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trying to find more time

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MrsM

MrsM

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As most of you will know, since Oliver was born i have been finding it quite tough finding time to cuddle my piggles. OH keeps threatening to post on here and expose me as a bad piggy mummy. :(

Finlay and Frankkie have also had to be 'rehomed' to the front room from our usual living-room because OH is quite allergic to their hay (the cheap one I get still has dust in) and Fin is semi long-haired and Frankkie is a rex which I guess are worse for allergy-sufferers. The rehome means that I now spend much more time with them as they are in O's playroom. They get what I believe is quite a lot of attention and i do cuddle them 'in-house' every day, several times a day. I find it difficult to get them out for laptime, though. So, they are quite tame in their cage but very wriggly on your lap, totally the opposite of any piggy i've had before.

The reason why i'm posting this is because I want to get people's opinion on whether I'm giving my babies the best life they could have. I love them like mad and they never cease to make me smile and are so cute and fluffy!x) Are there ways that any new mums or people with new commitments have used to make time for their piggies? BTW, Oliver is showing some interest in them already: he stares at them in the cage when I wind him on the sofa and we've tried to show him hoe to pet them (with limited success, but we believe in teaching skills at an early stage! rolleyes). Am I being selfish keeping them or am I doing the right thing and it'll all fall into place in the end?
 
I don't think you're a bad piggy mummy. I think the cuddles and taming are often more for our benefit than theirs. If you keep them fed and healthy and clean their cage they are fine with eachother's company. Isn't that why we always keep them with at least one piggy friend? That we, no matter how many cuddles, can ever replace a piggy friend?

Don't feel bad or fret over the lack of laptime. I'm sure your piggies have a wonderful life!
 
Thanks Petra. I admit, they're always on my mind when i go shopping (always trying to find treats, fleeces etc). I like your matter of fact approach!
They are fed, lots (they've just finished their midnight supper), they are clean. In fact I have introduced a new 'cushion' scheme. i have some 'cushions' of fleece I used to put under their pigloos. With the ramp, we only have room for one pigloo and it doesn't get used much, they much prefer under the ramp and on top on mezz floor to snooze, these days. Anyways, those 'cushions' are where they feed and hay doesn't get scattered around as much. RESULT! What's more, they love sleeping on them...
 
skrikopanik said:
I don't think you're a bad piggy mummy. I think the cuddles and taming are often more for our benefit than theirs. If you keep them fed and healthy and clean their cage they are fine with eachother's company. Isn't that why we always keep them with at least one piggy friend? That we, no matter how many cuddles, can ever replace a piggy friend?

Don't feel bad or fret over the lack of laptime. I'm sure your piggies have a wonderful life!
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I totally agree :) I don't have a baby & my pigs live in their shed but i also don't have them sitting on my knee; why would i? They are far happier pottering about interacting with one another than sat on my knee & i love to sit & watch them doing what they do :)

They are cleaned out regularly, are given veggies every day, never run out of hay or dry food & are taken to the vets when they are ill. I clip their nails, i check them over to see if they're ok & make sure they are warm in winter, cool in summer. If you're a "bad piggy mummy" then i definitely am :))
 
Niki said:
I totally agree :) I don't have a baby & my pigs live in their shed but i also don't have them sitting on my knee; why would i? They are far happier pottering about interacting with one another than sat on my knee & i love to sit & watch them doing what they do :)

They are cleaned out regularly, are given veggies every day, never run out of hay or dry food & are taken to the vets when they are ill. I clip their nails, i check them over to see if they're ok. If you're a "bad piggy mummy" then i definitely am :))
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I had to laugh there :)), I think people forget that we only really pet and cuddle pigs for us. For instance my girls greet me when I walk in the room, they also run off when they realise there aren't any veggies says alot!

As long as they are fed, watered and looked after you are an excellent piggy mum! :)
 
Oh no Niki, you can't be....

Gosh, my boys run out of nuggets every day cos theyre so bloomin' greedy! :)):))
 
I think everything will fall into place a lot more, especially when Oliver's a little bit older and will sit still while they sit on his lap and munch on a lettuce leaf!

When he's old enough, he can help you to feed them, to clean them, to cuddle them and to care for them generally.. Stuff which I feel can be very beneficial to a child's development. And that, of course, means more attention for them, yay!

But for now, they're probably perfectly happy having the fuss that they already do from you, and the constant company of each other in their pen.

It sounds like you love them very much, and provide them with a loving home together with everything they could ever wish for and more. You cuddle them every chance you get, and you make sure that they are perfectly well cared for at all times. I don't think you need to consider rehoming them at all, I am 100% sure they are on cloud 9 living with you!
 
Be kind to yourself. You sound as though you are doing just fine. Being a mum isn't easy as many of us know. There never seems to be enough hours in the day but 99% of us muddle along some how.

Try not to worry about things - the piggies aren't expecting perfection and neither will your son (well not for about twenty years anyway)

Enjoy your son and enjoy your piggies - you're doing ok. Relax :)
 
JoanneG111 said:
I had to laugh there :)), I think people forget that we only really pet and cuddle pigs for us. For instance my girls greet me when I walk in the room, they also run off when they realise there aren't any veggies says alot!

As long as they are fed, watered and looked after you are an excellent piggy mum! :)
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I think they quite like being petted in the cage, maybe because it's their territory and they fee safe whitin the cage? However, they're no longer that fussed about being in their run.

Well, you shoud see Finlay now, totally sread out like a star fish on the mezz floor while frankkie is flat our under the ramp nose in the hay! :))
 
they really aren't that fussed with toys, but I'll make them some whenever I can find time to sew....
 
No, I actually have a few things to sew, including some fleece for the piggles! I just can;t seem to find the time... Story of my life ATM! mallethead
 
We dont have a baby but we do run our own business and sometimes this can limit the lap time our piggies get, like yours in the cage all four will eat out of your hand and come to say hello, but the girls are very wriggly, we try to give them lots of cuddles, but for example last week we had to work 25 hours all through the night, coming back in the middle to check on the animals and give them some fuss/food. we do give them lots of space and treats. But we had the whole weekend at home and had lots of cuddles and next week should be quiet so we will give all the animals lots of attention, we hope it will be better at some point and it will fall in to place, or at least more organized. If the piggies do not go without and it sounds like yours never do, and that they have the best possible life i think it will work out at some point.

kev and caz x

(hope this makes sense starting to get tired!)
 
MrsM said:
No, I actually have a few things to sew, including some fleece for the piggles! I just can;t seem to find the time... Story of my life ATM! mallethead
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I'm sure things will come together shortly, but I wouldn't worry about the piggles I bet you they are more than happy :)
 
perfect sense

I'm feelinf better knowing that i'm not the only one struggling with time ut still being a successful piggy momma
 
As the others have said, Fin and Frankkie live very privileged lives. If they were left to their own devices to the point they ran out of food and water or they were never cleaned out, then I'd be worried.

I don't think you have any reason to think you're not doing the best for them. :)
 
I agree with everyone else - they sound very contented and happy. I wouldn't worry.

I feel the same as you about the run (for the 6 girls anyway) as the cage is pretty large and the run is a teeny bit longer but only one floor - they arent fussed on being in there. As long as they are happy then I am too. Yours sound like they have the life of riley!
 
I am sure your boys are very happy and you are a wonderful piggy mum. This thread has made me question myself as my piggies live outdoors, me and my husband work full time and during the winter, they don't come out as often as I'd like. I try and make sure that 3 or 4 days a week, they come out and play for a good few hours. The rest of the time, I am in and out checking up on them and stroking them constantly. They always have a bowlful of dried food, fesh veggies twice a day, unlimited hay, fresh hay daily for bedding, a warm snugglesafe around the clock, and last thing at night, I go out to them to tuck them up under their fleece and make sure they're ok.

If you're a bad piggy mum Audrey, I must be worse!

xx
 
Audrey, you're a top piggy mom! Don't worry! Piggys need time with their piggy friends more than time with their silly hoomans!

As long as you clean them, feed them, love them and keep them safe and well, you're a fab piggie mommy! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
stargrrlclaire said:
Audrey, you're a top piggy mom! Don't worry! Piggys need time with their piggy friends more than time with their silly hoomans!

As long as you clean them, feed them, love them and keep them safe and well, you're a fab piggie mommy! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Here here.
 
I can't give every piggy lap time every single day, but I still manage to have a chat with each and know that they are completely happy with their friends. Several of them are not that fussed about cuddles with me anyway!

You are not a bad mum! rolleyes
 
Audrey you are a great piggy mum!
As you know i am a mum to Ava and many furry kids! 19 all together lol
Most of the time (except my current break) we run our own business, its all about juggling so all there needs are met.
I did have alot of animals before Ava was born so Ava just slipped into our routine.
All 4 dogs are walked a minimum of once a day which OH helps with.Ava also tags along on her bike now that she is older so she gets some fresh air at the same time.
Most of my piggies get cuddles everyday although Blade/Basil/Cooper/Windsor/Prescott and Prince arent much for cuddles so they get a little extra chatting time in the mornings and onky cuddles a few times a week as they stress if i do anymore than that.
Anytime i find a spare moment to sit on the lounge then a piggy is always on my lap,same with the laptop(i actually have Rajah with me right now lol).

On days that i have alot to do around the house or i dont have enough timne to cuddle them all then all 13 go into runs so they at least get some fun time.
I also work the rats in except rats are more versatile,i can walk around the house cleaning/picking up Ava's toys while they both sit on my shoulders lol and they are not scared like piggies are so they actually enjoy it,they also get cuddle time with tony while he is on his pc which is in the rattie room or should i say study lol

Basically life is hectic and crazy but in time i bet you will have all the routines down pat;)
When babies are young its always tough especially when you find the hours in a day have run out.
As Oliver gets older his routines will get easier and things will settle.
I actually went through a stage when Ava was around the same age where my dogs werent quite getting the same attention,i did think about rehoming but luckily i didnt as it was only a few months later that everything got easier.
Your boys are fed/have vet care/fresh water/clean surrounds/company and an owner who loves them so that is more than most piggies get.
I agree that the cuddles are more for us than them lol,as long as they have a cagemate then they are fine,

When i was going through a very tough time with Boris i was so mentally and physically tired that may piggies werent getting cuddles for sometimes a few days at a time.
I remember being very upset on the phone to Glynis about it and she put my mind at ease by telling me something similar to this "It wont kill them not to get cuddles everyday but just make sure you keep talking to them in a soft voice telling them how much you love them"
I did that with my boys and i think taht maybe why they prefer my voice to actual cuddlesrolleyes
It's great advice that to this day i stick to because afterall Glynis could never give out bad piggy advice she is like the piggy fairy godmotherx)

Don't ever feel guilty, they will love you as long as you feed them lol
 
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well, I do feel much better about the whole situation. Oliver and I have hardly left the playroom today, except to go to the baby clinic and have lunch in the kitchen - I'm trying to train him that food means table (not like for us , then! ha ha).

Oliver's asleep on the sofa, Finlay is snoozing in the pigloo half munching some hay and Frankkie is stuffing his face with muesli/pellets and water. So I'll go and give them a lil cuddle in a mo. Finlay will probably come sniffing at the side door and Frankkie will be ready on the mezz floor waiting for dinner malletheadmalletheadmallethead. Do they just see me as the dinner lady?:)):)):))

In fact, I can now reveal that they like chin tickles and food, possibly not in that order, but anywhere: cage, lap (if they can stay long enough) or run... They'll come looking for a green bean but will let me (no one else, admittedly) pet them and then trot away...

yes, maybe I was fretting over nothing but a piggy mommy needs some reassurance, from time to time!:p
 
Your not a bad piggy mum! You look after them, feed them, clean them and love them! That makes you a good mummy to them:)):))
There are far far worse people in the world who don't deserve to own piggys (or any other animal) because of the way they keep/treat them.
Don't worry, as long as they are happy and safe then you'll be a good mummy to them.:):laluot_27:

Lol I thnk mine see me as the 'dinner lady' they get rather excited and vocal when food s coming!
 
If you are a bad piggy mummy then i am too as some evenings i do not give the piggies cuddles as i am not safe to hold them, but they have each other and i chat to them when i feed them and clean them. I wish i could cuddle them everyday but circumstances dictate otherwise sometimes and they have all their basic needs met and are loved!
 
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