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Tuesday, 30 April, 2002, 10:47 GMT 11:47 UK
Rooms available at rodent mansion
The mansion has guttering and a gabled roof
Unloved guinea pigs are being offered rooms at a luxurious rodent mansion on a country estate in Wiltshire.
The Tudor-style miniature mansion which boasts leaded windows and a brick fireplace is to open its doors to homeless and unwanted pets. It is part of a new pets village at the safari park at Longleat which also features terraced houses, shops, a pub and even a village pond. But a female-only rule has been put in place to stop the village turning into a "guinea pig breeding colony" by the amorous rodents. No sex rules The safari park, owned by the 7th Marquess of Bath, has room for about 30 to 40 new residents. Park keeper Darren Beasley said the only males allowed in must have been neutered.
"However, we don't want it to turn into a guinea pig breeding colony. "Guinea pigs have reproductive capabilities similar to those of rabbits. "A mixed group of 30 males and females would double and treble in size in no time and we would simply not be able to cope. "We're always telling our visitors how important responsible pet ownership is and this new enclosure will be a graphic illustration of this." The guinea pig mansion has been designed and built by Longleat carpenter Bill Lucas in his spare time over six months. The mansion has its own guttering, gabled roof and hanging baskets in summer.
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