My days of having so many pigs are coming to an end.

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Deb

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I never thought it would come to it but alas, my days of keeping a lot of pigs are numbered. :-\

I wont be taking any more in and will let my number come down naturally. I may rehome the two I have under 1 years old, a neutered male and young female but the others will stay till they decide its time to say goodbye. I do have a lot of aged piggies now, so couldnt / wouldnt rehome them.

I know I keep saying it but I will not be tempted to take any more in. I have to think of the future and we will be downsizing within the next few years to a much smaller home ready for our retirment, and I cant be moving 19 pigs, buns and chins too. It would be a logistical nightmare. So I have to stick to my word and just not be tempted at all.

Its a hard thing to do, but I know it makes sense. Its the cost too, as I do plan to go part time working, so have to be careful about the cost of things as the food, hay, vet bills etc do mount up to a lot when you have such a large menagerie.

I can see myself just having a few pigs, maybe a pair of buns and chins and that will be it.

Thats so sad as I love having all my pigs, but I have to plan for the future too.

I think you go through life in stages, and hubby and I are preparing for the bungalow and Saga holidays. ;D (he reaches the big 50 in a few weeks.) ;D ;D

I will miss having so many pigs, but i wont miss the work load that comes with them. Be so nice to have to clean and bath just a couple of them. Until them my remaining oinkers get spoiled rotten and rightly so.

Deb x
 
Deb, I understand your situation and although sad that not as many pigs will find their way into your loving home, it is not as if you will ever have 0 pigs. You have given many pigs a happy home in the last few years and i'm sure the rescues you've supported have been so grateful to have such a great piggy enthusiast to take on some of their residents!

You are being sensible making your decision, you have to consider what is right for you and Stuart as well as the pigs. If you have come to the point where you feel you need to downsize then that is what you must do. Respect to you for making what must be a hard decision - you could've just ignored the issue and carried on adopting and let things get out of hand, but you aren't.

The piggies that you currently have will continue the happy, spoiled life you are giving them and so will the few pets that do find their way into your home in the future. xx
 
I must admit Deb a few weeks ago i would have been horrified, that you didn't want to keep so many and where thinking about down sizing, now i am completely behind you, It is hard work, having just had the illness raise its ugly head in my herd and is still lurking, it has been emotional draining and physically hard work giving medication to the 21 pigs i have, so like you with a heavy heart i have decided to let most of my pigs go, The rspca is going to take some for me mostly my bonded boars.

I completely understand, chin up
 
Deb, I understand your situation and although sad that not as many pigs will find their way into your loving home, it is not as if you will ever have 0 pigs. You have given many pigs a happy home in the last few years and i'm sure the rescues you've supported have been so grateful to have such a great piggy enthusiast to take on some of their residents!

You are being sensible making your decision, you have to consider what is right for you and Stuart as well as the pigs. If you have come to the point where you feel you need to downsize then that is what you must do. Respect to you for making what must be a hard decision - you could've just ignored the issue and carried on adopting and let things get out of hand, but you aren't.

The piggies that you currently have will continue the happy, spoiled life you are giving them and so will the few pets that do find their way into your home in the future. xx
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Hi Emily

thank you so much for your very kind and understanding words. I know I am making the right decision for this next phase of our lives, and in fact just this week..it has proved to me that I do need to stick to my guns and let my number come down and not take on board any more.

Had to rush hubby to hospital on Tues night, just after getting back from holiday, as he was in severe pain, and terribly ill. He was admitted and subsequent tests showed kidney stone. So hes been in there till 10am this morning (passed the stone 2am ...phew!) so although a mini drama its been over complicated by all the animals i have. I have no one who can just pop round in emergencies, to do the water bottles, feed and clean out etc. Not with the amount I have anyway! if it were just a couple it wouldnt be so bad, so its really hit home very hard this week how much work and how hard it can be to juggle everything.

With full time work, commuting and racing up and down hospital its been exhausting. !

The panic hopefully is over now, but it had given me a wake up call. What about if it had been something far worse ? or god forbid it was me taken ill. M hubby would have just no idea what to do to take care of them all! Its a very scary thought.

So it is with a sad heart that I know I wont be having any more pets for a long long while, and as said consider to rehome the two youngest pigs I have if the right home come along. I wont be letting my oldies go, and will let them live out their lives. :(

I must admit Deb a few weeks ago i would have been horrified, that you didn't want to keep so many and where thinking about down sizing, now i am completely behind you, It is hard work, having just had the illness raise its ugly head in my herd and is still lurking, it has been emotional draining and physically hard work giving medication to the 21 pigs i have, so like you with a heavy heart i have decided to let most of my pigs go, The rspca is going to take some for me mostly my bonded boars.
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Hi Piggybaker

am so sorry to read of the devastating time you are having right now with illness and having to let some of your pigs too. I really truly can empathise with what you are having to do, and know how hard the decision you have had to make must have been. I am only considering letting 2 of my pigs go and that is proving hard enough for me to do.

Hugs.. Deb x
 
What a difficult decision to have to make. I think it's probably made harder by the fact that looking after piggies is so addictive isn't it, especially being able to offer an unwanted piggie a home. But if you are stressed and run ragged it's unlikely you will be able to give them the best of you in the long run, so it's for the best that your limit has been recognised. At least you can continue to provide a great home for your existing lucky piggies! :smitten:

That was a great post EmilyJ btw.
 
Deb - hope your hubby is better, how worrying, and passing a kidney stone sounds horrific. My hubby had his gallbladder removed a few weeks ago and he was in agony beforehand when it played up.

I think you're right to make the decision about not having any more - everyone has their limit and everyone's lives move through different phases. I've only got 8 and am amazed at how people can have 30 or more and have the time to look after them. I've made the decision not to have any more, certainly for quite a while. I've got my 3 baby (well, 5 months now!) rescue boys which is what I've wanted for ages. The cleaning out is taking up so much time. I'm going to give the ones I have wonderful lives but as they die I will not replace them, I'll be heartbroken when they go because I love them all so much but I think the time has come that I've given quite a lot of guineas really good lives and I'll have 3 beautiful young boys which I hope I'll have for years.
 
Deb, so sorry to hear about Stuart, it must have been a real panic for both of you. I hope he's feeling a little better now. As I said in my first post, you are doing what is right for you and I respect you for that. Will pm you soon.

Thanks for the comment Boureki :)
 
Awww,First of all BIG HUGS :smitten: that decision must be hard to make hun. But we all respect you for taking the piggie's needs into consideration like this. I do think it's for the best. Your pigies that you've had over the years have all had the best lives possible with you!Well done for doing all that adopting. And just think, at least you'll still be able to spoil your existing piggies rotten. :smitten: I know it must be very hard for you, but think how many piggies have had good homes that might not have. My thoughts and hugs are with you. :smitten: :smitten: :-* P.s. hope hubby's alright. :smitten:
 
Hey Deb - wow what a shock that must have been! Glad he's better now though.
I think what you are doing is great - looking out for the long term now rather than getting to the day before moving & then saying s**t what do we do now! I would never let any of my old oldies go (not that I have many of them left now though). It would certainly be the youngest ones that went first as hard as it might be. I have an absolute personal limit of 13 (my number currently is 11) plus 1 cage for fosters.
I have the 11 in 3 hutches outside and anymore would be silly (for me). I have a good neighbour who is brilliant with feeding & watering if I have an emergency. But I don't think that neither her or me could cope with any more. If I'm honest I 'occasionally' wonder what it would be like if I only had my 2 cats & 1 hutch. I think that if you (as in if 'one') starts to get overwhelmed by the furries then its time to re-assess the situation. When I've been in real stress I think I should downsize, luckily its only the negative me that thinks like that, and 'negative me' doesn't appear very often! I certainly won't be taking on any more long termers for a long time because if I did I would need new hutches & new winter accom for them.
A friend mentioned lastnight the word 'broody' which I thought was very true. I get broody for more animals very very often. Especially when I lose an animal or am feeling a little low (which is different from negative!). I suppose its almost a form of retail therapy - the aquisition of a new soul to help. When in reality times like these I need to be helping myself - not putting all the care & love onto something else.
Anyway I'm rambling now - so good luck Deb & keep us updated.

Hx
 
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