Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Wild West Guinea Pigs: Northumberland Zoo’s ‘Hog Springs’ Kicks Off Guinea Pig Awareness Week 2024!

Yee-haw! Saddle up and get ready for some adorable small animal action as Guinea Pig Awareness Week 2024 launches in true frontier style at Northumberland Zoo. The stars of the show? None other than a posse of rescued guinea pigs living it up in their very own Wild West town, Hog Springs!

Complete with tunnels to scurry through and little frontier hideouts, these furry adventurers are thriving in their custom-built home, which provides a perfect place to kick off the week-long celebration of all things guinea pig. As the days grow shorter and we swap outdoor barbecues for snuggly nights in, Guinea Pig Awareness Week is here to remind us that our small, squeaky companions need just as much attention—and a whole lot of care.

Now in its fourth year, Guinea Pig Awareness Week, which runs from 23rd to 29th September, highlights the five key welfare needs of guinea pigs, with this year’s theme: ‘nibble, nourish, thrive’. It’s all about giving our guineas the best lives possible, from their diet to their housing, and making sure they stay as healthy and happy as they are cute (which, let’s be honest, is pretty cute!).

To mark the launch, Burgess Pet Care delivered a six-month supply of their Excel Guinea Nuggets to the lucky residents of Hog Springs. Not only that, but the team at Burgess has rolled up their sleeves for a fundraiser, helping to provide shiny new flooring for the ever-expanding guinea pig playground.

Curator Lucy Edwards couldn’t be prouder of the team’s work on Hog Springs. “We’re delighted to host the launch of such an important week in the small animal calendar,” she beamed. “For Hog Springs to be recognised like this is fantastic, and it’s all thanks to the amazing team who worked so hard to create it. Our little frontier town is the perfect playground for the guineas—they’ve got plenty of tunnels to explore and all the hidey-holes they could dream of!”

This isn’t just any guinea pig enclosure—it’s a Wild West wonderland, with a theme inspired by the Bradley family’s time spent out in Kansas before they settled in Northumberland. It’s the kind of place any guinea pig would want to hang their hat!

The week is backed by some of the UK’s biggest animal welfare heavyweights—Blue Cross, Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, the RSPCA, and Woodgreen Pets Charity. Even the British Small Animal Veterinary Association has thrown its support behind the campaign.

Dr Suzanne Moyes, Burgess Pet Care’s in-house vet and deputy managing director, says Hog Springs is exactly what guinea pigs need. “This set-up is fabulous! The guinea pigs’ welfare is front and centre, and they’re really thriving in their second chance at life. Guinea Pig Awareness Week is crucial because, despite being one of the nation’s favourite pets, guinea pigs are still misunderstood. Many people don’t realise how important their diet is—without enough fibre, their teeth can overgrow, so feeding hay is essential to keep their teeth in tip-top shape.”

So, as we settle into autumn, let’s all take a leaf out of Hog Springs’ book and make sure our guinea pigs get the care they deserve. Whether they’re munching on hay or exploring their little hideaways, it’s their time to shine!

This is one showdown you won’t want to miss—Guinea Pig Awareness Week is here, and it’s bigger (and fluffier!) than ever!

Spread the love