The Pigglingtons

Yesterday my OH suggested I tried Freddie with Bertie. It was something I had thought of and dismissed immediately as Bertie is next to Duck and they entertain each other, not to mention the fact that Bertie has been impossible to bond with anyone. I had decided to have a day revamping cages and building stands as my knees and back are finding so many cages on the floor difficult. I threw up and quick pen in the kitchen not expecting them to work and being almost instantly separated. We are now over 24 hours in, they are back in Bertie's cage. Bertie has had somewhere between 15 and 20 potential cage mates over the last three years, maybe just maybe this will hold!
Duck is now next to Fizz and Fuzz and loving the attention from Fizz, Fuzz is not so impressed and rumbles at the back of the cage every time the other two converse at the front.
My OH did point out Duck is 7 years old and won't be here for ever and in a short while I will be looking for someone else for Bertie. Bringing in another piggy now doesn't make sense when I keep saying I need to reduce my numbers due to the expensive vet fees and my advancing age.
@weepweeps I am so sorry I won't be able to have Pepper. I must admit part of me didn't want this to work. If they fall out we are going to have them side by side.
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They slept a lot together and I was pleased to see Freddie giving as good as he got in the humping department.

During the bonding I was building stands and renovating cages. I popped Fizz and Fuzz in the carrier for a few minutes while I sorted their cage. Fizz climbed out and went off to visit the neighbours.

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I’m so pleased Freddie and Bertie are giving it a good go 🤞🏻🤞🏻

I totally get where you are coming from with the vet fees. 😢

Don’t feel bad. Something will sort itself out.
 
Had to separate Freddie and Bertie. Bertie was bullying Freddie, Freddie wasn't eating, just sitting in a corner facing the wall. Flippin Bertie is a menace it was going so well. Not sure what to do from here, my heart is telling me to leave him next to one of the other's, my heart is telling me I don't want so many single boars. I'm going away next week so will live with things as they are for a bit and think about it while I'm away. :hb:
 
Freddie hasn't been doing well on his own, he wasn't going to the divider to 'talk' to any of the other combinations I tried him with, just lying in a hidey looking bored. I applied to local rescues in June to see if they had anyone they thought suitable, one replied in the negative but kindly put us on the waiting list, one didn't reply. 2 weeks ago P at H had a single 4-5 month boar in the rehoming centre. Totally unexpected and bad timing as I was about to go away for a week, I walked away. Went home told OH about him, 2 minutes later we are in the van with a carrier! OH said single boars come up so rarely I can cope while you are away. I divided Freddie's cage and was going to leave bonding until I got home as baby had been on his own anyway and he's at least 4 months as he has partly developed cherries! I don't have baby bars but thought his head was too big to get stuck. He immediately proved me wrong but we got him free without injury. I took the barrier down and the hideys out of the cage, slid spare off cuts of Corex between the Corex liner and the grids, not the way to do a bonding but they were fine! Freddie is happier, coming to the front of the cage for treats and acting more normally, they lie side by side with a small gap, Freddie it seems doesn't like to be touched. Baby no name has gained 50gms since he's been here so he must be getting enough food despite Freddie! Fingers crossed as baby grows he doesn't challenge Freddie and they fall out. No photos yet as he runs into a hidey every time we walk into the room and being away for his first week here I have only had 2 quick cuddles. I will start handling him daily from today to get him used to it. Baby is chocolate and caramel coloured so we were thinking Rolo but Sidney keeps creeping into my head. Once again we've gone from saying no more piggies we need to work towards ending the cycle to adding just one more!
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
Congratulations to your newest family member! ❤️
A few weeks ago, I was set on keeping my group of three because it's getting harder and harder to find a pet sitter when I'm away on business or holiday.
Now I've got five again and I'm loving it :inn:
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Thank you. I'm lucky my partner is so good with them, it means we don't go away together but we were prepared for that when we started this piggie journey together.
I love having new piggies, gaining their trust and seeing them flourish but my age means a baby who lives the type of life span mine usually do could outlive me or certainly outlive my ability to look after them. I need to be sensible now no more youngsters, any new companions from now on need to be old boys looking for a retirement home.
 
I love having babies around, seeing them grow and being part of their life from (nearly) the start. Also with a pig like Kylie you can forget about bonding with an adult sow.

But apart from babies being incredibly sweet and fun and noisy and sending the bedding flying in all directions because of yet another quick start, I really prefer adult piggies to babies.
In babies their personalities start to shimmer but in adults they shine. ❤️

I hope that you will be able to keep piggies for a long time yet.
 
Duck's been to the vet today for an old boy health check.
I have been a bit concerned in case he has arthritis as he is not washing his back end as well as he should and his tummy is getting yellow with urine. At last weeks health check I found a scab on a lump and a few little bald spots and scabs.
The verdict is a bit chicken and egg but. The vet got the scab off the lump to get a better idea what it is, it bled quite a bit. It's not an abscess, it's only on the surface not attached internally so possibly a skin tumour but most probably a cyst he has scratched the top off. He is either scratching because the lump bothers him or scratched the lump off the cyst whilst scratching because of mites. The vet thinks the later is more likely. He may well have arthritis hence the yellow tummy and side but we are not going to xray at this time. He has had mite treatment (Stronghold) and is on Metacam for a month. We are to see if the not washing improves in which case we will put him on Metacam for arthritis for life. We are to watch the lump and see what happens vet not recommending surgery to test it due to his age, if it is a cancer there is no cure and we will keep him comfortable until we can't, when decisions will be made. We are really in a wait and see situation.
Bertie had mite treatment too as they lie together and touch hair through the bars. I came home and deep cleaned their cages and everything in them having already done that this week on Monday! The vet thinks these mites have come from Duck's own reservoir rather than with the hay so thank goodness I didn't need to do all the cages! His breathing has been a bit raspy lately so his immune system is likely a bit down. Duck has scarring in his lungs due to a past pneumonia infection. He is delighted to have Metacam he loves it and takes it in the cage, he doesn't mind if he has to have it twice a day for ever. :)
 
piggieminder said:
Duck's been to the vet today for an old boy health check.
I have been a bit concerned in case he has arthritis as he is not washing his back end as well as he should and his tummy is getting yellow with urine. At last weeks health check I found a scab on a lump and a few little bald spots and scabs.
The verdict is a bit chicken and egg but. The vet got the scab off the lump to get a better idea what it is, it bled quite a bit. It's not an abscess, it's only on the surface not attached internally so possibly a skin tumour but most probably a cyst he has scratched the top off. He is either scratching because the lump bothers him or scratched the lump off the cyst whilst scratching because of mites. The vet thinks the later is more likely. He may well have arthritis hence the yellow tummy and side but we are not going to xray at this time. He has had mite treatment (Stronghold) and is on Metacam for a month. We are to see if the not washing improves in which case we will put him on Metacam for arthritis for life. We are to watch the lump and see what happens vet not recommending surgery to test it due to his age, if it is a cancer there is no cure and we will keep him comfortable until we can't, when decisions will be made. We are really in a wait and see situation.
Bertie had mite treatment too as they lie together and touch hair through the bars. I came home and deep cleaned their cages and everything in them having already done that this week on Monday! The vet thinks these mites have come from Duck's own reservoir rather than with the hay so thank goodness I didn't need to do all the cages! His breathing has been a bit raspy lately so his immune system is likely a bit down. Duck has scarring in his lungs due to a past pneumonia infection. He is delighted to have Metacam he loves it and takes it in the cage, he doesn't mind if he has to have it twice a day for ever. :)
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Metacam for life sounds fabulous. Take care old boy. I hope you have lots and lots of happy days ahead 🥰
 
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