Goodbye...

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Amysguineapigs

Amysguineapigs

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Me and my mom have decided we no longer want to use this forum, as we feel very hurt. And it's unfair as all i did was post a picture of Bonnie and people can't wait to judge what we are doing wrong, not acknowledging the things we do right, by saying we could buy Bonnie a friend in the future, who knows it could be next year? But no one listened.

Just one last thing that everyone is forgetting, someone suggested a piggie train on here, and everyone was prepared to help knowing she was going as a single pig. (Emi) And no one said anything!

Also i thank the person very much who advised us on what to say to our vet, regarding Snowball our other pig who was poorly. Snowball is now happy and well thanks to the persons advice!:)
 
It is sad that it has come to this, people were not trying to hurt you or make you feel judged, they are just very passionate about piggies and really wanted to help you out. But thats a different thread, and I don't want to dig that all up again.

I personally thought that Emi was coming to join your pig in your avatar, maybe i shouldn't have made assumptions. (I would have advised you just the same as the others on here, to get Emi a friend if I had realized) so I am sorry i assumed things, and was unable to tell you that you need a friend for a guinea pig, maybe I could have saved you some of this hassle.

I hope you and your pigs will be happy, and I hope despite your feelings towards the forum, that you may take some of the advice on board, it truly wasn't meant in a horrible way. (and i promise you we really are a nice bunch :)) )

Goodbye to you your mum and your piggies x
 
Sorry you thought that, but on previous threads i've mentioned that i have two boars. And what happened to Emi's friend? x
 
Must have missed them.
I'm not sure, but it was someone on here who got her so she will be well looked after, so don't worry x
 
Yes but the person who was rehoming her wanted her to have a friend. x
 
I've just read through the thread that's been mentioned. I've not spent a lot of time on here recently so I'd missed it before it was closed earlier.

I don't want to bring it up or anything but you and your mum have been misinformed on various requirements when keeping guinea-pigs. The advice given to both of you on the other thread were not opinions, they were facts, and there's a big difference between the two.

Feeling the need to leave the forum is something I've thought about doing a few times when I've felt judged and like an inadequate owner, but I've been on a few guinea-pig forums, and other animal forums (been banned from two in-fact!), and this is the only one I've felt the people are there FOR the animals and owners, and not about ridiculing the owners for making a mistake.

Obviously, it's your choice if you and your mum don't want to be on here either, I'm sure we'll all respect that, but I do hope you'll stick around, if only to use the forum as reference for things because for as long as I've had guinea-pigs (14 years) and as much as I know about them, I don't know everything and still need to check I'm doing things correctly. I've had to let go of my pride, knock down my wall of defense and listen to other, more experienced owners who do know more than I do. For instance, I've come to blows with a few members on here, and in the end I've learnt to just hear them out first and think logically about things they've said. I suffer with social anxiety, and even reading a comment/reply from someone on here, 5/6 months ago I could never have done, basically through fear of what they'd say to me, if they've been upset by what I've said or if they upset me. I'd shake like a leaf, my heart would go nuts in my chest, and I'd have trouble breathing, I'd turn into a complete nervous wreck! Now it doesn't bother me as much because, like I said, I've learnt to be more patient and open-minded with people who come across as though they're criticising me. I've taken so much from this forum and I appreciate it all, however stubborn and naive I've been beforehand :p

Anyway, yea, that was all I wanted to say really :)
 
Yes, your absolutely right.
I'm also a member of another forum-completely different I know but its for people with scoliosis (me) and I used their support to get me through major surgery on my spine last year.Without them I couldnt have got through it so I know how forums work.

We were upset because we felt that people werent actually listening-its okay telling a person how it should be but listening is also important.

I had said in a post that was quite early on in the discussion that its how the situation is NOW and that Bonnie could eventually get a mate when our building work is done.We had been looking a long time for a teddy and obviously once we found one we wanted one.

I know guinea pigs are better of with a mate and will do what I can to make that happen.I know people like to put their views accross but I think sometimes too many can make a person feel 'bombarded'. X
 
Amysmom said:
Yes, your absolutely right.
I'm also a member of another forum-completely different I know but its for people with scoliosis (me) and I used their support to get me through major surgery on my spine last year.Without them I couldnt have got through it so I know how forums work.

We were upset because we felt that people werent actually listening-its okay telling a person how it should be but listening is also important.

I had said in a post that was quite early on in the discussion that its how the situation is NOW and that Bonnie could eventually get a mate when our building work is done.We had been looking a long time for a teddy and obviously once we found one we wanted one.

I know guinea pigs are better of with a mate and will do what I can to make that happen.I know people like to put their views accross but I think sometimes too many can make a person feel 'bombarded'. X
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I understand what you mean; they are very passionate on this forum because they care about piggies very much :) so sometimes the written word sounds a lot harsher than it is meant. Overall though I have found this forum & the members very helpful, & it is very informative so hopefully you both will stick around :)

I too have scoliosis, I would be very interested in the forum you use as I have a complication from it & haven't found anyone else with the same condition so it would be great to find others with the same problem.
 
Poppy'sMum said:
I too have scoliosis, I would be very interested in the forum you use as I have a complication from it & haven't found anyone else with the same condition so it would be great to find others with the same problem.
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Just wanted to butt into this thread, scoliosis and kyphosis runs in my family my mum and brother, nana, aunties etc. all suffer from it and my mum/bro's are on morphine for the pain. I'd too like to know the forum as i think it'd be a great help to my younger brother and mum to use and talk to others and find any advice/ help too:)

Anywhoos I'll also add, members are all very lovely on the forum i guess reading comments/replies may come across harsh if a member hasn't worded a reply in a 'nice manner' so to speak and I really think noone intended to hurt or upset you everyone on here is very passionate about piggie care, i know it can come across interfering but at the end of the day all we can do as a community is advise, support and be considerate of others.

Noone will judge you if you don't take up there advice as at the end of the day there is no right or wrong way to look after your pet, just different opinions to piggie care. :)
 
Amy and Amy's mom, i havent read the thread you are tlking about just the first few posts.

This forum is usually a very friendly place we all get over enthusiastic at times but its just because we care, at the beginning of the thread it seemed that you thought what you had been told was correct (and why wouldnt you believe sources that should know better). we have all been misinformed about proper care and its only through that,that we learn to do it better which you now seem much more open to suggestions made by forum members. No-one can do everything all in one go we do understand that, the important thing is that you [*]do[/*] have your piggies interests at heart and no one on the forum has a right to ask any more than that.

Please stay and take part in discussions, ask alot of questions and before you know it you will be giving people around you an education on proper piggy care and you will be seeing the benefit of the forum wisdom in your own piggies.

I hope to see you both around the forum in the future x
 
Hope you both stay - I know what you mean about teddies I looove teddy guinea pigs (although I dont have one yet):))
 
Thank you everyone.

The scoliosis forum is www.scoliosisupport.org. They are a friendly bunch.

My curve gotto be 72 degrees with horrendous pain until i met a wonderful surgeon who specializes. I had a 10hr surgery involving putting titanium rods with 28 screws in my spine top to bottom. I also had 8 ribs chopped to get rid of a hump caused through the curve. It was a very difficult time but I'm 1yr post op on Nov 3rd and touch wood my pain is lessening :-)

My daughter also has mild scoliosis.
 
Please do not feel threatened or like you are being bullied by other forum members - i've learnt on here that its generally not what people intend to come across when they post. A lot of folks on here are just very knowledgeable and factual which can come off a bit cold, and many members are just overly passionate about animals and have a habit of jumping the gun but its not personal.

And for the rare occasions when someone does start rubbing you up the wrong way an picking at you, pm them and defend yourself, there's no bias on here and people aren't always going to share the same views.

We all love our animals at the end of the day.

By staying on this forum you'll learn a lot and you'll have a great resource at your fingertips.
 
I've not read the thread in question but I know from my experience of using forums that what can happen on a busy one is that several people will only read the first post and set a reply to that without reading any further so potentially reiterating what others have said which can lead to feeling bombarded. Also people post at the same time and don't see the other posts until they have posted by which time its too late.

Anyway I doubt I can add anything to the thread so I won't go back and read it if thats ok. I think its a good and a bad thing because it does shown passion for the care and wellbeing of all guinea pigs but it is also bad because it has left you and your daughter felt like this.

Maybe you'd prefer a breather knowing that you can return to the site at any time for support and advice in the future? It would be sad to see you go
 
Amysmom said:
Thank you everyone.

The scoliosis forum is www.scoliosisupport.org. They are a friendly bunch.

My curve gotto be 72 degrees with horrendous pain until i met a wonderful surgeon who specializes. I had a 10hr surgery involving putting titanium rods with 28 screws in my spine top to bottom. I also had 8 ribs chopped to get rid of a hump caused through the curve. It was a very difficult time but I'm 1yr post op on Nov 3rd and touch wood my pain is lessening :-)

My daughter also has mild scoliosis.
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Thanks for that website, I've already spotted some info that's useful to me :)

Sounds like you have had a rough time; I don't even know the degree of my curvature & my doc's are pretty useless; apparently I have a high pain threshold so I've been left to it :(

Please reconsider leaving the forum, none of us are perfect owners, we all try to do our best by our piggies & I am sure you are both very caring & loving owners :))
 
Amysmom said:
Yes, your absolutely right.
I'm also a member of another forum-completely different I know but its for people with scoliosis (me) and I used their support to get me through major surgery on my spine last year.Without them I couldnt have got through it so I know how forums work.

We were upset because we felt that people werent actually listening-its okay telling a person how it should be but listening is also important.

I had said in a post that was quite early on in the discussion that its how the situation is NOW and that Bonnie could eventually get a mate when our building work is done.We had been looking a long time for a teddy and obviously once we found one we wanted one.

I know guinea pigs are better of with a mate and will do what I can to make that happen.I know people like to put their views accross but I think sometimes too many can make a person feel 'bombarded'. X
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I do understand and can relate to your circumstances, not being able to get her a friend right at this moment, sometimes things do have to wait. I've had to wait to get my pigs larger hutches and it's frustrating for me as I don't want to feel like a failure to my pets or to myself because I want to make their lives as happy and fulfilling as possible.

I remember my first guinea-pig, Pepper, was the only boar in the litter but the breeder let us have him on the condition we got him a friend soon. She could only do that because my mum personally knew her through her son at a school she worked at. We did get him a friend but they didn't get along after the hormones kicked in and Pepper was rushed to the vets with a split lip. We tried with another guinea-pig, with both of them actually, but neither took to each other. I tried doing a fresh new hutch, putting them on neutral ground, bathing them, carrying them around for a while even! I figured it wasn't going to work so in the end I had 3 lone boars and my parents said 'no more'. I was only about 11/12 so I didn't really have any say in the matter. I do wish I'd known about boar-dating back then as I could have got my mum to call up a rescue to arranged them to be with others, but then I didn't even know about guinea-pig rescue back then either!

Even though, yes, mine were 'ok' on their own, and the lones I have right now are 'ok' as they have got the company of the other pigs in the garden, I still think I would have done things differently if I'd known then what I know now, as the old saying goes.
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Thanks for that website, I've already spotted some info that's useful to me :)

Sounds like you have had a rough time; I don't even know the degree of my curvature & my doc's are pretty useless; apparently I have a high pain threshold so I've been left to it :(

Please reconsider leaving the forum, none of us are perfect owners, we all try to do our best by our piggies & I am sure you are both very caring & loving owners :))
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I was told for many years by orthopedic drs that my scoliosis wouldnt progress. Sso forum made me realise i needed to see an actual scoliosis specialist. He told me if i didnt have the surgery it would carry on progressing. I had to wait until i was 44 to be told this!

Thank you, we will probably stick around.x
 
I'm so glad you're going to stick around. I really hope I didn't upset you on the other thread. I was just trying to offer advice based on my experience. Its great news that Bonnie will get a friend when your circumstances allow it.

We all want the same thing - a world full of happy guinea pigs :)) (and therefore happy owners!)

Like I said before, we're all still learning and I've made some mistakes in the past with guinea pigs that I really regret now.

Twelve years ago, my first two pigs came from Pets at Home. I didn't realise at the time that rescues would have pigs (I thought it would just be cats & dogs). Anyway, one of those pigs was pregnant and I ended up with 3 babies. I did what I thought was best at the time and rehomed them all within my family where I knew they'd be loved (and I could keep an eye on them!) but they all went to separate homes and I feel terrible about that now. If I could do it all again, knowing what I know now, I would, be we can't change the past.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is please stick around on the forum and learn from the mistakes/experience of others, even just for your own piece of mind.

I've just had a very poorly pig and its been a long, hard slog to her her back to health and I couldn't have done it without the help, advice and emotional support from this forum so please don't give up on us just yet ;)
 
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