LondonLady
Forum Donator 2025/26
Sorry for the long post. Just sharing my thoughts really…
It’s exactly five years ago yesterday that I first brought Toffee home. At the age of six he now has arthritis and is much less active than in his younger days but is otherwise very well. He has now been bereaved twice and since the sad loss of Spice three weeks ago he is now on his own.
I have been in contact with a rescue and they have a girl they think might be a suitable friend for Toffee but unfortunately the rescue is now closed for two weeks. They are going to contact me when they re-open so I can take Toffee to meet her but I can’t help wondering how he will cope with at least another 2-3 weeks without piggy company. He is eating and although he has lost some weight over the last month or so he is currently maintaining his weight. (I’ve been weighing him every few days since Spice died) That's my first worry - that he's unhappy. And I'm wondering if there's anything extra I can do to make up for the fact that he's now alone.
The second worry is a bit more complicated.
The girl the rescue have in mind for Toffee is over 5 years old. From what they said, it sounds like she’s had a difficult time, and I would love to give her a safe, loving home where she can live the rest of her life. But being realistic, with two piggies aged 5 and 6, I could be looking at two more deaths in the not too distant future and I don’t feel ready to cope with that.
So I keep trying to work out what would be the best thing to do.
I could keep Toffee on his own for the rest of his life and end my piggy journey when he passes away but I don’t want to do that – it’s not fair to him.
Would it be better for him to surrender him to a rescue where he would be guaranteed piggy company and hopefully find a new loving home?
I could try and find a younger companion for him so that when he does die I’ll still have a younger piggy (of course there’s no guarantee – the younger one could die first or very soon after)
Or I can wait and see if the piggy at the rescue bonds with Toffee and hope they have a relatively long time together.
An added complication is that I’m not young any more and I’ve recently had some health issues (currently waiting for tests) and I worry that in the future I won’t be able to look after them properly. I know I will have to end the ‘guinea pig cycle’ one day but I don't feel ready to do that yet. But at the same time I'm wondering if it would be really selfish to take on another piggy? I should say I'm perfectly capable of looking after them at the moment, just thinking of possible future scenarios.
This probably sounds really confused – because that’s how I feel. I just wanted to write it all down because that usually helps me to get things clear in my head.
I know no-one can make decisions for me but if anyone has any thoughts that would be appreciated.
It’s exactly five years ago yesterday that I first brought Toffee home. At the age of six he now has arthritis and is much less active than in his younger days but is otherwise very well. He has now been bereaved twice and since the sad loss of Spice three weeks ago he is now on his own.
I have been in contact with a rescue and they have a girl they think might be a suitable friend for Toffee but unfortunately the rescue is now closed for two weeks. They are going to contact me when they re-open so I can take Toffee to meet her but I can’t help wondering how he will cope with at least another 2-3 weeks without piggy company. He is eating and although he has lost some weight over the last month or so he is currently maintaining his weight. (I’ve been weighing him every few days since Spice died) That's my first worry - that he's unhappy. And I'm wondering if there's anything extra I can do to make up for the fact that he's now alone.
The second worry is a bit more complicated.
The girl the rescue have in mind for Toffee is over 5 years old. From what they said, it sounds like she’s had a difficult time, and I would love to give her a safe, loving home where she can live the rest of her life. But being realistic, with two piggies aged 5 and 6, I could be looking at two more deaths in the not too distant future and I don’t feel ready to cope with that.
So I keep trying to work out what would be the best thing to do.
I could keep Toffee on his own for the rest of his life and end my piggy journey when he passes away but I don’t want to do that – it’s not fair to him.
Would it be better for him to surrender him to a rescue where he would be guaranteed piggy company and hopefully find a new loving home?
I could try and find a younger companion for him so that when he does die I’ll still have a younger piggy (of course there’s no guarantee – the younger one could die first or very soon after)
Or I can wait and see if the piggy at the rescue bonds with Toffee and hope they have a relatively long time together.
An added complication is that I’m not young any more and I’ve recently had some health issues (currently waiting for tests) and I worry that in the future I won’t be able to look after them properly. I know I will have to end the ‘guinea pig cycle’ one day but I don't feel ready to do that yet. But at the same time I'm wondering if it would be really selfish to take on another piggy? I should say I'm perfectly capable of looking after them at the moment, just thinking of possible future scenarios.
This probably sounds really confused – because that’s how I feel. I just wanted to write it all down because that usually helps me to get things clear in my head.
I know no-one can make decisions for me but if anyone has any thoughts that would be appreciated.
. Her name was Pattie but it didn't suit her. I was told she was 5 but vet said she was more like 6 or 7. Poor girl had had 3 homes and had been moved about a bit. She was lovely. She lived out her final year in the Penthouse Suite of Betsy Towers and it was very rewarding to give an old piggy a loving forever home. She lived quite happily with Silver Fox Christian 
