How Do I Convince My Parents To Let Me Get A Guinea Pig

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PigLover13

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My mom said that I can get a Guinea Pig in 2 years, but that is too far away for me. I told her I would pay for everything except vet bills. I know everything about guinea pigs, and she just does not understand. I want to try to lower the time down to December.

Any Help?
 
You could show her you are serious by helping to volunteer at some rescues, if you are willing to clean out other peoples animals in your free time it’s ususlly a good indication that you really will take care of your own.

It can be tough for a parent when a child wants a pet. The reason is that so many children really really want something only to get bored of it months after they get it (I am not saying you will, this is just a generalization). Then the parent has to face the decision of rehoming the animal or taking it on themselves. She likely wants you to wait in the hope that 1) You’ll be older and more likely to follow up on pet care. 2) To make sure it’s really what you want and not just a phase.

My advice would be not to push her too much about it as that’s just going to annoy her. Maybe raise the topic casually no more than once in a month and not a long discussion about it, just the affirmation that you would still like to have a pair of them. (1 is not good, as no doubt your research has shown you, they need to be at least 2).
 
I agree with @Squeakz, there's a huge difference between head knowledge and real experience and if you can show her real commitment to a rescue centre or similar in your own time that would be the best proof of your ability.

Of course there may be other reasons she does not want to take on an animal within the next 2 years and you should respect that - I don't know what else is going on in your family, home or her work.

But helping out with other people's piggies would be a fun thing in itself as well as good experience.
 
Hi, that’s really good advice from @Squeakz, to volunteer at an animal rescue. These guinea pigs do need to live as a pair or more, they need friends of their own species as well as human friends.
I have 3 adult girl guinea pigs & I am always surprised how expensive they are. They eat a lot of hay (I buy lots of good quality hay), need fresh vegetables twice a day. (My supermarket spend has gone up a lot with buying them veggies.) vet bills can be very high.. ( they’ve cost us over £100 this month at vets). They need a big enclosure to live in. Mine live inside on fleece so I have to wash lots too!
I’m not saying this to put you off. Can you start a piggy bank fund or put some money aside each week? Then maybe that’ll show commitment to your mum too. x
 
Hi, unfortunately the responsibility of pets ultimately falls with your parents and as such you do need to respect their decision. I know you say you will pay for all their bills etc but have you already set up a fund and if one of them needs treatment coming to £300 how are you going to manage that? I say this as my Donald had an abscess in November and I think the total bills was just over £300 by the time I had had a consultation, operation and follow up because he was opening up the wound. That's not an easy amount to raise at all.
 
It is good that you are doing your research first before you get your piggiies. As @Lady Kelly has said vet bills can be expensive. I have 5 piggies and at one time I almost had my vets on speed dial. I only had to say "I need a vet appointment please" on the phone and the reply I got was "Which one is it this time?" I had called them up so often in such a short period of time that the receptionist knew my voice. I must have spent well over £500 in vets visits in around 8 weeks! On top of that is all the other things you have to pay for as @Hoppity.K has said. There is probably a good reason why your Mum wants you to wait 2 years. Have you asked her the reason behind her decision? Volunteering at a rescue is a very good idea as it shows commitment and will also convince your Mum that you are serious and will look after your piggies.
 
Hello. I'm on your side in can't belive havin to wait two years. I remember being younger and wanting things and always havin to wait cos mum and dad know best etc. What I did when I was in your situtation is prove to them I really was serious.
It's anoying but parents are never wrong oh yes I know they are but it's the "i told you so" afterwards we need to avoid..
you seems keen and intrested and that is brill and mum sayin 2 years is great too. it's a lot better than NO.
so what I would do when i was younger is ask for the fantastic mag called Guinea pig magazine either local shop or order one on line. Read it in front of my mum and dad several times leave it around and show them how much i was learning and still want piggies.
LOL. Doesn't always work mind you when I was 12 i wanted a Arsenal footy top. Christmas came and yes a footy top was received. Wolverhampton. weird.
 
In my opinion a pet is part of a family, that's all. A child cannot ask for a new little brother or for a dog, etc.
But my opinion is valid only here at MY home, hence it is not interesting for you and your family. And I am italian... here children are not responsible of any pet. The bills and the money at home is a parents' affair only.
Anyway there might be another good option for you and your family, although I don't know if that is available in UK. In Italy all the rescues are desperately looking for new foster families who would take at home a Mum bunny with her babies, or a piggie, or two inseparable piggies or other pets. The rescue pays ALL the bills, sometimes also the food, but for sure all the vet bills. A lot of people here prefer this option, especially when they have no much money or when their future life might become busy for caring of an (old!) pet. I know some foster volunteer and tghey say there is a lot to learn, a lot to cuddle and it is all for free. If you fall in love with your foster pet, nobody will deny an adoption!
Have a talk with the local rescues, maybe this option is available also in your country and that would solve all the troubles.
Don't forget that a piggie may have the necessity of being fed around the clock and you have to go to school...
 
rome_italy said:
In my opinion a pet is part of a family, that's all. A child cannot ask for a new little brother or for a dog, etc.
But my opinion is valid only here at MY home, hence it is not interesting for you and your family. And I am italian... here children are not responsible of any pet. The bills and the money at home is a parents' affair only.
Anyway there might be another good option for you and your family, although I don't know if that is available in UK. In Italy all the rescues are desperately looking for new foster families who would take at home a Mum bunny with her babies, or a piggie, or two inseparable piggies or other pets. The rescue pays ALL the bills, sometimes also the food, but for sure all the vet bills. A lot of people here prefer this option, especially when they have no much money or when their future life might become busy for caring of an (old!) pet. I know some foster volunteer and tghey say there is a lot to learn, a lot to cuddle and it is all for free. If you fall in love with your foster pet, nobody will deny an adoption!
Have a talk with the local rescues, maybe this option is available also in your country and that would solve all the troubles.
Don't forget that a piggie may have the necessity of being fed around the clock and you have to go to school...
Click to expand...
Hello @rome_italy Great thoughts lass.I hope our new young intrested member gets lots great ideas from us all.
 
David Pet Lover said:
Hello @rome_italy Great thoughts lass.I hope our new young intrested member gets lots great ideas from us all.
Click to expand...
I hope that in UK there is the possibility of becoming a foster parent. It would be useful and the girl could even adopt the piggie one day. Here rescues have usually no headquarters; piggies don't live in special places but into private homes, sometimes all around the country; in fact my Osvaldo was surrendered in Venice, then hosted in Turin; but the legal residence of the rescue is in Milan; the rescue pays all the vet bills. Rescues here have only the very big trouble that there are foster parents who... lose interest or change their life and then the piggie needs to go elsewhere...
 
PigLover13 said:
My mom said that I can get a Guinea Pig in 2 years, but that is too far away for me. I told her I would pay for everything except vet bills. I know everything about guinea pigs, and she just does not understand. I want to try to lower the time down to December.

Any Help?
Click to expand...
Guinea pigs are a serious long term pet both u and your parents should know the costs there not the cheapest pet to be kept if done properly
Get lots of guinea pig books do your reserch always smothing new to find out

Do chores to help pay for piggy

Volenter at local rescue

Find the right piggy loves cuddle

Do good at school

Always get more that 1 they are herd animals and will be sad and lonely alone
 
I showed my parents that I was honestly serious about getting piggies by telling them facts about them and clearing a nice space for them! One thing is, make sure your parents have done their research too- I did loads but my parents fell into the trap of buying the ‘biggest’ cage available in the pet shop which is really too small! Of course they didn’t ask me or tell me beforehand because it was a surprise (I’ve wanted guinea pigs for years)
 
Well it’s a start. Perhaps if they’ve just bought it it can be returned and something more suitable bought instead.
Be grateful- you are obviously showing them you are serious and responsible.
Explain why the cage is too small and when you do get guinea pigs they will see for themselves the reasons.
Your parents clearly care and respond to you proving that it’s not just a fad wanting piggies.
You are very lucky.
Keep us posted
 
That is very kind of them to buy you a cage even if it is a bit small. I know its an awkward one but you have to say you are grateful that they are recognising that you are serious about guinea pigs and because you only want what is best the cage is a tad too small for them. Show them this link here so that they know what they have bought you is too small for your fluffy potatoes.

Cage Size Guide

I'm sure that they will see how responsible you are.
 
Squeakz said:
You could show her you are serious by helping to volunteer at some rescues, if you are willing to clean out other peoples animals in your free time it’s ususlly a good indication that you really will take care of your own.

It can be tough for a parent when a child wants a pet. The reason is that so many children really really want something only to get bored of it months after they get it (I am not saying you will, this is just a generalization). Then the parent has to face the decision of rehoming the animal or taking it on themselves. She likely wants you to wait in the hope that 1) You’ll be older and more likely to follow up on pet care. 2) To make sure it’s really what you want and not just a phase.

My advice would be not to push her too much about it as that’s just going to annoy her. Maybe raise the topic casually no more than once in a month and not a long discussion about it, just the affirmation that you would still like to have a pair of them. (1 is not good, as no doubt your research has shown you, they need to be at least 2).
Click to expand...


Thankyou so much! I will work on doing this and updating you to tell you how it goes. I would also like to say that I have two cats and I have been taking care of them to show her that I am responsible.
 
Merab's Slave said:
Well it’s a start. Perhaps if they’ve just bought it it can be returned and something more suitable bought instead.
Be grateful- you are obviously showing them you are serious and responsible.
Explain why the cage is too small and when you do get guinea pigs they will see for themselves the reasons.
Your parents clearly care and respond to you proving that it’s not just a fad wanting piggies.
You are very lucky.
Keep us posted
Click to expand...


I have been working hard on my cats this past week and my mom said that she will consider moving the time. I am very thankful for all of you who helped!
 
Hi, unfortunately the vet bills are the biggest concern. I have multiple animal house and the guineas are costing more than my dog which is fed on raw diet etc! Your parents are right to be careful. It's not just the initial cost, food and bedding. They require space and are prone to health problems that require immediate vet attention costing a lot of money. Just "simple" hay poke can end up costing you fortune your parents might not be able/willing to pay as "it's just a guinea pig". Please ensure you're saving money every month to have a fund for in case this happens.
I understand what it's like to have parent who's not exactly as enthusiastic about animals as you are. I had to wait until I had my own place, job to be able to have multiple pets (i grew up with animals, but would have more if I could...). In the UK welfare is huge thing and as owner you're 100% responsible for their wellbeing. I've worked as volunteer in animal charity to get my fix of animals :love:
Now I work with them. yet, I still have to tell myself off for even thinking of having more pets. When you rethink the responsibility, cost and space it's an eye opener :eek: just think it's quality, not quantity...
 
Christian has bad haypoke (Christian Has Bad Hay Poke) and I got him an emergency vet appointment yesterday morning. I had to l pay for that before any treatment and then I have to take him back on Tuesday (Tomorrow if no better or if his eye looks worse) and the costs are quite high! You do need to save up for a vet fund as @Hath has mentioned.
 
PigLover13 said:
My mom said that I can get a Guinea Pig in 2 years, but that is too far away for me. I told her I would pay for everything except vet bills. I know everything about guinea pigs, and she just does not understand. I want to try to lower the time down to December.

Any Help?
Click to expand...

Hi piglover!

Having been your age once, I always pestered my parents for pets, and had the best intention to spend lots of time with them etc. Me and my sister finally got pet gerbils and they we're great, but we got bored with them after a year and wanted something else. We aren't allowed, which looking back I am glad about because it's not fair on the animal, don't get me wrong we looked after them, but we really lost interest.

Skip forward 15 years to 2 years ago, My boyfriend has a pet tortoise, he's had it around 8 years, then we decided that we would travel the world before we we're too old. We couldn't find anyone we knew to look after the tortoise, so we spent a lot of time searching for the right person to preferably foster him from us, as we care so much for his welfare.
We found a family nearby, who's daughter is age around 10 and has wanted a tortoise for years, the family seemed very responsible and asked the right questions and we told them the full extent to caring for a tortoise which didn't put them off, they knew it already. We said that we may return within a few years and they could Foster him for the two years we would be away, so we could always have him back if they no longer want him etc, but the parents said they weren't keen on just fostering him for two years, they wanted him permanently. After careful consideration we let them rehome Tank and all seemed to go really well as we kept in touch at first.

Fast forward to a month ago and we receive an email off the dad telling us his daughter has lost interest and they don't want him anymore.
Wer still away, so we have been frantically pestering our family/friends to foster him until we come back, luckily my fellas parents will foster him for us till we come back, thank God!

Moral of the story is, that despite having the best intentions lots of kids loose interest in pets and it's extremely unfair on the animal and the parents.

As others have said though, vet bills are high for piggies and their bedding/hay costs quite a lot - gpigs eat hay 24/7 to keep their teeth short and their bellies in good health. When a pet gets ill it's one of the worst feelings in the world for me so that's also another consideration to take :-(

See how you feel in a year. You've got lots of time ahead of you to get pets when your older :-)
 
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