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Small pets

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Our Boy is unwell

16 replies

agnesf · 08/03/2015 23:31

Maybe you will remember that Our Boy got paired up with an older but flighty female, Beyoncé, almost 3 years ago. I'm very sorry to report that Our Boy is looking rather unwell. He must be at least 6 years old now and has had 3 happy years of wedded bliss. But for the last few weeks he has not been himself and now he is generally listless, hanging about in a corner and not even interested in rumble strutting with his cardboard tube.

I don't think this will end well and am sad that we didn't get to spring and a chance to frolic in the spring grass.

Beyoncé meanwhile is a poor nurse. Mainly interested in eating his tempting cucumber slices and generally mooching around with her disreputable hair wheeking loudly at the sound of any potential food like rustling.

OP posts:

GinBunny · 09/03/2015 00:00

Sorry to hear Our Boy is not well, I don't remember your previous threads but am guessing he is a piggy? Get him to the vets first thing in the morning, if he's not interested in food then he is a very poorly boy.

Original poster

agnesf · 09/03/2015 00:15

Without wishing to sound hard nosed about it, every visit I have ever had to the vet with a sick furry has ended badly with a large vet bill to boot. He has had a long and happy life and we will see what nature brings over the next couple of days.

His wife is far older than him and seemingly indestructible.

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GinBunny · 09/03/2015 01:02

Our old vet was called Dr Death by us because all she suggested was euthenasia. It seems like it may be your boy's time to go. Give him cuddles and let him know you love him.
Sorry that this is happening, have been there

sanfairyanne · 09/03/2015 05:43

have you done the usual like checked his teeth? one of mine developed a spur that cut their mouth. it hurt. they stopped eating. tooth filing = all good as new
maybe try a different vet?
good luck

FernieB · 09/03/2015 07:27

Trust your instincts. He's an old piggie and it may well be his time. I think it's better for them to go quietly at home with their friend than to be carted round to the vet and be subjected to poking, prodding, yowling cats etc.

Thinking of you and your pig. That Beyoncé sounds like a rum one!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/03/2015 08:50

Aww poor Our Boy . I remember well his marrying Beyonce threads.
It does sound like he's getting to be a old chap and he's seeing the end of his road, hopefully he'll see a nice bit of Spring weather but I think you know when your piggies are getting to the end.

Is he losing weight , what are his droppings like? Teeth can indeed be an issue but even with a very experienced vet , it's hard to check them (GP3 did not enjoy having the light scope down his throat ) then to treat them , even more things in their mouths.

Our young boar lost weight, seemed to stabilise with a few tweaks to their food routine then out of the blue, hideous diarrohea
We had two trips to The Nice Guinea Vet but TBH , I don't think there was anything that could be done.

My sows have taken over the Pighouse, I'm sure they miss GP3 .(in their own way)

6yo is a good age for a piggie, lots of cuddles, nice fresh cut grass to tempt him and you might need to go down the Critical Care/mashed up pellets route.

Original poster

agnesf · 10/03/2015 21:21

Sadly as predicted Our Boy died last night. DD very sad as he was her first pet but he had a happy life - was probably about 7 years old (not sure as he was a rescue piggy) and after losing his brother lived out his days in married bliss and a collection of cardboard tubes.

We'll miss him but fortunately his wife is still with us a being rather loud at letting us know it. She is older than him, again a bit unsure of exact age, but not sure whether to cheer her up with a baby friend or just leave her to live out her days as a singleton.

OP posts:

sanfairyanne · 10/03/2015 21:40

he sounds like he lived a very blessed and loved life xx

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/03/2015 21:55

Very but it sounds like he slipped out of this life quietly and without ceremony and you were expecting it.

You can look back on his long life now and discuss and laugh with your DD all the mad piggy things he did.

Beyonce - she came to live with Our Boy because she didn't gel with other pigs IIRC. No she might not thank you for some young upstart in her life.

Hopefully she'll see out her days calmly and contently.

That Rainbow Bridge has seen more traffic than the QE2 Bridge recently

Original poster

agnesf · 10/03/2015 23:54

I think winter is not a good time for piggies even though ours are indoors in the lap of luxury.

You are right 70 about Beyoncé not getting on with other piggies however, having now met the ones in question I can see why it might not have worked as they are/ were a hierarchical group of girls. She has never done anything untoward since she lived with us although not sure if that was due to Our Boy's manly dominance . She was certainly in awe of his cardboard tubes and even now would not dream of venturing into them.

Still she's quite sedate these days and a young'un frolicking around might just be an annoyance. DD however is convinced that she will pine away from loneliness although I tend to think that she more of the "you're never lonely if within 5 feet of a pile of grass" type of girl.

OP posts:

fortifiedwithtea · 11/03/2015 13:08

I am sorry for your loss of Our Boy, he clearly was much loved and had a wonderful life with Beyoncé.

@ Beyoncé being in awe of his cardboard tubes. Maybe they were the piggy equivalent of a 'man cave'

I agree with you, at 7 a big pile of grass is all the company Beyoncé wants.

RIP dear Boy Piggie

clippityclop · 13/03/2015 02:39

So sorry, a long piggy life well lived x

Original poster

agnesf · 15/03/2015 15:34

I think Beyoncé is missing OB. There has been a lot of attention seeking wheeking but she is spending a lot of time sitting in the cage with her head in one of his cardboard tubes. It must smell of him - poor old thing.

She has however had a bit of a go at the other tube and completely stripped it of its outer layer.

Have tried to cheer her up with grass and cuddles. [sad}

OP posts:

Original poster

agnesf · 15/03/2015 15:35

Their married life was a bit love hate - maybe it lives on in her relationship with his tubes ......

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Original poster

agnesf · 16/03/2015 20:36

Things are going a bit mad with the grieving widow. She is really needy - constantly wheeking plaintively whenever we walk near. The only things that seem to calm her are grass and sometimes a bit of red pepper. Carrots/ cabbage and all other foods have been left to rot.

I am really beginning to wonder whether a friend would be a good idea. Thing is that they never did much together, in fact often just sulked at opposite ends of the cage, but it seemed to make her contented.

Am wondering whether we could get a slightly older girl/ neutered boy from a rescue to keep her company.

The cardboard tubes are not faring well. One is almost totally destroyed.

Roll on warm weather so she can go out on the grass

OP posts:

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 16/03/2015 21:00

Poor girl - she certainly will be feeling out of sorts

You'd find it difficult to locate a piggie her age but I'm sure if you phone round a few Rescues, you;ll find a mature pig. Maybe one that's in the same situation as Beyonce, been left after losing a cagemate.

Though there's a chance they'd have to side-by-side if they don't get on.

A neutered old boar sounds lovely if you can get one

Or a neutered young boy then you could match him up with a young lady when you need to.
The spiral never ends that way though.

Flip