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For my Baby Bella

HunterRose13

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Bella’s story started with her sister MuMu. My oldest daughter brought Mu home from college which prompted daughter (broken link removed) into wanting to find he own guinea pig. I was wholeheartedly against one pig…..at first…I was even more adamant about not having a second guinea pig….at first.
Daughters being daughters don’t listen too well at times. They conspired to find another little girl to keep MuMu company. I went to work one morning with one pig at home and returned to find two. Bellatrix had joined the family.

Bella was younger and at the time smaller than Mumu who was the boss pig. Bella was Mu’s shadow and would wait for Mu to wheek for breakfast, supper, or attention and then join in and sing chorus. Lap time Mu also got dibs on the good seat and Bella was content to have her little spot of lap. During the annual destruction of Bethlehem Mu would lead the charge and Bella would follow and plow through whatever remained.
They enjoyed baths together and paddle around in the tub in circles. They both hated nail clipping and a bribe of carrot other treat was necessary to keep them from moving. Bella was an jet black Abyssinian with a brown spot so you could find her mouth and always had what I called a bad hair day. She enjoyed being brushed and trimmed up. Talk about wild hair!

One winter Mumu’s health began to fail. We were unsure of her age as she was adopted while my daughter was away at college. Bella was close by and supportive of her sister. One night Mu quietly passed away.

That is when it really hit me how attached I was to ‘my’ girls. While I was broken hearted to have to say goodbye to Mu I knew Bella would need extra love and support. I took over a lot of the daily work of making sure Bella had freshwater, lots of hay, and her morning and evening salads. My daughter was able to enjoy lap time and floor time, after all Bella was her piggie. While Bella would reluctantly purr for me, my daughter just had to get her fingers close to her fur to elicit a string of piggie purrs.

I was afraid with the loss of Mu that Bella would soon follow. The first few days were difficult for us all. Bella was very quiet, not sure of what to do. She managed to figure it out though! She was no longer the shadow or the chorus! She would wheek so loud that she would wake up the household for breakfast and would make a huge fuss she heard veggies being chopped in the kitchen.

I believe she enjoyed the spotlight and the center of attention in the household. She gave us our share of scares such as bolting away from my daughter and wife in the yard! She fell ill with a very bad UTI at one point and I really thought we would lose her. I would swaddle her in towel and give her water through a syringe and mixed critical care to get her through. My wife became proficient at giving Bella her meds. Amazingly Bella pulled through. I can still see her looking up from her dish with a terribly messy face full of critical care and mushed up pellets as if asking ‘What’s so funny?’ and sitting quietly watching her drink water as her health improved.

Bella was a huge personality and would give her opinion on most anything. She very much enjoyed being hand fed at the start of breakfast and supper. Bell pepper was her favorite and if they were being cut up she would throw a fit until she got some. Hence one of her many nick names….Bella pepper. Add to that Bell bell, Bella piggy, Baby Bella, and so many more.

To say I was grateful for every day with Bella would be an understatement. We were not sure how old MuMu was and did not know how much time we would have with Bella. It turned out to be more than we thought, but certainly not enough. Everytime I came home from a trip or even just home from work I was so happy to see Bella. Before you ask, my daughter, even though in high school, made time for Bella and loved her deeply.
We did not get another guinea pig because the loss of Mumu was so difficult, and I really thought Bella would pass in short order. I am grateful that did not occur, but I do wish we would have found Bella a companion. On the other hand, I really believe Bella enjoyed being the boss for a while. At times my wife swore Bella was the Energizer guinea pig.

Unfortunately time catches up with us all. Spring arrived and even though the weather was turning lovely, my heart was heavy. I could see Bella was slowing down significantly. She put on a good show, but I could feel our time together would soon pass. I spent several nights sleeping close and talking to Bella so she would have company. I told her about how proud I was of her for finding her own voice and how happy I was for her being with us for so long. She saw my daughter graduate high school and sent her to college. Bella was there through the break up with her first boyfriend and to see her find another. Bella stayed much longer than expected and stayed for my daughter and I. I asked her to hang tough for my daughter to get home to say good bye, but if she needed to go I would be sure that my daughter was ok.

Bella was tired and ready for her rest. She passed quietly and let me stroke the tears off her soft fur. As for her sister before I made her a small box. I wrote my good bye and it was soaked in tear drops. I made sure to put your proper name….Bellatrix there for my daughter. I placed Bella inside on a piece of her favorite lap pad surrounded by hay and bell pepper.

With the sun on my shoulders I found a quiet place near your sisters grave in the shade of the Lilac. It hurt to break the soil again for this last act of love that I could show. I dug in silence and with a heavy heart and flowing tears. Memories of you and how much you meant to me filled my mind as I worked. It broke my heart to say good bye. I asked you to tell your sister how much we missed her and to wait for me.

My wife contacted the boyfriend to tell my daughter. I wish she would have waited so I could have told her myself. My daughter knew as soon as the call came what had happened. She was devastated. To his credit the boyfriend was respectful of the situation and tried to comfort my daughter. While I don’t believe the boyfriend fully understood how much Bella meant to us he did lend a shoulder for my daughter to cry on. When I finally had an opportunity to talk to my daughter, we were both in tears in short order. She was very upset she was not there for Bella on that last day and had hoped Bella could have hung on a few days more. I told my daughter everything Bella and I talked about in those last days and Bella knew she was very much loved by her mommy even though I was the one that tried my best to spoil her. It’s what grand piggie parents do. When my daughter arrived home we shared stories of Bella and lots of tissue and tears.

Now the house it terribly quiet and there is a huge void. I walk in the door of the evening and have to remind myself that Bella is no longer there. A creak of the floor sounds so much like Bella’s wheek, the stuttering closed of a tight door reminds me of her purr, the click of her water bottle in the night is no longer there and the house is eerily quiet in the dark. It has been weeks and I still miss Bella deeply and will for some time.

To the moon and back, I love you Bella.
 

spy9doc

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Beautiful, touching tribute! :love: From having gone through the passing of several of my beloved furballs, I can tell you that I deeply empathize. I have found that the best way to heal the emotional void is to bring some deserving cavies into your home to love and be loved by.

We recently suddenly lost one of ours and Sparky desperately misses his brother, as do we. We are actively looking for a baby brother for him at present. I drove more than three hours on Saturday to a cavy show to make some contacts and put out feelers for a baby boar......an Abby, of course. I've asked to be able to bring Sparky for a meet-and-greet and permit him to choose his own new cagemate. Hopefully, within the next few weeks I will have some news and pics to share.

You will never replace Mumu and Bella, nor would you want to. But, your heart is obviously big enough with lots of love to give to some new babies when the time is right.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Bella and Mumu, together again. I'm sure they're happy about that, if nothing else.

Your love for your pigs is evident. Homes like yours, where pigs are loved, cherished and treated like family are the only homes they should be in. Bella knew how much you and your family loved her, and she's taken that to the Rainbow Bridge with her to share with Mu.


Rest in peace, Bella. Enjoy your time with your sister, and with your new friends. One day you will come home again, and you will all be together.
 

HunterRose13

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Thank you for the kind words.

The loss of Mumu was hard, the loss of Bella as much so. I can feel the void in the house hold and the space they occupied remains empty. I can't bring myself to put anything there. Even though it is empty floor now I find myself walking around rather than through Bella and Mu's home.

It was a few days after Bella passed and I sent my daughter a link to Cagetopia to see if she agreed and if she would keep my wife from killing me. I told her it would not be right away because we are in the midst of a major house remodel now. I am making a conscious effort to not look at rescue or adoption sites until the remodel is complete.

It would not be fair to the piggies to come into a house with us distracted with the remodel and most likely it will be after my summer business trip. New additions would need proper attention and I want to be sure we are available to give them that attention and establish a positive routine. I also need time to assemble building materials and accessories from an improved cavy condo. It seems every time I visit the forum I pick up some new condo ideas.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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All I can say is, both Mumu and Bella have left a lasting impression on your heart. And the legacy that they leave behind is your capacity and willingness to open your heart and your home to more little furballs. I'm sure your new additions, whenever they come home, will be met with love and devotion.
 

HunterRose13

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I wanted to take a moment to make it clear that my daughter never lost interest in Bella. She was never neglected and if anything was super spoiled. Through the trials and tribulations of high school, first boyfriend, and even the move to college Bella was there for my daughter and my daughter was there for her. Bella was definitely a momma's girl, but didn't mind me spoiling her. Bath time was a favorite for both of them. Bella meant more to my daughter than most people.

My daughter so much wanted to make it home to say good bye to her little girl. I am not sure the boyfriend fully grasped how much Bella meant to my daughter and I. He is respectful of my daughter (or fearful of me) and has tried to be understanding at least.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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I don't think any of us thought that. If anything, at least personally, I know I thought that your pigs were treasured members of the family.

That's why they are so loved, and why they are missed so terribly.
 

Lychee

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I'm sorry for your loss. As the others have said, it's good to hear that she spent quite a happy life with you!
 

HunterRose13

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It was difficult losing Mumu even though some time has passed. Losing Bella perhaps more so. Before Bella passed I swore I would never have another small, furry family member. A few days after though my heart had changed. I can never replace Bella and Mu and the impression they left will be with me for life. I read My Will and bawled my eyes out. I realized that somewhere there are piggies that need the opportunity that Bella and Mu had.

When the time is right I will start looking through the rescues and calling shelters. It would be selfish to bring piggies into the house right now, but as things settle from construction I will start looking. My daughter will be coming how for awhile and will be my partner in crime. This time it will be us smuggling piggies in rather than her and my other daughter.
 
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