Animals 29 - 32 (Page 8)

Charlotte was pregnant when she was rescued and Muffy is one of her piglets. Charlotte had the piglets on a freezing January afternoon in a small dog house and then she was moved to the barn with the piglets to keep her from crushing them. Muffy crawled out of the warm nest and was found ice–cold in the morning. She was placed on a heating pad and rubbed until she began to “come back to life.” She had nerve damage that resulted in tremors and a white spot in her eye, so she couldn’t go back with her siblings and was consequently bottle–fed. All her siblings were adopted, but because she had health problems, Cathy kept Muffy. She is completely healthy now and is sweet as can be.

Nigel, our very first pig, the only pig we ever purchased, came from a breeder. We picked him up when he was 8 weeks old. The next couple weeks were a nightmare. He oinked for what seemed like 24 hours a day non-stop, and followed us everywhere. We knew nothing about pigs and every day was a different deal. But he put up with us, we learned, and he’s been a real joy for his thirteen and a half years. He's slowing down, but still comes up the ramp and spends his afternoons in the house. He’s our Nigel Pigasso.

It is with very great sadness that we had to say good bye to Nigel. He had tusk and jaw abscesses that we kept under contro with antibiotics for as long as we could. He was Ercell’s special buddy and spent evenings on the floor with Ercell sharing whatever food Ercell had: pita chips, popcorn, crackers, etc. He slept in the house during his last year in a pile of blankets and comforters. He would have been sixteen on October 10th. Good bye Nigel; we love you!

Sweet and adoptable (she is featured on the Adoptions page), Nikki is a wonderful pig. She’s quick and smart as a whip. Definitely a people–oriented pig, she is good with children as well as adults. She’s seven years old, but acts much younger with her natural curiosity and energy. Eva is especially fond of her.

Nikki was adopted by a wonderful family in Los Banos. She has lots of room and lots of animals for friends. Eva and Ercell visited her and she is very, very happy now!

Omar was Pam’s special baby. She brought him from the Northwest in her lap and he was with her for about two years. He came to us when a neighbor complained about his squealing. He’s also one of the four house pigs. Since he has never gotten past the sibling rivalry with the other house pigs, he has his time alone in the house, which was what he wanted in the first place. He lays on the rug with Eva in the afternoon for book reading and a nap, then decides when it’s time to go to the side–yard for grazing. Omar can open anything: gates, zippers, purses, whatever. He could have been a safe cracker. If we’d only known that, he could have supported Belly Draggers!