TheHermit
Senior Member
My landlord has gone on vacation for two weeks and has left her guinea pig with me and my BF. At first I was really excited because the only guinea pigs I've looked after were at PetSmart, so my interaction with them was kinda limited.
First thing is her cage is way too small. It's too small even for a single rat. I would say it's a good size for a nursing cage for a female rat, but that would be all I can compare it to. Definitely a hamster mansion but NOT a guinea pig cage! As far as I know, she's been in it for 5 years.
When I got the cage all it had was half-soiled bedding, a water bottle and a dirty food dish. At least it had food in it. I was surprised when she gave me a heart of lettuce and a small baggy of sugar peas for her.
For two weeks I was given these supplies: a nearly empty bag of food, a bag of bedding with enough for 1 full cage change, a nearly full bag of timothy hay (with NO evidence of hay in the cage, so god knows when the last time she got some was... it doesn't smell fresh) and the veggies.
Half her nails are completely curled over, they're so long. She's overweight. She bites. She hasn't wheeked once in the last two days I've had her, not for the rustling of a timmy bag or the opening of a veggie drawer. I know she's nervous and confused, and older, but not even for timothy hay?
If this were anyone else's guinea pig, I wouldn't hesitate to have a good long sit-down with them. But this is my landlord and I live in her house. I don't want to make this an uncomfortable situation for anyone, especially my boyfriend, who already hates living in A) a basement; B) the landlords house.
What can I do? I've already sent an email to her asking if I can trim her nails. I also gave her a clean hiding house (before I knew about my present rat issues)... she loves it, she won't leave it - she bops her head to move it to the food dish or the water bottle. It would be so cute if it didn't make me sad.
Should I approach her about the cage? I have a bigger one in my closet I could give her, and let her keep the hiding house. I could even offer to trim her nails sometimes while I'm living here. But I also feel like it's her responsibility, so SHE needs to fix it. Not me. And we're not buddies either, we rarely see each other than when she dropped off the guinea pig and odd times in the driveway. She's spanish, young and not interested in light conversation. I have no idea how to approach her about this.
But this lil piggy doesn't get a choice either way.
At what point do you make the choice to intervene?
First thing is her cage is way too small. It's too small even for a single rat. I would say it's a good size for a nursing cage for a female rat, but that would be all I can compare it to. Definitely a hamster mansion but NOT a guinea pig cage! As far as I know, she's been in it for 5 years.
When I got the cage all it had was half-soiled bedding, a water bottle and a dirty food dish. At least it had food in it. I was surprised when she gave me a heart of lettuce and a small baggy of sugar peas for her.
For two weeks I was given these supplies: a nearly empty bag of food, a bag of bedding with enough for 1 full cage change, a nearly full bag of timothy hay (with NO evidence of hay in the cage, so god knows when the last time she got some was... it doesn't smell fresh) and the veggies.
Half her nails are completely curled over, they're so long. She's overweight. She bites. She hasn't wheeked once in the last two days I've had her, not for the rustling of a timmy bag or the opening of a veggie drawer. I know she's nervous and confused, and older, but not even for timothy hay?
If this were anyone else's guinea pig, I wouldn't hesitate to have a good long sit-down with them. But this is my landlord and I live in her house. I don't want to make this an uncomfortable situation for anyone, especially my boyfriend, who already hates living in A) a basement; B) the landlords house.
What can I do? I've already sent an email to her asking if I can trim her nails. I also gave her a clean hiding house (before I knew about my present rat issues)... she loves it, she won't leave it - she bops her head to move it to the food dish or the water bottle. It would be so cute if it didn't make me sad.
Should I approach her about the cage? I have a bigger one in my closet I could give her, and let her keep the hiding house. I could even offer to trim her nails sometimes while I'm living here. But I also feel like it's her responsibility, so SHE needs to fix it. Not me. And we're not buddies either, we rarely see each other than when she dropped off the guinea pig and odd times in the driveway. She's spanish, young and not interested in light conversation. I have no idea how to approach her about this.
But this lil piggy doesn't get a choice either way.
At what point do you make the choice to intervene?