Over time I gradually followed the process described in the options section for introducing adult boars. This really paid off as Prince & Spam now live happily together.
Spam is friendly to humans & to other guinea pigs. Sometimes I wonder if living with a rabbit has confused him as he really doesn't seem to know he is a guinea pig at all. He doesn't ever give Prince any cheek, no rumble strutting, teeth chattering, gurring nothing. He is happy to be under pig... which looks really odd considering he is so much bigger!
Spam was recently ill & lost a little weight. It turned out to be a loose incisor which actually then dropped out. Luckily guinea pigs grown these back & within a week it was fully grown. He is now on top form again.
These are the most recent Spam pics. He is cute as ever! Here he is posing with a pig & a tin of Spam, his namesake!
A Sad departure
Sadly Prince and Spam's friendship had to come to an end... as they were parted with the death of Prince due to illness on the 22nd of October 2005. This was a sad day for all concerned. Spam has so far taken the loss of his buddy, who he cuddled up to and kept warm in his last days, well. He is been monitored closely.. and will at some point in the future be introduced to one of the other Boars here... being so friendly he is likely to accept them. We will Keep you updated on Spam here.
Left: he looks cute hiding in a scarf.
Finding Friendship again...
Not long after the death of Prince we took the painful decision of moving on, for Spam's sake with the introductions.
Its was an exciting prospect but also tinged with sadness.
Being such a social pig we felt Spam would be likely to accept another adult boar, but the very thought of it really hurt, as if some other pig could take 'Prince's place' in his affections. Well Saturday night after Prince was gone he was looking a little fed up. And we thought we ought to put that aside and think about what is best for Spam... and likely what Prince would want.
And there was Bubba, living next door. a lovely friendly pig who I've wanted to pair up since his arrival but was reluctant to try him with Hugo or Rainbow given their track records. I did try him with Hugo at one point but he was chasing him around and pushing him away from food etc so I decided it wasn't fair on Bubba.
Anyway, I decided to give Spam and Bubba a cuddle together, the first step towards introducing two adult boars as in this case since they would be already familiar with each others smell living side by side.
Left: The moment was on Camera. As you can see it went very well... but of course usually this stage does even if the two won't get on.
Next they had a few hours of floor time... Here are their first steps!
Above right: With the usual bum sniffs... And Below: ...marking with scent!
Bubba seems to have emerged as boss, as expected as you may have gathered from reading about Spam. The pair even had a little nap together under the clothes horse where they like to sit because its dark on their first run out.
They were then put in a fully clean temporary cage... with was placed in our bedroom at night and in the living room in the day. It was half-term so we were off work and able to keep a close eye on the boys who have lived together for a week now. We wouldn't have had same opportunity for 8 weeks or so... so we had to try now.
Its went so well, not the same as Prince and Spam but a whole different dynamic. Prince and Spam were opposites and that's how it worked so well, Bubba and Spam are strikingly similar in temperament.. yet it still seems to work some how. Its been good for us all. The pair lived hapily together for over 3 months and were firm friends.
All this may make it sound simple... but its not! We know the personalities of these pigs inside out so had an idea of their compatibility before trying this. If you have two boars you think may also be compatible please check out our Options section and follow the careful procedure outlines their which will give you the best chance of success and keep your piggy's safe!
A Sad Goodbye...
On January the 4th 2006 I came home to find Spam very ill with a dirty bottom & lack of mobility, crying with pain. Tragically he died while I was trying to sort out what to do. It was a great shock. He was at least 4 year old... still very young really... and had been very full of life earlier in the day.
Spam will be a hard act for any pig to follow. I have 3 other very special pigs in Bubba, Hugo and Rainbow but no other piggy could come close to Spam in my esteem. He didn't really know he was a guinea pig. He never even strutted at another pig and I always thought of him as my baby. I think its a true crime that there are no baby Spams out there to carry on his special magic!
He was amazing. Its hard to believe I'm never going to see him again.
Spam- I know I will miss you everyday of my life. I loved the way that when I sat at the computer desk with you on my lap and my feet up you would wander down my legs and sprawl right out over me under that table.... and the way you would nibble my nose (and chin if I said ow to the nose!) and if I set you on my chest... and nibble my finger just to see what it tasted like.
I will miss your wheeking punctuating the day... and nobody gets even half as excited as you did at meal times! I will miss the joy of you running around the living room on your floor time, your bum taking sometime to catch up with the rest of your body. I will even miss the nibble marks in my school work from when it was on the floor when you were!
The first day I saw you I thought you were the most gorgeous pig I ever saw! Those huge eyes! I was so proud of the way you got on with first Prince, then Bubba.
really hope that you are somewhere else now, with Prince, and that I will see you again one day. I hope that place is as nice as you deserve. Thankyou for two years of happiness and love. You were truely a little ray of sunshine- so friendly to everyone who knew you... pigs and people. I hope you enjoyed spending the rest of your life here as much as we enjoyed having you. And thank you for the beautiful beautiful pictures. I will treasure them always and look fondly upon you whenever I am sad, just as I held you in life when I needed comfort.
Sleep tight my beautiful angel
love forever Mummy xxxx
Visit the Spam Pigture Gallery to see more snaps of Spam!
