What have our pigs been up to?

[FernieB]

Given the up and down few days of our piggy world (with the arrival of Sooty and the sad loss of Fatimus) I thought it would be nice to know what our other pigs have been up to recently.

My boys have had a tough few days due to the showery weather which meant that outdoor play was impossible. Though on Wednesday the arrival of a delivery meant that they had a new, big box to enjoy, so they invited Current Bun to play with them and they all had a lovely afternoon together complete with a parsley tea to share. Today they've been put to work pruning the lavender bushes in the garden, a task which they have attacked with enthusiasm (I must rescue the lavender shortly).

Anyone else?

It's definately been a rollercoaster hasn't it.
Highs and lows. I've noticed this with SFA , we go through 'phases' of little furries 'going' some are ill, some no rhyme or reason.

My boys had a day of grazing on Wednesday but that's been the only time.

I bought some lovely fresh hay for them last week then noticed GP1 had a weepy eye on Sunday. Little soul had a grass seed in his eye which DD hoiked out and we saltwater bathed his eye. By Monday he was back to fine fettle.

I was getting worried about him, he's shed alot of weight over the summer. I'm sure it's a combination of the heat, the loss of GP2 , the arrival of GP3 and being on holiday.
He's eating well and I'm confident GP3 isn't bullying him. GP1 is putting his winter fat back on (thankfully) . He was quite a chubster before so I suppose he could have done with the weightloss.

After a couple of sulky days with fleece, they're back in deep hay with their naice hay in the trug to scoff.

And this morning (I was still in bed), DD brought the boys up in their carrier and we sat on my bed to cuddle them. And they didn't pee

That's how I know I've had a good day - when my piggy cuddles are puddle less

My 3 are all hiding after a trip to the Rodentologist GP1 doesn't enjoy his visits as she always inspects his teeth and he isn't co-operative!! GP2 was a good boy as always. He never shows his mum up Unfortunately GP3 has a chest infection, so off to the vets for him tomorrow.
They are now in their cages burrowed deep in lovely fresh hay, giving me judgy evil looks if I dare walk to close

gp Bill got very bored and stir crazy so put him on big towel in kitchen for a while but chewed through a shoe lace

sat with my dh for a while and they both snoozed.

he went out into the garden in his run as it had stopped raining

Mine have been grazing/ sleeping (sometimes together) and having mini battles all day - they are now locked nicely in the piggy shed - Charlie is in the hutch up top minding her manor and sooty is crouched under it - I do hope as it gets darker they will cuddle up in an igloo together.

I just gone out in the dark my newbie was sat under the hutch hayless and Charlie was in an igloo downstairs in the pen - I chased newby into the igloo area and she ducked in with Charlie - hope she stays there its chilly out.

I've been doing some Googling and on-line searching.
Lots of USA sites which just [confuse] me but in the end "Rodents With Attitude" was the most informative.

When I got my little boy, I was told he was a Swiss. I went home, checked and thought "Oh, jings, these look high maintenance"

But now he's 15 weeks old, his coat doesn't look like a Swiss coat (though it might change) it's not the standy up halo effect.
So, checked Rex and Teddy and it seems he's more Rex (though of course he could be a mixture but he did come from a breeder so thy should know his parents)

He's huge. Easily as heavy as GP1 but still compact and chunky (whereas smooth GP1 is a bit more stretched out and lanky)

Coarse , springey coat like a new born duck but tougher
Curly whiskers
The whiskers and coarse coat point to Rex rather than Teddy.
Apparently Rex have mahoosive feet. So time will tell.

I'm a bit relieved if he is Rex, they are a bit more easy care. .
But if he's Swiss, I'm ready .

noyouhavehadawee I bought some PetHotties last year.
They don't keep the heat as well as Snugglepads but they're soft and jellylike inside a thick (chew protected) cover.
They might be nice to go inside the igloos to sit on.

(Ebay have them £11. Only blight is you need a fairly big microwave .When I put them in, I need to tuck the corners in - where its just the material not the gel- to make sure they can rotate. If they don't turn it damages them. Just looked on the website, they say you can roll them loosely with an elastic band )

gosh I never actually thought about the different breeds and their personalities other than them long haired jobs would get matted hair and need a lot of brushing .

I know, when I first got pigs you had smooths, abbys and peruvians.

I bought a Peruvian (didn't realise) and her fur grew and grew

Though the original guineas in Peru were rangey and otter brown (and probably got eaten when they were young by predator or in the pot).

Even old lardy domesticated guins never quite switch off the prey animal instinct .

I've updated my profile pictures today. I've taken down Lily and Lavender as they are not my pigs and are living elsewhere on SFA

In their place I've posted a close up of Naughty Girl but it came out sideways and my lovely Rosie Toffee aka Fatimus. DD2 took so many photos its been lovely and weepy looking at them all

DD and I had a look at your photos. She loves the one of OB tea party where he's walking over to Fatimus.
Your Naughty Girl has beautiful markings, like she's rubbed her nose on a piece of chalk.

(And I know what you mean about all the photos. DD has about 350 on her iPod. On holiday she scanned through them all the time. GP1 has that open mouthed guinea smile- like he's just taken a drinking straw out of his mouth)

fortified - beautiful just beautiful - Fatimus is just as I imagined her .

fortified - love the pictures. Fatimus' markings are lovely - she is as large as I imagined which is almost as large as Smooth (he's a hefty pig). Naughty Girl looks very elegant and poised.

70 when are we getting photos of GP3?

Awwww... they are gorgeous photos!

I think next week will be a big week for my piggies. I have one 4 year old and two younger ones who are about 4 months old.

At the moment, the older pig is definitely Boss Pig, but the biggest younger pig has been steadily catching up. I weigh all of them every week, and at the currant rate the biggest baby pig is going to overtake Boss Pig in the next few days

I'm wondering whether this will lead to a bit of a power struggle!