Downsizing my pets

[Snowflower]

I never wanted it to reach this point. I have 8 pets,
all of whom I love dearly. I envisioned myself growing
with them, and caring for them until the end of their days.
Three years ago, I was diagnosed with an untreatable hernia
which has put me on a completely liquid diet, inhalers,
and medications that give me chronic dizziness around the clock.
My health has been deteriorating, physically and mentally for the
last 3 years. Three years ago, I never realized how bad this
would get. I am sick all day every day, and at night.

I am caring for my 5 year old son, and that is all the energy
I have on most days. In the beginning of all of this, I was
an energetic, healthy young mom, but because of this health
problem, I cant keep up with the work of caring for 8 pets
anymore.

It breaks my heart. As I sit here, I struggle to breathe and
even get down water. I am having a flare up. I probably wont
eat much today if at all.

I have 3 cats, 3 guinea pigs, and 2 Syrian hamsters. They are all family pets.
I will be keeping the senior Syrian hamster, Woodchip, because he is
elderly, and I dont think its fair to rehome him. I will be rehoming
the younger one though (1 years old) so then he can have a nice
life.

This breaks my heart.
I wont be rehoming any of the cats since I am extremely close
to them and I know my husband would care for them when I cant.
If I have to, I will give one to my mom or aunt but I
cant even think about it.

I am downsizing in guinea pigs. I am extremely attached
to the pigs, but out of all the animals they are the most
work, and with my low energy and chronic suffering day in and
day out I have to make the sad decision to start rehoming.
I am starting with a pig, named Sunflower. I have had her
2 years exactly now. It breaks my heart to have to do this.
When I got her I was overjoyed, excited, and still had some energy
and some kind of hope, but my health has gotten so much worse.
I have been picky with rehoming her. She will have to live
with another pig. I have found 2 people interested, and will know
this week what will happen.

I didnt want it to come to this. But I just cant keep up.
After these adoptions I will have just 6 pets. The 3 cats,
2 pigs, and theolder hamster. I will see if I can manage this
but I sincerely do not know at this point. I may have to rehome
more pigs, and I honestly dont think I can emotionally handle it.

I am hoping the downsizing of one pig will help, and maybe make it easier
on me. My eldest cat needs medication and a health watch now
(he is only 5) but he has a health problem that could kill him
in 24 hours, if I am not checking him. So a lot of my attention
and energy are going towards my 5 year old son, and also
my cat, Timber.

Most days its all the energy I have, and I am really sad its
come to this. My words of advice to anyone who is thinking
about having lots of pets...always think of the things that
could go wrong before adopting and really see if you can
realistically do it. I thought I could, and this health problem
has taken away everything to me. I will only just manage
the pets I have left, and my son Also I am only 33, and I feel
I may as well be 80 as this health problem has taken away eating normally
and exercising from me completely.

Anyway, this is just a rant, as this has depressed me. I did
everything I could to avoid this.
I built them all a hand built enclosure and was so passionate
about them all, and now I am so sickly I can barely focus
to get through the minimal in a day. My husband helps
but he works long hours to support us.

This wasnt a decision I made overnight...its been
building up for about a year now, as my health worsened, and I feel like
the whole last year was me scrambling to fix things to make it work,
to make things easier, I even built an enclosure meant for my disability
so when I clean it, its easy. I grew veggies on my balcony so I wouldnt
have to go out to the store as much.

I grew some carrots on the balcony and lettuce. The carrots took all summer, and today
I smiled and gave a patch of carrots to the pigs, and watched them
eat the carrots together ...I took a video. This will be the last
time I see Sunflower. This video of her eating carrots I grew on
the balcony, and she loves them. I dont know you guys, this is too sad for me.
I didnt want to ever have to do this. I want to magically be cured
of this horrible disease and now I can just try to manage with whatever
energy I have left.
But as I struggle to sleep and breathe and eat, and become forgetful
from lack of food, its just too hard.
So its at this point now I am crying. There is nothing
I can do to fix it. I just hope Sunflower and Honeydew the hamster
get good homes

I don't know what I am looking for, but I just needed to rant, as I feel awful, and know that
Sunflower will leave soon, and I just need to say goodbye some how.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m sorry you find yourself in such a difficult position. But, despite it being difficult for you to do, you are making the right decision FOR YOUR ANIMALS. That’s a GREAT and caring thing to be accommodating for their welfare rather than your own feelings. You also need to take good care of yourself, and your son. Your health is also important

I’m sorry to hear about your health issues. Will there be any improvement in what I assume are the side effects of the medicines you have to take?

Take care of yourself and I hope that your symptoms can improve even a little.

 

[sport_billy]

I am really sorry you are having to go through this horrible ordeal, it is obvious to see how much you love you pets and you wouldn’t be rehoming Sunflower and honeydew if this wasn’t the best for both you and them . You are finding them a loving home that is the thing here and shows you are putting their welfare at the forefront of any decisions.
Hopefully you will then be able to cope more with your remaining little ones, nine of us ever know what is round he corner, you are facing this with bravery, you are a very kind compassionate person, I do hope your health improves for you x