Tigery is going to meet New Friends

Qualcast&Flymo

Qualcast&Flymo

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It was 2 weeks ago this morning that I lost old boy Squeaks, leaving Tigery on her own. As I had already decided to have a break from piggy slavedom, before I adopted her the very lovely @Pound Shilling & Pig offered Tigery a forever home with one of her sow herds for when Squeaks passed.

So today is the day, I am taking Tigery across the Midlands to her new home and friends. I hope she will really enjoy having sow friends, as she has only lived with boar-ing boars up till now. Although I have only had her for 4 months, I will miss her. She is still very nervous, but has recently started to accept cheek rubs in the cage, or a little lap time without wriggling, providing of course that suitable food bribes were provided :D But I am happy because I know she is going to have a wonderful life with Pound Shilling & Pig and her piggies :nod:
 
I’m sorry that you’re having to let Tigery go but you are making the kindest decision for her to enjoy the rest of her life with friends and I’m sure she’ll love her new home and you’ll be able to get updates xx
 
Everything is ready for Tigery. She will have her own accommodation in the piggy shed to start with while she settles in and gets used to the new sights, sounds and smells and to the new routine and I can get to know her likes and dislikes. I don't think strict quarantine is necessary as she has only been living with Sqeaks, who had regular vet visits and @Qualcast&Flymo has also very kindly taken her along to cat and rabbit for a health check.In a week or so I will bond her with her new friends.
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
It was 2 weeks ago this morning that I lost old boy Squeaks, leaving Tigery on her own. As I had already decided to have a break from piggy slavedom, before I adopted her the very lovely @Pound Shilling & Pig offered Tigery a forever home with one of her sow herds for when Squeaks passed.

So today is the day, I am taking Tigery across the Midlands to her new home and friends. I hope she will really enjoy having sow friends, as she has only lived with boar-ing boars up till now. Although I have only had her for 4 months, I will miss her. She is still very nervous, but has recently started to accept cheek rubs in the cage, or a little lap time without wriggling, providing of course that suitable food bribes were provided :D But I am happy because I know she is going to have a wonderful life with Pound Shilling & Pig and her piggies :nod:
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That is lovely! Fingers very firmly crossed!
 
Tigery's bags are unpacked and she is settling in. It was lovely to meet @Qualcast&Flymo . We talked about all things piggy over a cup of tea. Thankyou for bringing her over.

She is understandably feeling a little unsure about the new direction her life has taken but has had a little bit to eat and is not completely hiding away
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Her new friends are keen to know when she will be joining them
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Claire W said:
I’m sorry that you’re having to let Tigery go but you are making the kindest decision for her to enjoy the rest of her life with friends and I’m sure she’ll love her new home and you’ll be able to get updates xx
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Betsy said:
What a hard decision to have to make. It's made out of love for Tigery. You will miss her and piggy keeping but you'll come back to it when you are ready to. Tigery will have a lovely life with @Pound Shilling & Pig.
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I made a decision to have a break from piggies quite a few months ago, so it was always the intention not to keep Tigery for ever, but it was surprisingly (to me ) sad to say goodbye and pop her into her new (temporary) cage despite that. I'm very grateful to @Pound Shilling & Pig , because if she hadn't offered her a future home I may not have been able to adopt her, in which case poor old Squeaks would have probably spent his last few months on his own. Pound Shilling & Pig has an amazing piggy shed and lots of beautiful happy piggies, I loved hearing the chorus of wheeking when we went in with Tigery. Hopefully all the happy piggy sounds and smells will help her settle quickly and bond into a herd smoothly when she's ready.
piggieminder said:
Good luck in your new home Tigery.
Hugs @Qualcast&Flymo you will feel a bit lost with no piggies to look after to start with. You give piggies such a lovely home, I hope you will feel able to return to piggy keeping one day.
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Merab's Slave said:
So glad that Tigery has such a wonderful new home with @Pound Shilling & Pig , but it must feel like a bereavement for you @Qualcast&Flymo .
Holding you in my heart ♥️
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You are both right, it feels very strange with no piggies to tend to, very similar to bereavement. I will be having to stop myself picking forage or chopping veg at 9pm for days to come! But I am keeping all my piggy equipment as I do want to return to the fold at some point. I just need to spend some time getting my house in order (literally!) and get myself more organised and efficient. As I will still have my stuff I could be available for emergency fostering etc if needed ...
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
I made a decision to have a break from piggies quite a few months ago, so it was always the intention not to keep Tigery for ever, but it was surprisingly (to me ) sad to say goodbye and pop her into her new (temporary) cage despite that. I'm very grateful to @Pound Shilling & Pig , because if she hadn't offered her a future home I may not have been able to adopt her, in which case poor old Squeaks would have probably spent his last few months on his own. Pound Shilling & Pig has an amazing piggy shed and lots of beautiful happy piggies, I loved hearing the chorus of wheeking when we went in with Tigery. Hopefully all the happy piggy sounds and smells will help her settle quickly and bond into a herd smoothly when she's ready.



You are both right, it feels very strange with no piggies to tend to, very similar to bereavement. I will be having to stop myself picking forage or chopping veg at 9pm for days to come! But I am keeping all my piggy equipment as I do want to return to the fold at some point. I just need to spend some time getting my house in order (literally!) and get myself more organised and efficient. As I will still have my stuff I could be available for emergency fostering etc if needed ...
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It was so lovely of you to find a little friend for Sqeaks in his final year and now Tigery is off for a new adventure. I think it’s worked so well. You will feel a little lost for a week or too but have a nice break x
 
Bill & Ted said:
Oh what a lovely happy life you are going to have with all these ladies Tigery ❤️ You Are a star @Pound Shilling & Pig
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Thank you but it is @Qualcast&Flymo who is the star, doing everything possible to give her little man a long and happy life, including making sure he didn't have to spend his final months alone. I just have a slight guinea pig addiction :whistle:
 
I thought it was time for an update! It has been quite a journey for Tigery.

Firstly she now has a new name for her new life. Lola.

For the first two weeks she lived on her own and continued the mite treatment @Qualcast&Flymo had started, after early signs were picked at her pre relocation vet check.

After two weeks it was time for her introduction. Introducing a new piggy to a large herd can sometimes be very straight forward but other times, not so much. In the case of Tigery, aka Lola, I have to say she has been the most difficult pig I have had to bond for at least fifteen years😬

After spending an hour casually checking out her new surroundings and new companions she took to walking up behind them and giving them a whack. Some ran away, some spun around and confronted her. As soon as the teeth chattering started neutered boar Little Bear rushed over to see what was going on, Lola took an instant dislike and jumped on him. Rolling ball of fur. No injuries. Just a lot of panicked pigs charging about and shrieking. Lola was returned to her private accommodation.

The next day was the start of the hot weather so further bonding attempts had to wait. After that it has been a slow process of five further meetings. It is a fine line between letting them sort out their differences and stepping in before things get out of hand. It has been hard for her, some of it is down to fear aggression but also she is a pig with her sights set on being at the top of the pile. She just needed to start backing down to Little Bear, he is not one to tolerate any kind of nonsense but is also a pig who loves the ladies. Eventually she started to back down and then to run away and straight away LB's aggression de-escalated and his behaviour switched to amorous pursuit. Yay.

She has now been with the herd for three days. There are still things to be worked through but she has been accepted.
 
Pound Shilling & Pig said:
I thought it was time for an update! It has been quite a journey for Tigery.

Firstly she now has a new name for her new life. Lola.

For the first two weeks she lived on her own and continued the mite treatment @Qualcast&Flymo had started, after early signs were picked at her pre relocation vet check.

After two weeks it was time for her introduction. Introducing a new piggy to a large herd can sometimes be very straight forward but other times, not so much. In the case of Tigery, aka Lola, I have to say she has been the most difficult pig I have had to bond for at least fifteen years😬

After spending an hour casually checking out her new surroundings and new companions she took to walking up behind them and giving them a whack. Some ran away, some spun around and confronted her. As soon as the teeth chattering started neutered boar Little Bear rushed over to see what was going on, Lola took an instant dislike and jumped on him. Rolling ball of fur. No injuries. Just a lot of panicked pigs charging about and shrieking. Lola was returned to her private accommodation.

The next day was the start of the hot weather so further bonding attempts had to wait. After that it has been a slow process of five further meetings. It is a fine line between letting them sort out their differences and stepping in before things get out of hand. It has been hard for her, some of it is down to fear aggression but also she is a pig with her sights set on being at the top of the pile. She just needed to start backing down to Little Bear, he is not one to tolerate any kind of nonsense but is also a pig who loves the ladies. Eventually she started to back down and then to run away and straight away LB's aggression de-escalated and his behaviour switched to amorous pursuit. Yay.

She has now been with the herd for three days. There are still things to be worked through but she has been accepted.
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Well done! I feel for you...
 
I must admit I was starting to think about a plan B but that would have meant starting over with different piggies and her most likely reacting the same way and her fear aggression possibly increasing. Definitely wasn't a bonding for the faint hearted, or someone new to piggies.

Here are some photos of her enjoying Sunday lunch today

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Lola waiting for veggies

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Little Bear - on the left

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New friends

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And her she is next to Little Bear
 
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