Horrified At Myself :(

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Ruby Inferno

Ruby Inferno

Teenage Guinea Pig
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So, my piggies live outdoors at the moment. I've been busy and it's been raining (but mostly been busy) so I haven't been cleaning the piggies as much as I should, which I know is bad. Anyway a couple of days ago, I noticed a spot where Doughnut had been sitting a lot. It was covered in mildew from being damp and not being clean! I got rid of all the bedding and hay around there, but there is still a tiny bit of mildew on the side of the hutch which I will be scrubbing at. Is this bad for my piggies' health? Am I a terrible owner? I feel horrible and worried for my piggies. :(
 
Hi, you need to scrub the mildew and mould away and make sure the hutch is thoroughly dry before they are returned to it. Damp and mould can cause fungal infections and also respiratory infections so you need to keep a close eye on them. Is there no way that you can move them indoors or into a shed or unused garage?

Guinea pigs really dont do well in damp conditions.
 
Sadly I do not have space anywhere else. My piggies will be rehomed soon anyway because I cannot afford the money they demand long term. :(

I will definitely give it a very good scrub, probably with 50/50 vinegar and water solution or maybe a petsafe disinfectant.
 
I'm really sorry to hear that you have to rehome them. Do you need advice on insulating and waterproofing your hutch in the meantime?

Edited to say:
I'm sorry if I am wrong but I think @Tewdric has guinea pigs outside due to a family member's allergies and does keep them successfully - Tewdric if it is you, could you offer any advice on avoiding damp?

its a real shame you have to rehome them. Is it vet bills or day to day costs that you are struggling with? I wonder if we could come up with some ideas for you on how to significantly cut costs without compromising the piggie's welfare.
 
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It's the vet bills combined with all of the other costs as well as the daily maintenance maintenance they require. I might get piggies again in the future if I have enough time and money. I do love my piggies though. :( Also I haven't got a lot of space for them. It's a number of things really.

I've scrubbed the area with vinegar, no more mildew. The problem was because I didn't clean them out enough, not so much the winter dampness. I'll definitely be doing more cleaning from now on!
 
I am so sorry that you have to give your piggies away. :( Don't feel like this is your fault, possibly have the vet take a look at them to be safe that they aren't hurt in any way. But it is the mark of a truly caring owner to admit and give your piggies to someone who can afford them. :( Sending hugs your way.
 
Please do not feel guilty, sometimes it is easy to let things slip when daily life gets in the way. Xx
Very sorry you are having to rehome them. I bet someone on here would be happy to take them on.
 
Everyone feels guilty. I've been doing 60 hour weeks. In shifts aswell. I've been flitted from night's to days. I haven't has chance to clean my pigs the build up of damp and hay is horrible. I've got my first day off tomorrow. They are being megga cleaned out.
I feel like a chap owner but unfortunately I don't have anyone to blame but myself....sometimes it can't be helped my love xx
 
I know, school gets in the way of everything, then Saturday job? I only really got to spend time with my piggie, on Sunday's, and after school! Don't worry, life gets on the way, but just remember to kick life in the shins, and go look after your piggies! That's what I did, I don't have home anymore, he was a loner, didn't get along with others... Oh well.. I still miss him though, I understand, and I'm sure your piggies will go to a good home..
 
Thank you everyone for being so supportive. :)

Hopefully I can give the hutch a good scrub and clean absolutely everything tomorrow. They had a couple of wood chews that were a bit mildewy too, so I'm dunking them in 50/50 distilled vinegar and will be leaving them to dry for a day or two.
 
You had nothing but love and the best of intentions when you welcomed your piggies into your life and I am sure that, even though it's hard, you will STILL have only love and the best of intentions when you make the move to rehome them. To do right by our beloved pets, is to love them... It's just sad that sometimes the "right" thing, is also, unfortunately, the hardest thing. Stay strong!
 
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Hey - my piggies are outside due to my asthma. I too feel guilty but I do try and get them out everyday for a cuddle/floor time.
I've found it useful to do a quick poop scoop of any damp Fitch and poop every day xx
 
Thank you! It's such a hard decision and I will miss them so much, but I know it's the right thing to do. :(

There was more mildew than I thought, in more than one place, but it's all been scrubbed away with 50/50 distilled vinegar and water solution. Doughnut's hutch (they live on different floors of a double hutch) has been cleaned out and his toys are currently drying from being scrubbed too. Alll he has in his hutch at the moment is bedding, newspaper lining, and hay (all fresh), will be putting everything back in once it's all dry. I will clean out Caramel's tomorrow, I don't think there is actually any mildew in Caramel's hutch but I will scrub it anyway.

The waterproof cover has a few tiny ladders in it, probably partly what caused the mildew, I'll have to cover those up with duct tape. :hmm:
 
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