No more Mrs nice guy!

Becles

A friend of a friend bought 2 guinea pigs. Then they realised they were hard work to look after, and you have to work with them to 'socialise' them. They were not prepared to look after them, and just wanted fluffy cute things to sit on their lap :rolleyes:

They wanted rid of them, and finally I gave in and said I would take them. I already have a rabbit and a guinea pig of my own. I was told through the friend that I could have the animals, the hutch and all the equipment for free, so I was thinking I just had the ongoing costs to pay for.

When the man brought them the other day, they were in a home made hutch which was badly made and not really suitable. He said they had been kept inside so it wasn't water/weatherproof. They also had tupperware bowls for food and water, which are not suitable either as water is easily knocked over, and they chew the dish it might splinter causing injury.

He said they were females and was just going to put them in my hutch, but I said no as they have to be properly introduced, as rabbits can be very terratorial and she might attack them.

When he'd gone, I checked the new guinea pigs over and discovered they were both little boys. I'm glad I didn't just put them in with my female one as he suggested!

I've now had to buy a proper hutch for them, a ceramic bowl and a drinking bottle.

I'm just so mad that people could get animals without thinking through the work involved in caring for them, and then try to cut corners by keeping them in a dangerous hutch with the wrong bowls etc.

And I'm also mad that my act of kindness has cost me £35 which is a lot to me

At least they are happy now though and will be well looked after. One is already used to me, and comes to the mesh looking for me when I open the back door

Magentasue

Well, I suppose you just have to think that you're doing the right thing and forget about them. But I know what you mean. I keep coming across people who take on animals and don't look after them properly and then fob them off on to someone else because they bite or whatever. What's worse is they don't learn - they seem to think they had a rogue animal and move on to the next ball of fluff. So, nothing positive to say but I do sympathise!

shrek101

Well I am glad there at at a good home. People who want pets should really think before acquiring them, its a responsibility to have pets and they need the proper care and attention and in most cases some love.

I am glad you did the right thing, and lets hope these people think next time before get a new pet.

SnowyOwl_2

Some of my neighbours (a youngish child free couple) got themselves a gorgeous golden labrador puppy - absolutely cute beyond words, and only about 8 weeks old. And what did they do...?? Fenced off their side garden and left the puppy there night and day while they were at work, out for the evening or gawping at the telly or sleeping. The poor little thing could be heard crying out of boredom and loneliness. And then she got bigger...and able to get out. As a result she was tethered in the garden with a few toys and a kennel to amuse herself with - she couldn't even see out as the fence was too high. Then the garden got ruined, ie all the grass was churned up and it was just bare soil, and the dog of course filthy all the time and obviously not allowed in the house.

This took about six months to happen, and of course the puppy is now elsewhere. The silly idiots hadn't a clue how to look after a living, breathing animal, they had quite obviously not bothered to find out anything about animal care. A stuffed toy would have been much more suitable for them.

Jay-Jay_4

I know that £35 is a lot of money but you've given these animals a really good home and the prospect of a nice life. What you did was 'rescued' them. If you hadn't come along they would've probably ended up neglected or dead.

I agree that these people shouldn't go out and buy an animal without any research, I mean, at least get a book out of the library before you buy a pet!!!! :mad:

Well done you for doing the right thing.

aeuerby

I have a relative (by marriage) who decided she wanted a cat. This cat was obtained from a rescue centre I believe. Because this cat kept biting her young daughter she gasve it to her mum - who looks after her granddaughter on a regular basis!!

This cat was then replaced by 2 more cats. She took them back to the re-homing centre because they kept bringing birds/mice etc in. How odd of a cat to do what comes natrually!!!!

I'm not sure what she has now. At one point she did have a couple of rabbits but she was on about getting rid of them because they were doing something that comes natrually that she didn't like - digging up the garden probably!!!

Needless to say she is a bit odd and has no idea how to look after these poor animals. I think she goes for cute a cuddly until the novelty wares off.

I don't understand people who have animals/pets (by that I really mean dogs/cats!) and then leave them in the garden all the time. However well looked after they are!!

Angela.

elona

My daughters used to think I was "mean" because we did not have any pets but unless you are prepared to give a pet the love and attention you would give a child then I do not think it is fair to get one.