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I think I might be alittle paranoid!

R

rnchaney99

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I recently got a new guinea pig in October and ive noticed when I go to his cage to feed him and pet him he'll act weird like he'll twitch alittle And bump my hand like he doesn't wanna be pet by me!?
 
Guinea pigs generally aren’t cuddly and some don’t like being touched, so it is possible he is pushing you away.
Does your guinea pig live with another piggy or is he alone? Guinea pigs are highly social and should not be kept alone, they should be kept in pairs. They get lonely if they are by themselves.
 
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Getting him a friend won’t cost as much as you may think. The veg is doubled, but it’s not that expensive. Pellets will still lasts long time and so will the hay.

Do you have enough money to take care of any vet bills that may come up for the lone pig you have? Because that’s the biggest factor. Guinea pigs aren’t as cheap as people think, because of vet bills.

Please try to get him a friend as soon as. When you took him on you took on a legal responsibility to care for him - health and mental well being. If you really can’t then it would be in the beat interest of tour boy to give him to a rescue where he can have company. I’m sorry if that’s not what you want to hear ☹️
 
Thanks for the advice but I'm not going to give him up just because he is by himself my former guinea pig was by himself for 3 yrs before he passed plus what if I get another one and they don't like each other.
 
The key to a successful bond is character compatibility, so it is a case of finding the right piggy friend. Using a rescue centre to help ensures a good bond.
We can only advise you that they are simply not wired to be alone - They will survive, but not thrive. Giving him a friend is absolutely the best thing you can do for his life long happiness.
 
I live in Alabama so I don't think we have any guinea pig rescue. I got him from a pet store.
 
If all else fails and they don’t get along then they can live next door to each other. Interaction through the bars is better than nothing.

It’s all well and good that your last piggy lived to three years old. But they’re not meant to be alone. It’s like you being put in a bathroom and being brought out occasionally to interact with someone who doesn’t understand you, speak your language or understand your body language and signals. Would you like that? Just saying 🤷🏾‍♀️
 
That's true if I had to get another one I'd have to change the bedding atleast twice a week and bedding cost like $6 and food for them would be expensive I pay like $10 every 3 weeks for food ( he already eats alot) I just don't how me and my mom could afford it.
 
My boy Finn and Lara live next to each other in separate cages. I was very afraid of getting my boy Finn fixed by surgery, so they live separately. That is the best I can do and it has worked for us. I let them rub noses and they know each other.
I should add that I was given Lara by a friend who didn’t want her during the time I was looking for a boy roommate for my boy Finn.
 
rnchaney99 said:
That's true if I had to get another one I'd have to change the bedding atleast twice a week and bedding cost like $6 and food for them would be expensive I pay like $10 every 3 weeks for food ( he already eats alot) I just don't how me and my mom could afford it.
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Sorry but your comment really annoys me! So what would happen if your guinea pig became ill and needed a vet? It seems like you want to do everything as cheap as possible without considering the welfare needs of the animal.
 
Also I do care about my guinea pig I take care of him I feed him everyday and also make sure he has water and also take him out atleast once a day.
 
I’m not sure how to feel about this.
By adopting an animal you have taken on a the responsibility of another living, breathing being, to care for, for the rest of their life.

It’s recommended to do your research before taking on an animal, be it a guinea pig, a snake, a dog or even a horse. Which I presume you’ve done? If you had I’m not sure why you didn’t know this before you took on a guinea pig...

Your comment makes it seem like you view your guinea pig as a financial burden, rather than an animal who loves you.
Yes. Animals cost money. There isn’t much these days that don’t cost money.

What were you to do if it got sick?
How would you get it to the vet?
It (to me) comes off like you’re not very bothered about the guinea pig, only about the money that you spend on it, which is a shame

Only to echo what @Siikibam said, it’s as if you were living in a shoebox, without contact with other humans, until a strange giant creature of another species decided they want to take you out and play with you, only you don’t understand their mannerisms, they’re talking to you but you don’t understand a word that they’re saying and it all sounds like loud mumbling. You’re unceremoniously placed back in your shoebox, where you are to remain until the giant decides you are allowed to come out.
You’d be scared and lonely, confused too

Once again, I think you should have a serious think about your pet, and consider rehoming might be for the best
Remember, your pet may not be your whole life, but you are theirs
 
rnchaney99 said:
I live in Alabama
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If your guinea pig becomes ill. it will need veterinary treatment, which will be very costly! If you can't afford to get a second piggy, so your original piggy has companionship, then how are you going to pay for any veterinary care that may be needed?
 
Sophie B said:
I’m not sure how to feel about this.
By adopting an animal you have taken on a the responsibility of another living, breathing being, to care for, for the rest of their life.

It’s recommended to do your research before taking on an animal, be it a guinea pig, a snake, a dog or even a horse. Which I presume you’ve done? If you had I’m not sure why you didn’t know this before you took on a guinea pig...

Your comment makes it seem like you view your guinea pig as a financial burden, rather than an animal who loves you.
Yes. Animals cost money. There isn’t much these days that don’t cost money.

What were you to do if it got sick?
How would you get it to the vet?
It (to me) comes off like you’re not very bothered about the guinea pig, only about the money that you spend on it, which is a shame

Only to echo what @Siikibam said, it’s as if you were living in a shoebox, without contact with other humans, until a strange giant creature of another species decided they want to take you out and play with you, only you don’t understand their mannerisms, they’re talking to you but you don’t understand a word that they’re saying and it all sounds like loud mumbling. You’re unceremoniously placed back in your shoebox, where you are to remain until the giant decides you are allowed to come out.
You’d be scared and lonely, confused too

Once again, I think you should have a serious think about your pet, and consider rehoming might be for the best
Remember, your pet may not be your whole life, but you are theirs
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I do love him I just stating how much it cost to take care of him I was trying to not be disrespectful to anyone. I'm going to consider trying to get a companion for him so it's just not him.
 
rnchaney99 said:
I do love him I just stating how much it cost to take care of him I was trying to not be disrespectful to anyone. I'm going to consider trying to get a companion for him so it's just not him.
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It’s very good that you are considering
Perhaps a quick google search for rescues near you? I’m sure there will be some
I would also recommend you start saving for the off chance that you may need a vet at some point, it will help you a great deal in the long run
 
rnchaney99 said:
I do love him I just stating how much it cost to take care of him I was trying to not be disrespectful to anyone. I'm going to consider trying to get a companion for him so it's just not him.
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He would really appreciate that! Start putting some money away each month towards a vet fund and then you won't have to worry if one of them became ill at any point.
 
Sophie B said:
It depends on what it is you would need, medicine, surgery, check up, they all differ
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I've looked at different vet place none take exotic pets where I live I'd have to go 2 or 3 hours to take them is that possible to sit in a car that long with them?
 
rnchaney99 said:
How much does a vet visit usually cost in US?
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Prices vary a lot - we are in the uk, so we can only comment on uk vets. In the uk my local vet charges £30 for just the consultation (which by a quick online conversion, looks to be around $40). For an out of hours emergency around £131 for the consultation (converted online to $170). These charges are based on my local vets - other vets around the uk have different charges, some maybe higher than these prices. But treatments, surgeries and medications will be charged on top of the consultation fee. Fees can run into several hundred pounds for certain issues

rnchaney99 said:
I've looked at different vet place none take exotic pets I'd have to go 2 or 3 hours to take them is that possible to sit in a car that long with them?
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For a medical condition requiring a specialist vet, then yes you would have to travel that distance . It’s absolutely possible to travel that distance with them, it just requires planning - a suitable cage, food taking with them etc. We have people in this country who travel for longer than that to get to one specific specialist vet.
 
rnchaney99 said:
I've looked at different vet place none take exotic pets where I live I'd have to go 2 or 3 hours to take them is that possible to sit in a car that long with them?
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If you have a good sturdy carrier, and make sure they have food (hay especially) and water for travel it should be fine
(If you ever need to go try bring cucumber, it’s basically food and water rolled into one!)
 
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