[Gpdd] Rainbow Bridge and New Additions!

[SgtMickey at aol.com]

Hi Everyone,
 
It's been awhile since I've checked in with the group but I'm still a  
faithful reader and my thoughts are with all of you who have had a piglet cross  
over the bridge.  I myself lost one of my dear buddies, my agouti rex  Lincoln 
passed away in early January.  I rescued him from the Vanderburgh  Humane 
Society in Evansville, IN nearly two years ago.  My thoughts are  that he was 
actually a lot older than they said he was at the time of his  surrender.  This is 
often the case with the smaller animals that are  surrendered to us (I work 
there too).  Often they come in and no one has a  clue of their age.  I'm 
saddened by my loss as Lincoln was my little buddy.  His only attachment was to me 
despite the fact that he peacefully coexisted with  my two other males from the 
VHS.  I was glad to have at least made the last  two years of his life happy 
and loved.
 
My other news is the fact that I have some new arrivals now.  Before  
Christmas a trio of pigs were surrendered to the shelter.  As it turned  out, one of 
the three was a she.  I fell in love with her instantly. She's  a beautiful 
blonde Abyssinian who I named Aurora (Rori for  short). She's a doll and loves 
to cuddle. She's my movie buddy as she'll  often lay with me on the couch while 
i watch a movie:) Three weeks ago, she  surprised me with three beautiful 
pups who have settled right into my  herd.  I've brought home females before that 
have been housed with  males.  This is the first time however that one 
actually had babies.   I'm really enjoying having the little ones and they seem to 
be quite happy as  well. I've handled them since day one and they are slowly 
learning that I'm  their human mom and that I love them.  

What I find most interesting  is that the matriarch of my herd of females, 
Calliope, went into a false  pregnancy as the result of Rori's real one.  This 
kind of gave me a bit  into Calliope's past as she is a rescue as well that 
I've had for a year  now:)  I noticed a lot of barbering of Calliope's fur.  I 
wasn't sure  if she was doing it or if Rori was.  I know that Gaea, my other 
female  wasn't doing it.  She's a coronet (also rescued from the VHS) and has  
enough hair to deal with.  When Rori had the pups, I was really surprised  when 
Calliope stepped in and was the surrogate mom to the pups. They even tried  to 
nurse from her.  It's been quite a learning experience.  One  that I only 
recommend for the master guinea pig owners.  Newbies will  probably pull their 
hair out too.
 
Anyway, that's my story.  My herd is up to 8 now.  Boys and girls  are of 
course separate now.  8 is enough:)
Hope you all are well and that you're piglets are up to no good:)
 
Sydney &
Bentley, Cooper, Aspen, Calliope, Gaea, Rori, Athena and  Aura



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