Yep, I am with you too. Sometimes I feel like no one around us would love our pigs like we do, and care for them properly. Relatives just don't understand the fresh veggies twice daily thing ( or apon demand , ahem ) I get eye rolls all the time.
We have been fortunate with our current pet sitters. I came home to fresh fleece and they swept, vacumed and took the trash out. I paid them $100.00 for 5 days. In a few years they will leave for college, and I don't know who to ask.
We understand completely.
Will someone please adopt my girls?
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truffie
- I gave AGAIN, dammit!
Topaz, you aren't crazy. My Snickers is my favorite pig. She's almost 5.5 years old, frail, has arthritis in her back and needs to be handfed to keep her weight up. When we went on vacation in June, I told the neighbor who was pigsitting that if Snickers dies while we're gone, to please put her body in a ziploc in the freezer in our garage, because I would want to bury her. It sounded crazy, but the neighbor knows I'm crazy where the pigs are concerned. She kind of laughed, but I felt better because I knew that if Snickers died while we were gone (she didn't), that at least my wishes were known. So even if people laugh or think you're crazy when you're making these plans, at least they know what to do if something goes, um, wrong. Which it won't. I'm not nuts about flying, either, but you can't let your fears paralyze you. Have a great vacation!!
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Catie Cavy
- Supporter 2011-2020
They say flying is safer than driving. There is a sign as you’re leaving one of the airports around here that says, “You’re leaving the safety of flying. Please drive carefully.”
I know what you mean about taking care of your guinea pigs. My husband and I don’t have any children but my sister has 4 kids. She said she’s been telling them for years that they have to take care of me and my husband when we get old since we don’t have our own kids. I’m instead preparing them to take care of our pets. I tell them I don’t care about myself – just make sure whatever nursing home I’m in changes my diapers regularly – but please take good care of my cats and guinea pigs after I’m gone!
I know what you mean about taking care of your guinea pigs. My husband and I don’t have any children but my sister has 4 kids. She said she’s been telling them for years that they have to take care of me and my husband when we get old since we don’t have our own kids. I’m instead preparing them to take care of our pets. I tell them I don’t care about myself – just make sure whatever nursing home I’m in changes my diapers regularly – but please take good care of my cats and guinea pigs after I’m gone!
Topaz, you are not crazy at all. I have gone through what you have many times. Last summer I had to leave them for 3 days and our A/C broke. I drove myself insane looking at the weather reports. It was in the middle of a terrible heat wave. I arranged for TWO different people to come at different times to feed (in case someone forgot, you know I'm nuts!).
I ended up getting a fan and running it on low where they were, blocking off all the windows, leaving tiles in their cages to cool off.
But - they were all fine when I got home! If it wasn't for the heat wave and the A/C broken, I would have not been so worried. I remember sobbing right before we left. So, you are not the only one. Please try to have fun!
I ended up getting a fan and running it on low where they were, blocking off all the windows, leaving tiles in their cages to cool off.
But - they were all fine when I got home! If it wasn't for the heat wave and the A/C broken, I would have not been so worried. I remember sobbing right before we left. So, you are not the only one. Please try to have fun!
I just love you guys. Thank you so much for all the comments and empathy. I feel much MUCH better. Honestly. Just knowing I'm not alone makes me feel better, and then knowing if I actually do croak someone will look out for them, makes me feel beyond relieved. I'm breathing much easier.
Now if I could just get over the stress of flying. Bloody Mary(s) or some other type of alcohol may help with this....
Anyway.
Since we'll be leaving early Thursday morning, I think I'll change the cage over and put the carefresh in the day before(or night), then I can see how they react to it. I'm going to have to buck up and pay for carefresh alone as early on when I used aspen shavings, they seemed to irritate Goldie's eyes.
I'll put a thick layer of newspaper down, then lots of carefresh, and only their hideys. The pet sitter is coming three times a day; 7:30 a.m, 2:00 p.m, then around 8:30 p.m.(and charging me a fortune but that's o.k.)
She'll be cleaning the cage up, refilling water bottles and water bowl, and giving fresh hay and pellets during the morning visit. Then they'll get their greens at the afternoon visit and a lookover(cage and pigs themselves). I'll have greens all ready and bagged up in the fridge. The evening visit will be fresh pellets and hay for the night.
I'll just have her fluff the carefresh each visit, and change the carefresh and newspaper in the loft every two-three days. Yes?
I've also told her not hold or handle them unless she absolutely has to. She doesn't have a whole lot of experience with guinea pigs(although she's been a professional pet sitter for years and has experience with many different animals. She's also got dogs, cats, and an alpaca farm and is an animal lover).
I'm sure she could handle it but I cringe thinking about the possibility of one of my girls getting scared and jumping out of her hands and getting hurt. I guess I feel there's really no need for her to be holding them unless something is wrong. Do you think this is odd? She seemed o.k. with it.
I'll leave my vet's phone number with her and will probably call every day initially, maybe for the whole week.
My mom and stepdad told me they'll stop by to hang out with the dogs and look at the pigs every now and then, as did my oldest daughter, as well as my best friend. I told them all to please make themselves at home, sleep over if they want, take a bath in my lovely deep tub, pick veggies from my garden, whatever they desire...just keep my animals company for as long as they can!
Sound about right? Am I forgetting something?
Now if I could just get over the stress of flying. Bloody Mary(s) or some other type of alcohol may help with this....
Anyway.
Since we'll be leaving early Thursday morning, I think I'll change the cage over and put the carefresh in the day before(or night), then I can see how they react to it. I'm going to have to buck up and pay for carefresh alone as early on when I used aspen shavings, they seemed to irritate Goldie's eyes.
I'll put a thick layer of newspaper down, then lots of carefresh, and only their hideys. The pet sitter is coming three times a day; 7:30 a.m, 2:00 p.m, then around 8:30 p.m.(and charging me a fortune but that's o.k.)
She'll be cleaning the cage up, refilling water bottles and water bowl, and giving fresh hay and pellets during the morning visit. Then they'll get their greens at the afternoon visit and a lookover(cage and pigs themselves). I'll have greens all ready and bagged up in the fridge. The evening visit will be fresh pellets and hay for the night.
I'll just have her fluff the carefresh each visit, and change the carefresh and newspaper in the loft every two-three days. Yes?
I've also told her not hold or handle them unless she absolutely has to. She doesn't have a whole lot of experience with guinea pigs(although she's been a professional pet sitter for years and has experience with many different animals. She's also got dogs, cats, and an alpaca farm and is an animal lover).
I'm sure she could handle it but I cringe thinking about the possibility of one of my girls getting scared and jumping out of her hands and getting hurt. I guess I feel there's really no need for her to be holding them unless something is wrong. Do you think this is odd? She seemed o.k. with it.
I'll leave my vet's phone number with her and will probably call every day initially, maybe for the whole week.
My mom and stepdad told me they'll stop by to hang out with the dogs and look at the pigs every now and then, as did my oldest daughter, as well as my best friend. I told them all to please make themselves at home, sleep over if they want, take a bath in my lovely deep tub, pick veggies from my garden, whatever they desire...just keep my animals company for as long as they can!
Sound about right? Am I forgetting something?
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Show her my page on picking up pigs. It can be done safely. You restrain them by putting one finger in front and one behind a front leg. I'm sure you know what I mean.
It may help if she needs to examine them for some reason.
www.guinealynx.info/handling.html
It may help if she needs to examine them for some reason.
www.guinealynx.info/handling.html
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WEAVER
- one pig at a time.
I am laughing out loud over here. It is great to know I am not the only "weirdo" in this world!!! I also asked my petsitter not to handle my pigs unless she noticed one was injured. ---lol
Now I can tell my husband "Even Topaz does not like her piggies touched by other people".
Now I can tell my husband "Even Topaz does not like her piggies touched by other people".
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slavetofuzzy
- 4 the Good of all Pigs
Oh I get all freaky about the thought of someone handling my pigs that is not an approved pig slave themselves!
I came home from a friends house the other night to find Murphy in the arms of a neighbor who stopped by. She was sitting in the kitchen with him and he was happy as a clam on her chest but I had to ask, "Did YOU pick him up?"
She said that Terry got him for her and I felt a little better but still, he's no expert on picking them up either. GAH!
I came home from a friends house the other night to find Murphy in the arms of a neighbor who stopped by. She was sitting in the kitchen with him and he was happy as a clam on her chest but I had to ask, "Did YOU pick him up?"
She said that Terry got him for her and I felt a little better but still, he's no expert on picking them up either. GAH!
Oh slavetofuzzy, that would have driven me crazy! Really, I would have been gritting my teeth.
That's a very good idea Lynx. I should go over that with her just in case she does need to handle them(really hope she doesn't though). I'll direct her here, which I had planned on anyway.
Weaver, I pitty the fool that touches my pigs! Tell your husband there are more of us like you. :)
It really does make me nervous to see anyone else holding them. Even my kids while I'm sitting right there by them. It just doesn't appear as if they're doing it right! They tell me I'm "selfish" with the pigs.
That's a very good idea Lynx. I should go over that with her just in case she does need to handle them(really hope she doesn't though). I'll direct her here, which I had planned on anyway.
Weaver, I pitty the fool that touches my pigs! Tell your husband there are more of us like you. :)
It really does make me nervous to see anyone else holding them. Even my kids while I'm sitting right there by them. It just doesn't appear as if they're doing it right! They tell me I'm "selfish" with the pigs.
Done rshevin. Great idea!
We leave on Thursday morning! Ack.
I'm saying my goodbyes right now as I don't know how much I can get on here in the next couple of days.
Okie dokie. Due to the fact that no one else has volunteered, my girls will be Weaver piggies if I never ever return. Cool! My best friend has instructions to come on here to pass on the info if I am no longer, and to let everyone know that my girls need a home. Morbid yes. But you never know.
Tomorrow I'm going to do my full cage clean but I don't think I'm going to use carefresh on the lower level like suggested. The other day when I tried some down there, Goldie got red and irritated looking eyes. I swear I've never seen a creature so sensitive to "stuff". Lots of things.
So, I've got a gazillion fleece pads layed out that my pet sitter can replace daily. The loft will still have carefresh as planned.
Adios friends, and I hope I'll be posting pictures and telling y'all what a great time I had late next week, and not laying in plane crash debris! :D
We leave on Thursday morning! Ack.
I'm saying my goodbyes right now as I don't know how much I can get on here in the next couple of days.
Okie dokie. Due to the fact that no one else has volunteered, my girls will be Weaver piggies if I never ever return. Cool! My best friend has instructions to come on here to pass on the info if I am no longer, and to let everyone know that my girls need a home. Morbid yes. But you never know.
Tomorrow I'm going to do my full cage clean but I don't think I'm going to use carefresh on the lower level like suggested. The other day when I tried some down there, Goldie got red and irritated looking eyes. I swear I've never seen a creature so sensitive to "stuff". Lots of things.
So, I've got a gazillion fleece pads layed out that my pet sitter can replace daily. The loft will still have carefresh as planned.
Adios friends, and I hope I'll be posting pictures and telling y'all what a great time I had late next week, and not laying in plane crash debris! :D
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cutemomomi
- Obey My Authority
Doh, Topaz, you will have loads of fun and return safely to tell us all about it. :)
SHOP AMAZON