Bad Treatment

[Gia]

Hi all. I need some advice. So I have this friend who breeds and shows guinea pigs. I’m nuetral about showing as he only does showmanship, but I hate the breeding. He has about 45 pigs in his garage right now. They’re kept in tiny breeder cages and hardly ever have hay. If you don’t know what a breeder cage is, this is what it looks like:

Although the cages are always clean, that is not an OK way of life. He also has multiple rabbits that are all on wire bottom cages and his chickens never see the light of day. I can’t just confront him about it since he’s my good friend and in my 4H club and a few of my projects. It’s so upsetting but I don’t know how to tell him my opinion. Any advice?

 

[HeatherRose]

Wow that is terrible and a difficult situation for you. If he is breeding them, I’m not sure how you can change his mind about all of it unless you could convince him to stop breeding and then help him get everything under control. Is breeding animals what he does for a job?

 

[LittleGems]

You should definately tell him how you feel. For the animals xx

 

[Merab]

It’s a tough position for you to be in but if he’s a friend perhaps you can find a way of talking about good guinea pig care from your experience on this forum.

 

[Pigwhisperer]

Can you anonymously tip off your local animal welfare people? I've been watching shows like "Animal Cops Houston" (had some enforced time off due to surgery!) and I'm pretty sure they would seize animals being kept in those conditions.

 

[Guinea pigs13]

I think you should try talking to your friend about it.As guinea pigs should always have hay and a large cage. Is your friend breeding them? If so then try to stop him as there are so many guinea pigs without homes he doesn’t need to add anymore to the list.

 

[HeatherW]

Gina's already said he doesn't breed, just shows, and has a 45 pigs in total.

I don't suppose you can raise your concerns with him about their situation? You don't have to be confrontational about it; pushing your opinion won't help your friendship or the pigs. I guess the first point is to establish whether it's out of ignorance or genuine lack of care. See if you can find mutual ground and support him. If he shows them, then I imagine their teeth would be a concern if they're lacking hay. Perhaps you could broach the subject (or just that one at least) for the time being?

 

[Gia]

Wow that is terrible and a difficult situation for you. If he is breeding them, I’m not sure how you can change his mind about all of it unless you could convince him to stop breeding and then help him get everything under control. Is breeding animals what he does for a job?

He sells them at shows every once and a while.

EDITED BY A MODERATOR

 

[Gia]

Gina's already said he doesn't breed, just shows, and has a 45 pigs in total.

I don't suppose you can raise your concerns with him about their situation? You don't have to be confrontational about it; pushing your opinion won't help your friendship or the pigs. I guess the first point is to establish whether it's out of ignorance or genuine lack of care. See if you can find mutual ground and support him. If he shows them, then I imagine their teeth would be a concern if they're lacking hay. Perhaps you could broach the subject (or just that one at least) for the time being?

He does breed. Him and his mom don't know any better I guess. He just keeps getting more and more. He reallys loves them and they just built and shed like thing and spent a lot of money on it for the pigs.

 

[Gia]

Can you anonymously tip off your local animal welfare people? I've been watching shows like "Animal Cops Houston" (had some enforced time off due to surgery!) and I'm pretty sure they would seize animals being kept in those conditions.

It's illegal to have that many pigs in my county, but he loves them and I wouldn't want them taken away from him. He just needs to learn that how they're being treated is not right.

 

[HeatherW]

No, he's only about a year younger than me and I'm 13. He sells them at shows every once and a while.

He may have got his information on keeping piggies from certain sources and thinks that's the best way to care for them. It's probably not out of malice or lack of care. Perhaps start out by enquiring more about his hobby, how he started and find out more before making any snap decisions or judgements.

 

[HeatherW]

He does breed. Him and his mom don't know any better I guess. He just keeps getting more and more. He reallys loves them and they just built and shed like thing and spent a lot of money on it for the pigs.

Sorry, I misread!

 

[Gia]

Wow that is terrible and a difficult situation for you. If he is breeding them, I’m not sure how you can change his mind about all of it unless you could convince him to stop breeding and then help him get everything under control. Is breeding animals what he does for a job?

You should definately tell him how you feel. For the animals xx

It’s a tough position for you to be in but if he’s a friend perhaps you can find a way of talking about good guinea pig care from your experience on this forum.

Can you anonymously tip off your local animal welfare people? I've been watching shows like "Animal Cops Houston" (had some enforced time off due to surgery!) and I'm pretty sure they would seize animals being kept in those conditions.

I think you should try talking to your friend about it.As guinea pigs should always have hay and a large cage. Is your friend breeding them? If so then try to stop him as there are so many guinea pigs without homes he doesn’t need to add anymore to the list.

Gina's already said he doesn't breed, just shows, and has a 45 pigs in total.

I don't suppose you can raise your concerns with him about their situation? You don't have to be confrontational about it; pushing your opinion won't help your friendship or the pigs. I guess the first point is to establish whether it's out of ignorance or genuine lack of care. See if you can find mutual ground and support him. If he shows them, then I imagine their teeth would be a concern if they're lacking hay. Perhaps you could broach the subject (or just that one at least) for the time being?

It's hard for me to tell him how I feel since he's in my 4H group and he mom is the leader of the cavy project. I plan on being in 4H until I'm 18 and he does too. They probably won't change their ways either.

 

[flowerfairy]

The lack of hay seems to be the most immediate concern. As he loves them he may well be open to improving their health by giving hay.

Good luck. It can be hard making suggestions esp. when you feel strongly about what he is doing.

 

[Pigwhisperer]

He does breed. Him and his mom don't know any better I guess. He just keeps getting more and more. He reallys loves them and they just built and shed like thing and spent a lot of money on it for the pigs.

He really loves them? So he doesn't want them to be unhappy?.....

Then may you could have a book or magazine about Ideal Homes for Guinea Pigs lying around and start up a conversation about minimum cage sizes.......? Or the fact that they hate being caged individually as they are herd animals?