[Gpdd] [MISC] - My first pig...

[Corinne Webb]

Hi all,

I don't often post, but read the gpdd avidly.  I love the stories and the 
advice given is great - I'm always learning!!

I thought I would let you know how my glorious guineas came into my life so 
here goes....

For my entire life I have had a special affinity with animals.  I always had 
various animals around when I was growing up, so when my husband and I moved 
into our first home together, I really missed having them around.  As we 
were renting back then, we couldn't have anything big.  My husband suggested 
gerbils - so we adopted Roger and Scampi - a black male and a white female.  
They were very special and used to free-range in our front room.  Together 
they produced 14 babies over 2 litters!!  These beautiful furries lived very 
full, but too short lives - Roger died at 3years and 9 months of age and I 
was devastated.  My friend suggested we give a guinea a home as they are 
cuddly.  Roger and I had a very cuddly relationship - he used to sit inside 
my sleeves for hours and sleep whilst I stroked and tickled his ears, so now 
he was gone I really missed the closeness.

Anyway, at that time we used to get our supplies for our little-ones from a 
small family-run pet shop.  The owners were excellent and always questioned 
potential buyers of their animals very closely.  That is where I met the pig 
who would change my life.  He was a small, ginger fuzzball with attitude who 
was sitting in the corner of his run just staring at me.  I didn't give in 
immediately, but by the next week I was smitten. So armed with a large 
indoor home (there was no-way any animal of mine was living outside), food 
and supplies and of course Mr Stanley Wire, we headed home.  Stan and me 
were best friends, he would spend most of his time free-ranging and 
following me about as I went about my chores.  He only liked to walk on 
carpet and would no-way venture onto the kitchen floor - he hated the lino!! 
  He used to lay flat-out on my chest for hours, right up by my chin.  When 
he needed to pee, he would kiss my chin or nose to let me know.  I'd pop him 
home, he'd then look up at me with his huge brown eyes when he was done, 
waiting to come back out again - of course he always got his own way!  He 
came running to me when I called out his name and wheeked back when I 
wheeked!

We got Stan a friend for company - Dr Douglas Longpooh (no guesses why he 
was called that!!!)however they lived separately as they didn't get on 
together.  Doug and Stan free-ranged with a partition between, but slept 
next to each other either side of the wire.  The rumble-strutting was soooo 
loud though!!

We lost Doug when he got a jaw abscess: he had it operated on and although I 
syringed it out every hour, it recurred.  Our vet at that time would not 
operate a 2nd time and suggested we let him go. He was 18 months old and 
died on xmas eve. (My husband and I wish we had found the CCT back then as I 
think Vedra could have saved him).

Stan was once again alone, so that's when The Great Gary Baldi  (so named 
due to the bald bits behind his ears!) joined him in his run.  They were 
best guinea friends!!

My husband and I were in Las Vegas on holiday (we live in Essex, England) 
when we got the call from my sister.  (She stays at our house caring for our 
little ones when we are away)  My beautiful Stanley had died.  I went 
hysterical and my husband was sobbing.  He had just passed away that 
afternoon - his eyes wide open with a mouthful of hay (as always - he was a 
huge pig and would have been a member of LAPS!!!) , laying in his favorite 
spot in his run.  He had not choked as his throat was clear- it was just his 
time to go.  I had him cremated and his ashes are in the garden with 
Douglas.

I'm sorry this post is so long - I'll cut the story short!!

Since then we have had Marvelous Marvin, Oscar Gordon Futtbury, Bradley Pigg 
and Leonard Walter Shuttlecock.

Gary, Oscar and Marv have gone to the Bridge now, but Brad an Len are 
sitting here in the front room with me as I type this, along with Jimmie the 
3-legged rat, Dinky and Rudy the gerbils and Mindy the rescued greyhound ( 
who incidentally, I trained to ignore all the little furries.  The guineas 
actually free-range around her and nibble her feet while she sleeps!!  She 
totally respects them and will move away to her bed if they upset her too 
much!!  They can't get to her there!)

I love our furry family so much and our guineas have, and will always have a 
special place in my heart.  I have a tattoo of Roger the gerbil on my back 
and Stanley's name tattooed in arabic on my left upper arm.  When I think of 
all our furries we have had over the years I get very emotional and I know 
you all appreciate where I'm coming from!!  Hope you have enjoyed my story.  
Here is a link to a picture of my Stanley with Gary.

http://snap34.photobox.co.uk/70905785f342f5ccd6761e8b0a0fc02568bd4ffabc9ca3856aae820f.jpg

Luv to all piggies out there and thinking of all sick piggies and their 
slaves.  I understand the pain of loss and the decision to sometimes let our 
bestest piggy-friends go to the Bridge.

Wheeks from the lads

Corinne xxx

In loving memory of :
Roger, Scampi, Jeremy, Sally, Ace, Lister, Criton, Shirley, Sharon,Sheila, 
Brownie, Snowball, Darren Colin, Billy, Tim-jama, Charlie, Sparkie, Elvis 
and The Loy  = GERBILS
DonDons, Dave, Birdie, Squeakie, Saltie and Vinnie = JIRDS
Georgie = BUDGIE
Henry, Tommy and Toffee = RATS
Mr Stanley Wire Esq, Dr Douglas Longpooh PLC, The Great Gary-Baldi, 
Marvelous Marvin, Oscar Gordon Futtbury = GORGEOUS GUINEAS

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