[Gpdd] Health - Longevity

[Janelle]

Thanks, Cuttlefish, for the insight on the life span of gp's.  When I first started reading the GPDD, I believed everything was the gospel truth!  But people can be wrong.  I had an Aby that lived to be 9, so I thought Aby's tended to live the longest.  I bought her from a pet store in 1969.  Don't yell at me, people, BUT I DID EVERYTHING WRONG!!!!!!!  Gp's were VERY rare around Oregon then and there wasn't much info on them.  But I was just nine years old, so I doubt I would have read any books about them anyway.  I had 13 gp's and bred them.

Here are some of the horrible things I did:

I kept them outside with only a light bulb to keep them warm in the Winter.
I way over bred my beautiful Aby.  As soon as the babies were weaned I'd breed her again.
I kept them all on wire mesh.
I NEVER gave them any hay.
They had an upper wooden platform and ramp and I was always having to replace it.  I now know they were chewing it because they needed to wear down their teeth.
I gave them an apple or carrot once in a while.  I gave them TONS of iceberg lettuce and lawn clippings in the Summer.  That's it!
I gave them generic pellets that came from a pet store in a bin.  I have no idea if there was any Vit. C in there.

What can I say except that I was young and stupid!

I never took any for a Vet visit, but they all lived pretty long lives.  They were extremely lucky.  My Aby was the first piggie I bought and the last one to die.  If I could only go back and do things over.  I feel so guilty.

Anyway, I guess I'm the poster child as for what NOT to do concerning your piggies.

And I'm still very curious about the gp that lived to be 14 years old.  I have SO MANY questions to ask that gp's slave!  Does anyone know anything about this?

Janelle