'Helpful' friends

[LondonLady]

As if this weather isn't stressful enough my friends seem to be making it worse.

Friend no 1 posted a video on Facebook of someone putting a poor guinea pig in a paddling pool full of water, with the suggestion that I should do the same! I explained in no uncertain terms that this isn't a good idea. (Not that I've got a paddling pool, I'd be using it myself if I had!)

Friend no 2 on the phone: 'Well, guinea pigs love hot weather, don't they'. Um, no...

Friend no 3: 'They'll be fine, you look after them really well'. In normal circumstances I hope I do, but this is unprecedented.

Thank goodness for the Forum

 

[Swissgreys]

In life it doesn't matter what the subject is, there are always people out there who know more than you or are an overnight 'expert' after having watched a FB video.

Just keep doing what you know is right for you and your own piggies.
And of course come to the Forum for some sensible advice and moral support.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

@LondonLady it can be very frustrating, a lot of people just don't "get" piggies.
One of my pigs recently had to have an operation, I was without a car so a very kind friend took me to drop him off and collect him later, she's not an animal person and is scared of rodents so it was really kind of her, she even had to alter her plans. But another friend of hers told her to tell the people she had to mess about it was because she had to take a dog to the vets because it was a bit odd taking a guinea pig!

 

[VickiA]

I have been waiting for those awful vids of the piggies in paddling pools to reappear. And the internet is full of keyboard warriors who know everything about everything and are very happy to tell us all what to do. I just keep my own counsel and do what I know to be in the interests of my piggies. This forum taught me about hot weather management and during several heatwaves over several years the advice has worked well for all of us on here.

 

[Lorcan]

I'm deliberately avoiding Facebook entirely for a few days because I don't need the extra angst. It's not worth my time or effort - I'd rather angst at the washing machine and its deliberate attempts to drive me insane (I should not have to pour laundry detergent straight into the drawer that it just runs right out of but hey, here we are!).

 

[PigglePuggle]

Its very annoying @LondonLady when people who know nothing about puggies wade in with advice! I have previously had colleagues at work (who are all zoological/environmental scientists who should know better) go out of their way to:
1. Show me a video of a guinea pig sitting on the head of a bull terrier dog- "how amazing they are friends"...!
2. Show me the inevitable videos of skinny pigs in knitted clothes..."how cute! You should do that"...!
3. Tell me how keeping my guinea pigs indoors is "incredibly cruel" and they couldnt possibly be sensitive to heat or cold "because they come from South America"...!
Frankly, people are idiots, I much prefer the company of guinea pigs they are much more intellectual

 

[Ruth1]

….. or - “Guineapigs?! In the house? Do they not stink!?”



(Incidently - I gave my guineapigs a sniff the other day when I was brushing and having a wee cuddle and a chat - I had never really sniffed them before (I’m imagining the jokes flying already, but stay with me….) they are a lovely ‘earthy’ smell, don’t you think?

 

[PigglePuggle]

….. or - “Guineapigs?! In the house? Do they not stink!?”



(Incidently - I gave my guineapigs a sniff the other day when I was brushing and having a wee cuddle and a chat - I had never really sniffed them before (I’m imagining the jokes flying already, but stay with me….) they are a lovely ‘earthy’ smell, don’t you think?

I love the smell of guinea pigs, it ranges from "warm friendly hay" to "a hint of goat" depending on who is in season and how cheeky Theo's msnly scent marking is and where we are between cage cleans lol
Piggy daddy grew up an an organic goat farm so he loves the "hay with a hint of goat" smell, before we got piggies he used to talk a lot about moving back to the countryside because he missed goats, but piggies are like tiny indoor urban house goats- very similar diet, behaviour and social structure but you can have a whole herd in a city spare room!

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

I love the smell of guinea pigs, it ranges from "warm friendly hay" to "a hint of goat" depending on who is in season and how cheeky Theo's msnly scent marking is and where we are between cage cleans lol
Piggy daddy grew up an an organic goat farm so he loves the "hay with a hint of goat" smell, before we got piggies he used to talk a lot about moving back to the countryside because he missed goats, but piggies are like tiny indoor urban house goats- very similar diet, behaviour and social structure but you can have a whole herd in a city spare room!

I love that image! It may sound a bit weird but I love the smell of their poops when they have been eating fresh grass

 

[Ruth1]

I love the smell of guinea pigs, it ranges from "warm friendly hay" to "a hint of goat" depending on who is in season and how cheeky Theo's msnly scent marking is and where we are between cage cleans lol
Piggy daddy grew up an an organic goat farm so he loves the "hay with a hint of goat" smell, before we got piggies he used to talk a lot about moving back to the countryside because he missed goats, but piggies are like tiny indoor urban house goats- very similar diet, behaviour and social structure but you can have a whole herd in a city spare room!

“Tiny indoor urban house goats”. I’ll never look at them the same way again!