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Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Small pets

Can this work?...

134 replies

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 14:19

Yesterday I took my DD to her friends party at her grandmothers house and I haven't been able to stop thinking about the grandmothers guinea pig since :-(

He is all alone, matted, no toys and just looks so so sad... I wanted to bring him home with me but couldn't as we have 2 girls (although the size of their hutch would easily take another piggie). She said I could have him and said 'I don't even like him'! It made me so sad to think how happy our girls are and how happy we could make him!

So my question is this.. If we get him 'done' is impossible that he would live nicely with our girls? Is there anything special I need to do?

I want to rescue him now!!!

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guineapiglet · 03/09/2012 14:28

I want to rescue him too!!! Others may advise about putting a boy in with an established girl couple, personally I am not too sure - it will frighten them all even if he has been done. My advice would be to try and get him his own hutch and small run ( try freecyle) and let him see the girls, this kind of integration even amongst girls can take weeks, others have boars and maybe able to help more - I only know that you just cannot add them in and hope for the best, it just needs a bit of time for them all to get used to each other. Could you try your local vets, they often have access to used hutches, runs etc. Poor thing, he sounds so miserable and that is no life for an animal. Would she let you have the hutch too if you take him of her hands???? Really wish I could help - where do you live?

guineapiglet · 03/09/2012 14:29

PS Vets could also give you advice about putting them in together?

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 14:45

Honestly I almost cried! I took him out for a cuddle and he made no noise... Ours talk to us constantly.. Especially if they think food is in the offing! :-) good point about asking for the hutch, I didn't give it a lot of thought at the time since my OH said 'you can't just go getting random piggies' he thinks I'm too much of a softy but I love pigs and hate to see them miserable...

I'm in the south east... I will call my girls vet and see what he thinks!

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guineapiglet · 03/09/2012 16:12

Hi again, good luck, hope the vet is helpful. A woman on our local freecycle ( Winchester) has just posted up 3 guinea pig hutches to be given away - not sure where you are, but try your own because people are always passing stuff on. Personally, I would contact the grandmother, offer to take the guinea and the hutch, she will probably be very grateful!!! Hope you get it sorted.

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 16:34

Against my OH's advice iv told my friend that we want the pig as long as the grandmother can give us the hutch... Tbh I'd take him without the hutch but we are quite skint so spending out on a new hutch might be the thing putting my OH off...

On a practical note though he is very very matted and im not sure how I could get rid of it? Our girls one is short hair and one is long hair but she keeps herself very clean and I don't have to groom her much, he looks to be in quite poor condition. My OH is also worried about us getting him and then he passes away... Our daughter would be distraught!

Why can't people just look after the bloody pets they buy???!

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Methe · 03/09/2012 16:39

Aww how sad :( we got our boy castrated a couple of months ago for £27. If you're anywhere near Stourbridge I can give you the vets details. We rang around loads of practices and some of them charged £80 or £90!! Worth ringing around. You'll need to keep them separated for a month.

Well done you :) if I were in your position id get all the horribleness out of the way - book him in at the vets and see if they'll clip his flat and claws when he's under then start his lovely new life from there.

Methe · 03/09/2012 16:40

Flat -nails

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 16:42

Unfortunately not near there... With our financial situation no way could we afford £90! Although I would get £30 together!! Waiting to hear from my friend, hoping they just say 'take him'... He deserves better!

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Methe · 03/09/2012 17:05

Perhaps do the claws and start his coat then keep them seperate while you feed him up a bit and then research the vet. If you chop a bit of the matting off every day with scissors while your giving him a love t wouldn't take too long.

He'll be so pleased to hear another GP. It's so sad when people have them
On their own :( we have a hareem of our boy with of his 2 wives and 2 daughters... He thinks it's awesome .

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 17:25

I just wanna have him now... My girls are sat munching on cucumber in the sunshine! Know he'd love it!

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Methe · 03/09/2012 17:27

Perhaps do the claws and start his coat then keep them seperate while you feed him up a bit and then research the vet. If you chop a bit of the matting off every day with scissors while your giving him a love t wouldn't take too long.

He'll be so pleased to hear another GP. It's so sad when people have them
On their own :( we have a hareem of our boy with of his 2 wives and 2 daughters... He thinks it's awesome .

Methe · 03/09/2012 17:27

Sorry no idea why that posted again!

BonkeyMollocks · 03/09/2012 17:32

I would go get him!

He could live quite happily next door to your girls. I think fortified has a boar next to some girlys and he is rather content.

Could you make some sort of make do pen for him if you can't get the hutch?

ChopstheDuck · 03/09/2012 17:49

I bet she would let you have the hutch, or even ask for it on a temporary basis, while you get him settled in, neutered and make sure he isn't going to pass any illnesses on.

You can then try introducing him to your sows in a large space, and see if they get along. A boar with two sows should do fine!

Is he long haired? we used to trim and brush out matts on ours.

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 17:58

He looks to be short haired but just in appalling condition :-(

Waiting for my friend to get back to me, I really want him...
Couldn't really have 2 separate runs as garden is quite small and the run they are in at the mo is more than adequate for
3/4 piggies! I'm hoping I can slowly introduce them and they can all go in the run together but separate hutches at night.

I must be mad - we're skint but I just know that they cost next to nothing to feed and all they really need is cuddles! Especially this old boy :-(

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guineapiglet · 03/09/2012 18:00

I do hope you get him - we are all rooting for him!! Just be aware that if you do, he will be very stressed at going from sad ignored boy, to everyone's favourite, he might get a bit upset with lots of attention, meeting the girls etc, so you will probably need to take it rather slowly to begin with, I wouldnt take to vets for a while as he will need to settle in and one upheaval might be enough... do you know how old he is. He just needs to hear a kind voice bringing good and cuddles and then he will get used to you all. Really hope it works out. I did have one in a VERY large laundry basket for a couple of days when she was very poorly as did not want to let her out of my sight, so they are quite adaptable. As long as warm, fed and loved !

guineapiglet · 03/09/2012 18:01

food and cuddles.

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 03/09/2012 18:06

I had a boar that we had done after he had a litter with his wife. He lived with his wife and daughter without problems until he died 3 weeks ago :(

It cost £50, but I'm guessing thats on the more expensive side - we used a vet we know and trust and were happy with - cost wasn't as important in the grand scheme of things for us.

My question would be how old he is? They fair better with surgery if they are young and in good health so this is something you should definitely take into consideration.

Our boy was 2 years old when he had the op.

If you have a boar living next to girls, my advice would be to make sure he is secure!!!! My Dad used to have a mixed and I've witnessed guinea pigs make an assault over a metre high obstacle for a bit of female company!!!!

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 18:06

My biggest fear is bringing him here and he passes :-( I'm going to ring my friend once all my children are in bed and tell her that I want him!! She hasn't replied to my messages I'm hoping I havent pissed her off by basically saying she hadnt looked after him properly!

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BonkeyMollocks · 03/09/2012 18:14

How old is he?

If he is a older pig ( i'm guessing 3 + ) he may not cope very well with neutering, if thats your plan.

Do you have any random bits of wood or cardboard floating around? Temporary pen!

Hope you get him! :)

sleepingbunnies · 03/09/2012 18:29

I don't know how old he is but know he is 3+ because she mentioned she got him when her youngest was born and she is 4. I feel so stupid but I cannot get him out of my head. I only saw him for the briefest time but i'v thought about him constantly since! I'm so soppy for anything that needs looking after :-(

So would you say if he is over 3 not to get the op? But then I'm guessing he couldn't be in the run with the girls and I know they love company?

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BonkeyMollocks · 03/09/2012 18:32

My boys are side by side and really content.

Hang on will see if I can find any info for you...

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BonkeyMollocks · 03/09/2012 18:41

I think the best thing to do is fine a good gp vet and chat with them.
I suspect if you really want to go down the op route then you will need to ask them what the risks are and if he is healthy enough to manage a op in the first place. It takes a month for him to be 'safe' with girls so you will need to have him separate for this time anyway, plus he will need to be quarantined away from your girls to ensure he doesn't pass any baddies onto them.

Most say that if you are going to neuter then it needs to be done young due to the risks that the op carries.

Tbh if he has been alone, i suspect being within sniffing distance of others will be enough to perk him up until something can be sorted for him! :)

This is so sad, can't believe some people !

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 03/09/2012 18:45

Agree about having pigs in sniffing distance, even if not with each other/with each other. They can still squeak to each other and communicate.

BonkeyMollocks · 03/09/2012 18:49

Heres some info. It say down page that some are happy to do 3-4 year olds providng they are healthy and a good weight.

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