Kalusha's Cavies

   We are based in Cornwall and have been breeding for quite a few years now. We do exhibit some of our cavies, which is great fun and the pigs enjoy a day out too! Although we do not have enough time to keep the Peruvians in coat, we have had success with the Rare breed and Pet classes. 

   We specialise in Lunkarya's and are heavily involved in the recognition of this Newly Emerged breed. Back in September 2007, four were imported from Germany and four from Belgium. After reaching our second generation in early 2009, we imported eleven more Lunkarya from Holland to help increase the variety of bloodlines. We only breed Lunkarya to Lunkarya and strive to produce the best breed examples possible. Sometimes we have babies available to selected breeders.

   We do still have Peruvian's and will have the odd litter from time to time, but we are concentrating more on our Lunkarya's.

'Quality, not Quantity'

   Our cavies receive the best care and diet possible. We provide a varied vegetable diet along with adlib hay on a bed of chopped straw. We use a mixture of Allen & Page guinea pig & Spillers Guinea Pig dried museli along with Dodson & Horell Fibre P - this provides additional vitamin c, herbs and contains No EC Colourants! Extra herbal supplements are added into the diet, such as 'Equus Summer Shine', dried nettle/dandelion and especially dried raspberry for the expecting mums. They all go out at every opportunity into a large run - it is such a lovely sight to watch their individual behaviours and of course, popping!

   Our cavies are Pets - first and foremost!! They are treated with respect and not used for stud duty and then passed on again. We do not mass-breed or breed for profit. Our sows have their first litter at 8 months of age to ensure they are a good weight, well developed and better prepared to litter to healthy, living babies. As a result, we rarely have complications or still-births. We breed responsibly and our sows only have three litters, if that, in their lifetime. We bring our 'expecting' mums indoors during this special time, so we can be present for the births to lend a helping hand, if needed.

   Our available cavies are sold to selected, permanent, forever homes where we offer full-lifetime advice and if you need to rehome your cavy, at any stage, we will always take back any that we have bred.

We are always happy to meet potential owners by appointment so you can meet the stud!

Email Rebecca at kalushascavies@hotmail.co.uk

Text/Phone: 077257 63948

1. First thing is breakfast around 8am! They each receive a quarter of a tomato plus another of the following: cucumber, celery, pepper, kale, brocolli, swede or spinach.
2. If weather permits, they spend most of their day out in the run eating all the fresh grass they wish. If it is raining, they stay in for lunch which consists of extra hay or dried grass in the hay racks and spring greens.
3. They comes back into their hutches towards the end of the day, depending on the weather. then they have dinner: freshly mixed dried food (dried grass: fibre P: Allen & Page guinea pig mix: 'Equus' herbs) and a chunk of carrot.
4. We use two scoops of A&P guinea pig mix to one scoop Fibre P.

To keep guinea pigs happy they need:

1. Socialisation!! As prey animals evolving to survive through herd mentality, the more the merrier! they love to catch up with all the gossip!

2.Exercise - keep them healthy and active. + Handling everyday allows time to bond and also a quick health check!

3.Correct Diet - Only 5% of their diet should contain dried mix. They should receive all their vitamin c requirement from fresh vegetables and grass - not to rely on the processed vitamins supplied in the dried mix.

During University up North, I came across 'Diego' in a pet shop and that was that! He was such a character and spoilt rotten! He became tame very quickly and now runs loose in the garden. Once I returned to Cornwall with him, I wanted to breed him with our remaining sows from when we used to breed pets. I soon discovered the hidden world of the 'Cavy Fancy'! Things turned form Pets to Purebreeds very quickly! I happend to come across the Lunkarya's in 2007 via Carmen & Iris' Langstadtler's website - I was hooked and immediately knew they were the breed for me. I was able to import some in September 2007 and am now striving for success with my growing stud of hairballs!

Having completed a small animal care course in 2004, I have returned to University (2nd time!) to complete a BSc Zoology degree. Once graduated, I would like to go into breeding Alpaca's on a small-holding.

 In 1994 we got a Peruvian named 'Perry' and we did not think about breeding till 2001 when we brought 2 Abyssinian sows called 'Willow' and 'Winnie'. Unfortunately Perry did not provide a legacy before his death that summer. A few months later we found 'Fuzzle' and liked his laid-back attitude. The autumn of 2003 was fruitful with Winnie giving birth to 'Truffle' and 'Harry'. Willow gave birth to 'Mahogany' and 'Ash'.

          Willow & recently born Ash.                            Babies in 2003 ~ (front: 'Truffle')

 In memory of Mahogany
03/09/2003 - 28/05/2008
    R.I.P my first born