Pigsitting Pigsitter Canceled

Rywen said:

I'm so frustrated, the petsitter I have lined up for a week starting very (very) soon just canceled on me. Urgh, I'm just venting here. I'm waiting for my 2nd choice pet sitting company to get back to me. Of course both Ferb and Penny have been sick so I'm freaking out about leaving them already, they have to be given meds 2x per day, but there's no way I can take them where I'm going. I could board them at the vet but it's $30 per pig per day (so $60 per day) and they would be housed in separate small cages so I'd have to rebond them again and they'd be miserable. So it's not a good option.

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Ask your vet if you can bring your own cage. I can't imagine why they'd separate them. Since they're on meds, a vet would be the best place to house them while you're gone. At least you'd know they're being cared for properly and wouldn't have to worry about a medical crisis.

@pinky they have a kennel boarding facility, not sure where they would put a 2x4 c&c cage? They explained that they need to separate them to make sure they are eating and pooping properly and they weigh them daily to make sure they stay healthy. I think that means they probably have really small cages. Also I'm guessing giving them meds twice a day would cost extra, especially for Penny, she's really hard to get meds into (tonight she spit out her antibiotics). I also don't know if they keep the sick animals they have in vet hospital in the same place? It's $420 before taxes and meds, I'm not sure how I could manage that?

Rywen said:

@pinky they have a kennel boarding facility, not sure where they would put a 2x4 c&c cage? They explained that they need to separate them to make sure they are eating and pooping properly and they weigh them daily to make sure they stay healthy. I think that means they probably have really small cages. Also I'm guessing giving them meds twice a day would cost extra, especially for Penny, she's really hard to get meds into (tonight she spit out her antibiotics). I also don't know if they keep the sick animals they have in vet hospital in the same place? It's $420 before taxes and meds, I'm not sure how I could manage that?

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I don't understand why they'd have to weigh them daily and keep them separate, especially since they're housed together. That doesn't make any sense. If you have a rescue in the area, see if they can board them for you.

Yeah, their rationale wasn't holding a lot of water in my opinion. Since they are sick I don't want to expose anyone else's piggies to them. It's just not safe. I'm waiting to hear back from a licensed and insured pet sitting service, they are highly rated on Angie's list.

Is there anyone you know through this forum who might be able to pigsit? I know that's a long shot, but maybe? I'm looking at having to find a pig sitter for a month later this year (work trip that's already in the works), and I'm wary of just leaving my girls to my roommates because I know they won't get floor time and I doubt they'll be held, or pet, or loved on at all during that month (because nobody wants to hold them now when I'm here). And I've considered maybe trying to make connections through here. I know it's short notice for you, and that might not work, but it's an idea?

I also second seeing if there's a rescue that could board them.

@ThePigAlchemist I live in Germantown, it's near Rockville/Gaithersburg just off I-270.

@ThePigAlchemist I'm sending you a PM, thanks!

So one pet sitter who said she was uncomfortable giving medications to piggies referred me to another pet sitter (who is insured and bonded and has great reviews) and she is coming over tomorrow so I can meet her and decide if I want to hire her. I may test her by having her give the piggies their evening baytril doses, first she has to figure out how to catch them, lol.

I'm a little far to come twice a day, especially since I'm fresh off a week of dog sitting for my business partner which required me to drive home every day to take care of my boys.
But maybe @ThePigAlchemist and I could split the duties if need be.
Fingers crossed the sitter works out; if not, let me know if I can help.

Thanks @melynda. I've been PMing with @ThePigAlchemist and she's my back-up to my back-up plan (which is awesome of her!). The person who recommended the pet sitter coming tomorrow also gave me another local pet sitting services name and number, fingers crossed things will work out with one of them! I know Ferb and Penny will be happier at home and my friend is setting up cameras tomorrow so I can keep an eye on them from afar. My biggest fear is the power will go out and it will get too hot in my house. I have a serious greenhouse effect from a cathedral ceiling and skylights, it gets really hot really fast if the sun is out. I'm going to discuss my concerns with the pet sitter, if she can't come and get them quickly if the power goes out hopefully my friend setting up the cameras will agree to do so.

Wonderful. Sounds like you're most likely covered then. I have good friends in a town house in Germantown with skylights and cathedral ceilings on their second floor. Gets hot as balls in there!
Of course the offer still stands if you need a back up plan for your back up plan to back up your back up plan. Poe and Elliott would never forgive me if I didn't help their friends Penny and Ferb!

Thanks @melynda! I bet they are my neighbors (the whole neighborhood has crazy high ceilings and skylights in both the condos and townhouses). I met the pet sitter and her husband (her backup). They have 5 kids, cats, dogs, rabbits and chickens. I figure that's a good sign if they have their own menagerie.

So after all of that drama Penny (who was better) got sick again yesterday so now Ferb and Penny are going to the vet for boarding. Penny needs to be fed critical care several times a day, she lost 60g in 2.5 days for no apparent reason, yikes! The pet sitter can only come twice a day and has never fed critical care so they are staying at the vet's during my vacation. The vet agreed they are a bonded pair and shouldn't be separated (her techs were the ones telling me they wouldn't be able to stay together). Here's a pigture of them in their carrier at the vet this morning.

Oh no! Penny is really putting you through your paces! I hope she gets better soon!

Thanks everyone! Her gut bacteria were improved from Monday so that's good, but what suddenly caused her to stop eating as much and having diharria again is a mystery.

Ferb looks like he's in piggie jail, lol.

Oh Penny!! Poor sweet girl, I wonder what has been going on with her? She's so lucky to have you for a mom and Ferb for a boyfriend!

Hope she feels better soon! That carrier looks familiar... I love it. I got a compliment on it too one time.