Jasper came into my new local rescue as a job lot of seven boys (one of whom turned promptly out to be a girl!) in the week before Christmas.
The lady who runs the rescue had noticed that he was very unsteady on his feet and bumping into things. When we looked at him more closely, I could feel every single bone in his tiny, cold little body that wasn't all that much bigger than my hand - he's supposed to be seven months old! There were still plenty of dirty mats left from what his previous owner had obviously hacked off just before she handed him over (when his fur grows back, he'll be a mop like flintstones' Milo!). Most worryingly, Jasper didn't react to any sound or motions at all.
He had to be separated from the other boys because they were bullying him as soon as they started to settle in. Here he is after his first bath and looking A LOT better:
The vet found that although Jasper has some pigment in his eyes (and at least partial vision), he is profoundly deaf and suffering from severe long term neglect. He would certainly not have outlived the winter! Thankfully, the spot on his foot didn't turn out to bumblefoot.
Jasper got a cage right next to another permanent resident, a tiny, very quiet baby mum-of-three, called Baby Girl. There was soon a meeting of noses through the mesh!
On the following day, the rescue lady witnessed the first bum wriggle from Jasper. Then he greeted her with a wheek for the first time when she came into the room. On the next day, there was some cage gnawing going, in addition to the rumblestrutting! Jasper is eating for his life - literally!
Flips and I were in a race to make cosies just in time for Christmas for the two lots of sponsor piggies in Cheylesmore rescue:
Baby Girl and her eight week old daughter Poppy got the big one
And Jasper got a single one just made to size:
He's put on a full two ounces of weight in his first week! We are all so chuffed! While Jasper doesn't like to be picked up, he enjoys cuddles and human contact, having been starved of any contact for most of his life.
My friend hopes that Jasper will gain enough weight to be eventually neutered and be able to live with gentle Baby Girl; neither of them will ever be rehomed and will stay on as sponsor piggies for the rest of their life.
We are also very happy that the other boys from that lot have been putting on weight and are starting to grow noticeably. The little Hafina lookalike was nearly as thin as Jasper!
So this was my piggy Christmas!
The lady who runs the rescue had noticed that he was very unsteady on his feet and bumping into things. When we looked at him more closely, I could feel every single bone in his tiny, cold little body that wasn't all that much bigger than my hand - he's supposed to be seven months old! There were still plenty of dirty mats left from what his previous owner had obviously hacked off just before she handed him over (when his fur grows back, he'll be a mop like flintstones' Milo!). Most worryingly, Jasper didn't react to any sound or motions at all.
He had to be separated from the other boys because they were bullying him as soon as they started to settle in. Here he is after his first bath and looking A LOT better:
The vet found that although Jasper has some pigment in his eyes (and at least partial vision), he is profoundly deaf and suffering from severe long term neglect. He would certainly not have outlived the winter! Thankfully, the spot on his foot didn't turn out to bumblefoot.
Jasper got a cage right next to another permanent resident, a tiny, very quiet baby mum-of-three, called Baby Girl. There was soon a meeting of noses through the mesh!
On the following day, the rescue lady witnessed the first bum wriggle from Jasper. Then he greeted her with a wheek for the first time when she came into the room. On the next day, there was some cage gnawing going, in addition to the rumblestrutting! Jasper is eating for his life - literally!
Flips and I were in a race to make cosies just in time for Christmas for the two lots of sponsor piggies in Cheylesmore rescue:
Baby Girl and her eight week old daughter Poppy got the big one
And Jasper got a single one just made to size:
He's put on a full two ounces of weight in his first week! We are all so chuffed! While Jasper doesn't like to be picked up, he enjoys cuddles and human contact, having been starved of any contact for most of his life.
My friend hopes that Jasper will gain enough weight to be eventually neutered and be able to live with gentle Baby Girl; neither of them will ever be rehomed and will stay on as sponsor piggies for the rest of their life.
We are also very happy that the other boys from that lot have been putting on weight and are starting to grow noticeably. The little Hafina lookalike was nearly as thin as Jasper!
So this was my piggy Christmas!
at least now he is getting all the love, care and attention he needs and deserves. He is gorgeous and i hope he gets to live with Baby Girl 
