To force DD to keep the guinea pigs in her room?

[smashingfun]

DD got 2 Guinea Pigs from and a large hutch for them for her 12th birthday in May. She had been begging for them for months and was ecstatic when we got them for her. The hutch is an indoor one with 2 floors and sits in her room. Her room is large. It's quite chilly where we live (up in the hills) and so we have them inside and it made sense for them to go in DD's room as they are her pets and we wanted her to take the main responsibility for them. We made clear that they were going to be her pets and not family ones. She was all over them for a month and since then her interest has dwindled. I end up doing all of the feeds, cleaning up the shite and taking them into the garden enclosure to play, I have 2 more kids under 3 years old so I could do without the extra responsibility. DD simply couldn't give a shit. One of them was ill last month and I had to take him to the vet and she showed no concern at all. Never asked what he was diagnosed with (chest infection) or showed interest when I came up to give him his medicine.

In the past month or so she has had somewhat of an emotional growth spurt. She changed just like that and now is all of a sudden into makeup and wants new clothes. I know that suddenly changing like that is normal for this age and I imagine she suddenly got a rush of hormones (I remember similar at that age, I suddenly decided I needed to 'grow up' and never looked back), but she's like a completely new person and I can barely keep up. She's now declared that she doesn't want the guinea pigs in her room anymore. I think she has decided it cramps the teenage style she wants to go for. She told me the other day it was embarrassing having her friends round because of them.

I don't know what to do. She has the biggest room in the house and I certainly don't have the space for them in any other room. I would like to rehome them but part of me also feels that it's a shitty message to send to DD. When she was begging for them we had a stern talk about responsibility, how she has a duty to care for them until they die etc. I don't want to teach her that she can just get rid when she is bored of them. I think she's been an ungrateful, unpleasant little so and so about it all. DH is annoyed with her and insists we make her keep them in her room to prove a point. But I feel that is unfair on the piggies who deserve an attentive home where they will get the nurturing they deserve, I feel awful for even getting the poor things in the first place and do accept some responsibility for it all.

Any advice?

I agree with rehoming them but imposing a penalty. Make sure this isn't the easy option for her. You're rehoming the guinea pigs for their welfare, not because of her wishes. Some rescues will ask for a donation when surrendering animals anyway - she should pay it.

Think of all the cute pictures she could be putting on Instagram of her with her piggies. A lost opportunity.
Is she struggling with them because they aren't very tame yet? It can take a while to learn how to catch them, pick them up and play with them. They can be tough to have in your bedroom as they can be charging around in the middle of the night. Ours seem to take multiple naps rather than one long sleep.

Jesus. Those poor animals. They can live to 8 years, you cant force her to gave them in her room for that long. Plus they would disrupt her sleep. You are the adult. Seriously do the decent thing and either find a suitable place in the house for them and commit to caring fully for them, or rehome them properly (not via gumtree or preloved). They are timid little creatures full of character that deserve better.

I'd stick her in the smallest room, as a consequence of her behaviour.

I agree that they're responsibly rehomed and that she at least helps with the process and pocket money contributes to any costs. I would make it clear though that it would be a while before you were giving in to the next fad (e.g. wanting a new pair of trainers which she then rejects after a couple of weeks or wanting to do a new hobby) as she has shown she currently lacks maturity, I think she does need to understand her whimsical attitude to the Guinea pigs has impacted in how mature you think she is and that has consequences.

I stopped reading your post halfway through op - who's the adult and who's the child?
Find them a new home!

Take them to a rescue centre to get them rehomed. No need to mess about with ads, enquires, dragging this out.

Keep the pigs, rehome your dd.

Please rehome through a registered charity. Please please don't just sell them to someone via the internet. Use a proper rescue that will home check etc and make sure the next owners are fully responsible. If you do it yourself (especially if you let a child do it) you don't know who'll they'll go to or what will end up happening to them.

@Hangingbasketofdoom Tempting. She's an entitled little horror at the moment. No doubt when I suggest we rehome the pigs she will ask for money because they were her birthday present

Obviously I'd make the final decision who they go to, and would make sure it was a good home. It's not about making her rehome them because I can't be arsed doing it myself. I'd be more about getting her to take some responsibility for them by actively partaking in the rehoming process. Rather than me just doing it. I'd just have her take the pictures of them and make her write up the ad describing them but I'd use my contact details and do the vetting. I wouldn't leave her to just let some random come and take them! I do plan to be thorough about rehoming and will insist on a home visit etc

Ott responses here. I really don't think guinea pigs will suffer emotional trauma from not being properly appreciated if they're having their needs met. I'm not sure want them in my bedroom either tbh and wonder if a compromise can be found.

I would make it clear though that it would be a while before you were giving in to the next fad (e.g. wanting a new pair of trainers which she then rejects after a couple of weeks or wanting to do a new hobby) as she has shown she currently lacks maturity,

Well yes, she's 12

Unless they are actually suffering (and I doubt they really want to be played with anyway, they want lots and lots of food to appear at regular intervals and fancy hay) I would not rehome them. I think when an animal comes in to a family it should be there to stay until it leaves in a cardboard box. I think anything else is teaching children animals are disposable in the way an old pair of shoes or a toy you don't want anymore.

Could you make her lead on the rehoming process, with your support? I think the message here should be they you can make changes to situations which are making you unhappy, but that it’s your responsibility to handle making those changes in a positive way.

There’s no point in forcing her to have pets that she doesn’t want, but if she doesn’t want them then she has to be an active and helpful part of calling the relevant charity, packing up their stuff etc.

Rehome them via a reputable rescue , you’ve already been totally irresponsible in buying animals for a child , what qualifications do you have to make sure the person who wants them will care for them .

FGS rehome them ASAP. they can't stay in your home as they are not loved & appreciated. HATE this. they need love & attention, not just to be fed and have their hutch cleaned out.

Please don’t advertise them online, contact a small animal rescue who will provide rescue back up and assess potential homes.

When you buy pets for children you accept you are 100% responsible for the animal. It’s good for them to learn responsibility feeding and cleaning them etc, but ultimately it’s something you should have planned long term and now the animals suffer. Guinea pigs don’t belong in a bedroom imo, the smell and noise would disturb my children (we have rabbits and Guinea pigs but they live in the summerhouse)
I personally think it’s better to rehome them. Give them a chance to get the proper care they need as opposed to being stuck in a cage all their life to make a point.

Please don't rehome them via adverts. Go to a rescue. They'll be able to vet new homes properly. You just don't know who you're dealing on sites like Gumtree etc.

It's unrealistic to buy a pet that lives 6-8 years for a 12 year old and expect them to be responsible for them throughout that time. Kids have short attention spans. Legally you are responsible for ensuring the welfare needs of the piggies. Rehoming as you suggest is the best plan but please learn from this when thinking of pets in future.

You probably won't have trouble re-homing them, as lots of adults like guinea pigs too, because they love guinea pigs, and it won't just be a childish fad to have one.

The person who has let down these animals is not your dd it is you. She is a fickle 12 year old, you are the responsible adult who decided to buy them.

Rehome them or look after them yourself. Next time your children pester for a pet, only agree if you want one of whatever it is and are prepared to care for it.

Please send them to a guinea pig rescue.if you put them on fb they will be live snake food.

I would rehome them, but she would be moving to a small bedroom and there would be a big reduction in any kind of Christmas spending this year, because she has shown that she can't be trusted to know her own mind and appreciate what has been bought for her.