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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Would this bother you?

21 replies

Dayofdoom · 25/08/2019 04:32

We are going on holiday for a few days next weekend just before the start of school and have booked a animal boarder who looks after pets in their own home for our three guinea pigs.

However I've just found out that the man (the only person who works there) works nights and long hours.

So realistically he is with his commute going to be gone from say 6pm to 6am ish and then asleep most of the day before having to sort his own pets out and all the other ones he's boarding before the time he goes back out to work again.

I know its 'only' Guinea pigs and obviously I work and the children are at school but they like company even if its just the TV or people passing and I kind of expected someone who I was paying to look after them to at least be around or I may as well have just for asked a relative to pop in once a day with water and food.

Come and tell me I'm being pathetic!

OP posts:

Monty27 · 25/08/2019 04:37

They'll be fine I hope

BeanBag7 · 25/08/2019 08:03

It's a few days, I'm sure they'll survive! Yes guinea pigs like company but they actually would be fine with just food, water and hay.
They can keep each other company and the other animals around the house too.

If you're not happy with it, is it too late to cancel and just ask a relative to feed and water them. Its bound to be cheaper.

Silversky70 · 25/08/2019 08:06

Does he work weekends?

Perhaps it is meant more for people who don't have family etc who can pop in and do feeds, i.e. not there to provide company.

Does seem pointless for you.

user1474894224 · 25/08/2019 08:10

It depends what the T&C's on the contract you have signed with him are. Are you paying an hourly rate? If so I would expect him to be there for those hours. Or have you paid him to feed them - in which case it would be coming in, feed and leave.

OwlinaTree · 25/08/2019 08:12

No it wouldn't bother me. He's feeding them and keeping them safe from predators for a few days.

Sickofsquishies · 25/08/2019 08:39

I leave my 3 guinea pigs when we go away for a few days, I just add an extra water bottle and massive bowl of food. They're fine.

Original poster

Dayofdoom · 25/08/2019 08:42

Yes I think I'm overthinking it.
It just threw me a bit tbh. The website is full of info on how they will be played with and spend significant time in the boarders secure garden (picture shows open place pen type things) so I think I was just expecting someone who was running a business from their home to actually be home most of the time.

Daft really the guineas will not care but i suppose I'm a bit miffed as like I said I paid for a full time boarder versus what would have been much cheaper of someone literally popping in to feed and water them which I could have got anyone to do really .

OP posts:

Original poster

Dayofdoom · 25/08/2019 08:43

Oh really Sickofsquishies? I have never left them more than overnight alone lol.

OP posts:

IAmBannedAgainTheBastards · 25/08/2019 09:04

Yes, it would bother me. You are paying him to give them less attention than you give them. I'm sure they will be fine but why wasn't this mentioned at the outset?

Aprillygirl · 25/08/2019 09:11

I don't see the point of him to be honest. I would cancel if you have someone else willing to pop round to feed them.

CacenCrunch · 25/08/2019 10:28

I would cancel and find someone else. Sounds like he would be doing the bare minimum

KC225 · 25/08/2019 10:43

I have two guinea pigs and it WOULD bother me. I can't see his he would have the time to give proper care. Our guinea pigs are social little creatures and get cuddles, hugs and floor time every day.

Have you look at small animal boarding. Our piglets go to kennels. You may be better off with a neighbour or friend.

8by8 · 25/08/2019 10:46

This would bother me - can you cancel and just get a relative/friend to pop in to feed them?

PonteLaCorona · 25/08/2019 10:47

Really Sickofsquishies? I'd need a bucket of food, a whole allotment and a bale of hay for that (and even then, they would have finished it by the end of the first day), but then I suspect my guineas are actually small monsters

Pardonwhat · 25/08/2019 10:48

I’d just put extra food and water in and ask a neighbour to pop in every few days to be honest.

Orangesandlemons82 · 25/08/2019 10:51

Is it very expensive? If we haven't got family or friends available to visit our guinea pigs each day I pay a local pet sitter to come in. She charges around £3.80 a visit which is for 15-20 mins. She sends some photos to me whilst I'm away and gives me a general update. I find this works for us.

Booboostwo · 25/08/2019 10:52

I think this is the kind of thing where you should have clarified matters before making the booking.

I have animal sitters who come to me. When I lived in an area with a lot of professional animal sitters I expected them to be around for most of the day -- I think the contract said 4 hours away from the home.

Now that I live in an area with no animal sitters, my horse trainer stays over but I knew from the beginning that she would need to be out of the house a lot more because she still needs to teach her other clients.

From what you describe, I think the guinea pigs would be better off at home with a friend popping in to feed them and check up on them.

Original poster

Dayofdoom · 25/08/2019 16:49

I thought I had tbh boohoo.
The business is a registered from their own home small animal boarder and kennels.
Said time being fussed, lots of time in garden etc. Proper business and set up with a room of hitches and cages etc.
It was only when I queried if I could bring them earlier and pay extra when he said no as he was at work.

I'm going to just ask a friend to pop in.

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 25/08/2019 16:54

I would also be a bit put off , when we had rabbits and they went to the boarders she used to let them out to play and send photos etc and I would expect the same sort of care for piggies . I agree that if it’s just going to be someone feeding them and changing water they may as well be at home .

littlepaddypaws · 25/08/2019 17:10

i hate the thought of leaving my girls over night but they have extra food and water on the odd occasion i'm not available, they aren't just guinea pigs, they are my pets and fellow living creatures,

dollydaydream114 · 25/08/2019 17:25

Provided they have other guinea pigs for company and enough space to exercise and things to keep them busy, guinea pigs don’t need to be ‘played with’. They’d rather spend time with each other than with human beings. Being handled by people is something they will accept, but it isn’t something they need or want. They’re not like dogs and don’t crave human company one little bit.

I would be concerned if they weren’t going to have lots of space to run around etc but I wouldn’t be concerned that he isn’t going to spend time handling them.

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