It's a struggle

Topper is the big white one in the middle, Timeron is the smaller one.

I have guinea pigs...five of them actually. Two boys (timeron and topper) and three girls (tansy, tasha and itch). Timeron and Tansy are the oldest...getting old for piggies. Piggies live generally speaking 4-7 years. They are hitting 4.5 years. Tanse is aging well. Timeron is struggling.

I'm a firm believer that small animal are cheap to purchase, give lots of pleasure, but aren't worth $50 or more vet visits. I won't do surgery on them, I won't pay to have them put down, I just won't do it. Seems to me a waste of good hard-earned money with little potential for improved life span.

And regardless of what we do for Timeron...he won't last us out another year. Timeron is developing older male piggie issues. He's thin, he's getting "horny old pig" syndrome, he's having trouble eating properly and eliminating properly... he's an OLD pig.

So the question of course comes, how long do we allow him to be an old piggie? How long do I allow him to drive his cage-mate batty? How long do I deal with elimination issues? I don't want to undually shorten his lifespan...but at the same time... I don't want to make living hard for his cage mate...and hence me as I listen to continual squeaking of "Would you just leave me alone old man!!!!!" It's a hard one to balance out.

I know my parents would say...just get rid of him already. :) They are rather practical minded folks. :) But Timeron is a pig that I really, really like. Has a good personality. Good size. Knew how to take care of himself. And now he's old and crotchety and if he were on his own, I'd be more content to just leave him to do his thing. BUT.... his roommate can't escape him, Timeron makes life miserable at times for Topper and we have no other place to put him (Topper). I am duty-bound to care for Topper in a good manner too, and what is happening now, is not a good way to care for a piggie.

I must I think, make a decision before the snow flies. For you believing/praying folks out there...you could pray hard that he dies a natural death before I feel compelled to take matters into my own hands.... :) Thanks! :(