Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Bittersweet Day

Well today was my first piggy 'trade in.' I admit that I got a little too attached to Mama, and was sad to take her back to the shelter. But she is so lovely there is no doubt that someone will take her home. Same goes for Pixie. They did not appreciate the massive thunderstorm last night, and it disrupted our snuggle time, but I got to kiss them bye-for-now.

I came home with Kipper, an adult male who has never really been held. He came to the shelter as a baby, and has not gotten enough love to make him tame. He is dappled red and white, with short and long hair and red eyes. A very cute fellow. I am excited to hold him and spoil him with love and food so he learns to trust human hands.

My cats were confused when I took their "Piggy TV" from them (they LOVE to sit and watch what the pigs are doing), but now they are happily sitting on their kitty tower peering at their new housemate. They are good kitties and never reach in to bother the guineas, but they do like to watch them run around, like a TV set with their favorite show on all the time!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter, Happy Piggies

Happy Easter! The piggies got a special Easter treat today of little chew toys. Pixie chewed for a bit, then decided to lay on it. Mama was not interested at all. At least I tried.

Pixie was INCREDIBLY hyper yesterday, I don't know what her deal was. She would NOT sit still in my lap, even with lettuce for her to eat! So I decided to let her sit with Mama in my lap, I have not done this in about a week since I am trying to teach Pixie to be calm and enjoy being held by herself. With Mama and Pixie in my lap, complete chaos ensued after the lettuce was gone. They both like to sit in the crook of my left arm, so they did nothing but scramble for the best and most favorable position. I put up with it as long as I could, but when they started stampeding around my neck and all over the place, I was done, and put them back.

However, today Pixie sat completely still in my hand while I was at the computer. She even fell asleep! She must have burnt off all her energy yesterday with all her curious and spazdic goings-on.

Mama is well, calm, and goodnatured as usual. Coming to the edge of the cage when I come by, looking for a scratch on the nose.

Look for new pictures on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/62006000@N02/ to see the battle for the best lap spot last night.

Have a good one, as always, thanks for reading.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Pixie and Mama

This is my first time blogging and my first time fostering guinea pigs, so this should be a fun journey. Let me begin with how I found fostering was for me. I worked at the guinea pig sheltre Cavy Care Inc as a middle schooler, but when I left the state for college, I fell out of touch with the shelter. The wonderful people who run the shelter popped back into my mind recently, so I scheduled a visit. Not only did I love seeing my friends, but I was overwhelmed with the need to hug every piggy in the room. I am too busy with a touring production to own a guinea pig, so I plan to help as many guineas as I can by fostering.

I came home from the shelter on April 12th with two guinea pigs, a red short hair and her daughter, a white short hair. I named the daughter Pixie, she was 3 weeks old at the time. Both were very hand-shy, but Pixie was barely catchable. So I have spent the last week holding them each for an hour each day in thrity minute sets. At first, Pixie could not STAND to not be with Mama, but now she can be happily held by herself.

It it so wonderful seeing them progress and trust human hands more. Mama was the first to take a carrot from me, Pixie is still shy with this some days more than others. I wanted to jump for joy when I reached into the cage, and Pixie did not run, but let me stroke her nose and pick her up. Mama is such a good girl, she always lets me pet her and pick her up without running now. At first, she would run when I just walked by the cage.

Mama LOVES hay, and cannot get enough. Pixie likes to run circles around the cage through her crinkly brown tube, she is quite a firecracker. Alot of personality, and very curious. Mama likes to snuggle, and prop her chin on your arm while she is in your lap.

They are both very sweet piggies, and have come so far in the 9 days that I have had them. I spoil them rotten and treat them like royalty. I have them for 5 more days, and I expect them to be even more tame and hand friendly. Love has taken them leaps and bounds, and I cannot wait when I take them back to the shelter to hear that they have gone to a forever home, because I know they will make someone very happy.

Thanks for reading.