How to convince my parents to let me have piggies

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Molliemoo3

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Hell I really want some piggies but my mum is against it even though she said that I could get some a few Months ago but she always breaks promises but I don’t understand why when I will be paying for the care and set up myself as I am applying for jobs everyday but she is bringing up the fact that I had a guinea pig when I was Young and I couldn’t care for it by myself and she ended up doing most of it but it is the fact that I am old Enough now I will be caring for them by myself and they will be my responsibility. So how do I convince her to allow me to have some because I’ve been waiting until I finish school as I can get a job so I can support them and also have time for them

many thanks, I hope everyone is safe :)

Edit by admin: age removed
 
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Hello

please never disclose to it age on a public forum, I have edited your post

welcome to the forum :)

My advice would be once having a job put some money aside so your mom can see you are serious, so you have enough to buy what they need.

you also need to come up with a budget so you can show you can pay for food, hay, veggies not to mention a fund for vets visits. Piggies can be very expensive and vet bills are hidden costs that can mount up so budget is key.

you live with your mom so you have to abide with her rules. Showing you can be responsible and plan is a way to open discussion later down the road

I would also hold off on speaking to your mum again until the pandemic is resolved, extra stress will not be needed for any family at moment
 
but I really don’t understand why she has to be “difficult“ to talk to as I asked her if we could talk about it sensibly and calmly but she just pushed it off and is acting like a child

I already have lots of money saved up for them, I have also started to grow my own veggies so I can cut the costs of them (but I will also buy veggies 🥕) and I have a plan of how much they would cost monthly and I’m so willing to pay, I have no clue how to prove how responsible I am because it’s like she doesn’t even care but in the past she has said “as long as you can afford it you can get it” but now she’s just going against her own words

she can just be really mean sometimes :/
 
I'm afraid I agree with @sport_billy regarding the current lock down situation. It is quite stressful for parents, maybe show her some consideration and ease off on the pressure of WHY she won't let you have guinea pigs yet.

Also, there are many parents out there that will buy any pet for their children, then when the newness wears off, the animals are given away because they are 'too much work now'. I recently adopted two girl piggies whose teenage owners had started high school and were no longer interested in them. So your mum being hesitant is not necessarily a bad thing. She's just making sure she makes the right decision.
 
Honestly, if your mum isn’t on board then it isn’t a good idea. Guinea pigs are extremely expensive pets, the vet bills rack into the thousands. Guinea pigs get sick quite easily and when they do, they go downhill fast. This means you can’t skimp out on vet care as it’s absolutely necessary. Unless you have your own car (to travel to exotic vets), existing funds (for if you don’t have any income at any point) and a job, don’t get any. Having support from your mum if you don’t have any of these things is so important as she will be the one who has to help if not. I started having guinea pigs when I was around 12/13, my mum had reluctantly let me have one but he wasn’t cared for right in hindsight. When he passed away, my mum got me another (and then I had to fight to get him a friend) because she felt like she had to and it took years of me convincing her to allow me to properly take care of him. Over the first year and a half of owning them, I was trying so hard to get my mum to understand that they weren’t being looked after the way they should. They didn’t have any hay for a long time, they also had a small cage which I slowly began to extend, vet care would’ve been out of the question. It wasn’t until about 3 years ago (they are now nearly 6) that I was finally allowed to take care of my piggies the way that I knew was right. A big cage, unlimited hay, fleece, floor time, vet care at the drop of a hat. I had to fight so much for what was right, and it was at the expense of my lovely Guinea pigs who were only bought to please me. Now, my mum feels guilty for all she put me and them through, she loves them now and is fully on board. Having a parent who isn’t on board is exhausting and really sad, too. It isn’t worth it.
 
To add to all of the above good information, a lot of the time, the stress of a move into a new home often lowers the immune system enough to allow issues such as ringworm and respiratory infections to kick in. During lock down the vast majority of vets are seeing life and death emergencies only. I had to have a potential bladder stone pig booked in yesterday and even though that could have been life or death, they still technically shouldnt have seen him, it was only my vets good will and the fact that we are regulars I imagine that got us in. If your guinea pigs get sick, they will likely have to just suffer with it until they require emergency intervention which may be either too late or extremely expensive, emergencies have a habit of happening in the middle of the night when you will need the much pricier out of hours service.
Not to mention, supplies are currently more expensive and certainly harder to get hold of, and of course there is then the unnecessary travel to collect them, which depending on your location could get you fined. The responsible and mature thing (unfortunately..I struggle with that myself sometimes lol!) would be to wait until the world is no longer in so much turmoil and approach the conversation again.
 
I’m currently in the progress of making a PowerPoint explaining in detail to try and make her come through with allowing me to have the guinea pigs but I won’t make her pay and I’m definitely waiting until this lock down is over to present it and until I adopt my piggies (hopefully if it works) thank you for all the advice
 
You said you’re applying for jobs. I think you should wait until you have a regular one. Please do bee in mind the vet fees. Piggies can be expensive if they fall ill, so you have to have a generous amount in your piggy bank. Space is also another thing you have to think about. Sows or a mixed pair need at least 120x60cm cage. Boars need at least 150x60cm cage. You also need storage space for hay and bedding. And a play pen for indoor and/or outdoor use. If you had them, where would you keep them? If you had to be away from home for whatever reason, would you be able to pay for their boarding?

A lot of things to consider. What I would say is please don’t force the issue. If she says no you will just have to accept it. Then you can prepare to have them when you’re moved out or more independent. It’s a tough one but if she refuses then I think there’s nothing you can do.

Remember to list all the important points.
 
@Siikibam hi, i am planning to make a 4ft by 3ft cage which has 2 floors a top and bottom floor (my dad does a lot of woodwork) and I would let them play in the garden in a pen with my supervision and I will 100% wait until I have a job. Thank you for your response:)
 
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