Meet Barley, our cute but socially inept guinea pig

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Brambles

Post   » Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:12 pm


Wow I love his colors! Very artsy!

Good luck with introductions!

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2013 1:45 am


So far, so good on introducing Barley and Lenny. Barley is clearly puzzled because Lenny isn't interested in being the dominant pig, which means he's the dominant pig, and I don't think he feels ready for a management position yet.

Pictures coming soon.

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AldenM1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2013 8:23 am


Yay! Nothing makes my day like successful pairings.

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clairey

Post   » Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:07 am


Hearing of successful boar pairings is definitely one of those 'glow' moments.

So, pictures? *cough*

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TWP_2

Post   » Wed Aug 13, 2014 3:02 pm


Unfortunately, Barley and Lenny had a serious fight, which resulted in Barley having a cut that went across his cornea. He recovered well, but we have let them remain neighbors without living together.

They interact, they sleep next to each other, they eat hay together -- in fact, often exactly paralleling each others' behavior.

On a less happy note, Barley recently had a lump that grew very quickly. It was successfully removed last week, but we have the results from the histopathology report, and the lump was malignant. The diagnosis is lymphoma, which is what we lost Frost to almost two years ago. We are hoping that the chemotheraphy drug Elspar (L-asparaginase) is available again, but we are going to take him in to a vet oncologist at K-State for a consult.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:30 pm


Sorry that they fought. Hoping all goes well with the specialist. Sending healing hugs your way and little Barley's too.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:52 pm


I am so sorry to hear Barley has lymphoma. Wishing you the best in your quest for treatment.

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rshevin

Post   » Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:27 pm


Oh no. I saw on Twitter that someone had been sick, but missed who. Poor wee Barley. Send him my healing vibes.

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:01 pm


Sorry I haven't been on in a good long while. I just needed to share the sad news that Barley passed away on Wednesday.

The steroid treatment did a great job of giving him high quality of life for a solid month. Right up until the end, he was happy and playful. Tuesday night, you could tell he wasn't feeling well. Wednesday morning, Jim found Barley and Lenny snuggled through the cage wall. Barley couldn't stand up. He died soon after.

We're pretty heartbroken, and Lenny, who loved his frenemy, is mourning. Barley was my boy, the one who would run to the side of his cage the second I walked in the door. He was smart and inquisitive and a total sweetheart. I'm glad he was able to have a good month, but wow, I wish we could have had more time with him. He wasn't yet three.

Post script:

In that way that guinea pigs in need have a habit of showing up when you're ready to take one in, the humane society in Lawrence, Kansas, had a single pig in need of a home. I wasn't quite ready yet, but Lenny will need a buddy. I met Slater on Friday and immediately knew he had to be ours. I picked him up today. He was found abandoned with four other pigs on the front steps of the shelter one morning. I don't know if he'll stay a Slater. We'll see.

Here is his first new-home picture:
Image

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:06 pm


Oh, I am so sorry about Barley. Three is so young. He sounds like he was a very special guy.

I hope Slater and Lenny get along.

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:09 pm


Thanks, Lynx. I don't think he was even a year old when I brought him home in 2012. So yes, he was still a baby. I wish they could all have long, happy lives like Grandpa Henry, who lived to be ten, but it just doesn't work out that way.

The worrisome question we have is whether lymphoma can spread virally like it can in cats? Barley seriously bit Frost, who died of Lymphoma. Should we be concerned about Lenny, who seriously bit Barley?

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GP_mum
Supporter in '13

Post   » Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:20 am


So sorry for your loss of Barley. I had hope that he would have survived longer like Grandpa Henry (who was a real inspiration). However, congrats on Slater - he looks like a pig with an abbititude. How he and Lenny get along.

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