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Introducing: Artemis and Luna!

wigglemish

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Just called the adoption centre and given them the whole truth about the four pigs that have been given up to them. They're going to get her teeth looked at and ivermectin etc for them all. Going to keep me updated. They were very grateful for the call. Maybe if we're lucky we've saved a little life today.

Also called the supposed previous vet. Artemis and Luna were registered but have never been seen by them. i was told they had 3 monthly health checks. Should have known it wasn't true.
 

ZiggyPig

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Just called the adoption centre and given them the whole truth about the four pigs that have been given up to them. They're going to get her teeth looked at and ivermectin etc for them all. Going to keep me updated. They were very grateful for the call. Maybe if we're lucky we've saved a little life today.

Also called the supposed previous vet. Artemis and Luna were registered but have never been seen by them. i was told they had 3 monthly health checks. Should have known it wasn't true.

So glad to see this update - that they are in an adoption centre anyway and that you called to tell them everything. I'm sure you saved more than one little life with that phone call!
 

wigglemish

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So glad to see this update - that they are in an adoption centre anyway and that you called to tell them everything. I'm sure you saved more than one little life with that phone call!

By the end of the call I was on the verge of tears. They had no idea the conditions they had been living in. I'm still shaking now and it's been over an hour. so fortunate I saw their photos. I have no intention of adopting any more, I just like looking at the piggies, and there they were....
 

ZiggyPig

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By the end of the call I was on the verge of tears. They had no idea the conditions they had been living in. I'm still shaking now and it's been over an hour. so fortunate I saw their photos. I have no intention of adopting any more, I just like looking at the piggies, and there they were....

Oh, how I know what you mean. Both of my rescue dogs are from puppy mills and when we picked up our puppy he hadn't been to the groomers yet, so just from the stench and his fur (which was relatively clean by mill standards) we got a first-hand idea of just how bad it is in there.

I have no idea if the people who owned Cuddles and Ziggy before us had other pigs, but I do know they came back to the petstore to be rehomed in a tiny (and I mean tiny, not just this forum's idea of too small) filthy cage, stinking like crazy. They had to give the pigs a bath and put them out in a temporary cage in order to rehome them. ARGH!!!!! PEOPLE ARE SO CRUEL!
 

wigglemish

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Oh, how I know what you mean. Both of my rescue dogs are from puppy mills and when we picked up our puppy he hadn't been to the groomers yet, so just from the stench and his fur (which was relatively clean by mill standards) we got a first-hand idea of just how bad it is in there.

I have no idea if the people who owned Cuddles and Ziggy before us had other pigs, but I do know they came back to the petstore to be rehomed in a tiny (and I mean tiny, not just this forum's idea of too small) filthy cage, stinking like crazy. They had to give the pigs a bath and put them out in a temporary cage in order to rehome them. ARGH!!!!! PEOPLE ARE SO CRUEL!

Oh God, I absolutely 100% feel you.

I was trying to avoid going into detail in case their previous owner was on this forum but screw it. He doesn't deserve the kindness.

The -filth- Ziggy. The -filth- was unbelievable. There was so much feces in the bottom of their cage that they could climb over the top of the grids. There were flies buzzing everywhere. The grids were rusted, eaten away at by urine. They stank like nothing I have ever smelled. I was going to try and give Artemis a couple more days to settle before I bathed her, but I just just couldn't. She was SO dirty...

And the cages were tiny. 3X2 for my pair, 3X2 for the trio, and what looked like a f***ing gerbil cage for the single girl with teeth problems, who was shoved way under the others in the dark.

There was mould growing on their cosies. And their 'dish' was a pasta oven dish plonked in the middle of the cage, you know, one of the big casserole ones? And it was so deep with excrement in their the entire height of the dish was sank in it.

It was disgusting. I'm tearing up now typing this. It's no wonder Artemis has an infection. I felt a -monster- leaving the other 4 behind. It was absolutely foul. I was going to call the RSPCA today, in case they were still there, and then some divine presence must have intervened and made me check the adoption center site first.
 

ZiggyPig

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Oh, @wigglemish I would have had the hardest time leaving too :love:! That is horrific! It sounds just like a puppy mill. In fact, it sounds a bit like a GP mill. I am so glad they are all gone! Mold! I bet if they had any hay it was old and moldy too! I can't imagine what it has done to them to live in that. I can't believe your girls are as healthy as they are, as in, healthy at all.

Crumbs has to have sent you there to save them and to make sure the rest landed somewhere safe too. :love:
 

wigglemish

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Oh, @wigglemish I would have had the hardest time leaving too! That is horrific! It sounds just like a puppy mill. In fact, it sounds a bit like a GP mill. I am so glad they are all gone! Mold! I bet if they had any hay it was old and moldy too! I can't imagine what it has done to them to live in that. I can't believe your girls are as healthy as they are!

Crumbs has to have sent you there to save them and to make sure the rest landed somewhere safe too.

They are SO lucky, all things considered, I am not sure the little solo girl will be. She so so dreadfully underweight, lifting her was like lifting Crumbs... I -begged- him to take her to the vet. I guess that's what made him give the rest up...

Honestly, I cannot believe how sweet their temperaments given how badly they have been treated. It's a wonder to me they don't recoil with fear at sight of a human being. If I can just pull Artie through this infection and get them clear of parasites I think they will be okay. And I'm going to cuddle them and brush them and spoil them and let them play free and make sure they -know- that they are absolutely safe and absolutely loved. If there is a Rainbow Bridge I really like to think Crumbs and the rest of the herd are watching and know that the space they left is being put to the best possible use.
 

ZiggyPig

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And I'm going to cuddle them and brush them and spoil them and let them play free and make sure they -know- that they are absolutely safe and absolutely loved. If there is a Rainbow Bridge I really like to think Crumbs and the rest of the herd are watching and know that the space they left is being put to the best possible use.

I think there is. At the very least for animals, they deserve it, don't you think?
 

wigglemish

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Absolutely. I'm Pagan and believe in a place called the Summerlands, which is a beautiful, endless garden where souls can rest before their next lives begin. And my girls absolutely had personalities, so they absolutely had souls.
 

ZiggyPig

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Absolutely. I'm Pagan and believe in a place called the Summerlands, which is a beautiful, endless garden where souls can rest before their next lives begin.

I really like that idea.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Absolutely. I'm Pagan and believe in a place called the Summerlands, which is a beautiful, endless garden where souls can rest before their next lives begin. And my girls absolutely had personalities, so they absolutely had souls.


Pretty sure Summerlands must be the place on this side of the Rainbow Bridge. The place they wait for us to come and get them, so that they can cross the Rainbow Bridge with us.

I cannot believe the conditions you described, [MENTION=39335]wigglemish[/MENTION]. It makes my blood boil. I cannot make any sense of people's treatment of animals, especially ones so defenseless and precious as piggies. I had one hell of a long day today, and then to read that..... let's just say that you finding them in a rescue let me breathe again.

I agree with ZiggyPig. Crumbs sent you there. It's just too soon for her not to have. Too much of a coincidence.
 

Grammaknits02

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I believe that we share such a bond with our pets that when they cross over the bridge, they choose and put in our path new companions that they know need us. Perhaps your sweet Crumbs has done that for you. He knew Artemis and Luna needed the love that you have to give them🐾
 

wigglemish

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Well, hit the first real snag with these two. I attempted laptime last night. It was nothing short of a disaster. They were -terrified-. I am covered in bite marks and scratches, not even some lettuce leaves could placate them. I'm going to run up some snuggle sacks tomorrow and then try again. It was heartbreaking. I should think it's probably because they've not been handled. They're amazingly personable in the cage, so I thought it'd be a breeze, but they hated every second of it. All I can do is persist, i suppose. Small, frequent sessions. I've never experienced this before.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Well, hit the first real snag with these two. I attempted laptime last night. It was nothing short of a disaster. They were -terrified-. I am covered in bite marks and scratches, not even some lettuce leaves could placate them. I'm going to run up some snuggle sacks tomorrow and then try again. It was heartbreaking. I should think it's probably because they've not been handled. They're amazingly personable in the cage, so I thought it'd be a breeze, but they hated every second of it. All I can do is persist, i suppose. Small, frequent sessions. I've never experienced this before.

You're probably exactly right, and just about every time they've ever been handled they've been mistreated and/or shipped off somewhere else. It sounds like they're going to need time, and maybe lots of it.

But, I think you're just the person to bring them around :)
 

ZiggyPig

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Well, hit the first real snag with these two. I attempted laptime last night. It was nothing short of a disaster. They were -terrified-. I am covered in bite marks and scratches, not even some lettuce leaves could placate them. I'm going to run up some snuggle sacks tomorrow and then try again. It was heartbreaking. I should think it's probably because they've not been handled. They're amazingly personable in the cage, so I thought it'd be a breeze, but they hated every second of it. All I can do is persist, i suppose. Small, frequent sessions. I've never experienced this before.

I think everything [MENTION=35161]Guinea Pig Papa[/MENTION] said is 100% on point. Your love and attention will help so much. Plus, if Artemis had a flea on her, I can only imagine that they each have uncomfortable skin right now so a cuddle sack sounds like a great idea.

Quick thought - Our skittish piggie wouldn't take lettuce from us for the longest time, but she took bell peppers after one or two lap times. Perhaps you could even up the ante with apple slices or some other super yummy fruit treat for the first few times.
 

wigglemish

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I think everything @Guinea Pig Papa said is 100% on point. Your love and attention will help so much. Plus, if Artemis had a flea on her, I can only imagine that they each have uncomfortable skin right now so a cuddle sack sounds like a great idea.

Quick thought - Our skittish piggie wouldn't take lettuce from us for the longest time, but she took bell peppers after one or two lap times. Perhaps you could even up the ante with apple slices or some other super yummy fruit treat for the first few times.

That's a really good point, I hadn't considered that. We've given them ivermectin but they are still itching an awful lot. I didn't think I might be making it worse :S

Apple sounds a good idea. I gave them a little watermelon rind yesterday and they wolfed that down. And tbh a little fruit wouldn't do Artemis any harm. I need to get her to gain 200g, really... She's currently weighing in at 781g.
 

ZiggyPig

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That's a really good point, I hadn't considered that. We've given them ivermectin but they are still itching an awful lot. I didn't think I might be making it worse :S

Apple sounds a good idea. I gave them a little watermelon rind yesterday and they wolfed that down. And tbh a little fruit wouldn't do Artemis any harm. I need to get her to gain 200g, really... She's currently weighing in at 781g.

And honestly, when it comes to bonding, I don't think a little extra fruit is going to hurt them in the long run as long as they are still getting and eating their normal diet. It's not as though you will continue to feed them fruit all the time:)

Since they are itching so much and you just got them, I wouldn't stress too much about lap time. Maybe some floor time with you in the area? I like to do that and the piggies eventually start running around, hiding behind me or under my legs. Trotting across my feet. Cute stuff like that :eek:

You are SUCH a good mom, on here every day worried about these two lovely girls you rescued. Artemis and Luna are very lucky pigs :love:
 

wigglemish

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And honestly, when it comes to bonding, I don't think a little extra fruit is going to hurt them in the long run as long as they are still getting and eating their normal diet. It's not as though you will continue to feed them fruit all the time:)

Since they are itching so much and you just got them, I wouldn't stress too much about lap time. Maybe some floor time with you in the area? I like to do that and the piggies eventually start running around, hiding behind me or under my legs. Trotting across my feet. Cute stuff like that :eek:

You are SUCH a good mom, on here every day worried about these two lovely girls you rescued. Artemis and Luna are very lucky pigs :love:

Hehe no I wouldn't, I am strict when it comes to dindins. Honestly, I get in a squizz when they eat more yellow pepper than they will green, I'm a ridiculous human being!

I'll try that instead :) I can set up a space with the floor lined with towels (very worried about spreading mites through the house, Freyja and Frigga touch wood are the picture of health so I don't want to put them at any risk at all). It was silly really of me, I just assumed because they are so bold when they're in the cage that laptime would be a cinch. My other girls have always been quite cuddly for the most part. Little Frigga is a cuddle addict, Lesson learned by me!

I'm a compulsive worrier tbh, but also, in the past I've only been active on the forum during times of crisis with my girls health. I sort of felt it high time I got involved more, and shared more happy things.
 

ZiggyPig

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I'm a compulsive worrier tbh, but also, in the past I've only been active on the forum during times of crisis with my girls health..

Me. Right here with you. I spend hours per week talking to Cavalier friends about my dogs, and now I've added hours on here because I am a compulsive researcher and worrier! lol
 
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