17th December 2013

As expected the rabbit/cavy sale was quiet again today. With just the usual dealers entering stock and little of it selling.

I went back afterwards and spoke to the dealer, and came away with four young sows and one rather unhappy but sweet boar. One sow has bad fungal and I've taken a shine to her, one of those who looks at you and says "Help. Please!" The fungal on her eye is the smallest patch, hopefully it will improve soon.

The boy, well, I guess he's an alpaca type, or a cross. He stinks, has major hair loss over his shoulders and there is something about his eye...I'm hoping its just an infection rather than the eye being a problem. Very sweet though.

They're stopping here tonight as I'm going to my daughters dance presentation but they will be at Avalon tomorrow.

That's it for two weeks. I will enjoy the break and the lack of emotional rollercoaster!

The young boar with a poorly eye

Young sow with bad fungal infection. The patch of fungal infection around her eye can clearly be seen here

10th December 2013

From one extreme to another! I'm suffering (again!) so forgot my bidding card and notepad, but walked down anyway knowing I'd have to fork out for a replacement. I'm putting my forgetting it down to being ill rather than old and stupid.
I found the sales were round by the birds again, which had ended early, AND that they were about to start before 11am.... but a quick scan found just 15 pens and only 5 of those were pigs, all from a known dealer that has reserves on. So I let them be and went tat hunting. Might have overdosed on garden tools, anyone need any? Be prepared for Spring? Proceeds to Avalon!

When I returned 2 pens had sold, leaving one sow pen and two of boars. The two cute, older boars were being negotiated and were bought by an unknown buyer who looked decent, so that left two pens, 4 piggies. I haggled and bought these. The dealer knows me well and knows that I make no money from them, so she's happier letting them go for less. The two girls are about 10 weeks old, sweet enough but have mites and fungal. The boys are possibly a bit younger and again have fungal. Not a problem now, will soon be sorted.

Then another dealer pulled me aside, she's a very fair person and had a group of young boys she wanted me to have, hence not putting them through the auction. So all 12 came home with me! Such a change to see money taking second place to the best for the animals. These are rex/aby/smooth coated, variety of colours and in good condition. Homes required for them once they have been fully checked over so please help if you can. They are scared and submissive, and would bond easily with other boars. Try to give them a chance if you can, we don't ask you to take a group or all of them, but every little helps. It's my new motto.

One more week and then a fortnight off from the sales, although i'm looking forward to the break I'm also conscious some pigs will have longer to endure before we can have them.

Please, please, try and help rehoming those suitable so we can help those in desperate need.

3rd December 2013

 

Nightmare is the only way I can describe it today. For some reason the usual area is no longer suitable for the selling of furries, so the cages were stuck round by the caged bird and dead stock sale.  The crowd were in the way as they were bidding on the bird sale... and the pens were spread all over the place. I made a quick inventory and found 26 pens of pigs. The first ones were midway through so I might have popped along to the tat sale.... bought a few boxes and then wondered what the hell I was going to do with them as I was on my own. Doh!

Anyway, the first pigs through were what appears to be old breeding stock- big chunky sows that were in a bit of a mess but holding their weight, so must have been well looked after somewhere. I bought those that had no bids, and one that had a first bid only. They were mostly sows as I say but there was also a youngish boar. They are abys, texels and perus. Gorgeous. But smelly.

The next run was in a different block, and directly in front of the dead stock. Difficult for bidders on both sides  To my knowledge not one lot was sold. They were all in from dealers and had reserves on. I'd earmarked one I wanted as it had a mark on its side but I didn't bid at the time as I wanted to take a closer look and I knew I could talk to the seller afterwards. When that block had done everyone walked away, as they do. Then the auctioneer says he's got sheets for more, it turned out there were 9 more cages across the way and tagged onto the poultry lines. So there were three people watching.... I got half, a dealer got a couple and a decent looking family had two. These were mainly sows, nothing special but healthy enough.

I bought the marked baby from the dealer afterwards, and a couple of other babies. Also two from the 2nd dealer that looked in need of tlc. It's tough as I want to take them all back, but it's just not possible or advisable. 

26th November 2013

Got a different auctioneer again, I want the old one back!! I got conned on the first lot sold because I hadn't worked out his style, he's shouting 'a pound a pound...' so I said yes, and he points at me and says two pound....oi, bring back the 50p's!!

Anyway, back to the tale of yesterday.... I bought this chap, he's a semi adult boar, aby type. Very pretty and sane to handle. I also took lot 3 back with me, this time I made sure the man with the hammer took my bid as ONE pound...and no one else bid afterwards. He is a smooth coated semi adult boar, well marked and is now living with lot no. 1 at Avalon.

There was a run of rabbits, and then a dealer run. As we've said before we will buy from dealers only if the animals are in distress or worry us, all these were well and looked ok, I would love to have brought all the babies home with me, but sentiment won't help stop the production of replacements if I buy them. Two or three lots sold.

The next 'block' of piggies started with two aby type youngsters, about 4 months old at a guess. They are brindle in colour and healthy, cost £2 they are home with Shaz now.

But the next block were all mismarked 'kickouts' from a show breeder and I gave myself a sharp talking to about what I am doing buying these so I sat on my hands. I have a personal issue with this seller. 


Excess show stock MUST NOT be dumped through a low class market like this. The breeder should be asking the rescue to rehome and offering a donation, not expecting Avalon to buy them and save the cost of keeping them for the breeder. 


But perhaps some good has come from yesterday. All but 2 pens did not receive a bid, so the breeder was asked to pick them back up. I am persistent, and I found out who this breeder was, and I have my fingers crossed that no more will go into the market from now on, due to Shaz's hard work in finding a solution. Time will tell. I do still have unanswered questions about this breeder though, I am looking at the pen tag on my desk that says Boar 3 months/Sow 11 weeks. Breeding pair. Sold together (to Avalon thank God). Completely unacceptable. *sigh*
I then bought a black and white sow, in really good condition and carrying good weight, not apparently pregnant. I do wonder why this type arrive at the market, looks like a pet that's no longer wanted? Or an older barren sow?
All other pigs received bids, there were no obviously in pig sows, nor problems visible immediately. At the end of the sale I did buy 4 young boars from another dealer. Basically because I didn't want to see them being dropped into a box when removed from the pens.  And yes, I mean dropped. I paid £6 for the 4 of them. One was supposed to have been fighting with another and has cuts on him....err nope, it's fungal, several patches of it. Will disappear soon enough though.
So although the boss said she's bursting (cages not bladder) I filled more cages with boars. I feel so bad.
Not.
Anyone thinking about taking on a rescue pig....go now, there are some absolutely stunning ones in!
The photos are a reminder to you just how horrid it must be to be a guinea pig in an auction

November 19th, 2013

Ok, so I made it. Although I just can't shake this bug/virus thing. Luckily they have flushing loos onsite....too much information?

Anyway, there were around 20 pens of pigs in, loads of doubles. I wrote them down, and at 11.10 I headed round to put some money down at the office. There was a huge queue, I stood for a while but not feeling well and being in a busy office wasn't good so left and stood outside.


One of the dealers stopped and asked how come I wasn't bidding?
"It's not 11.30" says I....
"well they've started" says she.

So I go back round, it's 11.25, and they have already sold 40 lots....
I couldn't work out how they had got through that many until I watched a while; it was a new auctioneer and he was selling 'groups' of pens. So if it said 'buck rabbit' he sold the first and gave an option on the rest.

Regardless of the colours/designs of the inmates!
I'd missed about 10 pens of pigs that were being sold by the dealer we have bought off in the past. Shaz and I have talked it over and decided to avoid buying unless the animal was in distress/pain or heavily pregnant. Few sold, and although it's hard walking away from babies of 4 or 5 weeks old we both feel we are perpetuating the whole game by taking them from her. I also missed 4 lots from another seller, none were ill and I don't know how much they made, but they all sold.

There was a run on himmys from another dealer, this dealer tried to sell me 5 'sows' a few weeks ago, I declined as all but one were boars  The dealer had put a load in, singles and pairs. I bought two sows at £2 each. I actually only bought one, but again, I was asked to buy both lots as the auctioneer was ramming them through. One is about 4 weeks old, the other is about 7/8 weeks old according to her size. I can, I believe, feel babies inside  :(
I also bought 3 boars at £1 each, all very very funky and extremely handsome!
They are here at the moment but will be heading over to Avalon very soon. I *might* just sit a while and recover from the morning!

November 05th, 2013

With no other forthcoming offers of assistance, I was once again on my own! This makes it very difficult to look, check, buy and remove any stock.

If you can spare an hour I would appreciate it. 

I was pretty depressed when I arrived as there were 28 pens of pigs in. And I know Shaz has Avalon fit to bursting and that most of the stock entered were boars, notoriously hard to accommodate in numbers. I listed them and went for breakfast and to have a chat with Shaz to see what we should do.
It was decided to try and remove any in-pig sows, very tiny babies and any that were completely unwanted. The usual dealer had about 10 pens in, all with decent reserves on and they didn't sell. One contained a tiny sow that was listed as 'mated', another a fuzzy baby boar who had been in the previous week with possible litter mate. I was too busy to grab him after the auction then, but I did so this week. He has a bad case of fungal near his eye, and a major case of attitude! He's not very big, but will benefit from decent care now.
I also bought the sow carrying babies afterwards, I doubt she will survive the pregnancy but everything is crossed. She's only a baby herself.
There was a guy buying early lots at very low prices, but I left them to him as he looked well dressed, had shiny shoes and looked to be caring. There are no guarantees but I hope he's an ok person. They were carefully put into carriers afterwards so I stand by my decision.
Just before the start of the auction a woman had come with around 8 lots and caged them. Mostly babies, all cross breeds but she'd put water, feed and veg in the cages. So if you are caring why are you trying to squeeze a quid out of the rescue instead of donating them directly?! These pigs are obviously surplus to the breeding program, as were the American Cresteds that again appeared. These are regular, mainly boars, and obviously from a breeder who is producing for show. 


Don't breed if you can't find homes for mismarked stock. 

They will make nice pets, seem well handled and don't deserve to go through the stress of the sales. This seller also included a 'breeding pair'. Right. Both are well enough but very young. Who's to say they are unrelated? This person doesn't give a toss. I have kept the hand written cards, at some point I'll find the person selling them and ensure she gets my opinion of her dumping unwanted stock through the markets without reserve. 

Anyway, I bought the 'pair', and a handful of the mismarked boys. I also bought 4 of the lots from the late comer, these are terrified and hardly handled but although smelly they are in good condition. One jumps like a kangaroo, leapt out of the box at Shaz's while we were watching! Shaz had to catch him, I was having a fit of the giggles  He did the same again, he's now called Harry Houdini.
So apologies to Shaz for bringing back mostly boars again, I refused the cost refund as I figured she could put that money towards their food.

Pass the word around that cavies can be sourced from an honest rescue instead of P@H, not only will they be cheaper but you'll have help, advice and more chance they will be suitable (and correctly sexed!!) 

We need to get some of these young boars out into families, I know you all have lives and your own piggies, but maybe you could make room for a couple of the rehomers, handle them daily and check they are suitable, and then help find them find a new family? If each of us did this we would take the pressure off Shaz and Avalon, and then more like Mr Fungal or Mr Mouldy as he's already been known can come and be treated and the discomfort taken away. I've been doing this, taking a few boar pairs, bringing them into our madhouse so they are more acquainted to noise and stress, and they have gone to friends as family pets.

Once the 'owners' are happy the pigs are suitable I've been taking a donation to Avalon, the first lot arrived last night and will be sent on to help towards the winter feed bill.
As Tesco say...Every Little Helps. Have I said that before?

October 22nd, 2013

Not my usual service, I was at the auction alone, so had to rely on the market staff to help. I have got to know them now and they were great. I couldn't get near the pens as it was school holidays and the place was rammed with children and families, and had to wait for my lead from the auctioneer when a pig came through! There were about 75 pens, around 20 of which were pigs.

The first run fetched good money, most went immediately into the box of a beaming child. The next run didn't, and most came to me. I don't see why some fetch more than others, the ones I have brought away are cute, funky, boys and girls and worth more than the £1 each I paid. I also bought a sow and babies for £2. Appalling price really. 


She is in good condition, unfortunately her babies are NOT tiny and they are boars. You know what happens next !


I watched a few others go through at over a fiver, I feel at that price someone is keen so the pigs have a decent chance, there are no guarantees.
Then I bought two at £5 each, that was the reserve. First was a long haired lilac boar, the image of my Dougal here so thought he'd better come back with me. On removal from the pen, I found he has a swollen and infected front foot, I know Shaz will help him out so very glad I did buy him.
The other was a 'rex' sow. She is tiny, depressed and barely struggling. Her coat is appalling and very sore, and she has a pot belly which may or may not be offspring  She is far too small to be in pig so I really hope not. Again I'm glad I bought her.

I bought 3 more pigs, semi adult boars at £1 each. Nicely marked and healthy looking. There were 3 lots towards the end of the auction, they looked like satin stock and were listed as 'unsexed'....they were a decent size, my impression was of the whole lot being boars as there were 2,3 & 4 in the pens....they went mad for them, going for over £28 for the 4, and £20 for the 3.

I also took 6 adults from one of the dealers. I originally said no as I was worried about overloading Avalon with adult males, but a quick look in showed several had skin issues and they would be better treated so home they came. One, a beautiful gold lad, had what looked like a dropping half stuck into his bottom.... gross I know but I wasn't happy leaving him like that so the poor lad had to endure me holding him under the water tap to try and lever the mass off/out. I suspect it started as a sore and the droppings stuck to it, but how it wasn't badly infected I'll never know, must have felt awful to the poor guy. Although the area looked stretched afterwards it did look clean, fingers crossed he'll be ok now. 

So Avalon has new inmates, a few needing treatment but am hopeful all will be ok. Total purchases of £24.20 plus £15. I know Shaz has started administering medicines already so they will have cost more in the end but am glad the two poorly ones have got a safe future now.

October 15th, 2013

Well that broke all records! 
Manic day all round, in the auction and outside it. Shaz had spoken to one of the dealers previously so I had been assigned to collect a crate of baby boars...literally a crate.  There were 18 pigs in total, some beautiful lads and a few battered and sore ones. And one of the nice dealers had also brought 3 in for me. One is a cute himmy marked aby type, very funky!

Anyway, the auction started fast for us. As the first 3 lots were pigs, first went for £3 and I let him go, the next 2 came to us at £1 each. Both boars, both well marked. Then a group of 3 baby boars, not very old and appear to be related. They were £1 each. Then a gap, and three lots of multiples, 2 baby boars in each. They were knocked down to us for £2 & £3. Another lot of 3 babies was £4, again I bought those. These babies are all around 4 weeks old i'd say? Shaz can perhaps correct me as i'm only working on my stock here at home.
I then bought 1 lot for £1, and two for £2.

All semi adults, one pair were well marked but the ginger/white one has an eye issue, again maybe Shaz will add to that. Four lots were unsold as they had reserves on them, and I left the next few pigs as they seemed popular (don't really know why they were mostly boars!!) but I did personally go up to £5 for a boar I took a shine to amongst them, I try not to but he just looked at me. I'm not 'into' long hairs, I've just got a young 'un to show in the future but this hairy chap insisted I bought him  Then 2 more lots at £3 & £4, one of two shaggy boys, and the last lot which was an abby type lad who was hidden under the straw the whole auction so we nearly missed him!

So we then started the process of trying to get them all safely over to Avalon, no mean feat today with the amount we brought back, almost 50 pigs.....!!!
And then I got a nudge from the dealer who's pigs hadn't reached the reserve. One lot was a young mum and her two babies. I ummed and arred as they say, and decided Shaz would strangle me if she knew i'd left them, so I paid a tenner and brought them home too.
So a fair amount of money was handed over today, £35 in the auction and £16 outside, along with the 18 arranged previously. As is usual, some of the pigs need tlc, but most are youngsters that haven't been knocked about and will make fantastic pets once them have recovered from the ordeal of the market. And they are so many colours and types i'm sure anyone would struggle to walk away without an armful.

I'm feeling like a sucker having brought one back to Burtwood myself, but he's darn cute, very calm and well worth his five pound fifty to me  And unlike the last ones I was talked into buying from the sale, he won't put weight on and produce babies...but that's another story!

October 09th, 2013

Seems it was Jolly Boys Outing at the market yesterday, the place was filled with couples and families. They mostly had boxes prepared and were obviously determined to squabble over the pigs in the auction!
There were 11 pens, with a couple that contained 2 babies. I bought 2 of the first four lots, both boars and both showing signs of having either a skin complaint or fighting in the past as they had patches of regrowing hair. Both very skittish but very pretty. I paid £1 and £3.50. Don't usually go that high for a boar but one of the dealers put a £2 bid in and I decided he was coming home with me

Both of the other boars made more than that and went into the prepared boxes. Out of the next lot I only bought a black rex sow, supposedly in pig but she looks more like an older girl who's had plenty so is the wrong shape now. Time will tell. She was £5.50. Three of the other pens made £10+ for a single pig, which is very unusual, all were popular and most went to private people.

I was asked by two dealers to take a look at pigs not entered in the auction, the first was a dealer I am unhappy about but am willing to be as amenable as possible if it means extracting animals.
They had 2 boars which I agreed to take at £2.50 each. They were unhappy they hadn't entered them as the prices were high, it's obvious they thought they would get a pound in the auction and my £2.50 was a better option!

The other dealer I like. She shows caring and tact with the animals she is bringing and buying, the best you can hope for. She had two baby sows, which would have made a fair amount in that auction but she was happy for me to do the best for them at £4 each.

So the home was more important that money, a nice change. She also asked if I would take another sow for nothing. This was a white approx. 3 month old girl, who is blind in both eyes and also has a very sore area around one. She looked very miserable 

Of course I brought her back to Shaz, again i'm pleased the dealer has given her to the rescue, many would have just used her to breed from regardless. So the day cost £23 plus £2.30 commission and we brought home 8 pigs. I say 'the day cost.....' but actually it also cost fuel, £3.50 parking and my breakfast  Nom nom nom.

October 01st, 2013

Quiet day today, only 6 pens of piggies in. All were boars which is unusual. First two were unwanted, a gorgeous black ridgeback type lad and a lemon agouti chap. Got those two for £1.50 and £1. The next ones up were 2 cages of paired babies, again boars. I paid £7.50 for the first pair (both have some kind of fungal problem, Shaz will give more details I'm sure) but the second cage had much more interest and went for more, I left them as they were private type people rather than a dealer and looked healthy. At the end of the auction there were two pens, one pair of boars and a singleton. Bidding was frantic and I didn't even register one bid between them! They again went for more than dealers will pay so fingers crossed for them. So there are 4 new arrivals at Avalon, two of which will need medication and care before they will be available for rehoming.

No doubt they will cost more in meds than it took to buy them but had they gone to an uneducated home or a dealer they would have probably stayed with open sores and pain for a lot longer. 

And they are just adorable!

Melton rescue

Twenty (20) pens of guinea pigs today! Many had padlocks on and the pigs were hidden under the straw so absolutely no chance of viewing beforehand, you were buying blind. I don't know if that was the reason, but the first 7 lots came to me at the minimum bid, £1 plus commission. They turned out to be in ok condition, a mixed bunch but all fine.

Then came 3 lots of pairs. Two lots were babies, the third lot was, what appeared to be, 'dad' with another youngster. They would probably be about 4 weeks old, one or two underweight but otherwise ok. They came to me for £1, £3 and £2. Again there were 3 lots of pairs, all red mismarked American crested. There have been so many of these recently they must be from a local breeder. I paid £2, £2 & £1. Then 2 more single semi adult boars, both £1 each. Bit of a break whilst they sold bunnies, then another boar (£1) and a single sow, allegedly in pig, white with black eyeliner. Really sweet! Paid £6.50 for her, Shaz and I had talked about the in pig and just delivered ones going back into the breeding cycle and we'd agreed to get them if we possibly could.
Then a pen of mum plus 3 sow babies, about 4 weeks old. The dealers' eyes lit up so I got determined and had to pay £10 to get them. The very last pig lot was three adults, I hadn't spotted them so they must have arrived late, but they were very popular and fetched £21. At that I would hope they were more than dealers would pay, and indeed they went to a couple with a decent carrier so hopefully they will be ok. So with commission I paid out almost £50, for 26 guinea pigs. I'm happy to foot some of that as my little bit for the animals' rescue, I hope those of you that donate can see how your money is helping to remove unwanted boars and very wanted breeding sows away from the dodgy dealers.


We cannot end the cycle, but we can help those pigs that we come across. 

Many of the pigs are smelly, coated in urine and with nails buried in dried on muck. They are now safe, in clean surroundings and once paired up and quarantined hopefully they will find long term homes as family pets.

Some are very very cute!

Rescue 2

There were a few pens in today, mostly rabbits and 9 pens of cavies. I'm getting to know those I'm not impressed with care/handling, and those who, although I don't know them, do seem to be caring for the animals.

I bought the first pen, a 'sow' red & white, older one. He was £2 plus the 20p commission, I say 'he' as he was indeed a boar. This is not uncommon! Cute though.  I also bought the two following pens, paying £7.50 and £4.50 plus the commission. I don't usually bid beyond £4 but I had taken a shine to the first and didn't like the bidder of the 2nd....

The next three lots had babies in, listed as sows for the first two and boars for the 3rd. They went for £12,£13 & £7.50. I was happy with those bidding for the boars, they seemed normal and not harsh, so left them be. The next was an abby (abyssinian), again I was happy to leave to the bidder on £5.50. The following pen was a pair of black self breeders. Apparently...I didn't check. There had been a lass making rude comments when I handled a couple of the pens pre-auction to check the state of them. I am not a quiet person so I did challenge her comments....and then explain that yes I did want to see what condition they were in and that I was not a dealer. The girls' mum(?) seemed pleased about that. Anyway, this lass told me she wanted a few lots but that the dealers there did not like her and would run her up. Now I will listen to anyone, but that doesn't mean I take all as gospel. But she did seem ok, so when the blacks came up I sat on my hands and refused to bid. She did get them at £10. I didn't speak again. I bought the final lot, a mum and 2, two week old babies. I paid £11 for them.

The reason I have listed all this, is to explain what we are aiming to do when going to the market! Also because it has come to my notice tonight that the girl I allowed happily to bid alone has been name calling and abusing someone I like and have respect for. I am looking forward to bumping into her again. She did most certainly not pay £45 for the pigs. And I most certainly did not bid against her at any time. I'm happy knowing I do not lie, she must be very worried to feel the need to do so. 


This is not a game, nor a bidding war. This is about trying to save animals like Braveheart from suffering. Why do people feel the need to be like that? Immaturity is the answer I have come up with.