Gallery: Adorable guinea pigs looking for new homes

Published 12:00pm 21 October 2022

RSPCA Queensland is calling on all small pet lovers to adopt a new furry friend with 75 guinea pigs currently ready to find their forever homes.

A mass surrender of guinea pigs saw 150 animals come into the care of RSPCA, with many of the females being pregnant.

RSPCA Queensland Inspectors worked with an overwhelmed guinea pig owner who called on the RSPCA for help.

After working with the owner, RSPCA accepted the surrender of the guinea pigs.

RSPCA Queensland spokesperson Emma Lagoon said “we’ve never seen this many guinea pigs in our care all at once”.

“We hope with some extra awareness these cute pets can start finding their new families, as we do have more guinea pigs that will be available to adopt soon,” Emma said.

“As you can imagine, our shelter teams have had their work cut out for them with the extra animals to care for these past few weeks.

“We’ve had some lovely donations of fresh fruit, veg and pellets, which has helped.”

Many of the guinea pigs have been receiving treatment for medical conditions and the pregnant females placed into foster care.

If you own guinea pigs, it’s a timely reminder to ensure they’re housed with the same gender, or desexed.

Guinea pigs of different genders should be separated from 3-4 weeks of age to avoid unexpected litters, as females can fall pregnant again straight after giving birth.

There are currently guinea pigs up for adoption at most RSPCA locations across the state, including the RSPCA Animal Care Campus in Wacol, Brisbane and at Dakabin.

Click through the gallery below to see some of the adorable animals up for adoption.

Adoption prices

Guinea pigs over 1 year $40

Guinea pigs under 1 year $50

Two for $59

“Guinea pigs are social animals so it’s always best to adopt in pairs or more. Our adoption team can help you find guinea pigs that are best pals looking for homes together,” Emma said.