Unprepared Friend Getting Guinea Pigs?

[Moe]

Hi!
My friend bought her daughter two guinea pigs and they are completely unprepared--- they haven't bought a cage and just today she asked me if it would be okay if the piggies were fed on a strict diet of pellets! I know that it is none of my business to be criticizing how they care for their pets but I feel that they are not ready at all! I have been giving them all the advice I could. Does anybody know how I could help? They already took their two piggies home.

Thank you so much!

 

[Rochester Piggy]

Please text or email your friend link to guinea pig sites! Maybe schedule a time you could go to her house and bring hay, hideys, veggies, etc. Show her and her daughter how to care for piggies properly. Leave them with supplies and a list of online references; 2 I highly recommend are this forum (of course!) and guinealynx.com. I also recommend the YouTube channel "Little Adventures". Little Adventures is a great channel and has highly informational guinea pig videos. The videos are very up to date with modern guinea pig care and videos are still being posted today! All of this lady's piggies were rescued and she does not promote breeding or pet store piggies.

 

[Moe]

I love Little Adventures! Julia's piggies melt my heart . I've been preparing and researching for guinea pigs for some time now but I've never really found the time to get a few of my own. They came home with a store-bought cage (one day I would like to help make them a more spacious c&c!) and seem to be somewhere on the right track of ownership. Thanks for the reply and I'll do my best to make sure that these guinea pigs are living their fullest, happiest lives. I can't wait to petsit them over the summer break!

Here are her shy guinea pigs in a feeble attempt to get a clear picture
Feel free to leave any more tips... after all, it's best to learn from the masters!

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Well so far it looks (from the picture) like they're on the right track what sizero cage is that? A 120 because a 120 cage is considered enough room for 2 female piggies (though it's the minimum). And it seems they've started with a good bedding too. I'm sure with your help they'll offer the two piggies a loving home.

 

[ChloeCee98]

Could you make a little picture book with your friends daughter ? With like a table and a time schedule of what to do and when to feed etc. Obviously if she's only young it won't be a good idea but if she's old enough to understand I think it could work quite well. Like the time schedule could have pictures instead of times so morning could have a picture that reminds her of school or a toothbrush or something then lunch time could be a plate and so on and so on x

 

[Moe]

I'm unsure of the cage size... I need to ask. Her daughter is 12 so I am sure she would understand. I would love to make a chart and picture book with her. What a good idea!
Again, thanks for the help and ideas!

 

[Stayc1989]

The picture book is a great idea! You could also add in there the different kinds of fruit and veg that guinea pigs can eat and how often they should eat them. And following on from what @ChloeCee98 said you could make a chart for when they have been cleaned out and stick a sticker on so her daughter doesn't forget when she last cleaned them out. I think making having pets more of a fun thing rather than a 'chore' helps prevent kids form 'getting bored'. And this way she can take full responsibility of the guinea pigs and it's easy for her mum to have a quick check of where her daughter is up to with the cleaning/feeding and things. And if she starts getting behind with things her mum can quickly address the problems with her daughter

 

[Moe]

Today was my first time meeting the two, they're quite friendly already. I can't wait to see what kind guinea pig citizens they will grow up to be!
Here are some pictures (Sorry for the horrible quality )

the two forms of piggie potato presented by "The Two"

 

[Stayc1989]

Awww what are they called? They are very cute

 

[Moe]

She settled on Cookie for the baby with the spots The "tortie" piggie is still unnamed for now. We got started on the schedules and the book. She had such a wonderful time getting to draw her guinea pigs as a border!

 

[Freela]

Awww... very cute. I love baby pigs!

 

[flowerfairy]

The book is such a great idea. Guinea pig border aww.