tlcwrites
Mama Doe
Parsley, one of my mum's two guinea pigs, fell unwell about a week ago. I tried my best to help him out with limited resources, but he lost his will to live on Friday just gone.
When we got him, mum was mourning the loss of two previous pigs: Sammy and Kovu. Kovu was a shop-pig who died after about 6 months, quite unexpectedly. Sam was a P@H boy who mum fell in love with, and really was her soul-piggie. No other pig has lived up to him and I don't think any really will, though not for want of her trying.
However, this is Parsley pig's post: Mum only wanted one when she went to choose him, but ended up with two young boars: Sage and Parsley. One was from an intentional litter, the other accidental, which meant the lady and her son had two mixed litters together at the time. We picked out the boys, took them home.
Whilst Mum never bonded with Parsley the way she had with Sam, she still got joy out of watching the boys in their living room cage. There was never quite enough space for the two of them in their cage (albeit one of the largest indoor cages on the market), and I always tried to encourage Mum to pay more attention to them and give them more space. It fell on deaf ears, and the guinea pigs were always more mine and my brother's responsibility.
Parsley could be a very charming fellow. He was more outgoing with people than Sage is, but was also more reserved. Parsley spent most of his time hiding in a little blue igloo whilst Sage chilled in the hay. He would always give you the runaround when it was time to catch him for cuddles, or claw clipping, or clean out day. However, he would also sit quite happily once he was out and accept strokes. However, my attention for him was limited: I had my rabbits to attend to. But I did what I could when I could.
However, Mum decided she wanted them out of the house, so we had to move the boys outside. My OH affixed a 4ft apex run we got with my dear Nessarose (obviously too small for a bun!) to a 4ft hutch (which used to be sweet Galinda's). This was the day Parsley decided he'd had enough. His breathing was growing laboured, and Mum and I sat with him as he passed. He wouldn't have made it to the vet in time to make his passing easier: he was so frail and I could see his time was up.
Parsley is survived by Sagey-boy. Sage seems quite content as a solo boar and will be my mum's last guinea pig. Parsley has been buried just in front of Sage's new hutch complex. Sage is settling in well now and seems more cheerful now. He and Parsley always rubbed along together ok, but were never the best of buddies.
Poor Parsley: I don't think you were ever appreciated enough by Mum, or anyone really, but I did keep trying to fight for you. Popcorn free, little man. x
Both photos are from their early days:
Parsley
With Sage
When we got him, mum was mourning the loss of two previous pigs: Sammy and Kovu. Kovu was a shop-pig who died after about 6 months, quite unexpectedly. Sam was a P@H boy who mum fell in love with, and really was her soul-piggie. No other pig has lived up to him and I don't think any really will, though not for want of her trying.
However, this is Parsley pig's post: Mum only wanted one when she went to choose him, but ended up with two young boars: Sage and Parsley. One was from an intentional litter, the other accidental, which meant the lady and her son had two mixed litters together at the time. We picked out the boys, took them home.
Whilst Mum never bonded with Parsley the way she had with Sam, she still got joy out of watching the boys in their living room cage. There was never quite enough space for the two of them in their cage (albeit one of the largest indoor cages on the market), and I always tried to encourage Mum to pay more attention to them and give them more space. It fell on deaf ears, and the guinea pigs were always more mine and my brother's responsibility.
Parsley could be a very charming fellow. He was more outgoing with people than Sage is, but was also more reserved. Parsley spent most of his time hiding in a little blue igloo whilst Sage chilled in the hay. He would always give you the runaround when it was time to catch him for cuddles, or claw clipping, or clean out day. However, he would also sit quite happily once he was out and accept strokes. However, my attention for him was limited: I had my rabbits to attend to. But I did what I could when I could.
However, Mum decided she wanted them out of the house, so we had to move the boys outside. My OH affixed a 4ft apex run we got with my dear Nessarose (obviously too small for a bun!) to a 4ft hutch (which used to be sweet Galinda's). This was the day Parsley decided he'd had enough. His breathing was growing laboured, and Mum and I sat with him as he passed. He wouldn't have made it to the vet in time to make his passing easier: he was so frail and I could see his time was up.
Parsley is survived by Sagey-boy. Sage seems quite content as a solo boar and will be my mum's last guinea pig. Parsley has been buried just in front of Sage's new hutch complex. Sage is settling in well now and seems more cheerful now. He and Parsley always rubbed along together ok, but were never the best of buddies.
Poor Parsley: I don't think you were ever appreciated enough by Mum, or anyone really, but I did keep trying to fight for you. Popcorn free, little man. x
Both photos are from their early days:
Parsley
With Sage
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