Frustrated More conflicted what should I do

[scoottie]

In my classroom in college (I am working towards a zoology degree) we have a guinea pig shown in this picture. I believe she is 4 maybe 5 I am not really sure but every time I go to class she never has any hay ever I know she doesn't get any veggies and god knows the quality of food she has. Ghost is her name and she is kept by herself in what looks like a 30 gallon aquarium she had a sister but she passed away last year and Ghost did have a friend but was taken away from her. She is also never taken out except by me. I was offered to take her but unsure if I should I would of course get another female to see if I can bond them or should I educate and even provide hay if necessary. Help I don't know what to do. Take her or educate?

 

[Fay]

I would consider either/or options. If you do take the guinea pig from them it doesn't necessarily have to mean you should keep it. You can just foster it until you find a better home for it, but at least then it would receive better care in the interim. I would also give the people in charge of her information on appropriate guinea pig care. Guinea Lynx has a handy pamphlet that you could print out and give to them. Before you hand it over to them you could stress that you're concerned about the care the guinea pig is receiving and how incorrect care is being perpetuated because of it. That it's not setting a good example to the people in class on how they should care for guinea pigs and you're worried someone might get one as a pet and look after it poorly as a result... or something along those lines I guess without being quite as blunt!

https://www.guinealynx.info/pamphlet.html

 

[scoottie]

I wouldn't mind keeping her and I wouldn't mind getting her a friend that wont be taken from her as well. You would think the our work studies would find the time to do the research on how to take care of her they do it for the other animals (reptiles, amphibians) so why not her?

 

[Fay]

I think a lot of it stems from people that think they already know how to look after a guinea pig because of what they learned from other people, pet stores, unqualified vets, or inaccurate care books. Where as, most people aren't as familiar with reptiles and their care appears more complicated, so then people actually do their research. I myself had a lot of misconceptions on how guinea pigs are cared for when I first got involved. Partly because my parents had guinea pigs when I was a small child and they looked after them badly. I felt like I could do a better job but trusted the pet stores to give me the correct information. Obviously, they did not, and I'm glad I did go online and found these forums or I would have never known better. It also taught me not to blindly trust anyone about any animals care. I recently adopted kittens and I learned a lot about their diet that I hadn't thought about prior. I feel that the best thing people can do is to educate and set a good example to others. In a zoology class this should be especially vital because these will be people who will care for and/or monitor animals in the future. So, if you could print out a bunch of pamphlets and offer it to your class then that could be a great teaching moment.

 

[scoottie]

I think right now I should educate first and if her care hasn't improved I will take her I give her a nice well taken care of home

 

[CavyChrissy]

Honestly, this baffles me that a college is teaching students about animals and proper care, but not taking proper care of the animals they have? I agree, you should aim to educate first (although think carefully about how you go about calling out your professor on this).

Another angle to consider: If you were to adopt this pig, would they replace it with another? If not, then I think you should take her. Maybe you could offer to bring her in to class when needed? And I (think) I remember that you wanted an Abby, so maybe your second pig can be an Abby. But if they will just replace her, then there will still be one piggy in a bad situation.

 

[pinky]

What purpose does it do for a college classroom, even a zoology class, to have a guinea pig? I'd get her out of there.

 

[scoottie]

Honestly, this baffles me that a college is teaching students about animals and proper care, but not taking proper care of the animals they have? I agree, you should aim to educate first (although think carefully about how you go about calling out your professor on this).

Another angle to consider: If you were to adopt this pig, would they replace it with another? If not, then I think you should take her. Maybe you could offer to bring her in to class when needed? And I (think) I remember that you wanted an Abby, so maybe your second pig can be an Abby. But if they will just replace her, then there will still be one piggy in a bad situation.

No I don't think they would replace her otherwise if they were smart they wouldn't of taken her friend away from her. I was thinking just take her and get a female Abby or a neutered male abby

What purpose does it do for a college classroom, even a zoology class, to have a guinea pig? I'd get her out of there.

To be honest I don't know. We also have chinchillas and a sugar glider which people have given to us.

 

[scoottie]

I have decided to take her. Our animal specialist has to go through certain people before its official. If it goes to plan I will go through cavycareinc's pairing program and find her a another female or a neutered male.

 

[scoottie]

An update I still haven't heard back on a decision.

 

[CavyChrissy]

Glad to hear you are still waiting for her!

 

[scoottie]

You would think I would of heard of something by now

 

[scoottie]

Okay I have a question.

I still haven't heard back.

Considering she isn't that well tamed would it be wrong of me to let her relax and tame her down a little bit before getting her a friend? Don't worry I will be getting her a friend.

 

[Soecara]

Okay I have a question.

I still haven't heard back.

Considering she isn't that well tamed would it be wrong of me to let her relax and tame her down a little bit before getting her a friend? Don't worry I will be getting her a friend.

Wrong? No, if you were to get her friend from a questionable place you would need to do three weeks quarantine anyway.

However it is important to take into consideration that she may relax and tame faster if she has a friend who isn't timid. One of my most timid boys only started to relax around me after I paired him with another boar who was not timid at all. No taming tricks worked for him, he wouldn't take veggies from my hand (in fact he wouldn't leave his hidey, let alone eat at all with me in the room, until he was paired), he would freeze still like a statue when I would attempt lap time, etc. Introductions went very smoothly and only two days after being paired he really started to out of his shell (or more literally he started to come out of his hidey), he was still a little timid at first but he slowly learnt from his new friend over the period of a few weeks that I was nothing to fear. Now he comes to the front of the cage to beg for food, will take food from my hand, will lay down and get comfy and enjoy lap time even if he is on his own, etc.

 

[scoottie]

I believe the only reason she isn't tame is the fact she isn't ever handled she has had other pigs with her. Sister (died) and another which was taken away from her

 

[scoottie]

Update
She has been euthanized

 

[labgirl5]

Update
She has been euthanized

That's horrible. Did they find an illness, or did they just decide to euthanize her instead of giving her to you? It's such a shame.

 

[scoottie]

She was bleeding out of her vagina. Possibly was a UTI.

 

[lissie]

That's horrible that they euthanized her just because of that. UTI is treatable.

 

[scoottie]

I know and that is what sucks they could of called me or something I would of taken care of it.