Pigs Not For Kids: True Story

[masher]

Thank you so much for that story - like others it really did bring tears to my eyes.

I can really understand the way you must have been feeling when you lost Ralphie - having to lose a dearly loved pet is bad enough - but knowing you had sometihng to do with it must rip you apart

[corie dora]

CavyLove, I read your story a few days ago and have been thinking of it ever since.

It was not your fault that Ralphie died, and everyone else has told you so already. But you know what?

But here's my .02 for ya. At least for me, a big part of becoming an adult came when I stopped blaming myself for all the wrongs I commited as a child and teen, and realized that these things were either nobody's fault at all, or that they were a result of something or a lack of something the adult in charge at the time did or didn't do. I came to this realization in my early 20's and ever since have had a much more positive outlook about myself.

In yours and Ralphie's case, your parents should have communicated better with each other, and with you about the situation.

Its true, that no pets really are suitable for kids to be solely responsible for. In the case of real animal lover kids, they can be 100% responsible 99% of the time....but its the other 1% that really matters. The percent where maybe the parent doesn't actually actively do anything, but keeps a watchful eye, and guides the child in the right direction. You may have forgot about the spray, but why didn't your father make a 'no piggers' sign and help you post it on the outdoor pen as a reminder?

It is truly sad, what happened with Ralphie. But I do agree. It has helped to mould you into the caring young woman with empathy for animals that you are today

[Lakota]

How sad. It brought back the memories of my own guinea pig's last days. Like yours, I adopted him when I was a child. I'm so sorry that happened to you.... and at such a young age.

Thank you for sharing this story. I hope parents thinking of letting their children adopt a guinea pig as their first pet will read this. No pet should be thought of as 'disposable.'

I wish parents would be more realistic when they let their kids have pets. They need to understand that no matter how responsible their kids may seem to be, it is the parents who will be the pet's primary care-giver. They need to make sure the kids do everything correctly (by double-checking everything) and will need to do things themselves if their kids don't. I've seen too many parents who don't realize this, and the end result for the pet is awful.

However your story shows that even when parents are supervising their kids and their pets bad things can still happen. As a result of that, it is better still to not let children have pets at all until they're older and more responsible. It will be in the best interest for the animals if the parents were the pets' owner. That way kids could still form a special relationship with animals, but the parents can make informed decisions regarding the pet's welfare.

[Kealie78]

What a touching story! I only had dogs as a child, but I remember the deep hurt I felt when I lost one.

I came into having cavies as an adult. I too, like so many others buoght one for my son. Well, that didn't last long for him. I took to the piggie myself and have been hooked ever since. Robin is that piggies name. If I had just let my son take care of him, I doubt he would be here now. It is a mistake to get them for kids. But, hopefully they will see how much love they give to the household and as adults will want to love pets too.

[Wheekie]

Oh,wow!What a beautiful,touching story!(Forgive me if I spell something wrong-it's hard to type when your eyes are filled with tears!)Like Clotho,I think everything happens for a reason,and Ralphie was definitely in your life for a reason.He must be so happy-just look how your life has turned out because of him!And don't even let it enter your mind that he doesn't forgive you!An animal's heart is pure and their love is unconditional-and even if we don't fully understand something,they do!I've read in so many places that life & death is so different to them-death is just another part of life,nothing to fear.Ralphie knew that he had a purpose-and the mouse did,too!They both had a destiny to fulfill-touching your heart was just a bonus!And can't you just picture Ralphie the guinea pig and Ralphie the mouse running & playing together at Rainbow Bridge?!I can see my little Coco carrying on with them,too!Thank you so much for sharing that!Have you ever thought of being a writer?I think you'd write great children's books and stories!Or you could write stories right on the web!I'll mention both Ralphie's in my prayers tonight!Bless you!!

[Mr.Jiggles]

Right now, me as a teen I am taking care of my soon to be pigs. I have had mr.jiggles a year and it is a full time job. My mom understands and knows that when I go to collage, she will be the care giver. She likes the pigs as much as me and will definitly take good care of them. But, Alot can happend in 5-6 years...... but nice story.

[cavynut!!!]

Wow what a touching sad story I am nearly crying now. Rest in peace Ralphie.

[Alusdra]

This had me crying so hard, even thinking about it again I'm tearing up. I had a similar experience with my bunny when I was younger; she was someone's Easter present 'dwarf rabbit' and came to us in a 2'x2' wire bottom cage... she was a New Zealand white and larger than many of my friend's dogs. Even with the complete lack of information we had on her, we knew the cage was way too small and Early only went in there at night. Most of the time she hopped around our house or the fenced-in yard until the one day I forgot to bring her in before bedtime. My parents insisted that I go to bed and that they would deal with it. She was killed that night by some animal, we don't know what.

I blame the pet trade more than my parents- we were all victims, I think, but with the internet helping and communities like this one, Early's life in general would be much better and hopefully much longer. I don't think there even were alternatives to the cage we got her in back then.

Thanks for the story- and I can empathize with having a pet die in your arms, though it must have been much worse for how young you were; I was saved that until I was in high school.

[MissCin]

Tears actually came out of my eyes. While I read it I remembered how my baby Nikki died in my arms.
Ralphie will always be with you.

[Pygmy]

I... my, that was sad. (I actually needed to cure the sadness with a heavy dose of Dane Cook skits.)

I really and honestly appreciate that anecdote. I regret heavily having tried to raise an anole when I was young. My brother, a fellow pet lover (along with his wife), had told me that anoles like to eat things like honey and apricot baby food as a treat. With this newly founded “information” (it was more of an opinion, or a tip), I kept the baby anole that happened to crawl out of an egg I found. Later, when he came to visit and see my “progress”, he found what atrocity waited. Decomposing leaves made up the bedding, a popcorn tree twig thinner than a pencil for climbing, and old baby food surrounded a poor, sunless, baby anole. The tank reeked. I had no idea… I was so young, and ignorant. By some stroke of fate, the lizard was freed in time, but most likely too scarred to make much difference. I cried. The rest of my family thought I had released after the hatching. Boy, were they wrong. Boy was I wrong for what I did.
As I have grown from that experience, I now raise two healthy young guinea pigs, and I now want to pursue Veterinary Medicine. This topic, children needing to wait to keep animals, is one that I hope to bring to the public eye. Maybe, as you do, we can all try to eradicate the word “throwaway pet”.
Pets aren’t just at risk of death in the care of youth, but they are also at risk of cruelty, torture, and an utter living hell. When releasing the anole, it looked as if it had no will to live (okay, maybe it was just asleep, it was a late on a hot, summer night.)
It wasn’t your fault. Kids, they just don’t know that the consequences to their actions come at the expense of their companions. I also believe Ralphie forgave you. My guinea pigs will go out of their way to lay their front paws and chin down on me rather than the towel they’re on. They lick my nose and fingers as they would groom each other, so I highly doubt they lick me because I taste like a French fry. I’d bet anything Ralphie loved you unconditionally, and forgave you.

[Teslithia]

I haven't read a story as sad as this in a long time. I started crying & then ran to my pggie & gave him a big cuddle-fest. Everyone makes mistakes & I know what it's like to be alone, even though I'm far from being a kid. Thank you for sharing this story.

[Mommy Of One]

I think any kid under the age of ten shouldn't be responcible for an animal completely. When I was little, I had a rabbit, and I was five. I was souley responcible for the cage cleaning, feeding, everthing. And I admitt that I would forget to clean the cage sometimes and all that good stuff, so I blame my parents for giving me that type responcibility.

[catzeye21138]

Thank you so much for this, I got my first guinea pig too at a very young age. I know exactly what you mean. I was devistates when my guinea pig was euthinized. And I was about to put my three guinea pigs on the lawn, the timing couldn't have been better! This reminded me my dad poisoned it last week... Yikes! I have to write a note to myself on the front door!! Not every one is perfect eh? =/ Maybe I'll stick to hay and no grass this summer... Thank you! You may have just saved three guinea pigs' lives this summer!

Feeling guilty and a bit sad,
Linds

[Res Judicata]

That was a sad story. But you were just a child. Heck, my seven year-old can't remember where he left things, let alone remember enough to care for a guinea pig.

But I am proud to say that our pets are helping teach responsibility to our children. I'm not doing that iin the usual way of handing a pet over to a child to take care of on their own, but making the pets a part of the family, properly cared for by adults. Children learn from us, and mine are learning how to treat animals. The older ones even help me keep an eye on the food and water levels, and they give the pigs a good petting session under adult supervision.

[PrincessAngel]

That is such a touching story.The same thing could have happened to one of my piggies but I thought twice and thought about if my dad sprayed the grass. I wasn't sure so I didn't take her in the grass. But she still pasted away a few days later of something else. I got my first piggy when I was 9 and never had a problem taking care of her. Shes still living today at about 4 years old almost 5. I feel you pain about feeling that it was all your fault when your piggy died. When mine died we didn't have enough time to find her a vet.

[avcavies]

- Wow, that was really touching. Thanks for sharing! Ever since I got my pigs, my little brother has been begging for one. You don't know how much I have tried to talk him out of it. Now all I have to do is show him this.

- I got my first pet when I was... yes I cannot believe this either, 5. My parents made the mistake of giving in to my begging. The local rescue had set up an area in Petco with cats and kittens in it. I begged and begged, and won. I picked out a calico kitten, named her Mittens and we drove home. I got lucky though, my dad ended up doing all the cat chores until I got older and took up the responsibility, even though my dad is allergic. Now, my cat as a beautiful middle aged girl, that follows me around like a puppy. She is my version of the animal "best friend". In fact she is curled up in my lap as I type. I got lucky that I didn't do something dumb with her, and in a way, I am glad my parents made the wrong choice. She has even made up her own tricks. I used to have a bunk bed, and at night when i got in bed, she would go a few feet back and get a running start, then run up the ladder. Also, if I put my face a few feet from hers, she touches her nose to my mouth, *a kiss*. I really got lucky in many ways on this one.

[Ramon]

Aww. That's too bad. It is a good reason to both not spray chemicals outside and to not give children pets.

My mom had guinea pigs for a while because she took them after someone thought they'd be a good Day-Care pet.

My mom worked at a Day-Care, she worked with the older children, but in the floors below there was a spot for younger children, one of the employees though it would be good for them to have a "classroom" pet. They were in had little children in it and the cage they had was the standard tiny-cage and it was knocked down there several times. They didn't know the sex of them and thought that one was pregnant, which she fortunately wasn't. They were both females.

So my mom took them and put them in a cage she had from when she was little and had a rabbit who lived in there.

She put two female guinea pigs and later a rabbit named Hazel together. The cage was 4times bigger than the tiny-cage they had. She fed them pellets and water for quite a few years. They lived pretty long, and after several years, I think one died from the humidity fluctuations caused by the laundry and dryer. Then the other died a couple of years later after developing a cyst which increased in size and my mom was reluctant to take her to a vet.

I found out about C&C cages while we had those but my parents didn't want to spend the money and I didn't have the money.

I got guinea pigs