I am new and I have some questions

[Terekins]

Hmmm think you could be just a little less obvious there?


TROLLLLL?

Who cares what he/she is, they're trying to help. They probable spent a lot of time writing that out, hoping to reach Meggie. It's one thing to be informative and upfront and realistic and honest, and another to be just plain negative.

 

[fourbwabbys]

It may be a person truely trying to help, if it is than I'm sorry. But being their very first post, posting right after they join, have the same name, age and ADD, it seems kind of fishy.

 

[MCR_Rox]

It doesn't really sound like a troll. Maybe it's just a coincidence. They probably read a ton of stuff about them already, too.

 

[liveoaks]

Well, I logged back in to see if there was any reaction to my post, and THAT certainly wasn't the reaction that I had anticipated, although I can see how it could have come about. Yes, there are coincidences here. I was struck by them, myself, or I wouldn't have pointed it out. And those coincidences made me feel even more strongly that I wanted to respond to Meggie, because it kept me thinking about how I would like to see people respond to my own daughter.

It isn't my first time on the forums, even if it's my first post. I first visited this website (and forum, possibly, though I don't recall for sure) back in January 2001, when I was preparing to buy my Meg her first guinea pig (and then her second). I built a C&C cage back before the coroplast was even being recommended - it was cubes and vinyl flooring back then, and then I upgraded when I came back to this site it had added the coroplast recommendation. It's possible that I posted then - I have a feeling that I did - but if so, I no longer have the same email address and I've lost the user ID I would have used, so I re-registered solely so that I could respond to to Meggie.

I've been visiting this website for a number of days now, because another daughter of mine has been hankering for a mouse, and I sent her to this website trying to get her interested in the piggies and help her improve her interactions with them. (I don't mind if she gets a mouse, but I don't want to add more animals unless we're truly animal lovers and we have enough energy to give to more animals. Kids tend to say, "Well, I'm tired of this, so let's try a different animal," and that's not acceptable to me.) It has worked, too - my daughter is much more involved now with the piggies. We bought a bale of hay which we've never done before, and she built them a single-grid second level shelf (halfway up) which they love to get underneath, and she's made them a nice little hay holder.

There's no way I can prove that I'm not a troll, but I must say that I found that a very jarring way to be welcomed into this forum. I know that lots of the members here are very young, and when I was young I also would have had more trouble responding graciously to people, but I was still disappointed, if only because I support what y'all are about here on this forum, and I hate to think that people might be chased away for unfortunate reasons like that.

 

[Jenah]

I had just wanted to say that, coincidences aside, if you read the entire post - there appears to be an effort to help. To talk to Meggie about the benefits of moving past her impatience, and "settling", and truly enjoying the pet she chooses.

 

[Jenah]

I was specifically talking about liveoaks' post - in which I found that she was trying to be HELPFUL and didn't come across as a troll. I was very surprised by fourwabbys very quick leap towards derision.

 

[this_lil_piggy]

I am sorry fourb, I agree with you on most things, but I think that was pretty uncalled for and warrants an apology.
IF she was a troll why would she be giving the advice that she did? She is right, pigs "can" live in mediocre conditions, but they are less happy, less healthy, and less active. Her overall post was pretty accurate and what sounded like a genuine attempt to help, to me. Besides that, Meggie said she has ADHD, live said her daughter has ADD. Similar conditions, but not totally the same.

I really don't get why you jumped in with that comment, or why it would even matter.

 

[OSUCavies]

I was in chat today with Landhermie and Meggie. Meggie was expressing how much "petstore" cages are cheaper, etc.


So Landhermie and myself did some research in Meggie's town to help her with the addresses, business names and phone numbers of places that would be best for her. We even calculated the prices of cubes and coroplast for her so she could see what a better choice it was over a petstore cage.

I found at least EIGHT shelters in her area (at the most, 15 miles away) that she could adopt.

Landhermie found a Walmart in her town that someone posted on the "find materials" forum that carried the proper sized cubes that she could use to build a CC cage.

I found a sign shop 10 miles from her town that carries coroplast. I even called the sign shop and found out they carried sheets of colorplast in white and yellow in 4x8 feet for 15 dollars. There were a few other sign shops nearby, as well.

Also, Landhermie found a guinea pig savy vet in her area.

After all of this handing out of information from everyone on the forums, I truly hope Meggie and her parents make the right choice to decide whether she should or should not get a guinea pig, or any pet at all.

If she does, in fact, get a guinea pig, I hope she uses all of the information that everyone, including Landhermie and I, has given her.

 

[fourbwabbys]

It may be a person truely trying to help, if it is than I'm sorry.

Seeing what Meg had said in chat and on the forums lately, the coincidences made me think it was her on another username. I am sorry.

 

[MCR_Rox]

Now she wants to follow Petco's care sheet. I told her to print the ones out on-line since she's losing her Internet because her parents can't afford it, but she won't. If she can't even afford Internet, she shouldn't be getting guinea pigs.

 

[pink piggy lips]

Now she wants to follow Petco's care sheet. I told her to print the ones out on-line since she's losing her Internet because her parents can't afford it, but she won't. If she can't even afford Internet, she shouldn't be getting guinea pigs.

A-men!

 

[Jenah]

What the HECK is the Petco care sheet...??!

 

[fourbwabbys]

(broken link removed)

 

[this_lil_piggy]

I guess between the sick petco pig, and caring for it based on Petco's care sheet.......at least hopefully the poor thing won't be in misery for long. *sigh*
There comes a time when you just have to throw your hands up and walk away. This kid doesn't give a crapt about anything but herself.

 

[Jenah]

You're right TLP - and I think that it might be in everyone's best interests if they quit reading whatever she is posting at the other place. Seriously - it's causing too much frustration to members here because there isn't anything anyone can do about whatever she does or post.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

The pig she buys won't last long, I can almost guarantee that. I hate to even think about a poor pig suffering under her care or her parents care.

 

[OSUCavies]

Has anyone talked to her recently?

Has she ultimately decided to "buy" a piggy?

 

[Meggie]

Well in the mean time what would you guys suggest? A hamster? I know some stuff about hamsters. I know that hamsters' teeth never stop growing, they have short tails, they need a cage with enough room for exercise, they stay awake during the night, they don't need their nails clipped, they need to be taken to a vet for monthly check-ups (I think, still trying to figure that out), like to chew on toilet paper roll cardboard, etc. I think I know more about hamsters then I do of guinea pigs.


Here's what I know about guinea pigs: they are social, their teeth never stop growing, they need friends to keep them happy, they need their cages cleaned once or twice a week, they need 1-2 inches of bedding in their habitat, their claws need to be checked every 4 weeks, they need fresh water daily, they need any fruits or vegetables taken out if they aren't eaten within 24 hours, they need LOTS of attention, somebody needs to sit by their cage daily, they're healthier if they come from an animal shelter/rescue, guinea pigs can't have the food that the pet stores have; except the hay, and guinea pigs need to be taken to the vet more then hamsters do.


That's all of the stuff that I know. Some of the stuff I think is what some of the people on this forum were telling me, I'm sorry to everyone if I made all of you mad. That's the way I am at home most of the time. Please reply.

 

[Meggie]

Ok. I have a lot of questions to ask.
1) how often do guinea pigs need to get their nails clipped. 2) Do guinea pigs have to go to a vet to get their nails clipped? Because I am not going to clip a guinea pig's nails by myself and either is my mom. 3) Are guinea pigs prey to every animal? 4) When do guinea pigs get dirty? 5) When guinea pigs get fiflthy do they need a bath right away? 6) When guinea pigs are outside do they eat the grass or play in the grass? 7) How many of hours of sleep do guinea pigs get per night? 8) When do guinea pigs normally finally go to sleep at night?

Those are my questions for right now. I'll post more when I'm on later.

 

[MilwCavyMom]

Check this page for the nail question: Guinea Lynx :: Nail Clipping
I used that as my reference. Depending on your comfort level you can take the piggies to a vet to get clipped, I don't know if they do that free or if there is a charge.
Baths, are pretty rare for pigs, unless they are long haired. Or you can give them "butt" washes which I do. You need special shampoo for them, like Bunny Bath. I don't let mine outside so I can't answer those questions. I also don't know about sleeping, I think they sleep all hours of the day from what I can see from mine.

I honestly think that hamsters are less cost and easier to care for for a first time pet than a pig would be. You may be better off caring for a hamster then going to something else in a few years. My sister's kids have a hamster and they do most of the care for him and do quite well. Depending on the hamster they are fairly friendly and they give him lots of attention. I hope you are taking the time to consider everything before you get a pet. Good luck!