Frustrated I don't know if I should rehome

[aubrey]

I feel so horrible about this. I have been thinking about re homing my two girls. I have had them for about 6 months and I feel like I don't have motivation to take care of them anymore. But don't worry, I do take care of them. I also feel like its a huge dreaded chore to take care of them.
My mom is a singe mom and so we don't have a lot of money. I feel like I'm using all her extra money when she has to buy their veggies, hay, and pellets. We also live in apartments with a separate washing room. She has to pay around 20 bucks a month just to wash their fleece. That just makes it even more complicated.

I think I'm to the point where I am just making excuses about my two precious girls. I'd hate to get rid of them but I don't know if I can give them all the love they deserve.
I need to tell my mom how I feel, but I'm afraid she will be mad at me. She has put a lot of money into them and their supplies. She bought coroplast, grids, a huge collapsible table for their cage, fleece, and she gave me the biggest room in the apartment so I would have room for their cage.

I just feel so bad and don't know what to do. Any advice is welcomed and appreciated.

 

[lunarminx]

Obviously your mom wants you to have them, otherwise she wouldn't have gone through the trouble of making sure they had the best. She is allowing you to show how responsible you can be and with her sacrificing teaching you that some things are worth the hardship. You could always offer to wash the bedding in the tub by hand and just use the dryer. I am not sure how old you are but you could ask your neighbors if they needed anything done. Offer to walk a dog( that you can control) 15 minutes for $5.00. . light house work for $ 7-10 an hour, but you really have to work. That way you show your mom that you really want to help too.

 

[Paula]

It sounds to me like your mother got the pigs probably because you asked for them and she's working hard to make it work because she thinks you want them. If you don't feel like you have the motivation to care for them anymore, I think you should be fair to yourself, your mother, and your pigs, and tell her. If she wants them and she is willing to help with their care, maybe you can work something out. If it's best to rehome them, it might be fairest to all to consider that. But, please, if you do rehome them, remember this experience the next time you're considering acquiring another pet.

I don't think it's a good idea to suggest keeping a pet you just don't want by taking on more responsibilities you don't necessarily want. As for the parent letting the kid "show how responsible" s/he is, in the case of animal care, that kind of arrangement almost always results in neglect for the animal and shouldn't be encouraged.

 

[millsma]

Are you not feeling motivated to care for them because you feel guilty for the money going towards these piggies? Thats almost what it sounds like to me-- so if that's true, it might help to change your outlook on it. That you can use that guilt to make it WORTH the commitment.
If it's something entirely different, I hope you find the best possible new home for your gals. Best of luck!

 

[Melissa123]

Are you not feeling motivated to care for them because you feel guilty for the money going towards these piggies? Thats almost what it sounds like to me-- so if that's true, it might help to change your outlook on it. That you can use that guilt to make it WORTH the commitment.
If it's something entirely different, I hope you find the best possible new home for your gals. Best of luck!

I agree 100% with this. Why are not motivated? Is there something going on in your life that has changed your outlook on these girls or is it just too much for you? I am not trying to pry, you just sounded kind of depressed and I thought I would ask You have a ton of people here to vent to, if you ever feel like you need too. We all go through the ups and downs of life, that's what makes us human. Think long and hard before letting these piggies go and please talk to your mother. My piggies and pups have made me so much more happier in life!

 

[SqueakyPig]

I would talk to your mother about how you feel, and mention how you feel the guinea pigs are taking up a lot of money.
Be patient and calm when you do, so no one gets angry/upset and you can have a proper conversation with her.
For the money part, maybe you could use recycled newspaper or a thin layer of bedding so you don't have to wash fleece so much, or buy your hay and pellets in a big order so you won't have to buy again for a while.
When you're feeling down about your piggies think to yourself: What if I couldn't hear or see their wheeks and popcorns again? I would have some more lap time with them to get to know their personalities better.
I hope everything works out for you and your piggies!

 

[lexi43]

I agree also. Having pets are a big responsibilty and sometimes it can overwhelm you. I know it does me. We have cats, dogs gps and birds and I spend about 5 hours a day just feeding everybody. That coupled with the expense can really blow your mind. We have 7 pigs now. It's alot of work true but I love each and every one of them. They keep me laughing and busy. If you can't handle it, you should think of rehoming them or giving them to a rescue and they can find somebody who can take care of them the right way.

 

[aubrey]

Thank you for all your advice. I appreciate all of it!

[MENTION=22920]millsma[/MENTION] I think you are right! I didn't think about that. I know I have guilt, and it's probably affecting how I feel about my two pigs.

I decided I will talk to my mom how I feel and see what she thinks. I am going to make a schedule for feeding and cleaning my pigs' cage. I will also start helping my mom with chores I can do easily so the money she gives me to care for my girls is earned, then I won't feel so bad.

Do any of you have any tips for minimizing the smell of their cage? I clean out and wash their fleece about every 4-7 days. It depends. But the whole upstairs starts to stink after three days. And it is horrible in my room, where they are at. I sweep the poops up once or twice a day, but I still smell the pee. Any suggestions?

 

[HannibalLecter]

How large is their cage, and what do you use underneath the fleece?

 

[aubrey]

[MENTION=16791]HannibalLecter[/MENTION] It is a 2x4 c&c cage. I use 2-3 layers of towels, and dog training pee pads.

 

[HannibalLecter]

@HannibalLecter It is a 2x4 c&c cage. I use 2-3 layers of towels, and dog training pee pads.

Try to sweep more often, and perhaps add a kitchen area with disposable bedding where the hay is. Most pigs pee & poop when they eat, which will keep the fleece clean for longer. A different absorbent layer like uhaul pads could also help, as well as a high quality air purifier with a deodorizing filter by the cage.

 

[millsma]

I don't know if this is false- but I've noticed that the more layers of towels I use, the stinkier it gets? Try using 1-2 layers instead of 2-3, since with fewer layers, it will dry faster?