Frustrated I need some advice

[madison45]

So my fiend got two new guinea pigs the other day, and when i went over to see them I was mortified. the cage was store bought after i told her that c&c is the best way to go for healthy guinea pigs. then as I got closer to the cage I saw that not only was the cage small it had a wired bottom. when I explained that this was a terrible cage for a guinea pig she just said "they will get used to it":eye-poppi.when i started to explain the proper bathing and nail trimming she said "well i am not going to do any of that." the only thing that she is doing right or at least trying to do is feed them veggies but even then she is giving them very acidic food like peppers and tomatoes every day :sad:. I guess my question is what should i do, she does not take any of my advice and i cannot and will not let those guinea pigs live like that for there whole life they are only like three months old

 

[sakee]

hmmm that's a tough one. I think setting a good example is the best way. Can you do things like bring over some lettuce to share in a friendly way since you both have GPs now. Is there a shelter nearby that does free nail clippings? Maybe you can send her a link about bumble foot to show her why the wire bottom is a bad idea.
How old is your friend?

 

[ih8rttea]

Definitely a toughie… I would say invite your friend over to your place, so you can set a good example of a more proper way to take care of a cavy. If she seems interested, show her the forum perhaps and that might get her excited Then she could educate herself too on improving her piggies' life.

Also, she doesn't necessarily have to do bathing and nail trimming herself; it's just more economical than bringing them to a groomer/shelter/vet. If she doesn't want to still, then let her know there are places out there that can do it for her, maybe even free of charge.

For veggies… you can have piggy picnics at each other places?! You can set another good example by feeding the other good veggies to your and her guinea pigs. Say something like "variety is the spice of life," cause who wants to eat the same food everyday?

Lastly, maybe you can lend her some cloroplast to cover some of the wired bottom cage? Maybe the piggies' preference to a flat surface could convince her to change. And perhaps gently warn her about the possible injury/problems that may occur which would result in more money spending with the vet. (Worst case scenario: show youtube videos of breeding mills? It's a harsh introduction to animal cruelty, and especially since a lot of these animals are subjected to live in wire-bottomed cages or really small enclosures. Mind you, this is a last resort!!!)

That's all I can think of. Hope that helps you educate your friend into being a good responsible pet owner ptimist: