Brisbane Southside Guinea Pig Sanctuary

Home
Australia
Brisbane, QLD
Brisbane Southside Guinea Pig Sanctuary

GP rescue specialising in complex care & education. Focus on rehabilitation, rehoming + research. 🐹
(2)

03/09/2024

Friendly reminder that we’ll be open this afternoon from 4pm - 6pm for hay and other purchases! 🌾

There’s still a couple of grooming spots left too, be sure to book in for those if your piggies are in need of a nail trim, summer shave, etc. ✂️

If later today doesn’t suit, we’ll also be open from 10am - 2pm on Sunday.

Thanks everyone! 🐹❤️

03/09/2024

henlo, da Sush here. pls remember to hydrate, don’t let this reprieve of cooler weather trick ya! i’m told drinkin’ da water makes u pretty, so I drinks lots. see? i’m so pretty.
- Sushi 🍣 🤍

02/09/2024

Why eat your lettuce when you can use it as a cool bed? Iris is the queen of comfort 👑

We’re doing all we can to get the funds together to install an aircon as soon as possible! At this stage, we’re only $496 short of our $1000 goal. We’re just over halfway there!! If you’re able to help, even with just a dollar or two, it is incredibly appreciated. Every bit adds up!! ❤️

Bank transfer - BSGPS
BSB: 484 799
Account Number: 120238066

PayPal - [email protected]

Thank you to everyone who has helped us recently, words can’t express how grateful we are 🐹❤️

01/09/2024

Opening hours for this wheek! 🐹 (2nd - 6th)

We’re pivoting away from the fortnightly open days to more (somewhat short to begin with) store like opening hours!

Monday - Tuesday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Wednesday - 4pm to 6pm
- Please book in for grooming
- Walk-ins welcome for hay and other product purchases

Thursday - Saturday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Sunday - 10am to 2pm
- Please book in for grooming
- Walk-ins welcome for hay and other product purchases

Order hay and other items online here: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/

Book Grooming/Health Checks here: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/s/appointments

Apply to adopt here: https://airtable.com/appIYfjI3ycoinRMe/shrZBoX9G0iEBIVrg

Have a great wheek ❤️

31/08/2024

How Rosalie and her tiny teddies plan on spending their Sunday 🥰

If there’s anyone that’s low on hay, I’ll be around from 1pm - 4pm if you’d like to swing by and pick some up! It won’t be a full open day set up, but it’s a good chance to grab some bits and bobs. 🌾

30/08/2024

Ozzy was rather offended by his nail trim! Bravery lettuce lessened the grudge 😁🥬

We’ve got a few grooming spots still available for tomorrow afternoon, so be sure to book if you’re piggies are in need of a pamper! 🐹

https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/s/appointments

30/08/2024

*gives Mary fennel*
Mary: what is this poison?!? I need to speak to the manager 😑

29/08/2024

Can you help us keep our piggies cool and safe this spring and summer (and for some reason winter too)? 🥵

We’re going full steam ahead to get an aircon installed! So now we’re in fundraising mode 😅

For the past few years, we’ve been scraping by with wonky portable units and a wild amount of freezer bricks to keep the ridiculously heat sensitive pigs cool in the QLD heat. It’s honestly been cooler these past few days to open everything up and blast fans, this won’t cut it for much longer.

The quote for the unit and installation has come to $1984. We had grand plans of putting funds aside for this, and we were almost there, but with a minimum of $3500 in vet bills approaching (see our post from this morning) we’re running a bit short.
If we raise $1500, we will be able to afford the aircon unit and get a start on some much needed procedures for the pigs.

If you’d like to help by sending a dollar or two our way, it would be much appreciated!

Bank transfer - BSGPS
BSB: 484 799
Account Number: 120238066

PayPal - [email protected]

We understand times are tough, so donating might not doable right now! Here are some other ways to help:

1. Order your piggy supplies through us! We’ve got a bunch of beautiful barley hay at the moment, plus pellets, toys, treats, bowls (new from Critter Prints!!) and more. Every order made within the next 7 days will also receive a free forage box! Feel free to order via our website or message us 🌾

2. Book your piggies in for grooming! We’ve still got plenty of spots available this Sunday and for early next week. You can book either by messaging us, or jumping onto our website 🛁

3. Use our code C11486842 when cashing in your Containers for Change 🌏

4. Order a cute custom T-shirts, tote bags, water bottles and more from GE Designs . All funds raised go right back to the rescue! 🛍️

It may sound silly, but an aircon would be an absolute lifesaver when it comes to keeping the pigs safe and comfortable in this brutal heat. It’s been on the to-do list for a while, but emergent vet and food bills have always taken priority. We’re finally in a spot where we may *just* be able to make it work. Any and all help is incredibly appreciated!! ❤️

29/08/2024

Yesterday’s site visit from the vet went well! Our satins like Earl and Celia are doing well, other pigs like Frannie and Harley needed med adjustments and there are 6 that are going to require more care in the way of procedures/diagnostics. 💚

The first, and most scary of the 6 is Aries. Upon palpation of his abdomen, Dr Liz discovered what feels like a fluid filled mass approx the size of a 20 cent coin. It doesn’t feel attached to his kidneys (which have been a concern previously), more so closer to the stomach. I’ll be ringing up the vet to book him in for an ultrasound and see what we can do from there. Otherwise he’s doing okay, he’s just a cute little retiree that keeps on keeping on.

The second is Parker, he’s due for another dental. Just a basic one! He’s been managing really well, happily sits around the 1.1kg mark but his teeth are becoming a bit longer now. It’s been 3 months since his last dental (the longest he’s gone between them!) so overall we’re pretty happy. There’s no obvious changes with the annoying upper right molar which is reassuring too. He’ll need his dental within the next 2 weeks. 🦷

Talking about dentals, the time has come for Edith’s first! We knew this was coming, her teeth have always been uneven and with her osteodystophy worsening, it was a matter of when, not if. Her lower left side is becoming more elongated and isn’t too far off causing wounds. She’ll need her dental within the next 3ish weeks.

The next piggy to require a procedure is Mary, she has had a very slow growing lump within the skin layer above her right shoulder for the past few months. Initial thoughts were that it was a sebaceous cyst but it’s feeling a bit different now, and another rather small lump has popped up on the inside of her hind left leg. The plan for her is to get samples from the lumps, and remove the the largest first (we will remove the smaller one too, timeline just depends on what testing says). She’s otherwise in good shape, so hopefully we can nip this in the bud!

Next is Coco, Mary’s buddy! Coco has cystic ovaries, a bit less than a cm on each side. She’s very uncomfortable which is great, but she’s got decent ni**le crusting and a rather open v***a. She’ll be heading in for a cystic spay once the more urgent piggy’s have had their ops.

Lastly is Pancake 🥞 He’s one of our bad-kidney pigs. He’s been more uncomfortable recently and on palpation, his left kidney is showing further changes. As a result, we’ve upped his meds and are going to get him in for an ultrasound and bloods to reassess where we’re at. Otherwise he’s doing quite well, his osteodystophy is also seeming pretty stable which is a big win!

In short, we have a lot to do! We’re looking at staggering the vet care in order of urgency to make it more manageable as on top of this we’re getting an aircon unit installed on Wednesday! I’ll be popping up a fundraising post this evening to help out with that so please keep your eyes peeled! We’re in for a big few weeks 😬😅

27/08/2024

Good morning everyone! We were wondering if anyone has any recommendations of a good local aircon installation business? ❄️

With the heat already kicking in, we’re a bit worried our portable unit won’t do the job, especially since we had some trouble with it over last summer. 🥵 So we’re looking at getting a wall unit installed!

Any recommendations would be much appreciated!

26/08/2024

Our vet is doing a house call tomorrow to help us get a bunch of consults and revisits done in one hit! It’s a pretty costly process but well worth it for the money and time it saves in the long run 🏃

The plan is to get as many pigs looked at as possible within the time allocated, here’s a rough list!
Rechecks - Parker, Dora, Sprout, Timothy, Pancake, Edith, Harley, Aries, Berndadette and Iris.
Consults - Frannie, Earl, Mary, Coco, Bleasby, Nova, Shrub, Vegetable, Soup and Celia.
*20 is a bit of an ambitious number, but we’ll do as many as we can

Our last site visit came in at $950, we’re expecting it to be a bit pricer this time due to additional pigs and general cost increases. It sounds expensive, but considering the cost of taking 1 pig in for a consult at a time, it’s really good value for money!
At this stage, we’re approx $400 short. If anyone has a few much appreciated pennies to throw at us to cover this, here are our details: 🤞🏼💚

Bank transfer - BSGPS
BSB: 484 799
Account Number: 120238066

PayPal - [email protected]

There are also other ways to support us! Here’s a list:

1. Ordering hay, toys and other essentials from our online shop! https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/ 🌾

2. Ordering a cute new custom tee or tote from GE Designs , all funds raised go right back to the rescue!

3. Use our code C11486842 when cashing in your Containers for Change 🌏

4. Get your piggies pampered with us! https://book.squareup.com/appointments/xgk5787u17i8dh/location/LQ6EH4BA6EWE4?buttonTextColor=000000&color=c1d4bc&locale=en&referrer=so

5. Sponsor a piggy for $5 a week! We’ve got plenty who are in need of a sponsor family such as Iggy, Rosalie, Iris, Clara, Bleasby and more!!

Every bit really does add up when it comes to covering the cost of caring for the furry potatoes 🥔
Any and all help is much appreciated!! ❤️

26/08/2024

A bit of an update of the general happenings of the rescue at the moment ❤️

If you’ve been following us along, you’d know that we’ve been inundated with medical cases over the past couple of months and it’s thrown us for a bit of a loop! As a result, we are closed to surrenders as well as new additions to our waitlist. There’s simply no space, time or extra resources. We’re holding on by a thread in all honesty.

At the moment, there’s 51 pigs on site (not including boarders) and an additional 19 in foster care. Out of all of those, only 8 are currently adoptable! Another 24 are awaiting rehabilitation/surgeries to become adoptable - these include things like castrates, benign lump removals, cystic o***y spays, pregnancy watch, etc. Then, a whopping 38 guinea pigs are classed as sanctuary pigs that can’t be adopted out due to medical reasons such as kidney disease, Osteodystrophy, dental disease, severe musculoskeletal conditions, eye conditions, advanced arthritis, chronic pododermatitis… the list goes on. All of these require ongoing vet management. At the moment, we’re at the vet a minimum of 3 times a week whether it be for consults, med reviews, procedures, etc. Our vet is even doing a house call for us this Wednesday so we can get on top of it all (fundraising post for this to come)! Care is taking up so much time and there’s very little left for anything else - it’s a lot.

Something that’s also becoming increasingly difficult is the ‘people-ing’ side of rescue - it’s honestly the hardest part. The wide majority of people are fabulous! They’re kind, they’re patient and they’re ridiculously in love with their pigs. There’s so many people that I’ve met through rescue that are now genuine friends ❤️. But, there is a growing portion of people who are not kind, don’t respect boundaries or people who ask for advice, however, because it wasn’t advice they wanted to hear (aka, go to the vet) they become hostile or flat out admit to neglect and/or abuse of their animals. I’m never ever going to discourage a person for reaching out for advice, but please be mindful that we don’t recommend things for fun. We recommend them for the wellbeing of your animal, and that should be first and foremost. We were even recently contacted by a breeder only for them to say that they’ve never needed a vet in 25+ years and that we’re irresponsible for getting necessary procedures on our animals.

Quick sidebar : 1) not ever taking your animal to the vet isn’t the flex that you think it is and 2) accusing vets of taking us for a ride and ‘stealing’ is not only woefully incorrect, but incredibly harmful.

On top of this, we’re also struggling quite a lot financially due to the increased amount of food, woodshavings and vet care we’re having to seek with the increased number of animals in care.

Basically, everything is draining and honestly quite soul destroying at the moment 🫠
As a result, we’ve been toying with a few ideas that *might* make things easier:
- Decreasing the frequency of open days (not a smart idea financially, but burnout isn’t either)
- Having set opening hours, similar to a store rather than fortnightly open days. This would look like a few hours on a Wednesday afternoon/evening and a few hours on a Saturday or a Sunday each week where people are welcome to visit for supplies (no appointment required) and grooming. There’d be less set-up and shorter days while also ensuring the needs of the community and the pigs in care are met.
- Keep open days as they are, but reduce mid-week ‘by appointment’ times
- Permanently close our waitlist, direct all non-emergent surrender requests to our Community Rehoming Platform
- Recruit some volunteers for scheduled help with errands that like to suck up the most of our time such as veggie, hay and woodshaving runs
If anyone has any thoughts, preferences or other ideas, please let us know!

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read my word vomit 😅 I don’t like being very negative on social media, I don’t think it does anyone any favours. But I think a honest check in every once in a while is needed. ❤️

25/08/2024

Opening hours for this wheek! 🐹 (26th - 1st)

Monday - Wednesday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Thursday - BY APPOINTMENT Grooming and Health Checks (9am - 1pm)

Friday - BY APPOINTMENT Grooming and Health Checks (9am - 1pm)

Saturday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Sunday - BY APPOINTMENT Grooming and Health Checks (12pm - 4pm)

Order hay here: https://forms.gle/fnPWdJqFECiNDpoq8

Shop our online store: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/

Book Grooming/Health Checks here: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/s/appointments

Apply to adopt here: https://airtable.com/appIYfjI3ycoinRMe/shrZBoX9G0iEBIVrg

Have a great wheek ❤️

22/08/2024

We’re very sorry! Due to unforeseen circumstances, this Sunday’s Open Day (25th of August) is cancelled.

If you’re in need of any hay, pellets, or other supplies please order via our website or message us and we will get it sorted for you!

Thank you for understanding 💚

21/08/2024

Iris had her ophthalmology appointment this afternoon, here’s the rundown! 👀

At this stage, it’s looking like bilateral retinal detachment (retinas have collapsed in both eyes) and unfortunately there’s not a lot we can do. There’s no chance of her regaining her sight, so it’s just a matter of monitoring the pressure in her eyes and general progression of the condition and remove the eyes if problems escalate. We don’t know why her retinas have done this, it could stem from either congenital or neurological conditions. It’s very hard to tell. There is the option of going ahead with an MRI to investigate, but we simply don’t have the $3500+ to do so.

For the moment, she’s okay. Keeping her that way is our top priority. She’s on pain relief that we’ll adjust to suit for long term use and we’ll continue to monitor her eyes, weight (she’s quite small for her age) and other symptoms closey. Our ophthalmologist is going to do a bit more research for us to see if there’s anything else we should be addressing too.

This definitely isn’t ideal, but considering everything she’s doing well and we’ll continue to make sure that she stays on the right track. ❤️

21/08/2024

The most adorable little hair clips that’ll be available at our Open Day this Sunday 😍
Thank you Critter Prints!!

20/08/2024

To boost fundraising efforts, we’re now selling guinea pig merch!! Which is perfect timing since we’ve managed to snag a cancellation appointment with the ophthalmologist for Iris tomorrow afternoon!

Tote bags are $10 each (available in black and white)
T-shirts are $25 each (available in kids 1-14 and adult XS-3XL, in the colours black, white and grey)

Text and text colour is fully customisable! The two prints we have made up so far are ‘People? No. Guinea pigs? Yes.’ and ‘Ask me about my guinea pigs’. If you’d like something different, no worries! Just let me know and I can whip it up for you 😁 (doesn’t have to be piggy themed!)

Text colour wise, we currently have white, holographic, silver glitter, pink, purple, blue, green, yellow and red with more on the way.

So, would anyone like to buy a tote bag or t-shirt to help cover Iris’s initial $260 consult fee + diagnostics and treatments? Message to order!

19/08/2024

Updates on Iggy, Iris & Bernadette ❤️

First up, the simplest of the three, Iggy. She hasn’t improved as much we’d like, but she hasn’t worsened. Her ankles and elbows have pretty bad range of motion but she’s still getting around really well. She’s unstoppable when it comes to zooming and popcorning through a fresh hay pile 😅 For the moment, meds are doing the trick and that’s just about the best we could ask for!

Next, Iris 🩶 In good news, her head tilt is much improved. In bad news, her eye is showing zero signs of improvement (more so worsening) and now her other eye is beginning to show symptoms. Since the glaucoma specific eye drops haven’t helped, our next step is to get her seen by a specialty veterinary ophthalmologist. There is some kind of growth, blood and fluid building up in her eye, so this is a necessary step. I’m quite worried, this is very uncommon to see in a guinea pig but hopefully we can come up with some kind of achievable treatment plan. 🤞🏼

Lastly for today, Bernadette! She had an ultrasound as we’ve been quite worried about her kidneys, with bloody urine on Saturday raising more red flags. Kidneys wise, they are both abnormal and show possible signs of renal cysts. This looks like it’s been an ongoing issue (damage done over years, typical with satins). The ultrasound also showed that the lining of her bladder is not doing well, this likely explains the bloody urine episode from the weekend. Her urine test came back clear today, but we’re keeping an eye out for any more blood. If/when it occurs again, she’ll be off to the vets to have a scope under anaesthesia to see 1) what the problem is and 2) if it requires intervention through the way of a flush, or full blown surgery. For the moment, Bernadette is responding very well to medication. She’s become quite a complex case and we’ll be working closely with our vet to keep on top of her urinary issues and quality of life. ❤️

Currently, I’m pretty confident with Iggy but very concerned about Iris and Bernadette. And a lot of other pigs in care too. It’s quite intense at the moment. Please keep our little ones in your thoughts. Financially, we’re stretched quite thin, which is another added stress. We’re holding our next Open Day this Sunday the 25th from 9:30am - 3pm, so please do pop by and support us if you can!
That’s all from me tonight, will be sure to keep the updates coming 🩷

18/08/2024

Opening hours for this wheek! 🐹 (19th - 25th)

Monday - Tuesday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Wednesday - BY APPOINTMENT Grooming and Health Checks (12pm - 4pm)

Thursday - Saturday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Sunday (25th) - CANCELLED OPEN DAY - contactless pick ups only.

Order hay here: https://forms.gle/fnPWdJqFECiNDpoq8

Book Grooming/Health Checks here: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/s/appointments

Apply to adopt here: https://airtable.com/appIYfjI3ycoinRMe/shrZBoX9G0iEBIVrg

Look forward to seeing everyone at our Open Day on Sunday! Have a great wheek ❤️

17/08/2024

Happy Sunday from Dawn & family ❤️

Rosalie is doing incredibly well with her little cherubs! They’re all now gaining weight (Dawn was a little slow, but is now catching up) and Dawn & Ivy’s eye procedures did the trick!

The babies are becoming much easier to tell apart! The first two photos are of Dawn, she’s the littlest and has a tiny white toe. Then of course there’s Ivy, the biggest, with a long head and fully white ‘sock’ aka, paw. Lastly is Midge, she has no white socks, just a lighter back paw. She’s also the loudest of the bunch!

17/08/2024

Spooning in the hide 🥰

Harley and Betty do have two hides, but they must always cuddle up together and it’s too freaking cute!!

16/08/2024

Bernadette is not the happiest pig at the moment. Now that her stubborn abscesses are finally in the past, we’ve picked up on some kidney issues (not only was her neck painful, but her kidneys too). 😢

Her left kidney is enlarged but thankfully blood tests have come back okay. So the functioning isn’t too bad! She’s in for an ultrasound on Monday (while Iggy and Iris are in for their revisits) to see if there are any renal cysts or other red flags present. Being a satin, kidney issues are to be expected but we’re hoping it’s nothing too severe. 🤞🏼

It’s been a hectic week or so, we’re a bit behind on updates! Edith, Cliff, Iggy, Iris, Dawn, etc have all been to the vet recently - it’s all been happening.
All of the recent vet runs have drained our funds and we’re running a bit short on our overdue pellet bill 😬. We’re hoping to raise $230 to bridge the gap! If you’re in need of hay, pellets or any other goodies for your pigs feel free to message us or order via our website! Or, here are our details if you have $5 or so to spare to help feed the piglets! Any and all help is much appreciated! ❤️

Bank transfer - BSGPS
BSB: 484 799
Account Number: 120238066

PayPal - [email protected]

We hope that everyone has had a wonderful week! 😁

14/08/2024

Some FAQ’s about des*xing! ✂️🩷💙

1. Does it change behaviour?
It depends! For males, if they’re castrated before the 10ish month mark, it’s not uncommon to see a decrease in dominant/territorial behaviours. For females, not so much. The only time we tend to see behavioural changes post-des*xing is when cystic ovaries and hormonal aggression are involved. Cystic ovaries can be really uncomfortable and sometimes result in very cranky pigs - who can blame them?! So a spay procedure, removing the cysts and the cause of bother often makes for a happier piggy.

2. What are the benefits? 🤩
There are many! For males:
- reduces the need for boar cleaning
- lessens the chances of certain diseases (mammary tumours, testicular cancers, etc)
- allows for dominant males to have a female companion
For females:
- reduces/eliminates the risk of reproductive diseases such as cystic ovaries (which up to 76% of female pigs over the age of two will have), pyometra, etc.
- prevents pregnancy and allows for a male companion

3. Is it necessary?
This is very much a matter up for debate! If you want to house males and females together, yes. If you want to reduce risk of reproductive diseases, yes. Ultimately it’s the owners choice but it is highly recommended to do so if funds allow!

4. Is it safe? ✅
The most common rebuttal to recommending des*xing is that it’s unsafe and irresponsible to put a guinea pig through an elective anaesthetic. This could not be further from the case! If using a qualified exotics vet, the risks are minimal. For males, vets will often use a scrotal or abdominal approach (a tiny incision just above the ge****ls), these are common and safe! We personally prefer the abdominal approach as it’s a simple single incision and less prone to infection (risks are already rather low anyways). For females, the flank approach is considered the standard of care and the least invasive. Some vets still use the midline approach, but this puts a big strain on the pig’s GI tract and should be avoided if possible. In short, ensure you’re going to an experienced exotics vet and don’t be afraid to ask questions about the procedure if you’re worried!

5. What’s the aftercare like? 🤕
Normally, very simple! Pigs are normally sent home with a short course of pain relief, and sometimes antibiotics. They’ll be back to themselves very quickly! Keeping a clean cage is key to preventing a post-op infection and be sure to syringe feed if your piggy is slow to eat post anaesthetic (most times they will be back onto food within a few hours). Be sure to touch base with your vet if you have any concerns.

6. How much does it cost? 💲
This depends on the s*x of your guinea pig and which vet you see. Some general practice vets will offer castrates for $150 but anaesthetic and infection risks are known to be higher. At an exotic vet, you can expect to pay $400-600 for a castrate and $600+ (if cystic ovaries are present, price will increase) for a spay procedure. Yes, it’s not a cheap venture! But, exotics (yes, guinea pigs are classified as exotics!) do require specialist care so it’s important to be aware of what you’re getting into when welcoming piggies to your household.

In an ideal world, des*xing would be standard practice. We’d love to have every pig that comes through our doors des*xed, but alas required medical procedures always take priority of rescue funds. Nevertheless, I hope this answers some frequently asked questions about des*xing! 🐹

13/08/2024

Our magnificent Mia 🩷

12/08/2024

Opening hours for this wheek! 🐹 (12th - 18th)

Monday - Wednesday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Thursday - BY APPOINTMENT Grooming and Health Checks (9am - 1pm)

Friday - Sunday - *Prearranged contactless hay pick ups only*

Order hay here: https://forms.gle/fnPWdJqFECiNDpoq8

Shop our online store: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/

Book Grooming/Health Checks here: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/s/appointments

Apply to adopt here: https://airtable.com/appIYfjI3ycoinRMe/shrZBoX9G0iEBIVrg

Apologies there’s not a lot of grooming availability this week! Going through a busy period but will hopefully have more spots once things settle. Have a great wheek ❤️

11/08/2024

I said what I said 💅

I recently read an infuriating comment (read: unsolicited advice) on a friend's post about the vet care they'd chosen for their guinea pig.

The comment was to the tune of "I've been breeding guinea pigs for x years, and I've never taken my pigs to the vets."

1. That tells me you don't actually care for the pigs you're breeding from. How do you know they don't have any genetic problems passed down to their litters? How do you know they are reproductively healthy before you force them to have babies?

2. I have 20+ guinea pigs. There is not a month, sometimes a week, that goes by, without someone developing a problem (or needing a revisit for an existing problem) where I need vet advice. I am an exotics vet nurse, AND I STILL NEED VET ADVICE. Either you don't care that your pigs aren't healthy (see point 1), or you don't know (educate yourself), or worse still, you are treating at home with limited knowledge which is DANGEROUS.

Guinea pigs should have at LEAST a once a year health check with a vet. It is not a money-making scheme from the vets; we actually CARE about our patients' health, and we love proactive treatment because it improves quality of life.

Bragging about not going to the vet with your pets is not the flex you think it is.

10/08/2024

We’re set up and ready to go! Open until 3pm today, pop by and say hello 👋🏼

📍Located in Runcorn, please message for address

10/08/2024

First vet trip today for Rosalie and her lil cherubs! 🤎

We knew Ivy needed treatment for entropion, but overnight Dawn’s eyelids started becoming problematic too! So this evening both girls had a few stitches placed to help hold their eyelids in the correct position and prevent further trauma. Thank you very very very much to Dr Liz and Nurse Lana for staying back late and helping our little ones! The piggies and I very much appreciate it ❤️

Both girls are doing brilliantly post anaesthetic, and Rosalie and Midge are doing just fine too 🥰 Ivy and Dawn will be on 4x daily eye drops for a 5-7 days and we’ll get them back to the vet for a revisit to make sure all is healing well.

Entropion is annoyingly common in textured-coated bubs but we’re thrilled to have been able to get this nipped in the bud so quickly and have the girls on the road to healthy and happy development!

On a sadder note, Georgia, one of the other pregnant ladies that came in with Rosalie gave birth to a stillborn baby this evening. Georgia is okay at the moment but does seem to have something firm in her abdomen (X-rays have confirmed it’s not another baby). Lucky for her, she’s on foster with Nurse Lana so she’ll be closely monitored and if needed, she’ll be getting an ultrasound tomorrow. Fingers crossed all is well 🤞🏼

Address

Runcorn
Brisbane, QLD

Website

http://bsgps.org.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Brisbane Southside Guinea Pig Sanctuary posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Brisbane Southside Guinea Pig Sanctuary:

Videos

Why eat your lettuce when you can use it as a cool bed? Iris is the queen of comfort 👑 We’re doing all we can to get the funds together to install an aircon as soon as possible! At this stage, we’re only $496 short of our $1000 goal. We’re just over halfway there!! If you’re able to help, even with just a dollar or two, it is incredibly appreciated. Every bit adds up!! ❤️ Bank transfer - BSGPS BSB: 484 799 Account Number: 120238066 PayPal - [email protected] Thank you to everyone who has helped us recently, words can’t express how grateful we are 🐹❤️

Here’s a recording of the interview from today 🐹 Thank you very much to Kat Feeney and her team at ABC Brisbane for having me! Educating and generating awareness are integral parts of what we do, it was wonderful chatting all things pigs ❤️

Harley and Betty are thoroughly enjoying their orchard hay sandwich! 🥪 🌾 We’ll have these for sale at tomorrow’s open day for $4 each plus other toys, regular & jumbo bags of Rhodes hay, Cavy Origins & Oxbow Pellets, and more! See everyone tomorrow between 10am and 3pm! 🩷

Quick update on Yogurt 🤍 Good news is that the additional meds have perked her up…woohoo!! She’s now attempting to eat independently but is still struggling pretty greatly (as seen in the video). She’s been more interested in critical care feeds today which is also reassuring. Very hopeful that she keeps making baby steps, and that the dental on Tuesday leaves us in a good spot 🤞🏼

Today was amazing! Thank you to everyone who came by to support us!! ❤️ Not only do we now have much needed storage space, but Penny’s procedure is also completely covered with a little to spare - we’re thrilled. A huge thank you to Lana and her partner Dino from Furry Little Beast for helping us out on the grooming front. It not only lightened our load but also raised some much needed funds. If you’re out Ipswich way, Lana and Dino also do pet sitting and piggy boarding! Be sure to reach out to them via D&L Pet Sitting - Ipswich. Also, a shoutout to Rudy’s Rodent Refuge! Hayley and Max came armed with some glorious homemade treats, apple sticks, Oaten hay, second hand items and more. It was a pleasure to share the day with you! Again, thank you for all of the support today. I really do love the little community we have built 🐹 Enjoy a quick video of Lucille & Norma enjoying their forage bon bon and mini Timothy cup! 😁

“I can smell the treats but why can’t I see them?” - ‘The Clouds’ aka Clara & Cora ☁️

Happy Friday 🍉

We’ve decided to close up for the week - I’m needing a bit of time to get back on top of pig-jobs and for rest. We’ll still be doing contactless pick ups, but please note that orders might take a few days to be prepared. We’ll be sure to post next week’s opening hours on Sunday and will organise our next open day soon. Thanks everyone ❤️

Our next open day is on TOMORROW! We’ll be open from 9am till 4pm as usual and can’t wait to see everyone there 🥰 Located in Runcorn (message for address!) Taking both card & cash payments. Product wise, we’re going to have the following for sale: Rhodes grassy hay - Jumbo bag, $15 & Regular bag, $6 Pig Mix - $1 per 100g Hysorb Woodshavings - $26 a bale Pre-loved Fleece/Vetbed/Toggle Mats - prices starting at $5 + ‘pay what you can’ 2nd hand piggy supplies such as hides, toys, bowls and more. We also have a couple grooming slots still available! Feel free to book in here: https://brisbane-southside-guinea-pig-sanctuary.square.site/s/appointments We’ve been at the vet A LOT lately, this combined with upcoming pig surgeries, hay bills, pellet bills, etc is putting quite a stress on our account. So if you can, please pop by to support us! Our open days are our biggest source of fundraising, every dollar counts ❤️

Friendly reminder that just because your guinea pig is eating, doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to be well! His bottom molars are significantly overgrown and in much need of a dental. It’s genuinely amazing he’s eating at all. Pigs are prey animals, they are AMAZING at hiding illness - regular vet check ups plus awareness of your piggy’s normal behaviour and appetite are key. ❤️

I believe I’m finally all caught up on booking requests, emails, messages, the works! So if you’re waiting on a reply from us, you should have one by now. If not, flick me a message as technology is not my friend and your message may have been lost in the abyss 😅 Apologies for my slightly crabby post earlier today! Our workload has been quite high over the past few weeks with vet trips, wound cleaning, med giving, syringe feeding, the list goes on. Taking on 5 more piggies that were unbeknownst to us was rather stressful. Nevertheless, thanks for sticking with us and here’s to hoping we can get some pigs out into homes! We have a couple pairs listed on our Pet Rescue page, but will be updating it tomorrow with more piglets in need of their forever homes. I’ll pop a link to our adoption info in the comments and post tomorrow once everything is updated 😊 Enjoy this video of 3 of the 5 piggies surrendered today ❤️ Grace x

Award for easiest pig to syringe feed goes to … 🏆 Parker 🏆 Him and Chestnut have both recovered really well from their dentals, couldn’t be happier with them! We’re off to the vet this arvo with Lance for his 3 day post-op revisit. He’s had a bit of bleeding at his surgery site overnight and I’m a little bit worried about swelling - so the visit is good timing. Otherwise he’s a completely different pig to when he arrived. His appetite is great, he’ll tolerate a cuddle and medication. Baby steps! Will let everyone know how he goes this evening 💙

We paired Aries and Chestnut today, safe to say it’s going really well! Aries is enjoying a cuddle buddy and Chestnut seems thrilled with his new friend. ❤️ Chestnut and Parker (another one of our dental pigs) will be going in for dentals on Tuesday. Chestnut’s lower cheek teeth are partially entrapping his tongue and Parker’s lower right teeth in particular are quite out of whack with a very large spur growing. Both have been coping well with their shonky teeth but we’re very much looking forward to Tuesday to get everything back in working order…until 4-6 weeks time when they need their next dental 😅 Joys of dental disease 🥲 During Parker’s groom today I noticed a small pea-ish sized lump on his rump. It’s looking like a cyst to me, but we’ll get Dr Stef to have a quick squiz and see what she thinks. We should have enough funds in the account to cover the dentals but this will put us in a tough spot for a much needed pellet order plus hay and med supply restock. So, if you’re needing hay, pig mix or grooming - let us know! Regular bookings/orders are being a huge help in reducing money stress. Donations are also super duper appreciated - we’ve had some incredibly generous supporters late and it’s helped keep our head above water ❤️ Bank transfer - BSGPS BSB: 484 799 Account Number: 120238066 PayPal - [email protected] Grooming & Health Check Booking link - https://forms.gle/SBhtHRF2XpoFi4My6 (We’re available for grooming most days! Offering midweek appointments and for our next open day, Saturday the 19th) Hay Request link - https://forms.gle/fnPWdJqFECiNDpoq8 (Contactless pick ups available most days) Thanks for taking to time to read - will keep everyone updated throughout the wheek! Grace x

Today was wonderful! So many friendly faces, laughs and cuddly pigs. ❤️ It was such a feel-good day! Money raised today has allowed us to book Chestnut in for his next dental (yay!). We’re incredibly grateful! See you all on Saturday the 19th to do it all again 😊

Polishing off some broccoli! Melba loves her mini trees 🥦 A friendly reminder that we’re open from 9am till 4pm tomorrow. Message us if you need our address! There’s still plenty of grooming spots up for grabs (send a booking request here: https://forms.gle/MJ6tFWczLqQ6HX668) We’re getting all stock ready today! There’s going to be plenty of hay, pig mix, veggies for your pigs, preloved cage liners/vetbed, kits, etc. 📍Located In Runcorn 💸 Accepting card, cash and bank transfer See everyone tomorrow ❤️

About 6 weeks ago, we took on a young girl who was suspected to be pregnant who was at high risk of being sold to a breeder. We were closed to surrenders but it was a very complicated situation and the owner needed help. Last night she gave birth to 3 pups. 2/3 are doing wonderfully, but at 6:30 this morning we found this little one struggling so we started glucose, heat, and feeds. We’re off to the vet for an 8:30am emergency consult to hopefully get him in a better spot. Keep Jimmy in your thoughts ❤️ Consider this today’s episode of ‘Please Stop Breeding’ 💔