Saturday, February 26, 2011
MARDI GROWL
Less than one week until Mardi Growl to support the Alexandria Shelter, from which cometh my baby Pandora and cameth my beloved Pippin: http://awla.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=specialevents_annualgala
Less than one week until Mardi Growl to support the Alexandria Shelter, from which cometh my baby Pandora and cameth my beloved Pippin: http://awla.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=specialevents_annualgala
Sunday, February 20, 2011
JANE DOE'S PIGS
Hi, my name is Jane Hautanen (Jane Doe), former producer of WMAL's Pet Talk and owner of two adorable guinea pigs, Pippin (formerly Thunder) and Pandora, the joys of my life (sorry, don't have a digital picture of Pandora or my late Lightning).
Rather than boring people with pig stories, I figured I would put everything onto one website and let them be bored if they chose. Most of the links below apply to the Washington, DC area (duh--I live here), however some are national and international. I am not paid for any of this, so any of the links mentioned are those I've dealt with personally or those which have been recommended to me. If I had a bad time with one, I would either tell you, or just plain ignore it.
SECURING A PIG
I do not sell pigs. Or pig supplies. I would probably make more money if I did. Here are places (in alphabetical order) where you can get a pig for little or no cost. These are shelters, rescues and individual owners, all with lovely pigs looking for homes!
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, from whence cometh my beloved Thunder
Cavy Rescue
Cavy Spirit -- West Coast Piggies!
DC Guinea Pigs -- includes outlying Maryland and Virginia counties
Guinea Pig Adoption Network -- where I got my darling Lightning, who started it all
Petfinder -- shelters and rescues all over the country -- can also help track lost pets
CARE AND FEEDING
Guinea pigs have different dietary needs from rabbits, ferrets, etc. Most nobatle is their need for a vitamin C supplement. Veteranarians and experienced owners will tell you the best foods are Oxbow Hay products, including Cavy Cuisine and Cavy Performance pellets. Here are some good sources which can provide you with hints on the care and feeding of cavies (guinea pigs) and tell you where to find the products.
Cavy Cages -- Just add pigs!
Cavy Madness
Cavy Spirit
Collins Memorial Hospital for Animals -- sells Oxbow products
Companions Pets
Eastern Exotics -- sells Oxbow products
Guinealynx -- Mostly medical but all kinds of useful info.
House Rabbit Society -- no, this is not a typo. They have a pig link and are a source of bunny/pig products
Peter Gurney's Page -- this guy is regarded as the authority on guinea pigs in the English-speaking world.
Petco
Pet Pantry
Petsmart
Seagull's Guinea Pig Compendium
VETS
Regardless of what you think, you will want to take your pig to the vet at least once, if nothing else to make sure you have not been sold/given a defective pig. Also, if you have ANY other pets, you will want to make sure your new pig is not harboring anything which can spread. If you're like me, you will probably at one time or another do something stupid to land your pig(s) in the vet's office, and if your pigs are like mine, they will probably do something stupid to land themselves in a vet's office. Make sure you find a vet who treats pigs, not just dogs and cats, has had experience with pigs and enjoys it. It's a good idea to find one while your pig is perfectly healthy, so you are not frantically flipping through the phone book or clicking through your computer at 3 AM on a rainy morning. Here is a list of vets, mostly in the Washington, DC area, some of whom I have had experience with, others who come recommended to me.
Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates -- Both my pigs were fixed there. With Pippin/Thunder, everything went beautifully. Lightning had some complications, however, the staff was very nice.
Collins Memorial Hospital for Animals -- All my pigs have been patients there and boarded there
Del Ray Animal Hospital -- Thunder has been a patient there
Eastern Exotics -- Two of my pigs have been patients there, Lightning was boarded there. Dr. Leonard Rice, in the same building, went to my high school, but don't hold that against him.
Dr. Lee Morgan at Georgetown University
Great Falls Veterinary Hospital
Kentlands Veterinary Hospital
Tackett's Mill Animal Hospital -- no web address, call 703-494-8293
Dr. Hannah Siemering
Stahl Exotics -- Dr. Stahl's partner, David Crum, saved Lightning's life
Vetfinder -- Nationwide!
JANE DOE'S FRIENDS
Believe it or not I have friends, but none of them submitted their pet pages, so these will have to do:
Noah, the Sea-going Guinea Pig
The Piggy Page
Robyn’s Guinea Pig Page
The Seaside Piggies
Treen’s Pigs
janedoe@cutemail.com
Hi, my name is Jane Hautanen (Jane Doe), former producer of WMAL's Pet Talk and owner of two adorable guinea pigs, Pippin (formerly Thunder) and Pandora, the joys of my life (sorry, don't have a digital picture of Pandora or my late Lightning).
Rather than boring people with pig stories, I figured I would put everything onto one website and let them be bored if they chose. Most of the links below apply to the Washington, DC area (duh--I live here), however some are national and international. I am not paid for any of this, so any of the links mentioned are those I've dealt with personally or those which have been recommended to me. If I had a bad time with one, I would either tell you, or just plain ignore it.
SECURING A PIG
I do not sell pigs. Or pig supplies. I would probably make more money if I did. Here are places (in alphabetical order) where you can get a pig for little or no cost. These are shelters, rescues and individual owners, all with lovely pigs looking for homes!
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, from whence cometh my beloved Thunder
Cavy Rescue
Cavy Spirit -- West Coast Piggies!
DC Guinea Pigs -- includes outlying Maryland and Virginia counties
Guinea Pig Adoption Network -- where I got my darling Lightning, who started it all
Petfinder -- shelters and rescues all over the country -- can also help track lost pets
CARE AND FEEDING
Guinea pigs have different dietary needs from rabbits, ferrets, etc. Most nobatle is their need for a vitamin C supplement. Veteranarians and experienced owners will tell you the best foods are Oxbow Hay products, including Cavy Cuisine and Cavy Performance pellets. Here are some good sources which can provide you with hints on the care and feeding of cavies (guinea pigs) and tell you where to find the products.
Cavy Cages -- Just add pigs!
Cavy Madness
Cavy Spirit
Collins Memorial Hospital for Animals -- sells Oxbow products
Companions Pets
Eastern Exotics -- sells Oxbow products
Guinealynx -- Mostly medical but all kinds of useful info.
House Rabbit Society -- no, this is not a typo. They have a pig link and are a source of bunny/pig products
Peter Gurney's Page -- this guy is regarded as the authority on guinea pigs in the English-speaking world.
Petco
Pet Pantry
Petsmart
Seagull's Guinea Pig Compendium
VETS
Regardless of what you think, you will want to take your pig to the vet at least once, if nothing else to make sure you have not been sold/given a defective pig. Also, if you have ANY other pets, you will want to make sure your new pig is not harboring anything which can spread. If you're like me, you will probably at one time or another do something stupid to land your pig(s) in the vet's office, and if your pigs are like mine, they will probably do something stupid to land themselves in a vet's office. Make sure you find a vet who treats pigs, not just dogs and cats, has had experience with pigs and enjoys it. It's a good idea to find one while your pig is perfectly healthy, so you are not frantically flipping through the phone book or clicking through your computer at 3 AM on a rainy morning. Here is a list of vets, mostly in the Washington, DC area, some of whom I have had experience with, others who come recommended to me.
Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates -- Both my pigs were fixed there. With Pippin/Thunder, everything went beautifully. Lightning had some complications, however, the staff was very nice.
Collins Memorial Hospital for Animals -- All my pigs have been patients there and boarded there
Del Ray Animal Hospital -- Thunder has been a patient there
Eastern Exotics -- Two of my pigs have been patients there, Lightning was boarded there. Dr. Leonard Rice, in the same building, went to my high school, but don't hold that against him.
Dr. Lee Morgan at Georgetown University
Great Falls Veterinary Hospital
Kentlands Veterinary Hospital
Tackett's Mill Animal Hospital -- no web address, call 703-494-8293
Dr. Hannah Siemering
Stahl Exotics -- Dr. Stahl's partner, David Crum, saved Lightning's life
Vetfinder -- Nationwide!
JANE DOE'S FRIENDS
Believe it or not I have friends, but none of them submitted their pet pages, so these will have to do:
Noah, the Sea-going Guinea Pig
The Piggy Page
Robyn’s Guinea Pig Page
The Seaside Piggies
Treen’s Pigs
janedoe@cutemail.com
