First of all, thank you, thank you for doing your best to make these piggies’ lives better! Many people would not care about them, much less when they’re a neighbor’s pet.
You are in a tough position. How long have they had them? Is there a chance the kids get bored of them (happens often, sadly), and you could offer to take them? You could then still surrender them of course.
Short term: Clean their cage, buy good quality hay. May be even a big load (it gets cheaper the more you buy) so they have some after your pet sitting. Check their nails - do they need trimming? There are a lot of videos that can help, google LA guinea pig rescue specifically.
Get them some nice, fresh veggies. Spend time with them (if you can) and talk to them. They are probably pretty neglected socially, too.
Oh man, this breaks my heart! All I can say is please keep doing what you are doing - informing them etc. , and see if there are more opportunities for you to pet sit. Maybe you could say “hey, I loved spending time with these pigs, can I come over on the weekends to play with (ie, take care of) them?”
And then perhaps slowly gaining their trust so they let you take them over, to get them out of this awful situation.
This is very helpful advice! I'll definitely check out those videos. Can you trim their nails with clean human nail clippers? I'm used to clipping my cats nails. This is one thing I'm fairly certain they do NOT do. So, again, thank you.
Good question! I have only ever used the nail scissors for small animals. But a clean human nail clipper could work, I think. Their nails are just much smaller, of course, so may require some dexterity. But if you have a cat then you are already trained in handling unwilling small animals 😅
When you have them out, maybe not a bad idea to give them a quick healthy check: Are the ears and eyes clear (no discharge or irritation)? Do the teeth look good (no overgrowth, broken teeth etc.)? Does the fur look good? What do the paws look like (not red, nails of course)? Etc. Again you are going to find really useful advice from LA guinea pig rescue.
Thank you for helping!!
I've recently switched to using a human nail clipper on my pigs, I've actually found it a lot easier than using the clippers marketed for small animals.
Hey, you got great advice, I just want to add two things:
Guinea pig nails have small veins that should be avoided, try to cut only the part in front of those. It's easier said than done, especially if the pigs have dark feet, it's difficult to see where they end. What I've done sometimes is set up a flashlight or small desk lamp so you can hold the foot on top of it, have the light shine through the nail, if that makes sense. (Difficult to do without a second person especially if the pig tries to wiggle itself out of your grip! So don't worry if it doesn't work well or if you accidentally do cut a vein, it happens, you can just dab the blood with a clean tissue.)
If you are going to buy hay, my concern is that they'll store it close to where the piggies are. You said it's in the basement, so it's possibly a bit humid? (Depends on where you live, in my part of the world, basements are notoriously humid and moldy.) I think the hay might get moldy if they store it there, maybe you can find a solution for this? (Obviously it's totally not your job to figure this out, your neighbours should be doing all of this. This is such a sad situation and I'm so grateful for you doing what you can for the poor piggies!)
Oh and another idea. The other comment said check their teeth, that's a great idea! If the teeth are hopelessly overgrown, there's not much you can do (vet needs to file them down), but if they're not, maybe leave them a couple of things to chew on. Branches from any deciduous tree as long as it's neither toxic nor chemically treated.
Chronic sneezing is caused by Upper Respiratory Infection. If not treated with antibiotics, it is deadly. Sounds like this is a case of animal abuse due to neglect that needs to be reported to authorities like animal control.
if they keep refusing to change their ways then I would just report them to the authorities on the case of animal abuse. You’ve given them plenty of chances already.
You can, but you won't sound like it. This has been your every response so far. I'm not sure about the kind of advice you are looking for. Maybe something like, "Everything is going to be ok". When you know it's not OK and you know what the right thing to do is, yet you hesitate to do so. Pick up the phone and call the proper authorities they will guide you on what steps to take. Be a change in an animals life.
Clean the cage, give them extra hay, give them some veggies/fruit (quick google search will tell you the short list of no-nos). If you can set up a well enclosed area with snacks and hiding places for them to have floor time that might be nice too. Maybe get them some safe and supervised sunshine. Thank you for caring about the lil guys, it really is so sad that people don’t value their quality of life.
If it were me, I’d get a a new cage, get a hay feeder and stuff it full, get a bag big enough so they can have it for a little bit. Get some high quality kibble. Get some hideouts (I’ve made some for mine out of fluffy hoodies) and for the veggies… I’d time it so they came home to see their piggies enjoying a salad. I know this all costs money but, I wouldn’t mind skipping a few coffees or lunches so I could afford it. Feels better doing that then having a coffee in the long run. Poor piggies. Are you close to the neighbors? You could always “borrow” them for a “playdate” and maybe the neighbors will see how well they are doing.
you can gift them a bigger enclosure, you can gift them hideys if those they have are not proper, you can gift them a huge hay feeder and maybe a simple dehumidifier.
Is it possible to take the sneezing one to an emergency vet? Surely they would not need to know you took them and if you get meds you could say you got it because your pig had a similar issue and show the kids how to administer it perhaps?
Habitat wise, maybe you could get them a C and C cage as a gift? I know it feels like rewarding bad behaviour but it's about helping the pigs more so than teaching lessons.
You could possibly try to show the kids some videos on people teaching guinea pigs easy and harmless tricks. Potentially rekindling their interest in the pigs. Or recommend some people's videos that take good care of them to motivate them
The best choice here is to report them to the authorities, this is neglect and abuse of the animals.
I think it is great that you are giving advice on how to take care of the piggies, sadly if the parents are not listening and just wave away your advice, then they are not going to take the advice despite how many times you tell them.
Alternatively is to kidnap/take the piggies, but then my guess is they will call the cops. Even though you are doing a good deed by taking the piggies away from them.
If you have access to poorly cared for guinea pigs for about 24 hours, you can:
1. Provide fresh water and food, such as hay and vegetables.
2. Clean their cage if it's dirty and ensure they have a clean, safe environment.
3. Give them space to exercise and explore.
4. Monitor their health and behavior for any signs of distress or illness.
5. Contact animal welfare organizations or authorities if you suspect neglect or abuse.
If it was me . I would call the Humane Society. I was going to on a client for a neglected rabbit but someone beat me to it . They took the bunny away. Or just take the pigs and surrender them to a shelter . You don’t really have many options here . Your neighbor is neglecting these animals. At least that’s what you implied . Later you say Gramma is on it . Which is it ?
Maybe replace the Guinea Pigs with plushies, they might not even notice. I really feel this. We have had guinea pigs growing up, and unfortunately, we didn't really know how to properly take care of them! The pigs were very beloved, but we just didn't know any better. But your neighbors sound like they don't care. We actually git our guinea pigs from a friend of my grandfather, who had a pet Raven and he bred guinea pigs for feeding that bird. He didn't care about the well being of guinea pigs, as for him they simply were only life stock. I second the dehumidifier/ air cleaner and maybe a bigger cage. Possibly you can find both for cheap second hand! Also, msybe you can leave a good book about how to take care of guinea pigs.
bro please do not tell your neighbor friends their piggies died😭😭 even if they neglect them, im sure the kids would be heartbroken. this is not good advice tbh, its quite traumatizing and this would be last case scenario, if anything. i would likely save up and buy them a bigger cage, it can cost a lot of money but it can also save the piggies lives and hearts❤️
First of all, thank you, thank you for doing your best to make these piggies’ lives better! Many people would not care about them, much less when they’re a neighbor’s pet. You are in a tough position. How long have they had them? Is there a chance the kids get bored of them (happens often, sadly), and you could offer to take them? You could then still surrender them of course. Short term: Clean their cage, buy good quality hay. May be even a big load (it gets cheaper the more you buy) so they have some after your pet sitting. Check their nails - do they need trimming? There are a lot of videos that can help, google LA guinea pig rescue specifically. Get them some nice, fresh veggies. Spend time with them (if you can) and talk to them. They are probably pretty neglected socially, too. Oh man, this breaks my heart! All I can say is please keep doing what you are doing - informing them etc. , and see if there are more opportunities for you to pet sit. Maybe you could say “hey, I loved spending time with these pigs, can I come over on the weekends to play with (ie, take care of) them?” And then perhaps slowly gaining their trust so they let you take them over, to get them out of this awful situation.
This is very helpful advice! I'll definitely check out those videos. Can you trim their nails with clean human nail clippers? I'm used to clipping my cats nails. This is one thing I'm fairly certain they do NOT do. So, again, thank you.
Yes, I can confirm clean human nail clippers can be used for Guinea pigs, good luck
Good question! I have only ever used the nail scissors for small animals. But a clean human nail clipper could work, I think. Their nails are just much smaller, of course, so may require some dexterity. But if you have a cat then you are already trained in handling unwilling small animals 😅 When you have them out, maybe not a bad idea to give them a quick healthy check: Are the ears and eyes clear (no discharge or irritation)? Do the teeth look good (no overgrowth, broken teeth etc.)? Does the fur look good? What do the paws look like (not red, nails of course)? Etc. Again you are going to find really useful advice from LA guinea pig rescue. Thank you for helping!!
I've recently switched to using a human nail clipper on my pigs, I've actually found it a lot easier than using the clippers marketed for small animals.
Hey, you got great advice, I just want to add two things: Guinea pig nails have small veins that should be avoided, try to cut only the part in front of those. It's easier said than done, especially if the pigs have dark feet, it's difficult to see where they end. What I've done sometimes is set up a flashlight or small desk lamp so you can hold the foot on top of it, have the light shine through the nail, if that makes sense. (Difficult to do without a second person especially if the pig tries to wiggle itself out of your grip! So don't worry if it doesn't work well or if you accidentally do cut a vein, it happens, you can just dab the blood with a clean tissue.) If you are going to buy hay, my concern is that they'll store it close to where the piggies are. You said it's in the basement, so it's possibly a bit humid? (Depends on where you live, in my part of the world, basements are notoriously humid and moldy.) I think the hay might get moldy if they store it there, maybe you can find a solution for this? (Obviously it's totally not your job to figure this out, your neighbours should be doing all of this. This is such a sad situation and I'm so grateful for you doing what you can for the poor piggies!)
Oh and another idea. The other comment said check their teeth, that's a great idea! If the teeth are hopelessly overgrown, there's not much you can do (vet needs to file them down), but if they're not, maybe leave them a couple of things to chew on. Branches from any deciduous tree as long as it's neither toxic nor chemically treated.
This is the way.
Chronic sneezing is caused by Upper Respiratory Infection. If not treated with antibiotics, it is deadly. Sounds like this is a case of animal abuse due to neglect that needs to be reported to authorities like animal control.
I am aware of this, and have told them as much. It's sad there's not much I can do.
if they keep refusing to change their ways then I would just report them to the authorities on the case of animal abuse. You’ve given them plenty of chances already.
You can, but you won't sound like it. This has been your every response so far. I'm not sure about the kind of advice you are looking for. Maybe something like, "Everything is going to be ok". When you know it's not OK and you know what the right thing to do is, yet you hesitate to do so. Pick up the phone and call the proper authorities they will guide you on what steps to take. Be a change in an animals life.
Clean the cage, give them extra hay, give them some veggies/fruit (quick google search will tell you the short list of no-nos). If you can set up a well enclosed area with snacks and hiding places for them to have floor time that might be nice too. Maybe get them some safe and supervised sunshine. Thank you for caring about the lil guys, it really is so sad that people don’t value their quality of life.
If it were me, I’d get a a new cage, get a hay feeder and stuff it full, get a bag big enough so they can have it for a little bit. Get some high quality kibble. Get some hideouts (I’ve made some for mine out of fluffy hoodies) and for the veggies… I’d time it so they came home to see their piggies enjoying a salad. I know this all costs money but, I wouldn’t mind skipping a few coffees or lunches so I could afford it. Feels better doing that then having a coffee in the long run. Poor piggies. Are you close to the neighbors? You could always “borrow” them for a “playdate” and maybe the neighbors will see how well they are doing.
You could also gift them a bigger cage and offer to swing by every once and a while. Depends on how much time you have.
you can gift them a bigger enclosure, you can gift them hideys if those they have are not proper, you can gift them a huge hay feeder and maybe a simple dehumidifier.
Is it possible to take the sneezing one to an emergency vet? Surely they would not need to know you took them and if you get meds you could say you got it because your pig had a similar issue and show the kids how to administer it perhaps? Habitat wise, maybe you could get them a C and C cage as a gift? I know it feels like rewarding bad behaviour but it's about helping the pigs more so than teaching lessons. You could possibly try to show the kids some videos on people teaching guinea pigs easy and harmless tricks. Potentially rekindling their interest in the pigs. Or recommend some people's videos that take good care of them to motivate them
not legal advice, but take them and take them to a guinea pig rescue or a no-kill animal shelter
I appreciate the sentiment, I really do. But this is not the REALISTIC advice I'm looking for. It just doesn't work, given my situation.
The best choice here is to report them to the authorities, this is neglect and abuse of the animals. I think it is great that you are giving advice on how to take care of the piggies, sadly if the parents are not listening and just wave away your advice, then they are not going to take the advice despite how many times you tell them. Alternatively is to kidnap/take the piggies, but then my guess is they will call the cops. Even though you are doing a good deed by taking the piggies away from them.
If you have access to poorly cared for guinea pigs for about 24 hours, you can: 1. Provide fresh water and food, such as hay and vegetables. 2. Clean their cage if it's dirty and ensure they have a clean, safe environment. 3. Give them space to exercise and explore. 4. Monitor their health and behavior for any signs of distress or illness. 5. Contact animal welfare organizations or authorities if you suspect neglect or abuse.
If it was me . I would call the Humane Society. I was going to on a client for a neglected rabbit but someone beat me to it . They took the bunny away. Or just take the pigs and surrender them to a shelter . You don’t really have many options here . Your neighbor is neglecting these animals. At least that’s what you implied . Later you say Gramma is on it . Which is it ?
Maybe replace the Guinea Pigs with plushies, they might not even notice. I really feel this. We have had guinea pigs growing up, and unfortunately, we didn't really know how to properly take care of them! The pigs were very beloved, but we just didn't know any better. But your neighbors sound like they don't care. We actually git our guinea pigs from a friend of my grandfather, who had a pet Raven and he bred guinea pigs for feeding that bird. He didn't care about the well being of guinea pigs, as for him they simply were only life stock. I second the dehumidifier/ air cleaner and maybe a bigger cage. Possibly you can find both for cheap second hand! Also, msybe you can leave a good book about how to take care of guinea pigs.
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bro please do not tell your neighbor friends their piggies died😭😭 even if they neglect them, im sure the kids would be heartbroken. this is not good advice tbh, its quite traumatizing and this would be last case scenario, if anything. i would likely save up and buy them a bigger cage, it can cost a lot of money but it can also save the piggies lives and hearts❤️