Pets & College

[udontno]

As a senior in HS, I'm already starting to think about what I'm going to do with my precious guinea pig when I go to college next year. I was curious if anyone has pets at home that they couldn't take to school with them? Who takes care of them?

[Marshmellow]

Going to college and leaving your pets behind. It's almost harder than leaving your actual family. I swear, the first time I went home wasn't because I was home-sick, it was because I was pet-sick.

At home, when I left for college, we had two dogs, two cats, and a bird. Well, now we've acquired a third cat. Anyway, the dogs and cats were never my responsibility. From the time we got my bird when I was thirteen, he was mine. I was the one who fed him, and watered him. I was the one who he chirped for; every move I'd make in the morning, he'd chirp for me. Because he's my bird.

Now, my mom pretty much takes care of him. When I go home, I take on the responsibility of taking care of him again. I miss him dearly. When I first arrived here, everyone thought I was weird because I'd skype my bird. I haven't skyped him in awhile, but I do still miss him.

I don't get to go home during spring break, so that's hard.

I'm sure your parents will be willing to take care of your guinea pig. And if you're afraid they'll forget, you can do what I did and called every night for the first week to make sure they were taking care of him.

[iHEAVENn]

Your parents I'd imagine. Talk with them about it

[TakeTheLeap]

I have 3 cats and 3 dogs at home. Mom, Dad, and my siblings take care of them. It's usually not a big deal. I'm sure your family will be fine taking care of your pet.

When I first left home, it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do: leave my pets, leave my parents, and leave my (now) fiance. When I would talk to Mom at night (I still talk to her almost every night, even moreso as a senior), she would hold the phone up near the cats and put it on speaker so Bubba and Squirt could hear me and I could hear them talk back. Mom said if you would watch them, their heads would bob up and down and search around the room for me because they knew my voice. It broke my heart, but at the same time, it made me feel a little bit better knowing that they missed me.
Everytime I go home, I get greeted by my pets - all 3 dogs, and all 3 cats. The first time I ever came home from college, Squirt ran from me for about 20 minutes before he finally came up and cuddled with me. I figured he was going through the "I hate you" stage. Now, he comes right up to me like the other 5. Tongue

Don't worry. It'll be tough at first, and you'll miss them just as much as your human family members, but it'll be alright.

[PutYourHeartsUp]

This is my first year in college and my cat is my baby. I only live an hour away so it's easier to come home than some people. I'm sure your parents will take care of your pets for you!
I actually went home last night, and my cat freaked out a little when I went to sleep. He kept waking me up begging to be pet. He sleeps on my pillow with me when I come home now.

[udontno]

If it came down to it, I'm sure my mom would take care of my guinea pig. Dad... I know he wouldn't. I have a younger cousin and I'm hoping that he'll want to take the responsibility because I'd trust Ellie with him more so than with my mom. He'd be more likely to play with her than my mother would be. He's had guinea pigs before and he'd know what to do. Only problem with that is, I'm sure when I was to come home for the summer he wouldn't want her to come back to me...