How To Convince Your Parents To Get You A Guinea Pig
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There’s one animal you’re obsessed with and it’s guinea pigs! You can’t wait to own a pair of those furry beauties but your parents think a little differently. How can you convince your parents to get you a guinea pig?
Show your parents that you’re a responsible person. Do the house chores before they ask you to. Volunteer at a rescue shelter and show some enthusiasm. Save up some extra money and say that you’ll cover some expenses. Then foster a guinea pig to show them that you’re capable. Be patient!
The first step is showing them you can handle the responsibility. I’m giving you a step by step guide on how to pull it off.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know; you will have a new furry friend in no time!
Learn How to Care for a Guinea Pig
For you to convince your parents to get you a guinea pig, you have to show them that you know a lot about them.They wouldn’t want to get you a piggie if you can’t prove that you can care for them.
Let’s say you’ve never had a pet before, how do you go about it? What if your parents don’t know how to care for guinea pigs? That’s where you come in. Research guinea pigs and how to care for them.
Guinea pig care includes a lot of chores which can be daily or weekly. You’ll need to learn how to:
- Provide fresh, clean vegetables and grasses daily.
- Spot clean their cage daily.
- Give them fresh water daily.
- Change their bedding (at least weekly).
- Brush their furs.
- Trim their nails.
- Bathe them (every 2 to 3 months).
Guinea pig care doesn’t end there. You also need to know about feeding them too. Some things to remember:
- Feed your guinea pig good hay
- Give your guinea pig fresh vegetables (a cup daily)
- Feed your guinea pig pellets
- Ensure that your guinea pig is getting enough vitamin C
- Avoid foods that are bad for your guinea pig
- Stay away from commercial guinea pig treats
- Regulate food quantities to keep your piggie healthy
These are very important steps; make sure you do research so you don’t have to guess on the specifics. There’s plenty of guinea pig care books out there that can help you through the process.
Now you’re well on your way to becoming a guinea pig expert! Once you’re confident you know how to care for a piggie, make sure you share your new knowledge with your parents! This’ll show them you are capable of taking care of a guinea pig.
Talk to your parents about why you want a guinea pig. Hey, even show them this blog post. Read through it with them and see how they feel about some of the suggestions. It’s usually best to be honest up front and see which of the tips will work best for your parents.
Volunteer at a Rescue Shelter
Volunteering at rescues is a great step to take before getting your first guinea pig. It’ll show your parents that you’re serious and committed. It’ll also help you become a better pet owner.
Even with a busy schedule, you can still volunteer a few hours a day. Volunteering takes a lot of commitment, so make sure you give 100% effort!
As a volunteer at a rescue, you’ll do a lot of piggie care routines. Your tasks can range from simply feeding them, to cleaning their cages, and even taking them to the vet in an emergency.
Before you volunteer, make sure to find a shelter that’s close to your home. Some rescues have age requirements so keep that in mind when researching your shelter. Don’t be lazy, your piggie’s health and happiness depends on it.
These posts should interest you: A Beginner’s Ultimate Guide to Guinea Pig Care (The Only One You Need) and 7 Sad Reasons Why People Give Guinea Pigs Away
Save Up for Guinea Pig Expenses
Just like us, guinea pigs need food, water, and a place to call home. You’ll need some money to provide for your guinea pig’s needs. Gather some extra money before you ask your parents for their support. That’ll show them you can put in the work that taking care of a pet requires.
Taking care of guinea pigs will cost your parents a good amount of money. But you can change their mind by offering to cover some of the expenses.
Now matter how many guinea pigs you keep, you need to make sure that you can take care of them. Check out How to Save Money Taking Care of Your Guinea Pigs (Budget Friendly Tips) for ways to look after your fur babies WITHOUT having to pawn your jewelry or skimping on what’s best for them.
Now, how do you get the money?
Well, the first thing you should practice is patience. Don’t rush trying to get some extra cash. Start by saving a portion of your allowance that you can put towards the piggie costs.
If you are old enough to work you can get a part-time job. You can babysit neighborhood kids, have a yard sale, or sell crafts like slime or handmade jewelry (with your parents permission, of course).
While deciding on how to get your money, make sure you set a savings goal. Having a goal to work towards will keep you motivated. Trust me, parents will be easier to convince if you show that you’re willing to help them out.
Guinea pigs sometimes need emergency medical care. Setting money aside for that sort of emergency is mandatory if you’re going to take proper care of a guinea pig.
Ask Your Parents to Let You Foster a Guinea Pig
If you’re volunteering at a rescue already, this is your time to shine. Let your parents know that you want to foster a guinea pig. Ask them politely (when they’re in a good mood) and give them good reasons on why you want to foster.
Pregnant or sick guinea pigs need special care. Now is your chance! Offer to look after one piggie temporarily. During this process, you’ll gain more experience in keeping piggies. Who knows, your parents might fall in love with the piggie too.
This is a great opportunity to create your piggie’s area at home and learn to organize it too. You’ll be able to use your newly gained guinea pig expertise.
You can even choose to foster a piggie long term, which is even better! Why? Guinea pigs are at their happiest and healthiest when living in pairs. So if you are fostering one, that’s another valid point to convince your parents to get another one.
Make sure to tell them the benefits of guinea pigs living in pairs. It makes them active, happy, healthy, and much more. Once they understand this is important, they just might get you another one. Sounds like a dream come true!
These posts should interest you: 10 Common Causes of Guinea Pig Death (Piggie Parents Weigh In) and 7 Simple Ways to Treat a Guinea Pig Upper Respiratory Infection
Show That You’re Responsible
Good grades are one of the best ways to win over your parents. But that’s not the only way. Here’s some more things you can do to prove your responsibility:
- Make yourself useful around the house (ask your parents what they need help with and volunteer to lend them a hand)
- Do the chores without being asked
- If you used to wake up late, start waking up early
- Clean up any mess you make while eating and wash the dishes
- Tidy up your room (parents love this!)
Done all this and still stuck?
Learn to take care of things on your own. Learn to do things for yourself like shopping for groceries and cooking.
You can go further by learning how to mow the lawn or unclog the drain. Ask your parents to teach. They’ll be so proud that their baby (yep, you) is all grown up (and you’ll finally get your piggie!).
Now, speak to your parents like a mature person. Don’t whine about unnecessary things. Make conversations about real life with them. Talk to them about your school, rough times, and even your future goals.
And keep good company (this is another big plus). What does that mean? Stay away from “friends” that’ll get you in trouble (you know the ones I mean).
In a nutshell, just be consistent and follow through with your plans. If you say you’ll be home by 6, then be home by 6. Don’t put off the things you’re supposed to do.
It’s not easy, but anyone can do it. Yes, even you.
This article should be pretty helpful to you: Is it Better to Adopt or Buy a Guinea Pig? (Find Out Now)
Create a Presentation to Convince Your Parents
Now it’s time to present your request. Don’t just walk in and say “hey dad, I want a guinea pig.” Put some plans in place. Before you walk up to them, ask yourself: have you done proper research?
You should have an idea of the total cost for the guinea pig and its requirements and a plan for how to carry out its daily routine care. Be prepared to answer any questions they might have about guinea pigs.
Once you’ve done that, you are ready to ask. Start by thanking them for the previous things they’ve done for you. Then move on to why you want guinea pigs as your pets. Tell them how it’ll improve your sense of responsibility. It will also make you more caring and proactive.
If you’ve raised this issue before and they said no, take a new approach. Reassure them and eliminate all their fears about owning guinea pigs. Find out their concerns about guinea pigs and try to provide a solid solution. Offer to abide by any rules they set in place, even before they say any.
Have a Good Attitude if They Say No
Yikes! They said no. Now what? Should you get mad and make a fuss about it? Of course not. If your parents still say no, remain calm and ask them why they said no.
Be patient and let them finish talking, making sure you take note of their concerns. Then you can reply with your solutions to those issues. You can go and do more research before replying to them. For example, they may be concerned about money or space.
This is where you say that you’ll pay some of the bills. It’ll encourage them to listen to you and make a compromise.
If they still say no, tell them you understand. Continue being responsible just as you were before. You can raise it again now and then. With enough time and effort, they will say yes.
Now, let’s dive into some more details about guinea pigs.
Are Guinea Pigs Good Starter Pets?
No, guinea pigs aren’t good starter pets. Guinea pigs can suffer, fall sick and die when they’re not properly care for. They’re actually high maintenance pets. These little piggies may seem small and easy to take care of, but that’s very much not the case. You’d be quite surprised with the amount of work it takes.
Guinea pigs are messy! (I mean smelly and poopy kind of messy). If you’re not good around lots of piggie poop, you’re in for a rough time.
They require constant bedding changes too (add laundry to your to do list!). They need manicures at least monthly and have a strict diet, too. You have to learn basic things like how to hold them properly.
So yeah, guinea pigs are not the first choice for a newbie pet owner. There’s also the fact that you need a pair of them to keep them happy. Owning a guinea pig is no easy task.
At What Age Should a Child Have a Guinea Pig?
At 6 years of age, a child can have a guinea pig. If you get one for your child, you’ll have to be responsible for its care.
Before you give one to your child, make sure you take the proper precautions. You should teach your child how to hold the guinea pig with care.
Make sure your child doesn’t feed the guinea pig in your absence. You can let them play together while you supervise them.
Guinea pigs have been known to “blind jump” out of children’s arms and hurt themselves. Plus, guinea pigs also been known bit children when they get startled by being roughly handled or when a child makes too much noise. Either way, when parents choose to get a guinea pig for your child, remember that you should be the main one responsible for the piggies care and for supervising their child’s interactions with the guinea pig.
Should Children Be Allowed to Hold Guinea Pigs?
Yes, children should be allowed to hold guinea pigs – under the right circumstances. Just be sure that you show them how to hold them properly first so they don’t accidentally injure the piggie.
For example, tell your child not to hold the guinea pig up in the air (piggies are afraid of heights). Always tell your child to sit before passing the guinea pig. The child should support the guinea pig’s stomach and back legs with a hand each.
Are Guinea Pigs Good Pets for Children?
Yes, guinea pigs are great pets for children. They’re a great way to introduce your children to taking responsibility. But, keep in mind that you should be doing the majority of caretaking. Little children are too young to take care of guinea pigs properly.
With your guidance, your child will learn how to observe and note changes in the guinea pigs’ behavior. Having a furry little friend is great for your child’s mental health.
It’ll also make your child interested in doing chores for their pets. It’s a great way to give your child practical experiences about life and death.
Some people claim that their children are very responsible and can handle the care of guinea pigs alone. But, every parent has to make that choice – knowing what they know about their child’s maturity level.
Should I Get My 11 Year Old a Guinea Pig?
Yes, you can get your 11-year-old a guinea pig. The main responsibility still rests on you as the parent though. An 11-year-old won’t be able to take full piggie responsibility yet. But it’s a great way to teach your child how to be responsible for another life.
Your 11-year-old can check on the piggies regularly and observe their moods. You can also let your child feed the piggies while you supervise them. With time and practice, they will be on their way to take care of piggies all by themselves!
Before getting a guinea pig for your child, make an assessment. You know your child best and only you can tell if they are ready for a pet.
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to take that step and talk to your parents?
If you are, I’m rooting for you!
We talked about doing research and volunteering at a rescue shelter. If you can, foster a guinea pig for the time being. Also, make a plan of the estimated costs of taking care of your piggies.
Hope you haven’t forgotten about saving money too!
Get yourself together and give a confident presentation. Let your parents talk too, don’t be in a rush. Take their suggestions maturely and with confidence.
Regardless of the results, remain positive and show good character. Even if you don’t get exactly what you want (a piggie of your very own), the tips in this article will definitely help you blossom into a more capable, responsible young person.