Designing a classroom guinea pig cage

[Claire W]

Oh I see. It’s good you were on the ball

Because they are underage and provided false information in order to create an account

Such a shame Poor piggy

And the advice and experiences were excellent.
I really hope they were able to take some of that on board.

However they also confessed that the currently classroom guinea pig had been on it's own in a too small cage for 2 years and was 'fine'.
So sadly I don't think they were really open to the experience and suggestions of others - just a validation of their own ideas and opinions

 

[Lady Kelly]

Oh I see. It’s good you were on the ball

Such a shame Poor piggy

They will still be able to access the forum as a guest and benefit from the advice given they just can't hold an account otherwise the forum could face legal proceedings and be forced to close

 

[Claire W]

They will still be able to access the forum as a guest and benefit from the advice given they just can't hold an account otherwise the forum could face legal proceedings and be forced to close

Let’s hope they take the advise onboard

 

[Eriathwen]

I attend a very small private school that is a much better environment than a lot of other schools I've been too. She is really friendly and has no problem with being in a classroom, in fact she seems to enjoy the attention. It's been about two years since the teacher got her. Her room is late middle schoolers so they are responsible enough to not hurt her and there are a few other students who also enjoyed giving her treats cleaning her cage and doing other things like that. She fits the environment really well. We are hoping to get her a friend once we have a cage that's large enough but the one she is currently in is far too small for her let alone a friend. I have two piggies myself so I know the importance of having more than one and taking care of her. This is a project so me and my friend are supplying most of the resources ourselves but may get some help from the school so vet visits and other things are not a concern for us.

The idea of her in the classroom isn't going away and she has always been cared for. I personally went to see her daily before she went home with a student at the beginning of the COVID stuff (no furries till after that's done). I know just about everything involved in keeping her in a classroom but I just want a little advice on building the cage so that we can get her in a larger cage with a friend faster.

I sincerely hope the OP continues to take advice as a guest. You see OP, you have admitted your poor guinea pig is facing the exact situation so many classroom guinea pigs suffer, my own included, Thistles story is the end result of the unethical environment your poor girl is currently living in.
Alone? Yes
Too small a cage? Yes
Fed treats by the children? Yes..please make sure shes getting proper exercise and diet and very few treats while in her tiny cage.
Had to put up with this for 2 years? Yes

This is all sounding very familiar, a lot like my poor Thistle. Even my vet agrees a classroom is absolutely no place for a guinea pig and expressed so when she first went to see him (one of many visits) as it has taken over a year to sort out the problems caused by her neglect at that school.
You can't get an animal and then give them the correct care when it suits, she should have had appropriate housing and a friend from the start.

 

[Tim]

Fingers and paws crossed for the poor piggy xx

 

[Sweet Potato]

I hope that poor piggies ok and finally finds itself a nice quiet family to live with.

 

[Hath]

This would be the best opportunity to find her a family who understands piggie needs of enough room and a friend. She's not at school anyway and it's nice opportunity to fix her unsuitable condition by saying she was happier outside the classroom environment and it was the right thing to do for her. You can always ask for photo updates to show kids her condition improved and point them to the cage size, appropriate diet etc...
kids aren't learning anything positive from the way she's kept. I would be filing an complaint if my daughter's school did such thing...

 

[Piggy_novice]

I think this really highlights the need to teach children that animals/ pets are not toys or here for their amusement only. I know some of my daughters friends who have Guinea pigs and other animals are free to take them out cage unsupervised etc. I have always been very strict that my daughter is not allowed to pick our boys out the cage, she can now help pick them up when out for floor time but only under close supervision as they are too easily started and even a small fall could end so badly.
I would not be impressed if my daughters school got a school pet (nursery had a fish that was in an unsuitable tiny bowl which was upsetting) and would definitely raise concerns with headteacher. OP you sound as though you really care about the class pet but I’m afraid you need to realise the poor soul is not being cared for well as you admit she’s a lone pig in too small a cage without any one responsible carer (she’s gone home with a pupil during covid not a responsible adult from the school so who knows how she’s being cared for at present). The best thing for this wee pig would be to find acompanion and a permanent home able to provide suitable living space.