A tale of one pig...and his new found slave!

[Fred_and_co]

It all started with an accidental visitor to Pets at Home.

I saw the most stunning piggy. With a notice "needs home with someone who has time". At 18 months. He looked terrified and miserable I had to have him!

Introducing Fred.



Who could possibly not love him?

I now had my first ever pig! Was I prepared for what would happen next?!

[chataignon]

I like seeing new Chronicles threads.

He is such a cutie, I can't wait to see/hear more!

[JaneDoe]

Welcome!

[Fred_and_co]

Thank you for the lovely welcome, I'm not very good at stories but I am trying :)!

Fred was home.

I got Fred home, he was a lovely boar, but absolutely terrified, he spent his time hiding in his house. I never seen him :(. I had planned Fred to be a lone pig, as he was already on his own, so I'm sure he could live happily.

I tried to interact with Fred as much as I could he just wasn't interested, we would have laptime together which consisted of my man Freezing. He never made a sound, there was no wheeks for veg. There was no piggy coming to get his veg. If it wasn't for the fact his veg was gone when I got home, I would have argued there was no pig! He never ever explored his cage when I was home :(.

Laptime...



Fred was so small weighing 839grams.

I knew I had to do something, but what?!

[Sidera17]

Oh Fred! He had big cheeks!

[Fred_and_co]

He has model cheek bones haha!! Thats why he's so skinny he's going for the size 0 look!! *Rolleyes*.

Surprise visitor?

[Fred_and_co]

Marvin... a 10 week boar i got from a breeder to befriend Fred. As I could not find a baby boar anywere. I was desperate.

Marvin and Fred hit it off, all was well... Until I put them in the cage. Fred started chattering (deafening and lunging), Marvin was Squealing it was awful!!

I had to separate... Now what?!!

[CavyPrincesses]

You got them a bigger cage hehe I love Fred! I'm surprised you call an 839 pig a skinny pig. My girls are just somewhere around 800+ at 6 months :(

[chataignon]

Marvin is quite handsome.

[pigjes]

Such sweeties!!!

[Fred_and_co]

Cavyprincess, thats a good weight for your girls, I call Fred a skinny pig because he is a fully grown Boar and they are normally bigger.

Thank you for all the nice comments :). Marvin was a cheeky chap.

Re-introductions

After my first failed attempt I decided to redo the bonding once more, it was the only option.

First time round I did it in the bath, so I decided bigger space was needed. Bathroom floor :)!!

I left them both on the bathroom floor, with food, water and of course hay for 36 hours.

All went well.. and they were introduced to the cage!!

[Fred_and_co]

Bathtime fun

[Sidera17]

Oh, they're so cuddly!

[Fred_and_co]

Sadly it wasn't to be

Marvin and Fred lived happily for 4 weeks, and then it became very apparent there was problems.

My first sign of concern was noticing my Fred would literally leap out Marvin road to avoid him. This I thought was odd, since Fred should have been the dominate one. I noticed Fred never won, and always backed down. I figured this was fine aslong as someone was submitting. Every so often they would end up in entwined balls of fur, even with there cage which was massive about 15 square feet!

Wounds started appearing on Fred, but I couldn't understand it as I had never seen them fighting. I thought it was mites and the wounds were self inflicted both pigs were treated. That didn't help.

It wasn't until one morning I was getting ready for work that I witnessed Marvin turn round and bite Fred for no apparent reason. I immediately grabbed Fred out to have a look, and sure enough it was a bite. My poor boy would not stop squeaking he was clearly upset!

It got worse after that....

[Sidera17]

Oh, poor Fred and his fat little cheeks! :(

[Fred_and_co]

The straw that broke the camels back

The Final straw came in the form of entwinded furballs. After doing much research and lots of stress, I came to the conclusion a vet visit was in order. Thinking back it was stupid, I should have separated them but I never.

I decided I would take them both to the vet together, it would prove as a bonding experience both pigs in neutral ground would be disorientated, and I was hoping they would bond though fear.

Sadly this is not how it worked, I put them in the carrier, didn't get the box closed when Marvin lunged and my poor baby was entwinded in balls of fury, I grabbed my jacket and threw it over them, and ripped them apart. Poor Fred was cut, Marvin was perfect.

That was it, this was not a decision made lightly...

Freds wound, he had many others but this was the worst and this was a week after the wound had happened. It was healing nicely.



I separated them...

This picture was took after Fred's ordeal



He was clearly traumatised, I spent all my time with him cuddling him, bonding with him. Me and Fred became very close I was his protector, he is my baby, how could I have not seen what was going on. I spent all my free time with my pigs. I knew there was tention between them but I thought it would be fine, we would get though it.

Sadly the next decision I made is one of my biggest regrets.

[Fred_and_co]

The bullying

I blamed myself how could I have missed the signs, Fred starting chattering to me more all the time, he began to feel safe with me.

I realised all the things I thought was cute, was Marvin showing Fred he was boss, and he was giving Fred constant reminders. He would take his food, Fred would try and get it back but he was terrified you could tell.

Marvin then took up, sitting under the bridge, everytime Fred went to his house Marvin would be waiting to pounce. Fred then began sitting under the bridge all the time and Marvin would sit on top to stop him getting out.

What kind of a life was this for my poor boy, who wants to live with a bully, would I like too live my life on eggshells.

After separating them, Marvin locked in the cage and Fred in the run, Marvin spent his time clucking and chattering at Fred though the bars it was awful, he was still bullying him the only difference was he couldn't hurt Fred.

I felt bad for both Fred and Marvin neither was happy!

[Sidera17]

Poor boys. Boys are so difficult sometimes.

[Fred_and_co]

Rookie Mistake

Sadly Marvin had to be rehomed :(, he was neutered and paired with a girly much to his happiness and he and his Missy have there own room!!

That left my Fred... He still needed a friend, I spent as much time as I could with him, he reverted back to his old ways, and I knew he would benefit from a friend but I couldn't risk another boar. I couldn't get him neutered so I was a bit stumped as too what to do.

Plan!!

I phoned every rescue in the uk, looking for a spayed sow, Then I phoned Rugby Rabbit and guinea pig welfare, in England. As I heard they neutered all sows.

When I called, I explained my situation and how I lived in Belfast, Tracey told me they didn't neuter in the winter.. Then she said I have 2 sows, looking for a home.... Bingo!!

Introducing the most gorgeous girlies ever!!



Deposit paid... homecheck awaiting... collecting them... AH!!

I managed to get my girlies piggy trained to Glasgow, A girl on the rabbit forum collected them from rugby and dropped them off in Telford were they stayed over night... to be dropped off in Glasgow at my parents.

Temp home Telford, with Alex... my first pictures.






Glasgow's temp home :)...


It was amazing how random stranger helped me and I did the last leg myself, I came to Glasgow to collect them and take them home to Belfast.



Intro's were totally uneventful...

My trio!! (First Picture)

[Tammy]

Fred looks like a happy man!