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Post by amber89 on Oct 22, 2022 10:26:07 GMT
NEW CAGE Wohoooo!!! Finished on the 2nd of October. Finally, we managed to do their final cage. It took one full day of work, assembling everything and it took me 2 days to paint the wood. We had to be rather quick, because there wasn't enough space to store all the stuff for days and days. So, we went to IKEA for the tables on a Wednesday, for the screws and wood on a Thursday and on a Sunday we spent 8h building everything. I have the impression that since lifting the cage off the floor, Cupcake's runny nose got better... Who knows what it was .. . . .
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 22, 2022 17:36:53 GMT
It's fabulous! I love it I'm sure the gang loves it, too. Raising her off the floor may have gotten her out of a cold draft across the floor, or out of dust, or both. If she's doing better, pat yourselves on the back for that, too
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Post by Bean on Oct 23, 2022 7:34:45 GMT
Love it! And I bet the raised height will make it easier to say hello and deliver nose rubs! That's great Cupcake's sniffles have improved too.
Great work!
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Post by amber89 on Oct 23, 2022 16:06:11 GMT
The gang definitely loves it. There's a lot of running around almost every morning and evening.
We did one mistake though when building it, and it turned out to be 2cm too short for fitting 2 boxes of hay below it *facepalm* and the whole thing is with 10cm too low for hubby. But we also love it, it has the storage below, the rolls and finally it isn't on the floor anymore.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 23, 2022 16:54:41 GMT
Our first guinea pigs, which belonged to my daughter, were kept in a store bought cage on the floor in her bedroom. Couldn't convince her to get them off the floor. One got really sick, and finally had to be put to sleep. I went from the vets to the pet store and bought the biggest rabbit cage they had. Didn't know any better at the time, but it was twice the size of the guinea pig cage the pet store sold her, so the remaining piggie was deliriously happy. I also installed the cage in the living room, took control of the pig, and he became mine. He was so miserable by himself, though, that I bought him a buddy, my beloved Zippy, and they made the most of the cage. MY two first piggies, Dallas and Zippy were the reason for so many different cage versions, all bigger than the last, lol I'm glad your babies have such a great cage. They will never notice the mistakes you made. They will just enjoy all the space they have You can always raise the cage. You can get something like THIS: BED RISERS Hubby won't have to bend over as far, and the piggies will still be in the penthouse
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Post by amber89 on Dec 3, 2022 11:11:15 GMT
Dear all, Unfortunately we had to let Cupcake go yesterday.
She never really regained her weight, but we managed to keep her weight at a decent level...still on the lower side, but stable. A month ago we went with her to the vet again because of hair lice. The vet gave her another thorough check and that's when she discovered a small, hard lump on her lower jaw. An abscess was excluded because it wasn't soft. Most likely it was some bone growth/cancer. Due to the position though, there wasn't much what it could have been done. We took her home and just kept her happy and spoiled.
Last sunday though she had another massive drop in her weight (some 10%) and the girls were quarelling over ranks. I immediately started supplementing her food with critical care, which she ate happily. By Wednesday she wasn't able to eat hay anymore. I started her on painkillers and some preventive anti-bloat meds. Thursday she wasn't eating salads either, but she was still taking critical care. She was still comfortable though, relaxing in the hammock and moving around the cage. Thursday morning i made the final appointment for her at the vet for helping her cross the rainbow bridge. There was no sense to prolonge her suffering, even though she was on painkillers and she didn't seemed in pain.
Most of the other pigs are fine, Snowflake was even zooming this morning. Marshmallow though seems a bit down since yesterday evening, only coming out for food and otherwise keeping to her herself. She was very close to Cupcake and always keeping an eye out for her, doing the payback on Snowflake whenever she was mean.
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 3, 2022 17:18:53 GMT
I'm so sorry, Amber. Cupcake was a beautiful girl. You dud the right thing bot prolonging her decline. I hope the rearranging 9f the hierarchy is enough to Marshmallow out out of her funk. It's harder on those who cared for her. There's a lit more missing in her life with Cupcake gone. Huge hugs 💝💝
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Post by Bean on Dec 4, 2022 8:05:51 GMT
Ah I'm sorry to hear this, Amber, what sad news. You did everything you could. It can be difficult when you know you could keep them alive for longer, but recognise that it's not a quality of life worth fighting for. I hope the others help perk Marshmallow up.
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Post by amber89 on Dec 5, 2022 8:39:10 GMT
Yes, loosing cupcake was hard. We had her since she was 2 months old; she fit into the palm of my hand. She was also the tamest one, with my husband being able to just pick her up and sometimes accepting chin or head rubs. She was one month before ther 4th birthday:((
Sometimes I am asking myself if I am doing something wrong with losing them all so young... I know that it's not really my fault, no one can forsee cancers or bad genes. Marshmallow is my consolation; she survived her cancer and is the boss of the group. She's actually nearing 5 years, with 4 in our care.
Speaking of marshmallow, she is doing fine. Eating properly and also screaming for veggies. But she is missing her friend and she's a bit more snappy towards the others. I'm curious if she will take tiny Caramel under her wing, since she's the baby.
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 5, 2022 20:31:19 GMT
She probably needs tiny Caramel as much as you do. Caramel will bring new life to the group, and I think Marshmallow will respond well. Huge hugs. I know how hard it is to lose a loved one, and no matter how much we did, we always wonder if we could have done more. It's the nature of people who love animals <3
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Post by Bean on Dec 6, 2022 8:38:00 GMT
As you say, genes play a massive part, and how we care for them determines whether they get to the top end of their potential or not. I'm quite sure the care you provide takes your gang to the top, but I know how hard it is to lose them at a younger age. We had a rescue pig from a heavily inbred situation who ended up being pregnant. None of her three babies lasted much past three years, getting different cancers that couldn't be treated.
I'm glad Marshmallow is doing well, and I'm sure they will all settle into the new dynamics soon enough.
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Post by anawilliam on Dec 29, 2022 21:27:38 GMT
aaaw they are so fricking cute!!
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Post by amber89 on Jun 27, 2023 8:37:45 GMT
Heeey everyone. the piggies are fine, doing what piggies do: eat, poop, sleep and wheek for more food After a tomato snack: From the middle of july they will go to a pet sitter for a longer period of time (at least 3 months). My ex is moving in with his girlfriend and she isn't a fan of pets. And my room is waaaay to small for them (it's around 20 sqm). I am looking to move into a bigger studio. The building has also slighly larger ones (by 10 sqm) which would give me the space to move them with me full time.
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Post by Bean on Jun 28, 2023 7:12:13 GMT
Very cute video, they're all looking happy and healthy!
Good luck getting a bigger apartment. Will you be able to visit them while they're being pet sat? Fancy your ex having a girlfriend that doesn't like pets - what poor taste! (Just kidding!)
Hope things are generally good with you, and all the best with the move.
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Post by amber89 on Jun 28, 2023 8:15:19 GMT
Yes, the are! The older girls, that start to push 5 years, show no sign of slowing down and are as bossy as ever and the leaders of the group. No, i doubt that i will able to visit, the lady is outside of copenhagen and without a car it's very time consuming. I will really miss them until i will be able to get them back. In her defense, she is higly allergic to the hay...so maybe also this plays a role. Yes, things are good here. July is fully booked with a month-long exchange in Serbia, and in October i'll get the best birthday gift possible: 2 weeks in New York city In the meantime i am trying to find a PhD with another supersivor, because mine started to behave like a sociopath almost.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 28, 2023 22:17:43 GMT
Other than the sociopathic supervisor, it sounds as if life is treating you pretty well It's really hard to let our furbabies go for any period of time, but as long as you can look forward to getting them back, there's light at the end of that tunnel. New York City! Wow! I hope you enjoy the trip Why are you traveling to Serbia and NYC? Is this for school or a job? With my memory, if you mentioned it before, I've totally forgotten. Sorry It sounds very exciting, though, and certainly keeping you busy Okay, we'll let your ex's girlfriend off the hook a bit for being allergic to hay. Better for the piggies to be with someone who truly wants them, than with someone who just puts up with them. Glad they're with you The piggies look totally full of life, healthy and happy. You're a great piggy mom I hope they enjoy their vacation at the pet sitters
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Post by Bean on Jun 29, 2023 6:15:59 GMT
It's great you have a good pet sitter lined up, even if it's not local. The pigs get to relax in a familiar place for a few months while you travel around and hopefully move apartment.
Good to hear things are generally going well with you - the travel plans sound great. Hope it goes well with finding another supervisor.
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Post by amber89 on Jun 29, 2023 8:34:30 GMT
New York City! Wow! I hope you enjoy the trip Why are you traveling to Serbia and NYC? Is this for school or a job? With my memory, if you mentioned it before, I've totally forgotten. Sorry It sounds very exciting, though, and certainly keeping you busy Serbia is for work, I am sent on an exchange over there. The project, which is together with Serbia and Italy, is coming to an end and we still needed to do 30 days of exchange from our side. My colleagues went already, so it is my turn now. I find a whole month a bit too long....but whatever, it will be like a vacation. I will use the time there to also fly over to Romania and visit my mom and brother (the only option to see them this year) and I'll also have my boyfriend over for a few days. NYC is for pleasure. That will be my delayed summer vacation. My boyfriend got invited to a wedding after-party in NYC and he invited me to join him. We will spend 2 weeks in the city. It was a complete stress with the visa, but everything worked out fine in the end and i am super excited and anxious at the same time.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 29, 2023 20:19:20 GMT
Ooh, excellent! I hope you have a great time in NYC, and don't find 30 days in Serbia to be too long I also hope your visit to your mom and brother is delightful
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Post by amber89 on Nov 13, 2023 16:33:19 GMT
Back from my vacation and finally i have my pigs back.
Unfortunately the cage can't be as large as they had it before, it's only half of the one i posted in October last year, and then i added a small loft as a more private area if any pig prefers that.
I got the pigs back on Sunday; they were all very well cared for, fatter than when I last saw them. Unfortunately my little figher, Marshmallow, died suddenly on Friday before i had a chance to bring her back home or say my goodbyes. I am a bit angry on my ex-husband, since i have been begging him for weeks to help me build their enclosure...because Marchie is getting old and i don't want her to die while at the pet sitter. But I know that she was well-cared for there and mercifully she did not suffer.
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