Fostering Cookie the Guinea Pig

This is Cookie. Cookie is our little foster guinea pig. She was turned into our vets office when someone said that they found her. She was infested with fleas and mites. The vet's office had to shave all of her fur off in order to treat the mites.

Cookie had to have daily baths due to the conditions of her skin. She had a large gash on the her side where she had scratched herself so much.

Our vet was using coconut oil on her everyday to take care of her dry skin. She was scared until you picked her up and then she was as calm as could be. Once the vet had all the mites and fleas cured, it was time to find her somewhere to go. Ma had volunteered to take her in and continue with the coconut oil until her skin healed.

While we have had Cookie, we have socialized her, fed her high quality food and improved her health. She has been introduced to dogs, cats and another guy pig. Cinnamon and Cookie have to live in separate cages. Cinnamon is a male aka Big ole Boar but we call him a Big ole Buck (BOB for short) Ma calls him Casanova when he starts his sweet talk to get her attention.

Both piggies enjoy going out in the evening to nibble on some grass, run around and stretch their legs, and get fresh air. Cinnamon will wheek up a storm after dinner because he knows it is his outdoor time. Cinnamon has a area in the yard that he loves to play in. Cookie has a fenced area that she likes to lounge in. They both enjoy the 30-45 minutes they get outside.

 The first piggy we ever had was one named Miss Piggy. She was around 4 1/2 yrs old and was the pet of a child who lost interest in her a year before. She grew up in a cage that was large enough for a house a food bowl and a water bottle. Many would say it was a traveling cage. Miss Piggy never got any exercise. She was content to lay in your lap, she would just stay where ever you set her down. She didn't walk very well. Over a few months she learned how to walk and was quite a talker. She also loved to wear hats.

When someone turned Cinnamon into the Humane Society, ma called them and told them that she couldn't take on another guinea pig and asked them to find another foster. There was a pause on the other end of the phone which ma thought was strange. Come to find out, dad had already went to the humane society and got the little guinea pig and it was at our house. Ma was baby sitting her friends pets for a few days and wasn't home. Later that night dad called her and confessed what he did.

Ma agreed to keep the little piggy as a foster until a home could be found. Dad said he didn't think that would happen because Miss Piggy was in love with him. She was babying him, cleaning him, talking to him and they were cuddling together. So that meant that they were now foster failures to 2 guinea pigs! Ma couldn't separate Miss piggy from her baby. They were finally separated when Cinnamon hit maturity and didn't look at Miss Piggy as a mommy anymore.

Miss Piggy passed away after a couple of years. She was an estimated 6-7 yrs old. Cinnamon was lonely and sad that she was gone but with my help and the pawents help, we gave him extra attention and he wasn't alone for very long. We placed him in the room that everyone hung out in so he always seen us. He sure is a happy little pig.

Whenever I read guinea pig forums, blogs, websites it always says they are social animals and need 2 to be happy. I have to say that I don't really agree with this. They want someone who will talk with them, play with them and keep them entertained. Cinnamon loves to cuddle with me and watch tv as much as he loves to cuddle with ma and watch guinea pig videos on Youtube. He loves his outdoor time and he loves Molly Mew and Molly Mew loves him.

Back to Cookie now..... Cookie is a foster piggy. The other day ma posted her on Facebook and said she was available for her own home. Someone asked Ma why she just didn't keep her since it was obvious that she was happy here. Reason is, if ma keeps every foster that comes in the house, she will have to stop fostering. Then what happens if there is a guinea pig that needs an emergency foster and we have no room?

We would love to keep Cookie but since we have a male guinea pig, we don't need any oopsies and end up with more guinea pigs. Ma says she has read too many stories of piggies getting neutered and died shortly after. We are not ready to take this chance.

Fostering isn't easy when you know you have to let go. But knowing that you gave them the best chance and helped them see that the world is a not as scary as they thought it is, makes it easier.
Right now we are currently looking for a home for Cookie. She is approximately 5 months old. She loves to give kisses. She only eats hay,pellets and grass. We can't get her to eat any veggies like lettuce or carrots.
I will keep you up to date on her progress. Hopefully soon we will have a update. Cinnamon will still be a happy little boy because he has Molly Mew, Ma and me to continue to be his pals.

Have you ever fostered??