Tilly92
New Born Pup
This is the only group i visit for advice, I follow Cavy Corner on FB( that is a rescue ) and haypigs
Concern for a Facebook group
- Thread starter karonus
- Start date
Sgboyd
Junior Guinea Pig
They are viscious there anyway. They hold cavies higher than humans. Berate people for falling on hard times. Mock people for not knowing everything about guinea pigs. They love telling people they have no business owning cavies over a difference of opinion.
I literally lost my home a few years back. Was homeless for a few months in the winter. Had to find a way to keep the children I grew in my belly safe and sent the pigs with my son. I was looking at sleeping in my car and was lambasted for giving up the cavies...forget the kids. I should have kept everyone in the car with me in the winter instead of traumatizing them emotionally.
Don't worry I'm fine now. Kids are fine. Piggies are fine except the one that died of cancer.
That group, however, is filled with a bunch of loons.
David Piggie Lover
Forum Donator 2020/21
Before i joined this forum.. I looked at FB. . they are lots groups etc. . Didn't take me long to realize some are openly run by morphs.. . . I have a massive problem with any form of cruelty to a animal that is "a pet" only other day i saw a dog being yanked by the lead etc. . Makes my blood boil . . 
I do my best when I can to support anyone who is willing to love a pet. Piggies especially. .
I'm very happy to be asked to leave any pet shop for saying the advise they are giving new animal owners . .
is perhaps not fully in the intrest of the welfare of the animal. .. . One time a local pet shop guy got a little angry with me.. . Saying " we been advising people for years"
I said badly. . Pal.. .
The standard of care for piggies on this forum is reflected by the people on it.
Dont get me wrong ive been told off more than once
but we all have our opinions and the report systems Keeps in my view a great balance and the world of poop machines better.. .
I do my best when I can to support anyone who is willing to love a pet. Piggies especially. .
I'm very happy to be asked to leave any pet shop for saying the advise they are giving new animal owners . .
is perhaps not fully in the intrest of the welfare of the animal. .. . One time a local pet shop guy got a little angry with me.. . Saying " we been advising people for years"I said badly. . Pal.. .
The standard of care for piggies on this forum is reflected by the people on it.
Dont get me wrong ive been told off more than once
but we all have our opinions and the report systems Keeps in my view a great balance and the world of poop machines better.. .
Engel
Teenage Guinea Pig
Lol glad I'm not the only one who had issues with them. I got told off for feeding a leaf of romaine lettuce. Not allowed apparently as it's got no nutrition and is seen the same as iceberg. I told them that I've checked on a forum (here) as well as PDSA and RSPCA guidelines. I asked them if they were telling me that all these high welfare places are wrong and they replied with, "yes".
Engel
Teenage Guinea Pig
Ok all...tell me if I'm going a bit OTT. I've had enough of this FB group.
Someone posted this:
Now I think that it's irresponsible of them putting the boar back with the 2 sows. Apparently I'm 'judgemental' and 'why does it matter they're already pregnant!'.
Am I missing something here
Someone posted this:
Now I think that it's irresponsible of them putting the boar back with the 2 sows. Apparently I'm 'judgemental' and 'why does it matter they're already pregnant!'.
Am I missing something here
Engel
Teenage Guinea Pig
Now they're all tagging me in comments like 'theyre already pregnant they can't get double pregnant'
plus the way it's written, 'no babies yet' suggests they're due any time?
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2020/21
Well, they'll likely on learn the hard way - when one of them potentially passes away from the back-to-back pregnancies they're likely to experience. I would just leave the group. I know it's not a nice phrase and I don't really like to use it, but you can't argue with ....
Engel
Teenage Guinea Pig
Ain't that the truth!
Little Ones
Adult Guinea Pig
They really are a nightmare. I still haven’t left the stupid things yet lol, I’m blaming it on my severe ADHD thoughNow they're all tagging me in comments like 'theyre already pregnant they can't get double pregnant'
I will leave eventually I just haven’t got round to it...I'm trying not to get involved in debates, just trying to help out when I can and leaving forum links around. I’m also not using any of my mental energy replying to people if I don’t want to. If I’ve said my piece, I’ve decided not to keep reiterating it for people who apparently can’t read very well and if it’s going to be too much stress to engage in it then I won’t. There are some genuinely good people on there who’ve just been receiving bad advice left right and centre and I’m happy to try and help them whilst using the forum threads for references but I’ve just realised a lot of people don’t want to listen to the facts, all I can do is show it to them but I won’t fight for them to agree.
There was one girl who said her piggies love to swim and her vet even says it’s fine. This was on a post about bathing guinea pigs. I linked the bathing guide along with why guinea pigs shouldn’t swim. That girl I honestly could have punched, she just ignored everything and said her guinea pigs like it. That was one time I really lost my cool, I tried my best to be civil though
Kellykels
Teenage Guinea Pig
There's no telling some people. It's easier not to waste your breath and upset yourself. It's an exercise in keeping in mind your own mental health.
I always consider people's advice and it baffles me how people don't want to do their best to take care of their animals. Which makes me cross. So I try not to pay too much attention on focus on the animals I can help. (My own) Otherwise I would go mad.
I always consider people's advice and it baffles me how people don't want to do their best to take care of their animals. Which makes me cross. So I try not to pay too much attention on focus on the animals I can help. (My own) Otherwise I would go mad.
Engel
Teenage Guinea Pig
Some people are genuinely misinformed so I leave a little comment with a link to here with extra info. This person claimed that their vet said it was ok and they should do it? Idk. As soon as everyone was being sarcastic and saying how it didn't matter, it's like 'I'm surrounded... surrounded by stupidity' makes you wonder though, are they a part of the group for the welfare of their animals or just to make themselves feel better? Who knows.They really are a nightmare. I still haven’t left the stupid things yet lol, I’m blaming it on my severe ADHD though
I'm trying not to get involved in debates, just trying to help out when I can and leaving forum links around. I’m also not using any of my mental energy replying to people if I don’t want to. If I’ve said my piece, I’ve decided not to keep reiterating it for people who apparently can’t read very well and if it’s going to be too much stress to engage in it then I won’t. There are some genuinely good people on there who’ve just been receiving bad advice left right and centre and I’m happy to try and help them whilst using the forum threads for references but I’ve just realised a lot of people don’t want to listen to the facts, all I can do is show it to them but I won’t fight for them to agree.
There was one girl who said her piggies love to swim and her vet even says it’s fine. This was on a post about bathing guinea pigs. I linked the bathing guide along with why guinea pigs shouldn’t swim. That girl I honestly could have punched, she just ignored everything and said her guinea pigs like it. That was one time I really lost my cool, I tried my best to be civil though
Yes I saw the post about the swimming pig...put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day...I just got up.
Little Ones
Adult Guinea Pig
I think part of the problem are all the misinformed vets out there too. A lot of these people are getting their bad advice from them which is equally baffling. Once the vet has told someone something then it’s like gospel to them. I think it’s only the people on this forum that understand that when it comes to piggies, vets don’t always know best. I will always go to the vet when needed for diagnoses and treatment but I trust the advice on here from Wiebke and others more than the vets most of the time. I find it’s always best to check here if you’re uncertain and need advice as you’re getting the best advice that’s out there. However, the people on these Facebook groups don’t have that knowledge so will believe whatever their misinformed vet tells them. Which then creates a cycle on these groups.Some people are genuinely misinformed so I leave a little comment with a link to here with extra info. This person claimed that their vet said it was ok and they should do it? Idk. As soon as everyone was being sarcastic and saying how it didn't matter, it's like 'I'm surrounded... surrounded by stupidity' makes you wonder though, are they a part of the group for the welfare of their animals or just to make themselves feel better? Who knows.
Yes I saw the post about the swimming pig...put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day...I just got up.
Wheeksers
Junior Guinea Pig
This is one of the reasons why I no longer am on FB - it's turned into such a monster of misinformation, stupidity, and popularity contest that it is no longer about being connected to the ones I care about (which is why FB started to begin with). Oye, my blood is boiling just reading yalls experience.
Hath
Teenage Guinea Pig
So that's how those poorly bred pigs are made... Hope girls (and babies) will be OK.
You see, some people suffer from "illusory superiority" and are unable to realise their skills are below average (dangerous, in case of such FB groups). They'll struggle to consider other people's opinions and obviously are found in abundance, surrounded by same minds in such groups.
That's why I like to hang around here, where people are willing to learn and don't behave like they know it all.
(my emojis are back!)
You see, some people suffer from "illusory superiority" and are unable to realise their skills are below average (dangerous, in case of such FB groups). They'll struggle to consider other people's opinions and obviously are found in abundance, surrounded by same minds in such groups.
That's why I like to hang around here, where people are willing to learn and don't behave like they know it all.
(my emojis are back!)
Claire W
Forum Donator 2020/21
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
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- Reaction score
- 17,482
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And in that group, a lot of people just have one guinea pig living alone 
I've seen lots of misinformation on such groups myself, many of which I either left in disgust or were banned by the admins for calling them out.
Some examples of stupidity, most of which peddled by "breeders" and admins claiming to be "experts":
- Fleece is apparently bad
- Breeding for breeding sake is apparently good
- "I've bred guinea pigs for 500 years" instantly means they're 100% correct on everything
- Baked potatoes are apparently good
- Romaine lettuce is the devil (one group even typed up a nonsense word document that basically amounts to "because reasons")
- Seeds are good
- Either hay is bad/hay only, nothing else
- Pellets of any kind are bad
- Self medicating guinea pigs with medicine that needs proper vet expertise to do without killing them
- Hatred of ANY vet, regardless if good/bad
- Curly breeds need constant hair straightening and shaves because it's ugly
- Claiming certain curly breeds (like lunks) need intense brush grooming despite being very painful, but pointless due to the nature of the breed
Some examples of stupidity, most of which peddled by "breeders" and admins claiming to be "experts":
- Fleece is apparently bad
- Breeding for breeding sake is apparently good
- "I've bred guinea pigs for 500 years" instantly means they're 100% correct on everything
- Baked potatoes are apparently good
- Romaine lettuce is the devil (one group even typed up a nonsense word document that basically amounts to "because reasons")
- Seeds are good
- Either hay is bad/hay only, nothing else
- Pellets of any kind are bad
- Self medicating guinea pigs with medicine that needs proper vet expertise to do without killing them
- Hatred of ANY vet, regardless if good/bad
- Curly breeds need constant hair straightening and shaves because it's ugly
- Claiming certain curly breeds (like lunks) need intense brush grooming despite being very painful, but pointless due to the nature of the breed
Pound Shilling & Pig
Adult Guinea Pig
While some vets have less knowledge than others a lot of the problems around people being given bad advise is down to the fact they haven't listened to the vet in the first place and just hear what they want. I used to work at vets so have witnessed this first hand. A locum vet told me one time that after explaining to a man what was wrong with his pet the man rang his wife while still in the consulting room and told her the vet had said something completely difgerent. It's like some people filter out the word "not" from a sentence like "swimming is not good for your guinea pig"
Little Ones
Adult Guinea Pig
Wow, it doesn’t surprise me though. I know it can be hard to retain everything the vet tells you but to completely not listen and believe things you weren’t even told? That’s a talent in itself.
It boggles my mind that people own pets without even doing their own research on them, and then use their apparently limited common sense to come to the conclusion that guinea pigs enjoy swimming (and other things).
Kellykels
Teenage Guinea Pig
People tend to hear what they want to hear.
