Become a member
of the ACS message boards! Our message boards are a wonderful place to
meet fellow guinea pig enthusiasts from around Australia. At the message
boards you will find lots of guinea pig photos and information! The
message boards are moderated by ACS shelter managers and founder and many
of our volunteers are also members on the boards. Have a guinea pig
related question? This is the place to find your answer! Forum content is
appropriate for all ages.
If you
love guinea pigs, love having loads of family fun, support animal
awareness or adopted through an ACS Shelter then put this not to
miss event in your diary! The only event in Australia where guinea
pigs rule! Within the next month the event website will be updated
with this years stallholders, fun activities and other event
information.
ACS Case
Stories - July 2009 - Two mass backyard breeding surrenders
(Click to view
full screen)
ACS
Featured News
Paws and
Claws Awards 2009 - VOTE FOR ACS! VOTING HAS BEGUN!
HURRY VOTING ENDS SOON! The
Paws and Claws Awards 2009 have begun! The Australian Cavy
Sanctuary has been nominated for ' BEST ANIMAL RELATED
CLUB/ASSOCIATION' and ACS and Brisbane Shelter Manager 'Jessica'
has been nominated for 'BIGGEST HEART' The awards pay tribute to people
in the animal industry that help to make a difference to the lives
of animals. Vote now if you think ACS deserve to be
acknowledged for all our ongoing hard work. Every vote counts!
Email friends and family and help support the cause.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE
THE CAVY
CHEF CHALLENGE 2009! ENTER YOUR DISH NOW!
The Cavy
Chef Challenge has been inspired by the wonderful reality T.V Show
MasterChef. Since guinea pigs naturally eat raw foods only ACS has
decided to put all guinea pig lovers to the test! A test of
knowledge, skill, artistic flare and passion it is time for guinea
pig lovers across Australia to take the foods their guinea pigs love
and enjoy and to plate them like you've never seen before!
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE
CAVY CHEF CHALLENGE WEBSITE! ENTRIES CLOSE 1ST OCT 2009.
ACS
BRISBANE SHELTER - SECOND HAND AND NEW CAGES FOR SALE!
ACS
Brisbane Shelter is currently undergoing 'maintenance' and seems to
be collecting unneeded cages. As a result we currently have around
10 lovely almost new cages available at bargain prices. Need gone
ASAP! CLICK HERE to view
what we have available!
Coccidiosis and Diarrhea in Guinea Pigs
With a
noticable increase in outbreaks of Coccidiosis in guinea pigs in
Australia, ACS have written a section on the website with detailed
information on Coccidiosis and Diarrhea in guinea pigs. Outbreaks
have recently been confirmed in QLD in many areas of Brisbane and
places that members of the public purchase their guinea pigs.
Several Brisbane Pet shops have been confirmed as stocking guinea
pigs with Coccidiosis. ACS Volunteers have
discovered this by purchasing noticably unwell guinea pigs from
some stores and having them tested for the disease.
CLICK HERE to read this
new section of the website.
THE
LETHAL GENE - The white ones that are deliberately bred to die.
Microphthalmia better known as the 'lethal gene' in guinea pig
breeding is cruel occurance thjat can happen in the breeding of
guinea pigs and yet it is also completely avoidable. It is estimated
that approximately 25% of guinea pigs born from the breeding of two
'roan' guinea pigs will result in a lethal baby.
Click here to read full
article.
ACS
Special Day Out - St Martin's Nursing Home
ACS
was recently invited to a special day out. A visit to St Martin's
Nursing Home for 'Pat-a-Pet' day.
Epidemic reports
of Guinea Pigs dying from Heatstroke
With
temperatures already rising ACS Shelters have had record numbers of calls
from members of the public who have lost their guinea pigs from heatstroke
this summer. We are strongly advising anyone who has guinea pigs to please
use cooling methods for your guinea pigs during the summer months or your
guinea pigs will suffer and possibly die. From the calls we have received
guinea pigs were only left in outdoor cages for short periods of time in
the heat of the day ( up to an hour ) and this was enough to kill them. We
recommend that if the temperature rises to anything over 32 degrees that
you bring your guinea pigs indoors/undercover to a cool area. Place them
in a shaded area with cooling options available to them such as
frozen water bottles to lie on/lick, bricks placed in the cage, watery
veggies ( e.g. watermelon ). Always make sure that your guinea pigs have
access to cool water at all times. If the cage is in the sun naturally the
guinea pigs water bottle will heat up and the guinea pigs will not be able
to drink the water. If you wouldn't be outside during hot weather then the
guinea pigs shouldn't be either for the same reasons. We advise people to
please take this heat warning seriously. It only takes once for you to
lose your pet.
For further information on summer cooling please see the following weblink:
HEAT/COLD MANAGEMENT
ACS Archived Articles/News of Interest
Come
and Join 'The Cavy Den'. A special new place where all those who
have opted to adopt either through ACS or similar can share photos,
stories and adopted updates of their guinea pigs.