BUNS Newsletter - March 2016

Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month March is Adopt-a-Rescued-Guinea-Pig Month here at BUNS, so this month's newsletter is all about the pigs! Read on for info about our Guinea Pig Picnic, Petco Adoption Day, and a video of an unforgettable pig named Tilly. You can also find out about our upcoming Hoppy Hour, and read about the difference between domestic guinea pigs and wild cavies. You can also download a copy of our March Guinea Pig Event Flyer if you'd like to print one out to share. Read More       Get ready for a Pignic! What’s a Pignic? Pignics give your Guinea Pig a chance to play with other Guinea Pigs. Boars and sows will have their own pens for supervised play. If you'd like, you may bring your own set up for individual play, so your pig can see the others from their own pen. Mark your calendars for this Saturday, March 12 from 1:30 to 3:30. The Pignic will take place on the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per Guinea Pig and includes a health check. All animals must be healthy. Nail trims will be available for $5.00. Join our event page on Facebook for more info! Read More     Pizza for Pigs! Pizza Rev is hosting BUNS again! Join us Wed, March 16 at Pizza Rev in support of guinea pigs (and of course rabbits!) at BUNS. Click on the flyer to the right to print a copy, out or stop by BUNS for pre-printed flyer, or simply say "We're Here for BUNS" at the register to donate! Read More         Hoppy Hour! Not to be outdone by the guinea pigs, the bunnies insisted we hold a hoppy hour in March too! Join us on March 26, from 1:30-3:30pm. Bring your fuzzy friend and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your bunny play with others.  Hoppy Hour will take place on the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per rabbit. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. We'll be providing light refreshments for both you and your bunny, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Genius Guineas and Crafty Cavies At least 4500 years ago, people in South America began taming the wild cavy, which eventually became the domestic guinea pig. Due to its smaller brain size, the guinea pig has often been regarded by researchers as less intelligent than the cavy.  However, scientific studies have shown otherwise. While cavies are more likely to take risks when exploring a foreign environment, the domestic guinea pig has much stronger social instincts and a greater ability to solve man-made puzzles. Both are very intelligent-- in different ways. Read the whole article on our website: Are Domestic Piggies Smarter than Their Wild Cousins? Read More     Moving On Up - Make a Guinea Pig Condo Guinea Pigs love condo living! There are tons of reasons to think inside the cube when planning a home for your cavy companion. Cube and coroplast cages, called “C&C” cages for short, are an excellent living arrangement for piggies. Using snap-together shelving grids and a lightweight solid plastic liner, the possibilities for cavy castles are only limited by imagination.  For more about how to build your own Guinea Pig condo, read our article on bunssb.org Read More       Tilly, my most unforgettable Guinea Pig. By Jean Silva I did not know, the first day I met Tilly, how much I would cherish her memory for the rest of my life. Until Tilly, Guinea Pigs were cute little guys who said “week, week, week” at the crinkly sound of a plastic bag. After I met Tilly, meeting a new Guinea Pig was an opportunity to find new wonders in the world. Tilly was a little tan and white short haired guinea pig - just the kind you see in pet stores. Like all Guinea Pigs, Tilly came from a pet store too. She was given to my friend Michele for her 16th birthday and came wrapped in paper inside her cage. Michele tore off the paper because she was afraid the guinea pig would suffocate. That is how they met. Michele, a student at UCSB, was a volunteer at BUNS and I was giving her a ride. Tilly was a free range guinea pig and she walked over to see who I was. Oh, Michele said, in response to my question, “She toilets in her cuddle cup under an igloo. She likes the privacy.” Over the next few weeks I saw Tilly every time I picked up Michele. Tilly was amazing. She came to her name and gave kisses. Gradually Michele and Tilly showed me all their tricks. Tilly shook hands left and right, gave ten, sat up, jumped into Michele’s lap, spun in circles, and jumped through a hoop. Michele laughed, and said that Tilly learned tricks so fast that it was hard to think of new things to teach her. After that Tilly learned to fetch a bottle cap and to back up. “Not too far,” said Michelle, “she likes to be close to the food.” Tilly also had sleep overs with her human friends. I couldn’t resist asking Tilly to do her tricks for me and she would, but only if I showed her that I had a treat for after the show. “Wow,” I thought, “I just negotiated a work contract with a guinea pig. Who would have thought? What a smart pig.” Tilly and Michele taught me that time and attention could make a little tan and white guinea pig blossom into a great individual. I miss her to this day. You can find Tilly and Michele on YouTube at https://youtu.be/O6dBQeYpqts. You will love them too.  Read More