Not sure what to say.

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rip_ernie

rip_ernie

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I am lookign after my friend's guinea pigs for the week whilst she is on holiday.
I went round this mornign and their claws were EXTREMELY over grown and tehyc ouldn't walk on any hard surfaces. anyway i put them in their runa nd looked in their hutch, it's ok but it needs a good scrubbing. this evening i put them back in the hutch, i opened the box where she keeps the food and i was nearly sick, the smellw as terrible! in the bottom of the box therew ere maggots and flies and there was a mouldy guinea pig treat in there, i took the bag of food out and put it in a clean box in teh garage,the food smells really bad! i dunno what to doas they are soemone elses guiena pigs. they were all enrvous and tense aswelll. but the thign that annoyed me the mostw a sthe instructuons--- if teh hutch starts to smell, put more sawdust in! correct me if i'm mistaken butn surley that creats a nice breeding ground for bacteria and maggots?
 
I would throw the bag of food away and replace it then ask her for the money. Tell her it smelled off and you did not want the piggies to get ill. The cage I would give it a good scrub along with the bowls and water bottles. Show her how they should be cared for. The nails you cut them and then show your friend how to do it in future. As for the instructions well you did not need them and tell her so.
 
That's awful. Firstly what I would do is replace their food, give their hutch, equipment, surfaces etc a good scrub, give them a bath, cut their nails, give them some decent meals and so on. When she gets back tell her that you are very disappointed in the way she has kept her guineas and as much as you like her friendship you cannot stay being friends with someone who neglects their animals as bad as she has done. Then give her some space to take in everything you have said and let her see how well you have looked, how good the guineas look etc. Hopefully in a day or two she will wise up, admit she has neglected them, be truly sorry they were in the state they were, thank you for all your work and making her see sense etc. If she doesn't come to her senses you will have to decide the next move very carefully. Hope this helps. O0
 
OK i have some experience of this (being a pet sitter) and have seen some situations i really didn't like.

Firstly, as has been said, go out and buy some more food. You have the right to do so, and the right to ask for payment for the food! Secondly clip the nails (if you haven't already) and make sure that the guinea pigs are in good health, if not, again you have the right to take them to the vets!

At the end of your pet sit leave a polite note on things you thought were wrong. for example.... I have bought some new food as it didn't smell right, and also changed the tub it was in, perhaps buy a new tub that is more air tight and secure to stop creepy crawlies getting in. I also gave the hutch a good scrub for you, and clipped your guineas nails, if you would like help nail clipping in the future just let me know and I'll be straight round.....

I once had a guinea pig pet sit and was told just to feed him and leave him in his hutch. I found a run in their garage they didn't use so i put the guinea out on the grass. Afterwards i left a note saying that i had put the guinea in the run and he really enjoyed it....the next time we did a pet sit they had left the run on the garden and said please could you put the guinea out...so a good result by being polite and not demanding.

Don't go in all angry, a nice note can sometimes do the trick!

Hope this helps
x
 
Just thought I would add that you need to be prepared for what may happen if things go pear shaped. I was asked to look after a pet rabbit for the people who lived 3 doors away, the day they went I went round to the house and almost died of shock, the rabbit was very badly infested with mites... to the point he had open skin sores and you could see the mites all over him, there were maggots in his bedroom part. I took him straight to the vet, the story has a sad ending cause he was so badly infested he had to be put down and the vet reported my neighbours for neglect and cruelty, they had a visit from the RSPCA - were banned from keeping animals for 5 years and I had months of verbal abuse from them for "grassing on them"!!

Nicky xx
 
That's awful Nicky but you know you didn't grass on them and you did the right thing. O0 When I know people neglect their animals I tell them straight, I just can't help myself. ;D
 
well today i clipped thier claws (thay can walk again!) and bought some new food. There is another girl helping me look after them for the week but they are staying at her house (free range!) until we have sorted the hutch out and the weather is better :) i will talk to her at school next monday, these piggies are overw eig and got stuck in a "chube" ! i migth give hers oem pellets for them instead of teh mix they eat :)
 
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