Sad Give away or keep?

[Muggi02]

Hey! I have two lovely girl piggies but the sad thing is I feel like I'm not giving them my all. I know that I can't be there 24/7 for my loves but I feel like I'm lacking. Sadly I have been thinking about giving them away because I know that they could be in a better home but I don't know...

What should I do'????

 

[novapiglover]

hi! this is a sad situation, but i think it depends on how muchyoure lacking. in what ways are you lacking?

 

[Muggi02]

I feel like they aren't getting enough Lap time or just veggies sometimes.. It's a mix of all things

 

[Comely Guineas]

How is their current living condition? Do they have a huge c and c cage? Unlimited hay and fresh veggies every day? I'm asking because if you manage to provide your pigs their complete requirements in all areas and they are healthy and happy then I think you should keep them and try to find inspiration. But if you are so disinterested and / or can't afford all of their requirements (food, vet, cage, nail clippings) then I think you should consider giving them to a responsible person.

Are you giving them a cup of veggies each daily?

 

[Muggi02]

Honestly I don't know the measurements of their cage but it's a two story and they have a little escape to where they run around on the floor. Sometimes their hay is empty but veggies are every day. It's not that I'm disinterested I just feel like they can have somewhere better to live. Lately I haven't seen them popcorn or run happily... I put new toys around or surprise them with certain fruits, but it just seems that I am doing something wrong

 

[Muggi02]

I give them a cup of veggies each day and a fruit every two days

 

[Comely Guineas]

I kinda get what you mean. Like even though we try to provide them with everything we still feel like we're not giving them enough. Well don't feel bad because they don't always need lap time, and if they don't popcorn it's okay. They can still be happy. Remember you can always improve as a pet owner, so if you think somethings lacking in their care, change it. Find inspiration and have fun in changing up their cage or routine or anything. It's all about learning new things, maybe read up online about some things you didn't know. They do need hay constantly though so try to keep that topped up.

 

[Muggi02]

Yeah it sucks! I guess you are right I need to take into consideration all that the piggies have been through with me and remember all the troubles we caused! (They used to make me chase them sometimes lol)

Thanks! It means a lot to me that you helped me!

 

[Comely Guineas]

That's okay. And I have given away pets in the past which I regret so badly now. I wish I could have them right now and play with them, I didn't realise how lucky I was to have them.

 

[Muggi02]

You're right! Although it may sound a bit selfish, we are lucky to have those pets in our lives! They teach us so much that we don't even notice what we learn from them until they are gone!

 

[PudgePig]

Make sure they always have hay. It's the staple of their diet.
They have each other for company. I think the fact that you're wondering about their happiness shows that you love them. If you're able to meet their basic needs, like Comely Guineas was saying, you should consider keeping them.

 

[CavyKisses]

Honestly, I would just keep hanging on. We are humans and we can't be perfect all the time. I'm sure they are happy but if you feel like you aren't giving them your all then why don't you just try to manage your time better so they can have more laptime or more veggies. I think you're doing a great job.

 

[pinky]

They have each other for company. As long as they're housed in an adequate sized cage that's kept clean and they have a well balanced diet, I wouldn't be concerned. Most people either have school or a work so they're guinea pigs a lot of time without them around.

 

[onefutui2e]

On weekdays, my interactions with my pigs are as follows (I'm out of the house from 8:30am and don't get back until 8:30pm):

1. Wake up, spot clean the cage (how thoroughly I do this depends on how pressed for time I am), give them some veggies. Refresh their hay pile. Pet them on the head a few times.
2. Come home from work, give them a few more veggies, spot clean the cage.
3. Give each of them 15-20 minutes of lap time. They live separately, so this is a time sink, unfortunately. Weigh them, pet them, give them some veggies, etc.
4. Their cages are in the living room, so I hang out on the couch and do a little more work or some Internet-y stuff.
5. Before going to sleep, give them some more hay, refill their pellets and water, if necessary.

This comes out to be about half an hour in the morning, and maybe 1-2 hours when I come home (this includes direct interaction and passively sitting nearby). Weekends are more of the same, but I give them about an hour of floor time each day where they hang out in my room (separately, of course).

As mentioned, as long as their cage is large, they have a plentiful and diverse diet, and you clean their cage regularly, floor time is more of a luxury than a necessity. They won't be any worse off and if they have company, they'll be fine. Now, when my girlfriend visits, they get spoiled like there's no tomorrow.