Some pics of my Ted!!

[Tedsmama]

They're not fully grown until a year and one of my sows (boars are often heavier) had a massive growth spurt at 8-10 months, putting on 300g. A hamster cage is not suitable for a pig for any length of time and this is something that needs to be thought about BEFORE you take one on. Exactly how much does this "suitable" cage measure? The recommended minimum for one pig is 30" x 36".

Think how you would feel living in your bathroom for 95% of your day even if you had the best food and care in the world.

I'm not sure how long the cage is exactly, but it's big enough for him to move around in. When I decided to get Ted, I really knew nothing about cage size and such. I just kinda decided to buy a guinea pig off a whim. I know that sounds bad, but I really wanted one. I am going to work on building a play pen for him this weekend so he can run around more. It's not a tiny hamster cage. When I used to have hamsters I kept them in aquaruims and I thought about this for Ted at one time, but i know they don't get good ventilation that way.......

Leslie

 

[Tedsmama]

Okay I'm posting more pics of Ted, about a month or two old. I'm going to take more this weekend. The quality isn't great, seeing as I used my camera.........Enjoy!

What's going on?

Ted's first bath, I think it was around April............he needs another one lol.

Ted wants to know what I'm doing, LOL! :smitten:

Ted chillin out on his house, he used to fit in it lol.

Ted eating a yummy carrot..nom nom! O0

Ted taking a much needed nap...............AAWWWW I'm tired! ?

Hope you enjoy those, I will post more next week!

Leslie :smitten:

 

[daftscotslass]

I'm sorry but those photos really upset me. That pig can barely turn around in there. Where is his food? Where is his hay? Please get him out of there.

 

[Tedsmama]

His food is in his food dish, which is the pink one in the pics, and the hay, I give him 5 times a day. He turns around just fine! Stop criticizing me! You don't know me, thanks! :tickedoff: He's just fine in his cage! He usually mixes his hay in with his shavings, so he hides it a lot. Don't judge me please! I posted the pics so that you could all enjoy them, not criticize me!

Leslie

 

[daftscotslass]

I don't know you but we can all see the conditions Ted is being kept in. That is a HAMSTER cage. Ted is a GUINEA PIG.

Guinea pigs like to roam and even run around, bouncing and running laps. He can't do that.

Guinea pigs are prey animals and need somewhere to hide. He has nowhere to hide, nowhere to get away from things, nowhere to feel safe.

Hay needs to be unlimited. If he runs out (there is none in the last set of pictures you posted) then he isn't getting enough.

You are depriving this piggy of what he should be able to do naturally. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I am BEGGING you to get him out of there. He is NOT just fine, he is SURVIVING, not LIVING. He will be so much more for you if he has the space to do what comes naturally to him. If you can't do this, please find someone for him who can.

 

[Tedsmama]

Yes i know it is a hamster cage, I'm not dumb! I didn't have much $ when I bought Ted, so I had no choice but to get that cage. I know he likes to run around and such, which is why I am building him a play pen this weekend. I know he needs a place to hide, I have thought about all these things before. Hay is unlimited, I give him big heeps all the time! At least 5 or 6 times a day! I can't keep a hay pile in an apartment, it isn't that easy. He is fine, trust me! He's happy, healthy, well fed, much loved and fine! And I will never give him up, I don't give a care what anyone says!

 

[daftscotslass]

He would like to run around on his own terms in the 24 hours that there are in a day. Unless you plan in keeping him in the playpen permanently?

Trust me, if he's in a cage that small he is not fine. I hope that you find this out when you give him a bigger place to live and let him live to his full potential.

I live in a flat/apartment. I keep hay in a bag in a cupboard, it's not as if I'm suggesting you keep it in a heap on the floor.

 

[choloe]

lovely pictures of ted, love the ones where he is having a bath and where he is asleep. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: can see a trace of piggy lips :-* :-* :-* he is a handsome boy. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: i know when i got 2 piggies i bought a petshop cage they said suitable for 2 piggies yeah right until they grew by the time they were 3 months old the cage was way too small. maybe go to a lumber yard and get seconds timber and buy some wire and build his a cage, this is what we did. i am NOT having a go at you i am just offering a suggestion O0 i can see ted is happy and i know that you love him O0 good luck with the play pen O0

 

[daftscotslass]

Are you in the US? I have offers from a couple of friends over there that if they live anywhere near you they can give you a pet store cage to keep him in. Even pet store cages for guinea pigs are far from ideal but it would be better than him living in that. No animal can possibly be "happy" living in accommodation that is only twice their own length.

 

[lindsay7]

This must be a wind up. No one would put a piggy in a Hamster Cage and post pics of it all over a Guinea Pig lovers forum and expect not to get a slating for it.

Also to say that you had no choice when you bought this piggy but to get a tiny cage is awful. Everyone has a choice you save up and make sure you are in a better position before you purchase pets.

I'm pretty sure this is a wind up. Someone out to cause a reaction. Its not the first time this has happend. :tickedoff:

 

[sarsmccabe]

If that was in the UK and posted on here I am sure there are a few people that would be happy to contact the RSPCA/SSPCA to get the piggie taken away. If you don't have enough money to keep guinea pigs in the proper way then you shoudn't have them. I am not meaning to sound nasty if it comes over like that, i just want the best for piggies. x

 

[Tedsmama]

Okay first of all.........

Thanks Choloe for being a little more understanding than most people here. I appreciate it! Thanks for saying Ted is handsome, I sure do think so. Yeah i am working on getting a bigger cage. Secondly, I am not being cruel by keeping Ted in a cage! I am very hurt, offended and ****** off that anyone would say that! I didn't nkow a whole lot about guinea pigs when I got Ted, geez! I am stilll earning and I am human. You make me sound like an awful person! Yes I do live in the US. And to Lindsay7, I don't know what the hell a wind up means, but I did'nt post pics of Ted for any other reasoin than for you to look at him and sdmire him, that was simply it. Not to get attacked by all you people! I feel like I am beign attacked and am seriously thinking about leaving this forum! Yeah I could have saved up for a pig cage but i bought him no a whim, that was my fault yes, but oh well. I'm not causing a reactio,n so please shut your mouth! I am ******off now and not liking this place so much anymore! And finally to sarsmccabe, I'm sure you could do whatever you want to get Ted taken away but it would never happen! Even the vet I took him to didn't say anything about his cage size. Ted is fine, so please just drop it already1 Thanks, I have said my peace, sorry if I offended anyone but I feel like you all jumped on me to attack me! :tickedoff: :tickedoff:

Leslie

MODS NOTE - TAKEN OUT SWEAR WORD

 

[Niki]

Ted is a lovely looking piggy, very handsome BUT the cage you have him in is totally unsuitable. You say he can run around, but where to?
At 8 months old he has plenty more growing to do - width wise if not length-wise. He will be literally bursting out of his cage & giving him hay 5-6 times a day isn't enough, why can he not choose when to eat his hay himself?
I have a piggy who at 9 months was 1208g he's now 14 months & weighs 1496g & is still gaining.

I am deeply saddened to see a piggy living in these conditions, i am not doubting you love him but i have to agree with others and say you're not allowing to express himself, i doubt he can popcorn in that cage & he definately cant have a mad dash around - very very sad

Just to add, a wind-up is a slang phrase for a joke/staged pics in these circumstances. We cannot believe that someone would post pics on a guinea pig forum, where members strive for the well being of piggies everywhere, of a piggy living in a hamster cage and it be real.

 

[Tedsmama]

Niki,

I know, I know, the cage is unsuitable, been told this 100 times already! :-\ I don't have anyo ther choice at the moment but to have him in the cage. I know he is going to grow more, I do know that very well. I can only give him hay at certain times of the day because I am not home all day. I do work, I do have a job and I get busy. Ted has plenty of hay, all the time. As well as ffood. I'm not sure what pop corning is, but he does run around a lot. Plus when I let him out of his cage, he does have a chance to run about. Anyway, I am posting more pics of me holding Ted today. Hopefully you will all enjoy these and not get mad at me again and leave such nasty comments!

Ted all comfy on my lap

Ted looking away

PIGGY LIPS! :smitten:

Ted eating a carrot

YUM YUM!

Okay that is it for now. I really don't want to be attacked anymore, so can you please just drop it? I will get a bigger cage when I am able to do so. I really don't appreciate being attacked and ridiculed for something that I didn't know a whole lot about and am still learning right now. I want to be friends with you guys and such, but it's hard when I feel like I'm being ganged up on. Anyway, talk to you all later!

Leslie :smitten:

I'm not mad, just hurt and upset a little. I don't want any enemies but if this continues, I will leave. I can't handle people being mean when they don't know me or my situation.

 

[kezza30]

Hey can we all please try and be friendly, attacking someone and chasing them away is no helping the poor piggy

Ted is a gorgeous piggy, i could pig nap him, he's so lovely and really looks to be enjoying his carrot :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

I am sure you are going to get him a bigger cage as soon as you can right? and of cours show us updated piccies of Ted enjoying his new cage, hopefully before he grows anymore O0 :smitten: :smitten:

 

[Niki]

I've said it before & i'll say it again he is extremely handsome :smitten: :smitten:

I am not personally attacking you, i am commenting on his accommodation. This forum & it's members are here to advise.

You agree that his cage is wholly unsuitable & whilst you may work, what is wrong with filling his cage up with hay - he can play in it, snuggle in it, eat it, poop on it, pee on it; whatever he chooses.

Popcorning is when a piggy does lil jumps or leg kicks - named because the movements they do resemble corn popping when you make popcorn; piggies do this when they are feeling happy

The pics you've posted of him are lovely and noone has a problem with Ted, it's his cage. You are the one who started swearing - i take this to be offensive and nasty.

Here's an idea, not a solution but an improvement i think. Can you not get a large cardboard box? Ted could live in this until you get him his larger cage - you could line it with linoleum (waterproof) add layers of newspaper & then hay - this would be nicer for Ted, it wouldn't be expensive and he would have more room, what do you think?

 

[choloe]

aaaah piggy lips made for :-* :-* :-*he is adorable little boy :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: . i know you feel you are being ganged up on and maybe you feel guilty a little for ted's cage, whatever the case please don't get angry or leave, like nikki said perhaps a cardboard box or even a playpen where ted can move in until you can afford a bigger cage.
i can tell from reading your post you love ted, and no one would ever take him from you. so please just take a deep breath and know we are well i am anyway just offering suggestions for ted until you can buy a bigger cage. i am NOT judging you and am sure others are not either.
anyway, i love ted and sending hugs to you both :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: ted looks a happy healthy :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: he is a real cutie O0

 

[AnnasPiggies]

hiya ted is georgus
yes a hampster cage isnt sutible but I'm not gonna lecture you
guys she only has the one pig so don't lecture her she is new and pushing someone isnt rite
she didnt no, she is a first time owner
Ted is lovely and I'm glad your getting him a bigger cage

I have to say though some people on this forum dont no how be nice sometimes
you dnt see mary having ago
Plz dont use swear words though tedsmama its kinda rude
I am 14 years old and by lookings at these posts i am thinking is tht how and adult acts maybe i should have ago
I think we should just drop this now



Ted is very pretty and handsom and looks happy :smitten: :smitten:
keep him safe


Anna

 

[choloe]

well said anna O0 tedsmama knows her cage is small, she is new to piggies, she is going to get him a new cage, she said in earlier post she is building him a playpen this weekend. and ted does get floor time and exercise O0
this is a childrens forum too so langauge shouldn't be allowed and neither is ganging up on some one. i understand you are all upset about ted being in a hamster cage but telling tedsmama about it over and over again is only upsetting her and she is trying her best with ted with the play pen and floor time O0
so please just enjoy the pictures and admire how handsome ted is :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: before i come and piggy nap the little darling ;D ;D ;D people look hard at the pictures, does ted look unhappy? read tedsmama's posts you can tell ted is happy and tedsmama loves him O0 that is all i have to say, again well said anna :smitten:

 

[daftscotslass]

I am 14 years old and by lookings at these posts i am thinking is tht how and adult acts maybe i should have ago
I think we should just drop this now

No, I don't think we should. Adults tell it like it is and if someone doesn't want to hear that keeping an animal in those conditions is downright wrong, then so be it. Don't post on here wanting people to tell you it's fine as long as he's loved. To me anyone who loved their pet wouldn't make them live like that. "She didn't know" isn't an excuse either. You go into a shop and get a guinea pig, you choose to take a hamster cage off the shelf and buy it rather than a guinea pig cage - where's the sense in that?! Have some common sense! You've even had an offer of help in finding you a temporary cage but you don't appear to be interested but the offer still stands if you want me to look into it further. Send me a message.

I know I can't enjoy any pictures of this poor animal knowing the cramped conditions he's going back to and other members are very concerned too judging by some messages we've had.

I've locked this thread for just now because you've had some good advice from members on a cheap alternative to that cage and it's just a pity you're choosing not to take it. Will discuss this with the other mods whether or not to re-open it and if anyone has a problem feel free to PM me. I'm also going to discuss removing the photos as I'm genuinely concerned a new member may come on here looking for advice on where to keep their guinea pig and think it's fine to keep them in a cage like that, even temporarily.