The Pigglingtons

piggieminder said:
Thank you everyone for your kind concern.
We were having a new kitchen and bathroom, both have serious plumbing problems and hadn't been touched for at least 30 years. On Monday the car broke down, we very unexpectedly need a new one. We've had to cancel the bathroom and kitchen probably until next year. I felt so disappointed, I hate cars, we tried to manage without one 2 years ago and after 3 months we realised we couldn't.
No one died, we will survive even if the plumbing leaks. Luckily I hadn't accepted any quotes or ordered anything so I can put 3 weeks of kitchen and tile tracking down to experience. Maybe we will go back to plan A and just move! These things happen for a reason, I've lived through much much worse.
The upside is I have a new furry friend. If we were having the building work done I wouldn't have agreed to take him.
We walked over to B&Q just now and bought a sheet of Corex. I had his cage on a plastic sheet, this is what I always use for temporary cages, little B discovered he could push the grids around and pee on the floor. I stepped in a big puddle with bare feet. As everything he goes near has to be binned or disinfected with F10 until I'm convinced he's ringworm free, it's not a good idea to have a mobile cage. New liner assembled and attached to the grids, room sprayed with F10, I'm exhausted, this little piggy is very hard work.
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That should fettle the little monkey!
 
My partner took some pictures this morning, he kept calling him Badger so it looks like we have a name change! He seems to suit Badger better than Bobby!

IMG_5950.webp I hate this bathing business, but not enough to not eat grass.

IMG_5955.webpAren't I just adorable?

IMG_5956.webpI am not amused.

IMG_5957.webpNope, I don't want to get rinsed off.

IMG_5969.webpBack home, why'd you do that to me hooman?
 
Badger's personality is so much like Caspy's, he does make me laugh. I think he's meant to be here.
If we had better public transport we wouldn't need a car. Bristol is very car unfriendly and yet does nothing to make life without one easier. We are having bus routes cut now when they should have been expanded. I can no longer get to the station by bus, luckily I'm still fit enough to walk the 5 miles. I can't bear the thought of not being able to see my family, other than my daughter in Wales who I can see by train, the rest are all impossible to get to without a car. We will probably start the new car hunt next week, although I'm not looking forward to it! I don't care what it is, I don't drive it, it just needs to work and be a red one. The red bit is even more difficult than the working bit, I've always wanted a red car, I'm going to throw all my toys out the pram and insist on it this time.
 
piggieminder said:
Badger's personality is so much like Caspy's, he does make me laugh. I think he's meant to be here.
If we had better public transport we wouldn't need a car. Bristol is very car unfriendly and yet does nothing to make life without one easier. We are having bus routes cut now when they should have been expanded. I can no longer get to the station by bus, luckily I'm still fit enough to walk the 5 miles. I can't bear the thought of not being able to see my family, other than my daughter in Wales who I can see by train, the rest are all impossible to get to without a car. We will probably start the new car hunt next week, although I'm not looking forward to it! I don't care what it is, I don't drive it, it just needs to work and be a red one. The red bit is even more difficult than the working bit, I've always wanted a red car, I'm going to throw all my toys out the pram and insist on it this time.
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Good luck on the red car hunt.
 
Seeing the new Red Eyed Club on the Forum has reminded me I promised my partner if we ever had another piggy it would have his favourite red eyes. Our piggies have mostly chosen us, not having red eyes has not been a conscious decision. Just realised Badger has black eyes so I apologised to him that we still don't have his red eyed boy. He said "never mind Badger needs a friend". I have a feeling life is conspiring against me. Bye bye sofa!
 
VickiA said:
Good luck on the red car hunt.
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He disappeared early this morning on his bike and came home on a test drive to show me his dream vehicle. Well I did say I didn't care what is was as long as it's red! He's found a van he's "always wanted a van and it will come in really useful, and it is red". We are getting to the age where the dreams we had and haven't yet lived are out of reach, so if he can have this wish, who I am to say no? I can just about get out of it although the descent is hardly lady like, must remember not to get in the cab wearing a skirt! Most men going through a age related crisis want a sports car or something flashy, I get the one who wants a van. :dri::))
 
A van is really very practical. You’ll never have to worry about whether you’ve bought too much stuff to fit in the boot. And there will always be room for piggy cages if you need to move them anywhere. Win win!
 
On Wednesday Bobby, Badger now Bertie had been here a week. I decided it was too hot upstairs for him despite all the usual keeping the house cool attempts. Downstairs in the front the house stays reasonable without much effort so I risked moving Bertie downstairs with the other piggies. It's over a month since he finished his ringworm treatment and 3 months since he's been with another guinea pig. I've bathed him in case of any spores staying in his hair, the risk of him carrying something in is probably less than him getting heatstroke upstairs at the moment. If they all get sick I will have to deal with it. I am so pleased I moved him, he is absolutely loving being with other guinea pigs, he is chattering and zooming all the time until he falls asleep. There is a definite sigh of relief all round when the little one sleeps.
At the moment he is occupying part of Red and Brillo's walk way so he has contact through the bars until I can either bond him with one of the other's or work out how we can fit in a cage big enough for him and a friend. Bonding him will depend how excitable and humpy he is as the two old boys both have arthritis in their spines and neither are very tolerant, I don't hold out a lot of hope to be honest.

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Bertie is probably the last name change! He didn't suit Badger, my partner didn't like Bobby, it has associations. From the front with that white stripe between the black he does look a bit like a Liquorish Allsort! Maybe when/if he gets a friend he will suit Basset or Wooster.
 
The big boys are playing mean tonight, every time Bertie goes up to the bars to say hello they turn their backs and walk away. It's driving him mad.
Red has taught him to bite the bars, that didn't take long. :hb:
Bertie took a bit of cucumber from me this morning, that's an improvement on yesterday when he expected me to hold it while he nibbled!
 
Bertie is such a handsome chap, like the new name it suits him too. Love it that he has new friends to chat to 😊 although the bar biting is a new trick you don’t want, all my four have learnt to bite the bars, thanks Hectir!
 
Tried Bertie and Red together, unfortunately it was a no go. Bertie was mounting Red non stop, he would run the length of the pen and leap on Red so I stopped it after half an hour. Red has arthritis in his spine and knees so he really doesn't need to be jumped on. Brillo's arthritis is even worse so I shan't attempt him with Bertie. I'm not too concerned about finding Bertie a friend at the moment, he's about 5 months so very hormonal. He has two through the bars friends who are keeping him entertained so it may be a better idea to let him get through the teenage stage first.
Brillo has been having a bad day today so he's had Gabapentine as well as his Metacam. It's hard seeing him like that and I get close to making the decision to let him go and then he'll rally, now he's rumble strutting Red at the grids and doing little popcorns. Good stuff that Gabapentine!
Bertie is such a live wire, he makes us laugh with his 360 turns and zoomies. He's taking food from my hands now and ever now and then if I'm sitting still he will peer through his cage at me.
Timmy and Freddie are still together despite their rocky start. They get very excited when the hear the floor dwelling trio rumbling at each other. They can't see what's going on from up on their table.
 
Hoping Brillo has a better day tomorrow, sounds like the Gabapentine has worked well and he has gained a spring in his step
Sorry it didn’t work out with Bertie and Red, but has has friends all around him to keep him company x
 
I'd been hoping for the best but preparing myself for the worst as far as Bertie's ringworm went. He's been clear for a month on Wednesday last so I was just beginning to relax. Last night he had a weepy sore on his ear, I bathed it with saline and felt all round the cage but couldn't find a sharp bit anywhere. Knowing ringworm can start like that I went to bed expecting to be ringing the vet this morning. This morning it's bloomed up, I don't need a vet to tell me it's ringworm even if I didn't know his history. :hb: I've had a chat with the receptionist at the vets who talked to the vet for me. I can't get an appointment until Monday afternoon unfortunately, I would have liked to start them all on Intrafungal today. The vet has agreed to just see Bertie, I am to take up to date weights for the others so they can have treatment as well just in case.
He's been so happy being able to interact with the other's so I'm not going to isolate him, can't see much point really if they are going to get it they will by now. I have moved him back a bit from them so they aren't touching noses through the grids but as it's air borne it's a token gesture. I've just cleaned the cages out with liberal amounts of F10, washed myself with F10 and sprayed the floor with F10. I can't stop itching, this is worse than when the children had head lice many moons ago, my head itched so much I convinced myself I had them too!
I can't regret taking him, he's such a lovely character. I can't bear to think what could have happened to him if he'd gone to an inexperienced home that didn't know his history or about guinea pigs. He could have been left until he started fitting, it could have been too late. I only knew about the ringworm because I asked about his health history, it wouldn't have been volunteered.
 
I’m sorry to hear it’s back. Hopefully you’ll have it under control soon. He most definitely landed on his paws with you 😍
 
Oh that’s rotten luck. Ringworm is such an irritating condition. It looks like it’s gone then it reads it’s ugly head again. Hope everyone is soon sorted.
 
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