JoannaMarie
Junior Guinea Pig
I posted about Monty a couple of weeks ago when I helped him go to the rainbow bridge, but I feel because I had so much heartache about my decision at the time I didn't give a proper eulogy for him. To my great sadness and shock my other pig Alan passed away on Friday, so I am going to let you know about them both together.
Alan was my panda pig, my long haired beauty, my handsome boy. I got Alan from a rescue. He had been found at Melton Market being sold for 50p for live snake food
He was tiny (around 850 grams) but he made up for it with a big, and rather aggressive, personality! He couldn't get on with any other pigs. Ted, who I adopted at the same time as Alan, had to be separated from Alan. Ted died after only a few months due to kidney stones. I got Monty as a friend for Alan after Ted passed and despite trying everything Alan also fought with Monty so they had to live separately too. I say he had 'small pig syndrome'. When I let Alan out his cage he would parade around the living room, proudly chattering away as he walked around in circles, letting Monty know he was in charge around here!
Alan was very timid when I first had him but over time he became very tame, and during lockdown he got so loving, he followed me around and sat next to my desk whilst I worked. I feel very lucky to have spent so much time with him. Alan loved apple and if he ever heard the crunch of a human eating an apple he would go mad to get to it and wouldn't leave your side until you gave him a piece. He also loved chin scratches. He has suffered with cystitis for 4 years but meds have kept him pain free. He got stones a couple of months ago, he got rid of them naturally but a few weeks later got them again. He had them removed via his urethra on Friday, he survived the procedure, woke up but then suddenly passed away a few minutes later. I am still in shock and don't understand why he died. When I left him I never thought for one moment that would be the last time I saw him alive. I wish I'd have been able to tell him I love him one last time. Alan was at least 7 years old, I had him for 6 of those years.
Monty was my fatty bum bum, my silly sausage, my lazy boy. Monty needed nothing more from life than sleep, veg, cuddles and lots and lots of hay. His happiest moments were when I was changing his cage and putting fresh hay out. He always got in the way when I was cleaning his cage as he just couldn't wait for me to finish the job! He popcorned and squeeked at me. He had the loudest squeak I've ever heard. The first time I saw him e was quite young, all the other pigs ran in their hideys but Monty came towards me, looked at me and squeaked so loudly, I knew he wanted me to take him home. So I did! Monty would come into the kitchen and beg for food every morning. He came into the living room and sat next to the sofa whilst we watched TV. He loved being with us and he was so loving. He got arthritis at the start of the year and he deteriorated over the summer to the point of not being able to walk. I am lucky with working from home I was able to hand feed him and look after him whilst he was not mobile. At first he seemed happy enough but he started to have more and more bad days and was hardly eating, so I had to make the decision to help him to rainbow bridge, the hardest decision I've ever made. He was 5 and a half.
I love both my boys so much. To lose them both so soon after each other has destroyed me. I would give anything to have one more cuddle, to tell them that I loved them. My heart aches.
They were both so different, and although they fought they did love each other, they chatted all the time. I have buried them next to each other in my mum's garden. I hope they are together, along with my beloved Ted, at rainbow bridge.
I love you Monty and Alan, I hope you both know how much joy you have bought me over the last few years, words cannot express how grateful I am for you both. I am very lucky to have been blessed with two such special boys.
Alan was my panda pig, my long haired beauty, my handsome boy. I got Alan from a rescue. He had been found at Melton Market being sold for 50p for live snake food
He was tiny (around 850 grams) but he made up for it with a big, and rather aggressive, personality! He couldn't get on with any other pigs. Ted, who I adopted at the same time as Alan, had to be separated from Alan. Ted died after only a few months due to kidney stones. I got Monty as a friend for Alan after Ted passed and despite trying everything Alan also fought with Monty so they had to live separately too. I say he had 'small pig syndrome'. When I let Alan out his cage he would parade around the living room, proudly chattering away as he walked around in circles, letting Monty know he was in charge around here!Alan was very timid when I first had him but over time he became very tame, and during lockdown he got so loving, he followed me around and sat next to my desk whilst I worked. I feel very lucky to have spent so much time with him. Alan loved apple and if he ever heard the crunch of a human eating an apple he would go mad to get to it and wouldn't leave your side until you gave him a piece. He also loved chin scratches. He has suffered with cystitis for 4 years but meds have kept him pain free. He got stones a couple of months ago, he got rid of them naturally but a few weeks later got them again. He had them removed via his urethra on Friday, he survived the procedure, woke up but then suddenly passed away a few minutes later. I am still in shock and don't understand why he died. When I left him I never thought for one moment that would be the last time I saw him alive. I wish I'd have been able to tell him I love him one last time. Alan was at least 7 years old, I had him for 6 of those years.
Monty was my fatty bum bum, my silly sausage, my lazy boy. Monty needed nothing more from life than sleep, veg, cuddles and lots and lots of hay. His happiest moments were when I was changing his cage and putting fresh hay out. He always got in the way when I was cleaning his cage as he just couldn't wait for me to finish the job! He popcorned and squeeked at me. He had the loudest squeak I've ever heard. The first time I saw him e was quite young, all the other pigs ran in their hideys but Monty came towards me, looked at me and squeaked so loudly, I knew he wanted me to take him home. So I did! Monty would come into the kitchen and beg for food every morning. He came into the living room and sat next to the sofa whilst we watched TV. He loved being with us and he was so loving. He got arthritis at the start of the year and he deteriorated over the summer to the point of not being able to walk. I am lucky with working from home I was able to hand feed him and look after him whilst he was not mobile. At first he seemed happy enough but he started to have more and more bad days and was hardly eating, so I had to make the decision to help him to rainbow bridge, the hardest decision I've ever made. He was 5 and a half.
I love both my boys so much. To lose them both so soon after each other has destroyed me. I would give anything to have one more cuddle, to tell them that I loved them. My heart aches.
They were both so different, and although they fought they did love each other, they chatted all the time. I have buried them next to each other in my mum's garden. I hope they are together, along with my beloved Ted, at rainbow bridge.
I love you Monty and Alan, I hope you both know how much joy you have bought me over the last few years, words cannot express how grateful I am for you both. I am very lucky to have been blessed with two such special boys.
They sound like such characters and so close to you.
Monty and Alan were beautiful piggies and had an amazing life with you xx
