Smell Problem

Uh, get rid of the controlling boyfriend?

pignewton said:

Uh, get rid of the controlling boyfriend?

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Heh. That's the best advice there is. Whenever a guy starts to get controlling or possesive offski he goes. I understand, though. I hate it not having my way. Then again, girls should have the final say in the matter.

Let him know it's your pigs and your cage and you're sharing living space and you want what's best for them and that you have a say in all decisions. It's your right.

Ye, He is very controlling, also about other things. This was originally his appartment, he lived here for 2 years before I came, we been together for almost a year now and nothing has changed furniturewise for the time I been here. Only new stuff is a candle here and item there but nothing major. For example, One day I went spontaniously lets move the furniture into a different set-up and he almost got a heartattack and went into defense mode. He is very protective over things changing and every step to improving the pigs life has been a struggle. While he gave me the guinea pigs in the first place, He gave them because I kept nagging about getting a cat so he thought by getting guinea pigs I would stop nagging about a cat (which I didn't) but ofcourse I said yes because I love guinea pigs as well. I'm a real animal person and he doesn't really care so much about them, I have to take care of them clean them and stuff, although he does play with them sometimes. He sees them more as toys he said. I ask myself what does that 2x5 space matter in the entire appartment being his(Small appartment), He has this large area with two desks completely to himselve. You'd think after 1 year or so I would have a say in these things especially since there are pig lives at stake. I can understand that someone can be bothered by a smell, but I clean so often and I honestly rarely smell them. That makes me wonder if he's just being uptight and controling or rather he's truelly bothered by the smell. Even when I smell them it's not so bad that I couldn't live with it. what you suggest I do?

I was having problems with smell factor for my two boys. While Christmas shopping my boyfriend came upon an air deodorizer in Sharper Image. It's called Bad Air Sponge, they used it after the initial Twin Tower tradegy in NY for better air quality. It really has taken care of any odors in their room. I was amazed. I sound like an infomercial.

I agree with pignewton ... get rid of the controlling boyfriend ... After a year things should be better than what they are now

I have this product called Nilodor and basically you just put a drop on a cotton ball and place it near the cage - not inside. I don't use it myself but did at one point when I had a rat. I'm not sure if this is safe for guinea pigs so I would check with your Vet or if anyone on this site is aware of this product please chime in.

Basically you just use one drop. Do NOT use inside the cage or on the guinea pigs. And hide it from your boyfriend...you never know if he might just start spraying the cage. ugh.

But it does sound like he might be using this "smell" as an excuse...has he mentioned that he doesn't want them in the house anymore?

I'm sorry for your situation. I hope it all works out.

Lynn
p.s. Please if this product is NOT safe could someone please chime in. And definitley ask your Vet about it. As I mentioned above I only used it for rat odor.

I'd have to know if those things aren't bad for them before I'm going to use them though, so input on those products would be appreciated.

My only thought is maybe to try puppy pads instead of newspaper. I haven't noticed any smell with my fleece, but I am not particularly sensitive to normal "animal smells". I don't ever start noticing a real smell until it is getting close to time to pull the fleece out and wash it.

If you are in a controlling relationship, get yourself out while you only have a year of your life invested in it. Before you look back at 10, 15, 20 years and say to yourself well, I've dealt with it this long now, I might as well stay now. You can't hope or wish away, or change a persons personality. If he has a take charge, bossy, controlling personality now, he will always have it. Chances are, things will only get worse -not better, the longer you stick around and "do what your told" and allow his disrespect of you.
I have watched someone close to me live their life this way. For the first part of her relationship she stayed hoping he would change, then she stayed because she didn't want to disrupt her kids lives, and now after 37 years she stays because there is no sense in leaving now and starting over at her age. His control has escalated into violence many times when she rebelled his demands, I think that is the case a lot of times. Someone that has so little regard for another persons feelings and ability to think for themselves, can very potentially have the demeanor as well to harm them more than just mentally. Anyhoo, completely off subject for this post and forum I suppose, but just my little 1/2 cent worth of experience

Could he be allergic? That would make it seem like they smell to him even when they are perfectly clean. My boyfriend is allergic to the hay and some people are allergic to their pee. You might want to look into the posts on allergies that are floating around on here and see if he'd go for allergy testing if it looks like that's the possible cause.

For controlling boyfriends you just have to be very very stubborn and truly be ready to leave if you can't get him to see your side of things. No point spending your life with someone who won't let you actually live it. I have in the past told my boyfriend that if he doesn't give me space for my stuff then me, my stuff, and the guinea pigs were leaving and not coming back. Then I started packing my clothes. He agreed to let me shift the couch a few feet and I got dinner.

I use fleece with crib pads underneath and towels with crib pads under. I am having trouble with smell too! I ,like you, clean and clean and clean up, but it's like i can't keep up with the piddle smell.

I am REALLY considering putting carpet in the cage. That way everything can be vacumed daily and carpet cleaned weekly. And they love carpet. They love floor time.
And the room they have floor time in doesn't stink like piddle.

I hear you though! We're kindof in the same boat.

Fay said:

I'd have to know if those things aren't bad for them before I'm going to use them though, so input on those products would be appreciated.

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That is why I said you should ask your Vet if this product is safe. It was just a suggestion.

Well my vet isn't particular smart, been looking for a better one for some time. So it won't do any good asking her.

When he says they smell, what exactly is it that he smells? Urine? hay?

There's always a smell around my pigs cage, but it's usually hay or bedding. When the smell gets a bit more "earthy" then it's cage cleaning time.

I know that when I was trying out fleece that I noticed I could smell their poops, which was a first.

It might be that he's just using smell an excuse to move them into the hall. I tend to notice that pig's smell more than my boyfriend does, and trust me...he'd let me know if it was bad. He's more a supporter of keeping pets outside, for reasons such as smell.

Your boyfriend needs to understand that drought can be lethal for a guinea pig. If he got these pets for you, then he also has to understand that you've got to provide the right set up. Anything built in the hallway would require extra protection. Regardless of that though, every time the front door opens, you're going to get cold air coming in, causing a quick temperature drop. This is also another reason to not keep them in the hall.

Oops, I meant a draft, not drought. Although I'm sure a drought isn't any good for guinea pigs either. :silly: