Alternative to guinea pig for dd11

[KATE3003]

Please help! All my dd11 wants for christmas are two guinea pigs; she literally goes on and on and on about it.... It is a bad idea for lots of reasons, not least because we have a mouse killer cat who I think would stalk the cage... I also can't cope with the thought of having them inside through the winter..... I have been trying to suggest some other (non - living ideas) as an alternative...She has a phone, not interested in ipad etc... Has anyone got any wow suggestions please that might make her forget about her guinea pig plan. She has just written me a four page letter trying to persuade me using lots of persuasive techniques (I'm an English teacher..) and I really need to think of something to distract her....

Thank you for all the suggestions. As dh is a vet, any future guinea pigs would always be well looked after! I think I am still saying no but there is nothing else she wants!

Guinea pigs don't really suffer illnesses the way that other animals do . Unfortunately when they do show signs they are halfway across the Bridge .
I have noticed a couple of my guinea-pigs were ill by the way they sat ! It can be that subtle .

Does your DH let your DD help out with the animals ? Any overnighters? She could do some cage duty cleaning and feeding perhaps ?

I would still be wary having guinea-pigs in a house with a known predatoty cat TBH.
Guineas are such vunerable little things and it would be cruel for them to spend their life hiding.

My female cat (the non predatory one of our pair) likes to sit in front of my PC to make me stroke her then suddenly turn round with the claws . Or she grabs my arm in her teeth. That's her being friendly !

Is there such a thing as sponsor a rescue guinea pig?

She'd be welcome to sponsor mine I would send photos and everything. The odd bit of poo for authenticity.

Is there an animal sanctuary near you where you can adopt a specific animal, get regular updates and pay it visits? Or (I know this is s big ask) do you have a friend/relative who has guinea pigs who you could pay to have your guinea pig living with theirs?

Op don’t be pressured. I don’t think it’s a pet best suited to bedroom keeping, the hay is dusty and smells and they poop and wee a lot. And you’ll ultimately be the one doing their caring.

I think there is a ‘compromise’ pet if you can agree on one.

Don't do it OP. Coming from a pet shop would be too cold for them to go outdoors. My pigs are kept indoors all year round. And it's a lot of cleaning so they don't start to smell. Mine are kept on vet bed, that needs washing every few days, and a hay compartment that needs cleaning daily. They poop so much. Everywhere. So all downstairs needs to be hoovered daily after their morning of free roaming. Hay sticks to all carpets and clothes. My house looks like a barn.

My previous post sounds very negative looking back, but I do love my pigs. But they are mine, and not the DCs. I've had pigs for the past 12 years. One dies, then it's tragic to have a single, so we pair up with a very young boar for easy bonding, then big pig will die. So we are stuck in a cycle.

My suggestion is that you take a lateral approach to the argument, and point out to your daughter that all of the big animal welfare agencies say not to buy pets as presents, and that it isn't a responsible way to treat animals. Then it becomes less about "But I'll clean its run every day!" and more about "No, this isn't how we treat animals".

Cats don't bother with guneapigs, they're too big. They are really great pets, my DD has three. They don't scuttle or run fast ( as adults) so don't look mousey or ratty. If you really can face them, them how about a tortoise?

Is there such a thing as sponsor a rescue guinea pig?

Our local community farm does this. It's worth asking any private rescue I'd have thought. Most of them will keep a retirement run full of older females.

avalon guinea pig rescue has a guinea pig sponsorship program

We have rats, they are amazing. The original rats were DS's pets (he started with hamsters and then we graduated to rats) and lived in his room. Many rats later they live in my room and I love them. The cat is banned from my room so that sorts that bother. They know their names, you can teach them stuff, girl rats don't smell. Get rats!

I've just remembered that before we had guineas I made a donation to a rescue centre & bought a card with a piggy on saying thank you for the hay. I did the same with younger dd to a horse sanctuary during her (thankfully brief) pony mad phase! It kept them happy for a bit but they were a bit younger than your dd.

OP, if you can’t stand the idea of them being inside during winter, then it’s just a hard no, isn’t it? It doesn’t sound like you want to take over care of guinea pigs which, lets face it, when your daughter inevitably loses interest you will be doing for possibly several years. Your daughter is probably not giving you any other ideas because she senses there’s still a chance and thinks she’ll get you over the line if she provides no alternatives.
I think if you told her firmly but kindly it’s not going to happen and that that’s the end of it she’d come up with some other ideas.
To the PP who was encouraging you to do it because she’s ole enough to care for them 🙄 She might be old enough but when she’s bored/over it/a few years older and not interested anymore, how do you propose the OP makes her take responsibility? You can’t. And then it’s OP doing all the heavy lifting otherwise the innocent animals suffer.