Sophie and Mark Mason adopted six guinea pigs a number of years in the past, however their herd has since grown to over 150. The 2 now run Masons’ Cavies, a social media platform the place they share the herd’s lives. (The Dodo by way of YouTube )
Estimated learn time: 3-4 minutes
LINCOLN, United Kingdom — It began with the adoption of six guinea pigs. A number of years later, Sophie Mason has a full-time job working a guinea pig social media platform and caring for over 150 of the furry creatures.
Mason and her husband, Mark, are the creators behind Masons’ Cavies — a multi-platform social media account that shares the lives of the animals. (Cavy refers back to the title of guinea pigs’ taxonomic household, which incorporates different South American rodents like capybaras.)
“Every member of our herd has their very own title and distinctive persona to go together with it,” Masons’ Cavies web site states. “So, 150+ guinea pigs is so much, sure? Hahaha, we all know! However how did we come to having so many? Nicely, I’ve at all times cherished guinea pigs and I’ve at all times felt they’re very misunderstood animals and dreamed of proudly owning a big herd.”
The present herd consists of 59 bought guinea pigs, seven who had been gifted, 37 rescues and 51 who had been rehomed. The overwhelming majority are feminine, with non-neutered males dwelling individually from the principle herd so they don’t breed. The oldest guinea pigs are about 6 years outdated, whereas the youngest is round 12 weeks.
The guinea pigs stay a custom-built, blue and purple shed that has about 400 toes of working house, AC and beds. Movies on Masons’ Cavies social media present Mark Mason taking part in waiter to the guinea pig because the little guys chow down on large vegetable platters or eat from mini wood picnic benches.
The Masons instructed The Dodo that a median feed consists of 5 flat lettuces, 30 tomatoes, six cucumbers, 5 oranges, eight apples, 4 cabbages or kale, 16 crimson peppers, 4 bunches of parsley, two baggage of spinach and a pair of.5 kilos of carrots. In case you’re questioning — sure, that is sufficient to fill a wheelbarrow.
“We have created some lavish-looking feasts for the guinea pigs,” Mark Mason instructed The Dodo. “It is good for ’em.”
A 2021 Day by day Mail article reported the Masons make £40,000 a yr thanks their loyal on-line followers, with £20,000 going to vet payments and £7,000 to purchasing greens. Sophie Mason instructed the Day by day Mail she finally give up her job to take care of the animals full time and to dedicate herself to rising their social media channel. She reported spending 80 minutes a day chopping greens and posting movies with the guinea pigs.
“They’re costly,” Sophie Mason instructed the Day by day Mail. “Had we not had this success with Fb we could not do that. It might be too costly.”
The couple’s web site says they’re transferring houses this yr and the brand new house will permit them to finally open their very own guinea pig rescue full with a nursery, a spot for older guinea pigs who cannot handle ramps, and a workshop to create guinea pig homes and setups.
“Like everybody else we even have desires. They hold us motivated in life. Ours is to arrange a tremendous house for all types of guinea pigs earlier than Mr Mason finishes his providers throughout the army,” the web site states. “We’ve completed many enjoyable fundraising tasks to boost cash for us to have the ability to transfer right into a property with the perfect land house for the guinea pigs! We’ll arrange a a lot bigger ‘rescue’ set-up for uncared for guinea pigs needing care.”
You possibly can browse a gallery of all of the Masons’ guinea pigs on their web site or examine them out on Instagram, Fb or TikTok.
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