Belle and Jacks first major storm

Yesterday afternoon the storm came before I could get home so Belle was outside in the mess. Thank God she has an igloo dog house and half the yard is covered but she did some fussing. Jack could careless. Lol. Belle is having a blast in the mud today though. So I think her opinion on rain is changing.

Belle

Well I know it's been a while but Jack and Belle are doing very well. I tried giving Jack a pool but he made such a mess with it and it made the mud stink. He is weighing about 30-40 pounds.

Belle is still about the size of a medium sized dog. She has remained so spoiled even though I lost the potty training battle. She has adapted to being outside most of the day and night. She still walks side by side with me while outside and waits at the door to come in. She always has an afternoon fruit cocktail along with her favorite dog food in the house. She is so fantastic and such a miracle I could never "farm" her. Ihad to find a permanent home for her. So I emailed a friend who will take her with living arms.

This will be so bitter sweet for me, but I know it's best for Belle. I love her enough to let her go but I know that I will cry but she will be so happy.

She no longer cries when I put her out she likes it! Well I will keep you all posted on her journey.

Belle is giving me a run for my money!

Belle was learning to potty on dog potty pads... Until I realized it was leaking through! Wow! That was awful! So now we have created a litter box with pine shavings and a sweater box. It seems to be working. Thank goodness! Now the question begins to cross my mind... What are we going to do with Belle as she continues to grow? I know that she will grow to a whopping 300 pounds by adulthood, so her remaining in my house potty trained or not is pretty much out the question. I love her so much more than I ever dreamed I could have and I can't bare to part with her. I hAve one thing in mind and it might require a serious road trip as soon as summer hits.
Oh and she walked on her pretty pink leash today... She was not so happy about it. But she will like it I think! Lol

Belle is taking over!

Belle is growing and learning her way around the house very well. We are working on appropriate social skills and for a pig well let's just say it is a challenge! She has discovered the dog bed and this is where she sleeps
Nice and quietly too! She rathers catfood than pig food. She runs from one end of the house to another very quickly and loves to flip around any flip flops in her path.

She understands what an alarm clock is for; however, she seems to lack understanding of the meaning of SNOOZE! As she cries at my bedroom door the second the alarm clock goes off:)

ITS WORSE Than having a TWO year old!

Belle is almost 4 months old and is certainly giving me a run for my money! All she hears is "stop", " no don't chew on that!", " Belle, don't poop out your box", "get back in your box"! Whew! She is so funny. She walks nowhere and runs all over as fast as she can. Then she gets tired and falls asleep at my feet. Also in the morning, she lays on top of my feet as I stand at the sink. Then she tortures the cat and the dog until she is completely exhausted.

Over the weekend we did put her outside for a few hours and she whined about it. So her dad went out and she followed him step for step back to her comfy house, no leash or carrying required. Awe my sweet,sweet, Belle!

Jack is doing fabulous and beautiful. He is about to get a pool cause he needs one. He plays hide-n-seek with his food bowls in the hay. It makes me very nervous as it is snake season now. He still loves his rub downs and afternoon visits. His momma still loves him too! The adventure continues...

Doubled in size

My sweet little Belle has doubled in size. She no longer needs a heating pad anymore and eats a lot. She fusses alot to be with us in the general house. She is pretty well behaved but does get into trouble every now and then. Last night I caught her trying to pull a lamp off the table so I guess I need to pig proof my house Lol. I can honestly say that Gerber baby Rice Cereal and goats milk has helped her survival rate from 16% to 100% and she continues to be growing strong with the addition of Gerber Sweetpotatoes and apples complimenting the cereal. What most people dont know is baby pigs are often anemic and that will cause them to have serious health problems even death! The Gerber rice cereal had enough iron that it sustained the pigs quiet well and I did not have to supplement with iron shots as the vet thought I might have to do.

Kennedy also came home with pet clothes and I'm interested to see how well Belle is going to take to her new look! Pics coming soon!

Belle gets a pretty pink harness and leash

Well, it has been bitter sweet this week... Belle has finally become a big girl and has weaned from her bottle. She continues on a diet of Goats milk, Gerber Baby Rice cereal, with some Gerber baby food; as well as pig food, Purina Beyond Cat Food, and sweet feed. Lol she is growing more stubborn by the day lol. I bought her a pink harness which she wears proudly and we are leash training.

Interestingly enough, she has potty trained herself and does not go on my floors! She's just fabulous and weighing 5 pounds now! Jack is doing great too!

Belle visits with Chi Chi the Chiuhahua

Saturday Belle finally got to play with someone her own size. My dad's wifes Chiuhahua, Chi Chi. It was hysterically funny. They played until Belle wore out. Belle is now weighing a whopping 4 pounds! She is such a good pig. This weekend she will get a harness so she can come with me all over as she likes to do. She is no longer pottying in the house. It is truly amazing how smart she is.

Jack is growing so rapidly. He lets me know his bowls are empty by piling them neatly against the gate. All inside each other. He is still a sweet boy.

Belle visited with Jack today!

It is amazing to see the difference between the two in size. It is amazing to see the two interact as they can only do so under strict supervision! Jack had her sopping wet by the time the play date was over, he followed her step for step and licked all over her! Lol. Then he wanted to play and when that happens they put the snout under and lift which means toss. So after this the visit was over for the day. He is about six times her size!

Belle weighed in today at 2.8 pounds. She runs around the house and skids around every corner! We tried to get her to drink from the bowl again and she is not having it at all! She is also affectionate and if you don't give her the affection she will rub on your shoe or chair. Sooo cute!

Belle goes camping and Jack doubles his size

Belle came with us to Land of Lakes Plantation. She was the most demanding of all the children there. Lol she is doing Well and growing some. She is now at the 2 pound mark. The people there had a litter of piglets that were 10 days old and the same size as Belle!

She is still on the bottle and six weeks old. I'm not sure how to ween her cause I keep trying to make her try to lick out of a bowl. She is not having any part of that at all!

Jack is doing beautifully! He weighs about 10-15 pounds now and is such a sweetie. I visit and scratch his belly everyday! Happy Mardi GRAS from the deep south!

Belle and Jack lets just say....Brat Pigs

Belle has learned how to Ask for other things besides food. Lol she has figured out how to demand to be pet under her chin. I watched her nudgeKevin on the foot and look up at the sofa. So I watched her repeat this action two more times... I nudged Kevin to see if he saw what I was seeing. In fact she was asking to get on the sofa. Ha go figure.

Jack is just loving our afternoon visits and almost falls on his side when he sees me!

Belle got a bath

Well today was the day, it was time for Belle's first bath. The neighbors down the block are probably wondering wth is going on in this house. She did not mind the water but did not want me touch her. Lol Huge note to self... Wear ear plugs as I'm certain I have suffered permanent hearing loss! She feels better and smells really good too.

Belle became a sofa piglet today

Well today was another day that was amazing to me. I learned that Belle now likes to be a lap pig. She enjoys a rub on the belly and it is like it is hypnotic. I had her in my lap for several hours. Well actually she floated between Kevin and I as we were so amazed by her behavior today. She stayed on the sofa with her daddy for sometime and laid with him. She is becoming so social. This weekend I'm going to buy her a harness and leash.

Jack is just a little playful boy that is leaning to love his human mom. I am so happy to have had this incredible experience and am so looking forward to what they bring to my life. I'm a little concerned as this is the first rainy weather in which he is outside. I'm sure he is in his dog/pig house snuggled in hay. He will enjoy the mud tomorrow though. Lord I hope his yard can handle it! Lol

Belle knows where to go

I wish I had a camera in my house so everyone could see how Belle has adapted to house living. She does very well out her box. If anyone is in the kitchen she peels out trying to get there very fast. She begins to oink at you if you are anywhere in the vacinity of the sink be ready for her to jump up on your leg and oh that little mouth can holler! When done eating she finds her heating pad and curls up to sleep until next bottle. She's almost better than a dog!

Found out today that Rosey and Bull have a brand new home with someone who loves animals as much as I do. She is bathing and bottle feeding them. I'm so happy. Jack and I have spent some quality time with Jack over the past few days and he will almost walk up to me now where before he would run and hide behind or in the wallaby pouch we hung from the fence. Lol. Belle is more and more social and demanding. She and Cheyenne my 13 year old mix breed dog are making friends. Prissy our cat we adopted in late November who is 7 is ok with her as well. More tales tomorrow!

Belle Meets a Milestone

Belle finally weighs 1 pound and 8 ounces.  We have figured undoubtedly that she was a new born at rescue.  According to research I found yesterday due to her tiny size her survival rate if she would have been in the wild was only 16%.  She remains a miracle.  While we Bar-B-Qued yesterday she came outside with us and hung out under the patio. Then she found a warm spot in the leaves and sun and relaxed for several hours.  She ate a lot yesterday indicating that she has probably made 4 weeks on this day.  Got a Rosey update as well, she is enjoying her new family as is Bull. 

Rosey and bull move on to new adventures

Today I received a text from my husband and it said that Slade was on his way to pick up two pigs. Shortly second text comes thru " I hope u said ur goodbye". A slight panic came over me, all I could think was I'm not there to give instructions, how will Rosey survive without me? A tear filled my eyes as it does at this moment and I sent back" please givemy Rosey a kiss as I will miss her so much, and her feeding schedule is 7 3 6 and sometimes 9. Baby rice cereal, kitten formula and oh yeah sweet potato baby food all mixed together in a paste cause she doesnt eat hard food yet. Oh and don't forget she needs a heating pad too" I knew that all this was in vain and would never go past my husband. But I had to feel somehow I did her right since I knew in the end I could never afford to keep them all. Maybe if she decompensates they will bring her back. Belle is doing just fine without her. Continuing to increase her food intake and since her eyes are not quite focused yet trying to find me in the kitchen. I love her so much. Who would ever think a person could love such a creature? Anyway I have to sign off cause I will cry if I don't and it is nothing a man could ever comprehend. Till tomorrow...

Jack and Bull spent their first night outside last night. They were such good boys and so very smart! They slept in the dog house all curled up together. They have done some rooting or rutting whatever it is a pig does. But were both very happy to see their mom this morning.

Belle and Rosey are so funny we have had to put them in a bigger container because they think they are dogs and follow me all over the house. This morning I was getting dressed and I hear lots of running and skidding all over the living room. Lol. Belle still does not see well so I'm afraid she will run into something. She has begun eating almost two bottles at a time. They are really lovable.

Outside adventures

The boys have gone outside on both Saturday and Sunday. They were thrilled and played all day. Of course when it was time to come inside for the night Jack gave me a 30 minute run for my money. We all laughed.

Today Rosey and Belle both figured out how to get out of their box. They played all over in my kitchen and Kevin filmed them. Then he put them in the pen out in the yard. They had a blast but it was a family affair to catch them and bring them in. Belle is now eating full bottles so maybe she will get to one and half pounds this week. We are figuring she was a very new born piggy when she was found.

Rosey and Bull may be going to their new homes this weekend. I will certainly miss her little figure eight circles around my ankles as she roots my slipper and ankles. VERY Vocal as I fix her food. The boys are now eating hard food. Thank gooodness I am minus two food bowls to fix 4 times a day. The boys are growing by leaps and bounds.

We are truly enjoying the beauty and trials of nature through their survival. We know without a doubt neither of the girls would have survived.

Monday January 31,2011, both Belle and Rosey took a serious down turn. First Belle weighing 1 pound 4 ounces suddenly is barely breathing nor moving. I quickly pick her up and she is limp but alive. I fix a warm bottle and force feed her... She suddenly perks up. Rosey and the boys have spent a few hours outside and suddenly she is laying flat on her side, eyes fixed and mouth open. She is limp and ice cold. I warm a bottle and a blanket. Wrapped her in a heating pad and waited. Nothing is working, so I put her by the fireplace and 1 hour and 45 minutes later she begins to move slightly. I got her to take a bottle and place her in the box with Belle. Next morning she meets me in the kitchen cause she is hungry. I thanked God and fed her and Belle. The boys are now together and no more mixing them as their size is significantly larger than Rosey.

Piglets continued

The four were adorable but very loud all except for who became affectionately known as Belle. She was very small and under a pound. She was the only of the four who had to be bottle fed. So it began... The feedings every 4 hours.
Everything went great that is until Sunday the littlest Belle was just being so bullied by the boys...Bull and Jack that she got her own box with a heating pad. Monday was extremely noisy couldnt figure out why.. Guess yep they doubled their food intake. Now eating two large boxes of baby rice cereal oatmeal , sweet potato baby food, or apple sauce within about two days.

It continued to double for them every Sunday. Little did I know what was soon to follow...

The piglets

It all began on Jan 7,2011 when my beloved wallabies died suddenly without a known cause. The loss created an empty feeling I have known before. I felt I had failed them somehow. There names were George who literally fit in the palm of my hand when I got him, and Dundee. God was preparing for me something I did not know was coming.
......
My husband, Kevin, calls me on Sunday morning and asks."do you still have the bottles and nipples from the wallabies?" I cautiously reply and ask why. He says I got something for you. We found four baby pigs abandonned in the marsh yesterday and I figured you would like that.
Little did I realize how much he knew I hurt from my loss of George and Dundee. He knew I was a good animal mom surrogate who just lost confidence.

I was so excited that I could hardly breathe. I immediately jumped on the Internet and looked up how to hand raise feral pigs. Texted Kevin all the instructions for them
Tocome home safe with them... No wind and keep them as warm as possible...

I ran to Walmart to pick up puppy formula and rice cereal. And they arrived at 3:00 pm!