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No judgments please just advise

Piggymumof4

Piggymumof4

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
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Hey please no judgment this is hard enough for me, unfortunately I have ran out of hay and pellets and veg for my babies, been trying for days to sort this out, I’m personally relying on foodbanks to feed my kids, so I can’t afford to go buy any, so looking for what I can feed them from out doors to keep them going till Thursday or is there such a thing as a pet food bank, again please no judgment just advise a lot of personal things going on at the moment that have unfortunately left me in these circumstances.
 
Oh dear this a bad situation for you, and not your fault at all if you are struggling to feed your children! Perhaps you could contact a local small animal rescue and ask if they could let you have some hay at least for your piggies? Grass and dandelions and clover are good free wild foods but they do still need the hay. If you add your location perhaps someone nearby can help you more directly...
 
Awe clovers I stay beside a small park I’ll get the kids sorted n go pick some bitd

we stay in Barrhead in Glasgow sorry
I’ve contacted a rescue but no replies yet
 
Do you have a veg shop nearby or a pub that serves food? I have seen some rescues now receive veg trimmings from local pubs and restaurants. Might be worth asking.
My local veg shop also used to sometimes donate veg being thrown away or outer leaves that they take off before displaying the veg.

As for a lack of hay, this can be substituted for grass for a few days
 
I think your best bet are local rescues and supermarkets. Many supermarkets have rescue trolleys where donations of pet food are made for local animal charities. I would contact all the nearby animal charities and see if they can offer you a few days’ supply of food. It’s harvest time for hay so are you near to any farm shops who might let you have a carrier bag full. Another option for hay is horse stables as they always have tonnes and could probably spare you a carrier bag full.
Often if you ask, people will help out. Sorry I’m not anywhere near you.
 
thanks a lot I’ll try some of these just now iv picked some dandelions for a wee munch but plenty of fields etc around me etc so fingers crossed
 
When you find some grass wash it before you give it to your piggies to get off any
dog wee etc which is harmful to piggies.
 
If you have any allotments near you they may be able to help a little. My aunt often brings round things like the outer leaves of cauliflowers for my piggies. Horse stables/ rescues may be able to help with hay. Pellets isn't as urgent but hay really is. You could try local Facebook groups for info on any pet food banks
 
Thanks for help everyone, not any further forward as yet but hopefully hear something back by tomoro thanks ❤️
 
There’s a new wild food thread on here that may help, I can’t link it but search for ‘Safe wild weeds/plants you can feed your piggies’.

Hay-wise I agree horse stables may be able to help, but also if you have any city/community farms near you? Both stables and city farms will have a barn full of hay and there is always loose hay that falls from bales that can be bagged up; enough for a couple of piggies wouldn’t impact on their use at all!

I hope you manage to find somewhere/one to help out
 
Have you tried calling your vet? Maybe they know of someone that can lend you some hay and pellets in the mean time. I would offer to buy you some, but I live in the U.S and it would take a long time for it to ship where you are :(
 
Piggymumof4 said:
Hey please no judgment this is hard enough for me, unfortunately I have ran out of hay and pellets and veg for my babies, been trying for days to sort this out, I’m personally relying on foodbanks to feed my kids, so I can’t afford to go buy any, so looking for what I can feed them from out doors to keep them going till Thursday or is there such a thing as a pet food bank, again please no judgment just advise a lot of personal things going on at the moment that have unfortunately left me in these circumstances.
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Hi!

I am very sorry for your problems.

Hay should make over 80% of what a piggy eats to prevent tummy upsets, bloating or diarrhea. Could you contact the PDSA or a local charity for a bale of hay to tidy you over? At the worst, depending where you are, some dried, brown grass may do the trick if you are really desperate.

Here is a post about fresh local forage that is safe to feed; please make sure that any stuff is washed and free of dog or fox pee, which are poisonous to guinea pig and can kill if fresh. Safe wild weeds/plants you can feed your piggies
 
I’m so sorry for your problems
Nobody will judge you here, do you have a friend with a rabbit or guinea pig? That way you will be able to get hay
 
Betsy said:
When you find some grass wash it before you give it to your piggies to get off any
dog wee etc which is harmful to piggies.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I've read somewhere that wet grass can cause stomach aches? Sorry, I just wanted to make sure lol.
 
I can meet you somewhere and sort something out, I have a bag of harringtons? would that help, but I can't carry it? I am at work tomorrow but finish at 4..i it possible I could meet you at Shawlands or Giffnock? I don't drive..I finish work in Giffnock tomorrow..I can meet you at the morrisons there too if you want, I would love to help you out, I know times are tough :( been there myself! Still things are a bit meh, but that's the times unfortunately..
Piggymumof4
 
Is it against the forum rules to ask for an address over pm? I think if the op is struggling, I now realise that Giffnock is a bloody long way from Barrheid if nae petrol for a drive, even dearer via public transport..East Ren Council have a lot to answer for..anyway..ahem..off my soap box..
 
I am on shift tomorrow so wont be able to access the forums again till I am home, probably after 5pm or worse later just to let op know xx
 
Also if you are in Barrhead, pop into the Resource centre, they might have off cuts of veggies you can use, they cook a lot of fresh food everyday, and would be glad for someone to take it for non human use, just explain, and said "Louise" said..I will make them aware of this, they could maybe get some of the guys involved, as it seems a good idea alongside the foodbanks for there and Thornliebank..(meh now I am hearing my daft spoilt piggy getting under the fleece and towels and eating the newspapers..hell of a lot of layers...fhfhfhfjf!
 
Leafy Lou said:
Also if you are in Barrhead, pop into the Resource centre, they might have off cuts of veggies you can use, they cook a lot of fresh food everyday, and would be glad for someone to take it for non human use, just explain, and said "Louise" said..I will make them aware of this, they could maybe get some of the guys involved, as it seems a good idea alongside the foodbanks for there and Thornliebank..(meh now I am hearing my daft spoilt piggy getting under the fleece and towels and eating the newspapers..hell of a lot of layers...fhfhfhfjf!
Click to expand...
A pet food bank seems like a good idea. As when people are struggling then they are going to be struggling to feed their pets too.
 
Julie M said:
A pet food bank seems like a good idea. As when people are struggling then they are going to be struggling to feed their pets too.
Click to expand...
It does..I work supporting people within the council centres, but I might mention the idea to the council run centre and my own company/charity, it would be a great thing to run along the foodbank to be fair, folk forget about the pets as well as the people, and I will leave it there before I go on a further rant!
 
I don’t know if you have a Tesco’s you can get to, but they (and any other supermarkets I assume) May have reduced produce that expires that day. It’s usually ok so maybe try there.

Sorry you’ve fallen on hard times. Hopefully @Leafy Lou will be able to get the pellets to you.
 
Siikibam said:
I don’t know if you have a Tesco’s you can get to, but they (and any other supermarkets I assume) May have reduced produce that expires that day. It’s usually ok so maybe try there.

Sorry you’ve fallen on hard times. Hopefully @Leafy Lou will be able to get the pellets to you.
Click to expand...
Yes I was thinking that LIDL may do this too, I would ask them if I was strapped..and B&M meadow hay for £1...We shall see what happens..I a, not judging but guinea pigs aren't that dear to feed, no response to my pm thus far, I m not judging still, however I have two kids..<insert joke> Oof was about to get serious there..<insert politics> oof I am terrible on a soapbox!
 
Leafy Lou said:
no response to my pm thus far
Click to expand...

It is fairly late at night/early in the morning. I don't know if not replying to a PM after 11pm is that strange...

Guinea pigs might not be dear to feed by themselves, but feeding guinea pigs, plus children, plus yourselves, plus transport costs to buy the hay, pellets and veggies, if all adds up very quickly. Not to mention vet bills if those have cropped up. In the end we're all victims of circumstance.

(I'm not trying to have a go, but it's really not an easy position to be in. Far easier to find yourself in it though)
 
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