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Original poster

Can this work?...

134 replies

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 14:19

Yesterday I took my DD to her friends party at her grandmothers house and I haven't been able to stop thinking about the grandmothers guinea pig since :-(

He is all alone, matted, no toys and just looks so so sad... I wanted to bring him home with me but couldn't as we have 2 girls (although the size of their hutch would easily take another piggie). She said I could have him and said 'I don't even like him'! It made me so sad to think how happy our girls are and how happy we could make him!

So my question is this.. If we get him 'done' is impossible that he would live nicely with our girls? Is there anything special I need to do?

I want to rescue him now!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 09:48

Well am off to my friends house in an hour..

I'm so nervous my stomach is in knots. I just desperately want her to say yes I can have him! Against my better judgement I have decided I can borrow up to £100 for pig/hutch/any food/hay she has left over - I'm hoping this will sway her...

Wish me luck!!

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 07/09/2012 09:59

Good Luck!
Hopefully your friend will see the bigger picture and let you have GP boy.

Otherwise, you know that raincoat you've got with the really big pockets? The waterproof one that will hold about 2ib of wriggly guinea-pig with no tell-tale leaks...?

It won't look at all weird on a warm Autumn day Wink

guineapiglet · 07/09/2012 10:07

Good luck Sleeping, do hope your friend sees the light... and you will end up with a new boy today. Lets see if the money offer makes a difference, it they are wavering £100 should do the trick nicely, - maybe start low and work upwards, see if she bites at a lower price. , as I think your offer is a very generous one. Failing that, as 70 says, it is the Mission Impossible option of a pignap in daylight. Thinking of you and hope it goes your way X

BonkeyMollocks · 07/09/2012 12:43

Any news?

TerraNotSoFirma · 07/09/2012 13:08

Oh I hope they see sense and give him to you. My sister had a guinea pig when we were little a brown rosette one, he was lovely.

I think I may get guinea pigs when my DC are a bit older.

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 14:03

Ummm... Talking at the mo and she's still saying no but she's coming round....

OP posts:
Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 14:35

She said no... :-(

I went with the whole I'm going to breed my girls thing and she said I could borrow him but she'd have to have him back ....

70 you were right, it's for the grandkids... I'm so disappointed :-(

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RabbitsMakeGOLDEggs · 07/09/2012 14:50

Borrow him and see whether the break in having to care for him actually rather suits her. Then you can be so attached you bought him a nice treat, and then something else, and just become involved in his care rather than take him on?

guineapiglet · 07/09/2012 16:43

Oh Im really sorry to hear she won't change her mind, but you have given it your best shot (for now!) - let it mull round a bit over the weekend and now you have sown the seeds, so to speak, let it rest a bit. You could explain you want to 'borrow him' but that in some cases it can take months for the girls to get pregnant, and say you might have to look after him for some time.... I dont know, are we clutching at straws. It would be much more stressful for HIM to be moved around, get used to another nicer place and then have to go back again. Bless him, I feel so sad for him. What happened when you mentioned the hard cash? I was convinced that would tempt them. Back to the drawing board.

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 16:49

Right so upshot is I asked for him to mate with my girls and said I'd pay for him and she said 'oh don't be silly I dont want money for him' then I jut said how nice it would be for him to be around other piggies... At one point she said 'stop your making me feel bad! He's not neglected, he gets fed loads' ???????!!!!! This made me sad :-(

So, they are going away for the weekend next week so she said I could pig sit for him... From thurs to tues but to be honest if I have to give him back I'm torn with what to do, would it be more distressing for him to have company for 5 days then take it away again? I don't want to distress him in any way :-(

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 07/09/2012 17:46

He's not neglected,he gets fed loads

What the Jeff? Angry Sad Sad.

That's only a tiny percentage of the care a GP needs.
Does he get out of his hutch to run outside (in a safe run)?
Do the family get him out to cuddle and chat to him? Especially as he has no GP company?
My boars are by themselves (ie not with humans) for most of the time .They have a morning chat, a goodnight chat (DD goes into their house to settle them) and an hour indoors seperately-that's how long their bladders last. DD takes GP1 into the front room, DH or I cuddle GP2. They get a bit fussy after a while and want to know where the other one is.

TBH I'd be tempted to say (in the words of CeLo Green) "Forget You" when they ask you for GP sitting favours.

First they say you can have him, then not. They know you can look after him.

What would they do if you can't guinea-sit? Surely not leave him alone? Hope not.

It may well unsettle him to have company and cuddles for a weekend. He'd be happy to get back to his territory and hog smells but you wouldn't be happy knowing that he's had a lovely time then back to his old regime.
Sad

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 17:54

No he doesn't get to go in the house for cuddles... She looked at me as though I'd grown 2 heads when I asked that!

I am super torn now between giving him a nice week of respite with other piggies and just making the situation worse by reminding him what he's missing!

My friend said when she had asked her mum about me having him her response was 'he's no bother...' OF COURSE HE'S FUCKING NOT - your not looking after him properly!!!! Then she said that 2 of the granddaughters ( age 2&3) like to play with him in his cage!

When I mentioned about how mine won't shut up if they smell cucumber he said 'see he doesn't make any noises' ..... I could have cried
:-(

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 07/09/2012 18:14

Does he have a hutch on legs kind of hutch? It's a heck of a risk if the 2 little GDs (and they are little) play with the cage open, GPs can be escape artists and not known for their ability to bounce (though my GP1 jumped out of my arms onto the Pighouse floor and by some miracle was unhurt -but a bit razzled Shock)

Very sad that he doesn't make noise though. Maybe he does when there's no-one to hear it. Though usually when their door opens and they know food is immenent, they go into overdrive.

If you do take him for respite/holiday, do it on the understanding that they pick him up from your house. Then they can see him in the environment with other pigs. It might make them reconsider (Provided of course they haven't staged GP War Grin ).
You'd need to keep him seperate to avoid unwanted piglets .Even if you really did want piglets, your sows are a bit old mature now .Wink

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 18:19

Yup, cage on legs!

I realised that my girls are a bit old and I didn't really want to breed them :-) they would take offence at being called old however! :-)

That's the thing... My friend knows full well how well mine are treated cos she said today that they are spoilt and they are ONLY guinea pigs!!!

So general feeling is yes or no for respite?... I'm genuinely very torn...

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BonkeyMollocks · 07/09/2012 18:28

Bugger you didn't get him, however, if it was me, I wouldn't take him.

By the time he is settled with you he will have to go back. You will be upset, your dcs will be upset and I really don't think its fair on anyone.

I'm sorry to be a stick in the mud. Its so sad but if she won't let you have him then short of a pignap there is not alot you can do sadly.

They need to learn that they need to take responsibility for his care, not 'use' you to make it easy for them.

I can't believe they didn't take the money!

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 18:34

I know you are all right but I so just want to give him a week of being looked after properly :-(

But I agree it's not fair on anyone... God, how do I get him out of my head... I have to stop thinking about him!

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BonkeyMollocks · 07/09/2012 18:36

Unless you think they wouldn't pick him up.....

...but it sounds like they are set on keeping him :(

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 18:40

My friend actually said to me that I could pig sit but 'if my mum wants him back you'l be all disappointed...' so yes I think she'd ask for him back
:-(

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chocolatemedals · 07/09/2012 18:57

Just read this thread - how awful. If this gp is being badly neglected and his cage is filthy and fur is matted I would call the RSPCA. Fuck 'em. You've done everything you can to make this easy for them and they aren't bothered.

p.s. sorry about the swearing, you all seem such kind gentle people! I usually lurk on AIBU!! Grin

BonkeyMollocks · 07/09/2012 19:02

chocolate Tis another world over here in Super furries Wink

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 07/09/2012 19:05

Haha yes, piggies have an amazing calming influence.

sleeping, food for thought:
Is it worth giving him some love and him having contact with other pigs for his sake even if its difficult for you? If your friend comes to pick him up and sees a change in personality that can only go in your favour. I know it would be tough to give him back, but at least knowing he's had a break from his life has got to be something?

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 19:14

HmmThinking the only thing making me worried is that I don't wanna get him all excited with other piggies then having to go back to his life of solitude pining for what could have been?

My stepmum thinks I should say fuck em too and call the RSPCA... Arrrrgh! Why won't they just let me have him???! :-(

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guineapiglet · 07/09/2012 19:29

This is all getting very tense! I really think you need to think of the guinea - do we know how old he is? He might find it very stressful to be hoiked out of his hutch and put in another environment, then to be taken back again, as much as we all know he would be much better cared for and looked after. Do animals think like we do? Im pretty certain he would spend the first few days very stressed, then get used to it a bit, and then be put back again, and he would probably pine. It is a hard fact that not everyone would look after their guineas as we would like to, but only contact the RSPCA if you think he is neglected and cruelly treated ( his matted coat for example suggests he is not looked after properly) - he is lonely and obviously eats, although not the food we would like him to have. You may end up losing a friend over this. Personally I would let it rest for a while now, you have sewn the seeds as I said earlier and it might be she needs to dwell on it further. I also think that to be the plaything of a 2 and 3 year old is miserable, when the rest of the time you are ignored.... but this is the life he has. You need to think hard about your friendship before you go down these routes. Offer again re the money - see if it has hit home. Dont be too sad, you have done your best.

Original poster
sleepingbunnies · 07/09/2012 19:38

He is 3yr old I asked today. I think I will leave it a while and see if she changes her mind, although I personally think she won't.

I know iv done as much as I can for now iv just got to hope she sees sense soon... I don't want to lose her as a friend bit man do I want to shake her!!!

Still so tempted to pig nap it's unreal!

Think I need to try and not think about it... And make a decision re the pig sitting... Even though I really really want to have him! To at least give him a bath and a groom!!

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BonkeyMollocks · 07/09/2012 19:51

I think guinea speaks alot of sense.

I think it would be much more upsetting for him to be uprooted and then uprooted again back to how things were.

He will love being within hearing/sniffing distance of your girls but then may well get depressed (even more) when he goes home because he has had that taken away :(

I honestly think its better if you just leave him be for now and drop the odd hint to her every now and again that you are still interested.

Re. the RSPCA, if he is being fed and watered there is not much more they can do than advise on company, attention, grooming - which you have already done.

Imo they are useless.

I found a horse once tethered on a chain, skin and bones, absess under her chin which was full of puss and bleeding, no water, could barely stand. i called them, they left a note and that was that. Hmm

In the end I managed to buy her and now my friend has her on the same yard. She is well but not without her health problems. But the only reason we got her in the end was through patience and money. Rspca did feck all! Angry

Hold out and drop hints.

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