Piggy Party of 5

KatieM

KatieM

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Dec 25, 2024
Messages
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391
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Location
Colorado, USA
I was encouraged to make a thread introducing myself after some lovely people helped me today not only sex my new baby piggie but also provided so much support on the recent death of one of my pigs. I’m so glad I found you all and will be recommending this forum to any piggie owners I meet!
My name is Katie, I live in the state of Colorado in the USA…it’s not quite as snowy as one may think but I really do love it here! I am a lifelong animal lover, being raised in a house hold with many cats and dogs. Growing up we fostered dogs and kittens and that turns into my parents starting a pet sitting business!

Currently besides piggies I own a dog and cat, my cat is 15 and has been with me since I was a child. I also own 2 finches and a betta fish! Growing up I also had a hamster but now I wish I would have jumped into the piggies world sooner! Without further ado….here are the pigs!

Twix was purchased from a chain Pet store (I know, I know, not great) in October 2023. Following my mom cancer diagnosis I just needed some positivity and light…and she brought it! Twix took all my newbie mistakes in stride and is a very healthy girl! IMG_9504.webp
Twizzler was quickly purchased from the same pet store a few days after I realized…these guys need friends no matter what! Since they had been cage mates a few short days prior…Twix was quickly cured of her depression and has been bonded with Twix ever since! I call her my potato, she is the perfect amount of round! IMG_6933.webp
Odie (RIP) came to me with his brother Spence in September 2024. My friend and her younger sister had both owned them their whole lives but her younger sister was not moving away to college, she reached out to ask if I could take them, I couldn’t say no! Odie came to me clearly not in the best shape, reaching almost 6 years he was an old man! An assessment by the vet determined he probably has cancer but treatment wouldn’t prolong his life so it was all about quality! And Odie definitely lived a quality life, always demanding veggies, jumping off his platforms and wheeking for the world to hear! Odie tragically died December 2024…I’ll never not yearn for more time to get to know him. He was able to say goodbye to his previous owners and lived a full life. IMG_4022.webp
Spence came to me with his brother above, Spence being 3 years younger is still healthy and happy! He is a chunk a monk and my most affectionate piggy! He loves to have head scratches and come out of his cage for roaming time on the floor. He’s not a super vocal guy but sweet as can be! (On the left in picture) IMG_2695.webp
Tinsel is the newest member of the clan! At just 3 weeks old she was my addition to hopefully help Spence heal from the loss of his brother…thank god I kept them separated because today we learned the shelter labeled her gender wrong…not a boy at all! But the shelters are so full of piggies right now I decided she gets to stay and will now hopefully bond and join my girls…they both have very calm demeanors and I think they will take her in just fine! IMG_4351.webp

Now that’s 5…but only 4 are here with me earthside making the title of this forum a little weird? But not to fret my sweet boy Spence isn’t about to get left out friendless, I will soon be adding another pig to the family (this time I am confident in checking and confirming sex before adopting!)…boy what have I gotten myself into! Tips for a bustling piggy family are welcome 😂 more updates to come!
 
:wel: to you and your lovely piggies!

My heart just stopped there for a minute seeing the picture of your piggies with your dog. Please be very careful with direct contact between your dog and your piggies. I know that dogs can leave family pets alone because they are part of the family but they are still predators and unfortunately accidents do happen.
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
:wel: to you and your lovely piggies!

My heart just stopped there for a minute seeing the picture of your piggies with your dog. Please be very careful with direct contact between your dog and your piggies. I know that dogs can leave family pets alone because they are part of the family but they are still predators and unfortunately accidents do happen.
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My dog, Summer, has a non existent prey drive and is only 8lbs. She has never once been rough with the pigs. However, she is never left unattended with them. I am sitting right under this picture (they are up on a soft bench) to grab her if need be! If I am taking a picture with all of them, I have my mom off to the side for safety! Thank you so much for your concern, dogs can be unreliable and I would not let her harm them!
 
What a lovely bunch of fur balls you have. ❤️

We are aware that there are dogs and cats that are safe around small pets. Unfortunately, showing them off can entice other owners to do the same with potentially fatal consequences. It happens so quickly that you cannot intervene, unfortunately.

For this reason we ask our members to please not post these mixed species photos on this forum, as cute as they are. It could save lives.

We are one of the places that are contacted by distressed owners of other species pet attacks, so we are confronted with the sharp end and the emotional fallout of what can happen fairly regularly. It is not pleasant.
 
Wiebke said:
What a lovely bunch of fur balls you have. ❤️

We are aware that there are dogs and cats that are safe around small pets. Unfortunately, showing them off can entice other owners to do the same with potentially fatal consequences. It happens so quickly that you cannot intervene, unfortunately.

For this reason we ask our members to please not post these mixed species photos on this forum, as cute as they are. It could save lives.

We are one of the places that are contacted by distressed owners of other species pet attacks, so we are confronted with the sharp end and the emotional fallout of what can happen fairly regularly. It is not pleasant.
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I had no idea it was a group rule, I apologize! I of course know my dog and dog body language and behavior very well and she is very well trained but that is not always a guarantee. I could see how it can very easily turn wrong, these photos are just seconds of them together and then separated but obviously some people may not recognize that. So sorry, didn’t mean to cause anyone any distress! If I could figure out how to edit the post I would absolutely take that picture out!
 
KatieM said:
I had no idea it was a group rule, I apologize! I of course know my dog and dog body language and behavior very well and she is very well trained but that is not always a guarantee. I could see how it can very easily turn wrong, these photos are just seconds of them together and then separated but obviously some people may not recognize that. So sorry, didn’t mean to cause anyone any distress! If I could figure out how to edit the post I would absolutely take that picture out!
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How should you? It is one of our 'hidden' forum quirks that we just alert members whenever something comes up; not as a rule break just as a friendly reminder. ;)

Running a supportive community forum is always a bit of a balance act. We don't want too strict a corset of dos and don'ts but having members from all over the world and very different backgrounds can sometimes cause potential issues and jog existing sensitivities of which not everybody is necessarily aware. ;)

PS: I have lost my first own teenage piggy to a dog attack when our neighbour's dog managed to wiggle through their badly maintained fence and get into a supposedly safe, covered run while my mum was out of the house.
We didn't find Strolch until the next day as he had been flung into a raspberry patch; thankfully with a broken neck so he cannot have suffered much but it was very distressing, sleepless night for me.
My little sister was however greeted by the dog holding her companion girl in his mouth when she came back from school and met him on the road. She was very traumatised, as you can imagine. :(
 
Wiebke said:
How should you? It is one of our 'hidden' forum quirks that we just alert members whenever something comes up; not as a rule break just as a friendly reminder. ;)

Running a supportive community forum is always a bit of a balance act. We don't want too strict a corset of dos and don'ts but having members from all over the world and very different backgrounds can sometimes cause potential issues and jog existing sensitivities of which not everybody is necessarily aware. ;)

PS: I have lost my first own teenage piggy to a dog attack when our neighbour's dog managed to wiggle through their badly maintained fence and get into a supposedly safe, covered run while my mum was out of the house.
We didn't find Strolch until the next day as he had been flung into a raspberry patch; thankfully with a broken neck so he cannot have suffered much but it was very distressing, sleepless night for me.
My little sister was however greeted by the dog holding her companion girl in his mouth when she came back from school and met him on the road. She was very traumatised, as you can imagine. :(
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How horribly awful! A visiting dog to our house once killed both my beloved parakeets, much in the same way they brought one dead bird to me very proud…horrible! My pigs are in a room that is a double gated from every other dog in the house! No traumatizing moments happening here! Sorry that happened to you and your sister!
 
Babies are sooo cute. Create lots of precious memories for hard times later now; they sadly grow up so fast...

But those memories remain and keep the power to make you smile again whenever you really need it. :)
 
Wiebke said:
Babies are sooo cute. Create lots of precious memories for hard times later now; they sadly grow up so fast...

But those memories remain and keep the power to make you smile again whenever you really need it. :)
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I’m already sad about her growing up to be big like the other girls (I’m guessing with some Abby in her she will be bigger)….and she’s not even a month old yet! I feel so lucky I get to create such a close bond with her from such a young age. My other two girls I got around 6months old…still little but not the same at all!
 
KatieM said:
I’m already sad about her growing up to be big like the other girls (I’m guessing with some Abby in her she will be bigger)….and she’s not even a month old yet! I feel so lucky I get to create such a close bond with her from such a young age. My other two girls I got around 6months old…still little but not the same at all!
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The baby adoptees you have all their lives (or nearly) will always be extra special... Just treasure every day now that you have and create some lasting memories. I still have a 'Piglets' album from my first pair of pet shop surprise babies from 20 years back (yes, I started out that way with my adult piggy journey as well) that still makes me smile in my darkest moments and brings back precious reminders of happy times... :)
 
Wiebke said:
The baby adoptees you have all their lives (or nearly) will always be extra special... Just treasure every day now that you have and create some lasting memories. I still have a 'Piglets' album from my first pair of pet shop surprise babies from 20 years back (yes, I started out that way with my adult piggy journey as well) that still makes me smile in my darkest moments and brings back precious reminders of happy times... :)
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Trying to take all the photos (while letting her bond with her new sisters 😅) so I can look back at her when she was so tiny! It’s going to be a very fun journey with her, I’m so happy to be apart of it 🥰
 
KatieM said:
Trying to take all the photos (while letting her bond with her new sisters 😅) so I can look back at her when she was so tiny! It’s going to be a very fun journey with her, I’m so happy to be apart of it 🥰
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When something like this comes your way, always try to make the most of it. Babies sadly grow all too quickly. They are the jewels that are left in the individual piggy nests in your heart.

And your videos will also help as smile boosters for other members in need of a goofy grin on their own faces... :)
 
Wiebke said:
When something like this comes your way, always try to make the most of it. Babies sadly grow all too quickly. They are the jewels that are left in the individual piggy nests in your heart.

And your videos will also help as smile boosters for other members in need of a goofy grin on their own faces... :)
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Yes, after just losing a piggy she has been so healing!

Ill keep posting baby photos!
 
Welcoming Spot to the herd! He is a very shy guy at around 4 months old (and definitely a boy this time 😅) he came from a hoarding case with 7 pigs. Had slight rear end wounds and fleas a few months ago…he is completely cured now! They had some weight loss concerns on him but likely due to stress and lack of eating. He is back up to a healthy weight now! He is going to be housed in a split cage with my male for awhile while he gains his confidence!
 

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Baby Tinsel is always giving me a run for my money these days, she will be one month old tomorrow! She is very vocal and super fun to watch bop/ popcorn about! She is very bonded to my older sow Twizzler, whom we now call mama Twizzler…even though she is not her bio mom 😂

Today Tinsel found the hay bag to be super comfy…there are 3 hides but she prefers the hay bag! I keep the hay bags in there because the hay piles I lay out for them…they soil so fast…so then they have some backup fresh hay to eat if I happen to be at work or during the night! They just pull it all out in a pile…which Tinsel did prior to laying in here. Shes going to be disappointed when she gets too big for that!
Tinsel Hides in the Hay
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Later that night I heard her screaming her little scream wheek and turned around to find her on top of this hidey tunnel. I knew she was agile and could jump pretty well but couldn’t tell if she meant to get up there and was happy or scared and couldn’t figure out how to get down! Mama Twizzler came over to investigate and concluded…that was her problem to figure out. As you can see she got down fine…but has not chosen to get back up! Some of my pigs really like being on top of hides, some not, looks like Tinsel likes it!
https://youtube.com/shorts/sdwlmcJ4XYw?si=xFgjQBKFG8k5WXad
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She’s unfortunately very hard to photograph cause her face is all black but she has the most amazing Mohawk down her back and it’s so soft and precious!
 
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