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Pigsitting Holiday conflicts: When you can't get a pig sitter!

Lagertha

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So, it came to my attention that my usual pig sitter (she's the bomb. Seriously THE BEST EVER.) most definitely will not be available during the Christmas holidays!

My husband and I spend the night before Christmas eve with my parents and have Christmas with them on Christmas eve. After being at my parents we go to HIS parent's house (20 minutes from my parents) and stay the night there Christmas eve night and spend Christmas day with them.

There is no way my husband and I would be able to afford the gas money to go home (45 minutes from my parents and over an hour from his parents) and care for our piggies in between these events, the gas money would literally kill us. So, my question is: Would it be best to bring our pigs with us? My parents have 2 dogs (a boxer/plott hound mix and a chihuahua/dachshund mix) but they are VERY gentle (they hang out with my parents 6 chickens! Best of buds!) and we would have our own studio apartment below the house to stay in for the night/day and my husbands parents don't have pets so they would be plenty safe!

Would a 2x3 c&c cage be enough for 3 pigs for just 2 days, or is that too small? I have portable coro for a 2x3 and grids that I could bring with us. I know my parents wouldn't mind us having them with us, but I'm not too sure if my in-laws would be okay with it (even though it's just for a day).

I'm a worrier and have a very restless, anxious, and obsessive mind so if I could get feedback on my situation and what I should plan for that would be awesome! :) I want to do what is best for my pigs! :)
 

miniver

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"Would a 2x3 c&c cage be enough for 3 pigs for just 2 days, or is that too small?"

I think that depends on the pigs and how well they get a long. I have two girls who live in a 2x4 but their travel cage is a 2x3. I've had them in that for up to 7 days. They get a little stir crazy and attack the water bottle for entertainment but they have been great together.

Does it have to be coro on the bottom? If you use a plastic shower curtain (very cheap), have the grids and the space at your destination they could manage a 2x4 for two days and be fine. The shower curtain would also let you change the cage at each location.
 

pinky

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I'd take them along. One day with guinea pigs won't kill your in-laws. Just change the bedding at your parents' house before you leave so the cage will be clean when you get to your in-laws.

As far as the cost of gas, what will you do if your guinea pigs needs medical attention if you can't afford gas? Medical costs will be a lot more than a tank of gas.
 

J.Bosley

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I would personally be trying to find another highly recommended piggy sitter! Or find a friend that I could teach how to care for my pets. I find traveling with pets for 1 day an inconviences myself... But maybe that's because I have so many pets haha!

If if I couldn't find another sitter, then I'd bring them along. I feel like you have a good amount of time to find someone.
 

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I'd take 'em.
 

pigmommy89

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I would take them too. Is a 2x3 ideal? No, but they'll be fine for a few days. Look at all the pigs that spend years crammed in pet store cages.
Not that that's ok, but a 2x3 is better than what a lot of pigs have and they'll be better off where you can watch them.
 

Agrimony

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So ate you looking at three days totaling im reading that right?
 

ClemmyOddieIndy

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I would contact my vet and ask if they know of any pet sitters. Sometimes the vet techs at clinics also offer pet sitting services on the side for extra money.
 

Lagertha

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I'd take them along. One day with guinea pigs won't kill your in-laws. Just change the bedding at your parents' house before you leave so the cage will be clean when you get to your in-laws.

As far as the cost of gas, what will you do if your guinea pigs needs medical attention if you can't afford gas? Medical costs will be a lot more than a tank of gas.

Yeah I'm thinking I'm going to!!!!
and I think you misunderstood me on the gas money situation. I budget our money for gas, groceries, and our car insurance and phone bills as well as "fun" money and emergency money. So, the gas money and emergency/vet money is separate :) I calculate out how much gas we usually use and we try to stay within that amount every month to avoid dipping into grocery money (I feed my pigs before I feed us, always). I have plenty emergency/vet money set aside for medical emergencies and add to it bit by bit if I have a little extra money from my paycheck :) We aren't broke, we are just careful with the money we make!
 

Lagertha

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I would personally be trying to find another highly recommended piggy sitter! Or find a friend that I could teach how to care for my pets. I find traveling with pets for 1 day an inconviences myself... But maybe that's because I have so many pets haha!

If if I couldn't find another sitter, then I'd bring them along. I feel like you have a good amount of time to find someone.

The only person I trust to pig sit for us (and she doesn't ask for payment even though I do pay her) is a friend of mine who I've known for 16 years! She's cavy savvy and loves our pigs as much as we love them! I wouldn't trust them with anyone else :) I'm probably just going to tell my parents and my in-laws that we are bringing them and that's that. It'll be for 2 days and I can bring their MASSIVE playpen so they can have some floor time while we are around them :)
 

Lagertha

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"Would a 2x3 c&c cage be enough for 3 pigs for just 2 days, or is that too small?"

I think that depends on the pigs and how well they get a long. I have two girls who live in a 2x4 but their travel cage is a 2x3. I've had them in that for up to 7 days. They get a little stir crazy and attack the water bottle for entertainment but they have been great together.

Does it have to be coro on the bottom? If you use a plastic shower curtain (very cheap), have the grids and the space at your destination they could manage a 2x4 for two days and be fine. The shower curtain would also let you change the cage at each location.

I'm a lot more comfortable with the coro since it's a bit more durable, but I also have a massive play pen (I keep adding more and more spare grids to it xD) that I can bring to let them have lots of floor time in and then just keep them in their cage through the night :) All my pigs are pretty laid back and get along really well so far. My two females, Freya and her daughter Sigyn are together, the dad Ikarus gets reintroduced in 2-3 more weeks. We just got him altered so he can be with them! I'm hoping they all hit it off and get along well!
 

Lagertha

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I would take them too. Is a 2x3 ideal? No, but they'll be fine for a few days. Look at all the pigs that spend years crammed in pet store cages.
Not that that's ok, but a 2x3 is better than what a lot of pigs have and they'll be better off where you can watch them.

Good point! and I'll be bringing their play pen along too so they can have some floor time to stretch their legs :)
 

Lagertha

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So ate you looking at three days totaling im reading that right?

2 days and 2 nights :) We will be heading home Christmas evening.
 

Lagertha

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I would contact my vet and ask if they know of any pet sitters. Sometimes the vet techs at clinics also offer pet sitting services on the side for extra money.

I know there are some in my area, but they WAY over charge and if I can avoid paying a hefty pigsitting fee and just take them along with us then that's probably what I will do. They won't be in the cage the whole time! That's for sure! They have a play pen that I will be bringing along and they will most definitely be getting loved on both days (supervised by me of course).
 

sallyvh

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I would take them for sure. I wouldn't even worry too much with the play pen, the moving is going to make them nervous and I highly doubt they would utilize floor time when they are in a new "scary" environment. The 2x3 is great as long as they get along fairly well as they will probably spend most of their time hiding. Make sure you have a few good double entrance hiding zones and you should be all set.
 

Paula

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Yeah I'm thinking I'm going to!!!!
and I think you misunderstood me on the gas money situation. I budget our money for gas, groceries, and our car insurance and phone bills as well as "fun" money and emergency money. So, the gas money and emergency/vet money is separate :) I calculate out how much gas we usually use and we try to stay within that amount every month to avoid dipping into grocery money (I feed my pigs before I feed us, always). I have plenty emergency/vet money set aside for medical emergencies and add to it bit by bit if I have a little extra money from my paycheck :) We aren't broke, we are just careful with the money we make!
You've got roughly 6 months to figure something out. Couldn't that include setting aside a little extra money so you'll be able to afford the gas to check on them once a day?

You also have plenty of time to find another sitter. It's not like she's bailed on you last minute and you're now scrambling with few to no alternative options.

Personally, taking them along would be a last resort with this much advance notice to figure something out. It's a lot of shuffling and driving for animals that are already nervous and afraid by nature. I wouldn't be toting them around unless there were absolutely no other options available.

Pigs would no doubt feel safest and be as minimally stressed as possible if they're at home in the environment they know. I can't imagine you can't figure something out that will be more comfortable for them with this much time to make arrangements.
 

Lagertha

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You've got roughly 6 months to figure something out. Couldn't that include setting aside a little extra money so you'll be able to afford the gas to check on them once a day?

You also have plenty of time to find another sitter. It's not like she's bailed on you last minute and you're now scrambling with few to no alternative options.

Personally, taking them along would be a last resort with this much advance notice to figure something out. It's a lot of shuffling and driving for animals that are already nervous and afraid by nature. I wouldn't be toting them around unless there were absolutely no other options available.

Pigs would no doubt feel safest and be as minimally stressed as possible if they're at home in the environment they know. I can't imagine you can't figure something out that will be more comfortable for them with this much time to make arrangements.

You make a good point. As for setting more money aside on top of what I already set aside for any medical emergencies, my cosmetoloy school, cosplay/biannual anime conventionns, family trips, and a lot more I honestly cannot think of where the extra money would come from.

And I know she didn't bail on me, and she wouldn't, but as I stated: I'm a worrier. To be more specific, I suffer from severe generalized and social anxiety (as well as panic disorder, super fun) so getting something figured out now would put my mind at ease instead of having it constantly at the back of my mind. I have one other person I could have pig sit, but we recently had a falling out and she isn't talking to me.

My pigs are very out going and adjust incredibly fast. The areas their travel cage would be are in secluded, quiet, and safe places so I'm not too worried about them being uncomfortable. I know not all pigs are the same, but I'm being honest when I say my pigs really don't mind travel at all. They popcorn in their pet carrier (in place), they dig through the fleece that lines it to find stray hay, altogether they are super happy little clams. If I am able to find someone who I can trust and rely on then I will see if they will watch them for free.

I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm making excuses, I just only know of 2 people that I personally know and will feel safe handing my key to and my pigs well being and the closest area that has pigsitters for a fee is almost an hour away. I've got a LOT going on the last 5 months of this year and having something sorted and figured out for what would be a easy breezy trip/arrangement for a normal person would put my super anxious mind at ease.
 

Lagertha

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I would take them for sure. I wouldn't even worry too much with the play pen, the moving is going to make them nervous and I highly doubt they would utilize floor time when they are in a new "scary" environment. The 2x3 is great as long as they get along fairly well as they will probably spend most of their time hiding. Make sure you have a few good double entrance hiding zones and you should be all set.

Mmmkay! :) I have two "rabbit" sized hideys that both have 2 different entrances/exits that I can bring :) as well as cozies and tunnels. Mom and daughter get along really really well and if all goes well when dad is reintroduced then they should be fine :)
 

foggycreekcavy

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You've got time to figure it out, whether you take them or not.

Some pigs do travel very well. Mine have always been highly food motivated and are happy if they have lots of veggies and greens to keep them occupied.
 

Lagertha

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thank you very much [MENTION=19714]spy9doc[/MENTION]!!! The dress rehearsal idea sounds like a perfect plan! I will definitely do that and see how they all get along in the smaller space :) and you're right, it is just 2 days! :D
 
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