* Jacob has been adopted by fantastic people, and he’ll have other pigs to be friends with in his new home. Yay! *

Wilhelm and Jacob were brought into Hamilton Animal Services as strays. They spent some time at the shelter and were up for adoption, but when Wilhelm developed a large mass on his neck, the shelter had to remove them from their adoption program. When we were at the shelter picking up other animals, staff there showed us Wilhelm and Jacob. Staff explained that the cost to have Wilhelm’s mass treated was beyond their financial constraints as a municipal shelter, so they were looking for a rescue to take on the guinea pigs Despite not planning to rescue guinea pigs that day, we knew we had to get these two sweethearts out of the shelter and straight to the vet.

We had both pigs neutered, and Wilhelm’s mass was removed. Wilhelm then had a second surgery to remove abnormal teeth. He was doing really well the days after his dental surgery, and we were excited for him to recover and finally be able to eat without trouble and pain. But he then became quiet and didn’t want to eat. Despite medication, supplemental feeding, and advice from our vets, Wilhelm went downhill quickly, and he passed away during the night. We are devastated.
An autopsy showed that Wilhelm’s stomach had twisted, which is an unfortunate condition that guinea pigs can suffer from without warning.
Our hearts go out to Wilhelm’s foster family, and to Jacob, who has been very confused by his companion’s absence.
We thought the best thing for Jacob would be to make him available for adoption right away, in hopes he will find a forever home where there are other pigs he can be introduced to. Being herd animals, guinea pigs should not be alone. Jacob is neutered, so he can be paired with female guinea pigs.

Like most guinea pigs, Jacob is not interested in being picked up, and he will head straight for his hidey house if he is frightened. He is quite friendly though, and will allow petting if you’re slow and gentle. He’ll also very happily accept treats from your hand. He really likes Oxbow’s line of Simple Rewards treats, and Oxbow Vitamin C cookies. His favourite veggies are romaine lettuce, dandelion leaves, and peppers. He enjoys the time he spends exploring outside of his enclosure.

Wondering if guinea pigs are the right pet for you?
Check out the many informative videos by Skinnypigs1 for lots of pig education!

Guinea pigs need much more room than the typical pet store guinea pig cages offer. Here are some examples of appropriate cages pigs can live happily in, so that they have lots of room to move around and explore:
C & C Cages

Midwest Guinea Habitat (1 cage per pig)

Can’t adopt but want to help? Monetary donations are always needed, but donations of Oxbow Guinea Pig food, Oxbow “Natural Science” Vitamin C tablets, timothy hay, small animal chew toys, and fleece liners are very much appreciated!
Options for donating items:
🐾 Dundas Pet Valu – 86 Main Street, Dundas, Ontario. Purchase items in-store and leave in the donation bin.
🐾 Amazon Wish List – Purchase items and have them delivered directly to us!
* SUPPORT SMALL ONLINE BUSINESSES *
Order items from any of these Ontario based businesses, let them know your order is for Ladybird and they’ll send your donation to us!
🐇 TINY PAWS EMPORIUM
🐇 GREEN BUNNY STORE
🐇 ZOEY and LILO’s TOYBOX
🐇 MISCHIEF STITCHES
🐇 HOPPY’S HAY
🐇 KNEE DEEP FARMS
🐇 PROFESSOR FLOP’S BUNNY SHOP