Want a Guinea Pig(s) My Mum won't allow me to get another guinea pig?

[erinduffy15]

Okay so 6 years ago I recieved a guinea pig for Christmas after I had learnt all about them and fallen in love with guinea pigs. The year after we got another guinea pig to keep him company, but that guinea pig died last winter unfortunately. So I really want to get another guinea pig (probably adopt an older one as our guinea pig is almost 6 years old), but my Mum said no. She says that she doesn't really like animals anyway (which I know she doesn't) and that guinea pigs are good for 10 year olds but not for 15 year olds (which I am now). I'm trying to tell her that I still love my guinea pig as much as I did before but she doesn't believe me. She says that when I go to university she will have to look after it but s I said I would get an older guinea pig, or I would just bring him with me. Even though it would be inconvenient- I cold never leave my piggies at home! I've asked her why it would bother her at all, as we used to have two guinea pigs but she just keeps saying those same reasons.
What can I do? I think my guinea pig is lonely and I love guinea pigs so much!

 

[Artista]

I have one pig. I do spend all day with her though since I don't work and we play when she isn't sleeping. The only reason why I don't get a second is because I am unemployed and the vet bills are killer. I have had her only 9 months and I've spent $1600 on the vet thus far. For me that's a lot being I'm on a very fixed income. Maybe your mom is thinking of this? Otherwise a second gp isn't much more work.

 

[pinky]

She does have a point about you going to college. I think you'd be better off waiting to get another until you're done with your studies so you can devote your time to school. Once you're out of school and have a job, you can get as many as you'd like and not have to worry about whether someone else likes them or not. Many students find that they can't handle their care and decide to rehome them.

 

[ajweekley]

I will say that most residence halls do not allow pets, and those that do often only allow upperclassmen to have them, so if you're going to college, you can't plan on taking them with you unless you are allowed to live off-campus and you find a pet-friendly apartment. Many colleges don't allow freshmen to live off campus unless they are commuting from their parents' home. It's not about whether or not it would be "inconvenient" to bring them with you -- it just might not be an option, period.

I know where you're coming from, I do. But at the same time, your mom is very likely to be the one taking care of the piggies when you go to college, even though you don't think that's the case. If she's that set against it, she may not give them the care and attention they need when you go, and they may need to be re-homed anyway. I don't know what the solution to this problem is. But you need to be realistic about what's going to happen after high school. For at least one year, you are probably not going to be able to have them with you. That year is what you need to think about.

 

[erinduffy15]

I will say that most residence halls do not allow pets, and those that do often only allow upperclassmen to have them, so if you're going to college, you can't plan on taking them with you unless you are allowed to live off-campus and you find a pet-friendly apartment. Many colleges don't allow freshmen to live off campus unless they are commuting from their parents' home. It's not about whether or not it would be "inconvenient" to bring them with you -- it just might not be an option, period.

I know where you're coming from, I do. But at the same time, your mom is very likely to be the one taking care of the piggies when you go to college, even though you don't think that's the case. If she's that set against it, she may not give them the care and attention they need when you go, and they may need to be re-homed anyway. I don't know what the solution to this problem is. But you need to be realistic about what's going to happen after high school. For at least one year, you are probably not going to be able to have them with you. That year is what you need to think about.

I live in the UK, and there you can live off campus if you want to. I was planning on living in a dorm for at least the first year, but I've heard of people bringing in small pets like guinea pigs before without a problem. I realise that this would be difficult, but I really don't want my guinea pig to be on his own all the time, and also I don't think I'd be able to cope when he dies. It was bad when my other guinea pig died, but at least I had another, and I feel as if I had and have made since then, a greater bond with my current guinea pig. I feel as if it would make me really happy to continue having guinea pigs n my life, even when my guinea pig dies. But I guess I might have to wait until after university, but I will be 21 when that happens, and lets say my guinea pig were to die any time soon (which I'm sure he won't- he's healthy), I would have to wait at last 6 years until I can get a guinea pig! That would really upset me. Unless I were to only stay on campus for one year- as the course I want to do is 3 years long.

 

[Varcoda]

with your current piggy being over 6 years old, i think it might be best to give her all your attention and love for now. If you get another piggy, it's not guaranteed they will pass away close to each other ( what a grief!) and then you'll end up with a single younger piggy.

i agree that most college students have trouble with guinea pigs because pets are not usually allowed, even if you rent your own apartment it might not be allowed.

 

[ajweekley]

Ah, I guess I should have figured out that you were from the UK when you called it "university." Sorry about that!

 

[CavyMama]

The other thing to consider is that even if you live in a dorm, and even if they allow a guinea pig, there is almost no room for a C&C cage. Your pig would likely be stuck in a cramped petstore cage. Ditto what others have said. I would leave your pig at home when you go away to school. Wait on getting a second until you are in a place where you can build a C&C cage.

 

[Piggy_]

Don't feel like you can't own another until you're 21 though, if you live without a guinea pig in the uni hostels for the first year (where your focus could then be entirely on your studies and making new friends), in your second year you could go flatting and find a place that will allow you to have guinea pigs. Then you can pick a place with a room large enough for a C&C cage By this point you would be 19, and if your current guinea pig is alive at least another year, that's only 3 years without guinea pigs. That's not really so long is it? Especially given all the big changes you'll be going through in your life- moving away from home, moving to a new city, meeting new people, choosing courses etc.

 

[BunnysAndPiggys]

I do agree that you should devote your time to school, and give all your love to your older piggy. But the 'Guinea pigs are just for 10 year olds," thing? No way! I mean, I'm not an adult, I'm only 13, but I love my guinea pigs as much as any animal.

 

[GuineaPigs2013]

I know what you must be feeling like but parents can be quite hard to convince sometimes and I agree with ThePigAlchemist maybe you should tell her about this site and show her it. I myself have 9 guinea pigs and there super easy to look after what makes her think 2 is so hard? anyways just show her this site or if she says no you can still entertain your piggie so much it might not even need a friend

 

[BunnysAndPiggys]

Piggies are very social animals, to them, being alone is a shock. If you absolutely, after everything, cannot convince your mum, I suggest getting a small stuffed animal (weird, I know. But it worked for my Punkin! She plays with it, snuggles with it).

 

[erinduffy15]

Piggies are very social animals, to them, being alone is a shock. If you absolutely, after everything, cannot convince your mum, I suggest getting a small stuffed animal (weird, I know. But it worked for my Punkin! She plays with it, snuggles with it).

I've got a stuffed guinea pig who is the size of him, but he doesn't show it any attention at all when I show the stuffed guinea pig to him. Is there something I can do to make it smell like a guinea pig maybe? My friend has another guinea pig if that would help- but they don't get along at all as they are both quite dominant and my guinea pig seemed more dominant over my guinea pig who died last year, and my friends guinea pig is even more. We tried to see if they could get along as both of them live on their own so they could see each other every so often but I don't think it's going to happen. It's actually really sad about hers, because she bought him when one of her guinea pigs died to keep him company, but he ended up dying also, of loneliness I assume. ANd now they had dogs so the guinea pig lives outside in a hutch on his own and never gets any affection of attention at all. When you try to stroke him or pick him up, he runs away as fast as he can, but they've had him for about 3 or 4 years.

 

[Shelbz]

I'm a University student in the UK too, welcome to the forum!

I live in the UK, and there you can live off campus if you want to. I was planning on living in a dorm for at least the first year, but I've heard of people bringing in small pets like guinea pigs before without a problem.

If you bring a GP into a Halls of Residence or University owned property, YOU WILL BE FORCED TO REHOME THE ANIMAL OR LEAVE THE PROPERTY. I can't stress this enough- I've seen so many of my friends give up small animals in their first year because of misguided beliefs and carelessness (sometimes to shelters, not their family homes, too). It's standard for literally every single Halls of Residence I've encountered. The only exclusion they make is for service animals, and even that's unlikely. If you have a misguided belief you can "hide" your guinea pig, you can't. Cleaners visit the property on a daily or weekly basis and a guinea pig's cage is large, far too large to hide. It isn't a hamster, after all- you can't just pop it into a hideaway cupboard for an hour or so when the cleaners or inspectors come a-knocking. Your only hope would be private student accomodation, and you would have to BEG the landlord. I had a two-month long argument with my landlord to be able to keep my guinea pigs at the flat, and I know that University accommodation would not have given me that option, point-blankly.

I think you should certainly wait one year before you make any options to get another guinea pig. The logic behind this is simple:

In your first year at University, you are almost always encouraged to have University accommodation, which will not allow you to keep guinea pigs; you'll essentially be purchasing another guinea pig for your mother to care for, and that's not responsible, even if a friend is better for a guinea pig.
First year in University is HECTIC. Your social life is up in the air; you're getting used to new methods of teaching and higher workloads, etc.

If you're absolutely, one hundred percent sure you want another guinea pig, I would still advise you take the mature method and wait until your first year is completed before making any decisions; chances are in the first year you won't be able to bring your original guinea pig with you anyway. After one year in university you will be able to tell if you can handle the extra responsibility or if it's simply not practical- ESPECIALLY financially, because funding is scarce and living costs drain what little support we get.

Hope this helps, and sorry if it's not what you want to hear!