinea pigs are used to drinking from a bowl so please monitor and see if they are able to drink.
Guinea pigs do eat vegetables, but too much will make them sick. A pile of carrots is not enough. They need to eat hay constantly to keep their stomachs moving, keep their teeth worn down and to prevent GI Stasis.
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THIRD
Gendering & Next Steps
You've set them up in a temp cage and you were able to purchase hay and pellets.​
Now you'll need to determine if you have male or female guinea pigs.
If you have guinea pigs of both genders, they will need to be separated ASAP. It's highly likely the females are already pregnant.
This video can help you determine the gender of a guinea pig.
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You may need to set up an additional temporary cage if you have a mix of females and males. You can also try splitting your cage into two parts by making a barricade with cardboard.
If you are in LA, OC or Ventura County and can foster the guinea pigs you have found, we will set you up with a proper cage and get you up to speed on all care info.
You can post on your local Nextdoor group or community page and ask all of your friends and family members if they would like to adopt some adorable guinea pigs.
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You can also visit our page "Rehoming Your Guinea Pig" for other outlets. If you are able to take some clear, cute pictures that will help! Include any other info you have about them like personality, estimated age etc.
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If you cannot keep them, even temporarily, taking them to your nearest shelter may be their best chance. However, many shelters are not equipped to take care of small animals so they may not accept them or they may decide to euthanize them right away.
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THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND SAVING THEIR LIVES
Sadly, we cannot take in every guinea pig that needs a home, but we will try and help in any way we can. We are a small, foster-based rescue made up of dedicated people just like you!
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If you are able to foster the guinea pigs you have found, or know someone who can foster them, we will set you up with all supplies needed and assist you with the rehoming process.
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Pregnant mamas and very young nursing babies are considered urgent and we will do our best to make room for them.
​If you have found a guinea pig, please follow the steps above to make sure they are safe, secure and fed.
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Then Contact Us here​​​
We created this emergency guide after receiving one of the saddest cases in our 20 plus years of rescue.
Bunson was in bad shape when he was picked up by a good samaritan after being dumped in a public park. By the time he made it to our rescue, he was near death and in even worse shape than when he was found. His original rescuer didn't know anything about guinea pigs, was unable to get any assistance from her local shelter and so for nearly a week he didn't have adequate food. He was starving to death on a diet of carrot sticks and lettuce.
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We want you to have access to the lifesaving info you need because we need everyone to be a lifesaver. We cannot do this alone, we need your help.
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