Pigsitting a poor-condition pig

new_pigsitter

new_pigsitter

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello!

I'm from hamster/mouse forums and thought I'd pop over here for some help.

This week my family is pet sitting our friend's guinea pig. Unfortunately, this pig is not being kept in the best of conditions.

Here's an image of the set up (I added in the toilet paper roll and apple sticks):

The cage is about 38x69cm (which is small even by hamster standards).

Now, my dad won't let me do much since "it's not my guinea pig", so I can't upgrade the cage, feed any veggies other than carrots and lettuce, or even suggest to the owner to find a forum like this one (not my rules, sorry :( ). But, I was wondering if there were any small things I could do (like DIY toys suggestions or something) that could help.

Any advice is greatly appreciated :)
 
Oh that must be so difficult... piggies love cardboard boxes full of hay and veg. Do you have any bell peppers? Or cucumber? Most piggies love those. And brown paper bags full of hay and veg too. Just even a big pile of hay is nice. Or a few slices of bell pepper that is high in the vit C that piggies need.
Maybe you could direct the friend whose piggy it is to the forum? Get them to read about recommended cage sizes and piggies needing friends and the recommended diets?
 
This puts you in an incredibly difficult position.... Firstly I would suggest some more hay,.. they like/need lots...

Maybe say to your friend that you came across this great website (The Guinea Pig Forum) and you saw lots of advice/pictures etc maybe they would like to take a look too......

I know it's not 'your guinea pig ' but why is your dad against you offering different food or advice to your friend? Is it your friend or his friend?
 
PigglePuggle said:
Oh that must be so difficult... piggies love cardboard boxes full of hay and veg. Do you have any bell peppers? Or cucumber? Most piggies love those. And brown paper bags full of hay and veg too. Just even a big pile of hay is nice. Or a few slices of bell pepper that is high in the vit C that piggies need.
Maybe you could direct the friend whose piggy it is to the forum? Get them to read about recommended cage sizes and piggies needing friends and the recommended diets?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply!

I'm pretty sure I have some brown paper bags downstairs (I'm assuming you mean like the lunch bags?) so I'll go fill one then.

I could probably ask for some bell pepper for my mice then slip her a few slices.

As for forum recommendations, I'm thinking about writing down this forum and guinealynx on a sticky note and putting it on the bottom of the supplies bag or something that way my dad doesn't see it but maybe my mom's friend would. So, I suppose no guarantees, but I'll try.

I'm kinda thinking about getting piggies myself.... I'd have to pass them onto my parents once I go to college in a few years but my hamster cage is large enough (I think... does 106x119 sound good enough?) so I think it would be worth giving a couple of piggies a good home. Just a thought :)
 
artcasper said:
This puts you in an incredibly difficult position.... Firstly I would suggest some more hay,.. they like/need lots...

Maybe say to your friend that you came across this great website (The Guinea Pig Forum) and you saw lots of advice/pictures etc maybe they would like to take a look too......

I know it's not 'your guinea pig ' but why is your dad against you offering different food or advice to your friend? Is it your friend or his friend?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply! I'll go put in some more hay right now. Is there any way I can DIY a hay rack or something?

The friend is sorta like a family friend. She's an elementary school teacher and the piggie is her class pet. She also has a daughter (I think 10-11ish?) who loves the pig to death. In the US we have something called a soccer mom.... yeah that's basically her. Sweet, but a soccer mom.

I'm not sure why my dad is so against it... he just gets mad at stupid things sometimes and likes to be stubborn. He also thinks it would mess up the pig's diet as it's been like this for two years and "she's been fine" (which, no, she hasn't... she hasn't moved from her hide since she's gotten here). I'll try and do some more convincing with my mom when she gets home since we're on better terms with each other but we'll see.
 
Update: I couldn't find a regular paper bag but I'm wondering, if I cut off the handles, if something like this could work?

Not sure if the ink would pose a problem or not.

Also, here's the supplies she gave me:





Also found the bag open. Not sure how long that's been like that...

As for the piggie herself, she's just kinda sitting in her hide. I feel so bad for her whenever I look in to say hi... she looks so terrified :(
 
new_pigsitter said:
Thank you for the reply! I'll go put in some more hay right now. Is there any way I can DIY a hay rack or something?

The friend is sorta like a family friend. She's an elementary school teacher and the piggie is her class pet. She also has a daughter (I think 10-11ish?) who loves the pig to death. In the US we have something called a soccer mom.... yeah that's basically her. Sweet, but a soccer mom.

I'm not sure why my dad is so against it... he just gets mad at stupid things sometimes and likes to be stubborn. He also thinks it would mess up the pig's diet as it's been like this for two years and "she's been fine" (which, no, she hasn't... she hasn't moved from her hide since she's gotten here). I'll try and do some more convincing with my mom when she gets home since we're on better terms with each other but we'll see.
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Maybe if they have given instructions on what the piggy has been fed he doesnt want to upset it - which i can agree with to a degree - but a slice of pepper won't do any harm... more hay would be great - you don't need to make a hay rack - just a huge pile would be fine!

The piggy will be scared if its a new environment, you could maybe cover half of the cage over the top so it feels a bit more secure - she might venture out of the hidey then. Good luck talking to your mum.
 
new_pigsitter said:
Update: I couldn't find a regular paper bag but I'm wondering, if I cut off the handles, if something like this could work?

Not sure if the ink would pose a problem or not.

Also, here's the supplies she gave me:





Also found the bag open. Not sure how long that's been like that...
Click to expand...
Yeah that paper bag will be ok - just cut the handle off like you have said. that hay looks nice and green. Not sure about the nuggets as I am not familiar with that brand.
 
artcasper said:
Yeah that paper bag will be ok - just cut the handle off like you have said. that hay looks nice and green. Not sure about the nuggets as I am not familiar with that brand.
Click to expand...

Alright, will do.

Here's the GA/ingredients of the pellet if it helps.

The brand, at least in the hamster community, is notorious for being very poor quality, although their pellets don't seem to be as bad.

She's up and eating hay now. I'm going to put her cage in my hamster cage (which I'm lining with a blanket for now-- I'll add in more fleece once I wash them) so she has more room.
I'm also working on a DIY hay rack out of a cardboard box.
 
new_pigsitter said:
Alright, will do.

Here's the GA/ingredients of the pellet if it helps.

The brand, at least in the hamster community, is notorious for being very poor quality, although their pellets don't seem to be as bad.

She's up and eating hay now. I'm going to put her cage in my hamster cage (which I'm lining with a blanket for now-- I'll add in more fleece once I wash them) so she has more room.
I'm also working on a DIY hay rack out of a cardboard box.
Click to expand...
she will love a bit more space and more hay... Sorry I can't help with the pellets as I don't know enough about them :( You could just fill the cardboard box with hay and turn it upside down and make an entrance for her..
 
Well done... remember to cut the handles off the paper bag... and maybe cut a larger hole in front of the hay box?

Make sure the air can circulate tho as that lid looks like its solid? Sorry- I can't tell from the pic...
 
artcasper said:
Well done... remember to cut the handles off the paper bag... and maybe cut a larger hole in front of the hay box?

Make sure the air can circulate tho as that lid looks like its solid? Sorry- I can't tell from the pic...
Click to expand...

Duh, handles. Done. I swear my mind is all over the place right now.

I think I'm just going to put the box on its side now that I think about it. It'll just be easier.

Oh, and the lid is meshed. Here it is:

1/4" hardware mesh if you were wondering.
If you meant the tarp on the mini cage it's only on the top; the sides are fully ventilated. I'll probably put a more breathable blanket on anyhow once those are done.
 
new_pigsitter said:
Duh, handles. Done. I swear my mind is all over the place right now.

I'll make those holes bigger, too. Do you think just one big slit is bigger than multiple holes?

Oh, and the lid is meshed. Here it is:

1/4" hardware mesh if you were wondering.
If you meant the tarp on the mini cage it's only on the top; the sides are fully ventilated. I'll probably put a more breathable blanket on anyhow once those are done.
Click to expand...
I think you have done a great job there! Was just worried that the lid was solid like a coffin 😉 I would cut away the front bit of the box so she can literally just walk / climb into the hay ... x
 
artcasper said:
I think you have done a great job there! Was just worried that the lid was solid like a coffin 😉 I would cut away the front bit of the box so she can literally just walk / climb into the hay ... x
Click to expand...
Looks great, piggy will have the happiest holiday with you ever! Also don't worry if they eat a bit (or quite a lot!) of the cardboard box and paper bag as well as the hay that's fine :)
 
Reenie said:
That looks like a great set up. Did you say that's what you have for your hamsters? WOW! I think I wouldn't mind being a hamster - or a guinea pig in your house!
Click to expand...

Haha yeah! It was my big project two(?) summers ago. I had a hybrid dwarf in there and she lovvvved it but then I put in a female Syrian and she did as all female Syrians do... try to escape. Even with 14" of bedding in half the cage :P
 
Wow! What a space for a dwarf hammie! Feel ashamed at the size of my cage when I rehomed my lad many years ago!
Did you make the cage yourself? Very talented you must be! :)
 
alpacasqueak said:
Wow! What a space for a dwarf hammie! Feel ashamed at the size of my cage when I rehomed my lad many years ago!
Did you make the cage yourself? Very talented you must be! :)
Click to expand...

Thank you!
It was moreso my dad that built it than I (I think the only thing I DIY is toys lol...), but even then it really challenged him at times. Very worth it in the end though :)
 
What great cage building you and your dad have, should start a business! Great cage for mini beasts!
How is she doing adapting to it? Dared to come out for a look around yet?
 
alpacasqueak said:
What great cage building you and your dad have, should start a business! Great cage for mini beasts!
How is she doing adapting to it? Dared to come out for a look around yet?
Click to expand...
I sorta helped her down as she wasn't doing too well with the ramp I built, so I let her come up into her hide then I put her in her hay box. She really looked like she wanted to come down but with the way her claws are (curved to the point where she can't walk on them and they're sideways) she just couldn't. Not sure how her litter pan is going to work lol... anyhow she really likes the space! Definitely seems a lot more active than when she first got here.
 
new_pigsitter said:
I sorta helped her down as she wasn't doing too well with the ramp I built, so I let her come up into her hide then I put her in her hay box. She really looked like she wanted to come down but with the way her claws are (curved to the point where she can't walk on them and they're sideways) she just couldn't. Not sure how her litter pan is going to work lol... anyhow she really likes the space! Definitely seems a lot more active than when she first got here.
Click to expand...
Glad she's happy! The claws sound like two of my older piggies have, they lived in a small shop bought hamster cage for 2 years before we adopted them and their claws and toes are still all curved and twisted and nasty. But a better space and lots of hay will cheer any piggy up, you are doing a great job! :)
 
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