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The Pig Who Wouldn't Love

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Laura-CCC4

Senior Guinea Pig
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Tuppy was soulmates with Charlie, and since his death in March she has been a shadow of her usual self. She has been ill all year with dental problems, but I started to suspect she was a little lonely a few months ago. She always looks around and brightens up when I say Charlie's name. She lives with another girl, Jasmine, but they only tolerate each other; they're not great buddies, Tup is not a girly-girl.

I adopted Franklyn at the end of October in the hope that Tup would accept him. Turns out Jasmine was the problem pig, but I let them work it out (minor dominance issues) and within a couple of weeks, they were all living peacefully together.

Since Tuppy's latest dental troubles, a friendship has developed that I thought I would never see. Frankie has been very clingy around her, and often follows her into a pigloo and sits with her. He moves Jasmine away if she pesters Tuppy, and he follows her everywhere.

While Reiki-ing Tuppy last night, Frank was in the middle of the cage watching me, just sitting still. As soon as I put Tuppy in, he went up to her, warned Jasmine away, then licked Tup's ears. While she had a go at eating some pellets, he sat with her, and then they both sat in the hay together for over half an hour.

Tuppy is a pig who does not let anyone get close. She is fiercely independant and feisty. Since she has been ill, she seems to have let Franklyn look after her and become her friend. They aren't soulmates, but they do seem to have grown close and she has let him become more of a friend. The pig who wouldn't love is starting to love again. :)

TuppyandFrankieDec08.jpg
 
Thanks for your lovely comments. :)

Things are still going well between these two...

FrankTupCuddlecupDec08.jpg


..but Frank is getting a bit too OTT for Tuppy. With Tup being ill, she just isn't getting the peace and freedom she needs to recover. Frank is always on her case and its getting to the point where she won't even defend herself, she's just letting him get abit more pushy and dominating of her, and she's getting more withdrawn. I am thinking she's actually more stressed with having him so close to her, which really isn't going to help her problems.

For now, I have closed off the top levels of the cage and joined them together, so Frank spends the night and morning in his own 1x7. He gets to spend the afternoon in the cage with Tup and Jas, and the evening floor time with them. Tup is already much perkier and has a little hint of her personality back - and she can go and try to eat without being pestered! It's all innocent friendship, Frank adores her, he just doesn't know when to stop and let her be.

I've never come across such a strange relationship between two pigs!
 
They are both beautiful, I'm glad to hear they have each other, even if their relationship isn't the norm. They're gorgeous!x)x)x)x)
 
they are so sweet snuggled together in the bed
 
Even if Frank is getting a bit OTT, the pictures you've taken of them together are just charming.
 
Aww what a sweet pair.
Maybe he knows she is ill and just wants to protect her.
Its nice to see a man going OTT,shame my OH wasn't lol.

Lovely photo's of them

xx
 
Such beautiful piggies and so nice to hear that she is learning to love again, even if he is so loved up with her:)
 
Thanks for all your lovely comments. :)

It's a really great friendship, and they could stay together if he just toned things down a bit. He's more in-yer-face than any other animal I've known! He's the most darling character, very vocal.
 
LOL Frank. :))

We are looking at heading down to Wood Green shelter at Heydon in a little while. With Tuppy's passing last night, Jasmine has moved in with Dexter and the other girls, meaning Franklyn is currently on his own. We have reserved two sows - aged 4 months and 9 months - in the hope that we can get Frankie the girls he should be able to look after in a way which suits everyone more. Hopefully with two youngsters, he will be more of a father figure to them, and they will be more willing to let him be so protective and adoring.

It will be hard bringing two new girls into the home when we have only just lost our two most special ladies, but it's not fair on Frank for him to live alone.
 
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