Simply... guinea pigs!

Catching up with Pig'ums...

2010-05-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

Lil' ol' Master Pig'ums... purveyor of all things cute and cuddly.

It's been awhile since I've updated this blog, so after some careful digging, I found some new, incredibly adorable photos of Pig'ums that I must post. (All photos courtesy of my hubby!)

Here's one of Pig'ums lookin' coy...

... he looks like he's thinking about doing something (something naughty, no doubt). His eyes tell me he's scheming! He definitely doesn't look very innocent here. (Like in the movie "G-Force" where the mice say "Poop in the hand! Poop in the hand!")

Here, he looks like the "gig's up!" I think he suspects that I figured him out and foiled his plans... either that, or he has gas (below).

Here's Mr. Pig'ums after feasting on carrots (note the orange lips and tinted fur around his little Kewpie-doll chops. (below))

Here's another cool incredibly cute photo of "the Pig," (a.k.a. His Royal Highness). He looks as if he's saying; "I am the king!" (below)

... and, in my eyes, he is.

T'was the Night before Christmas...

2009-12-21T05:53:00.000-08:00

Here's my Christmas Pig! Pig'ums is sporting a "Santa Cap" given to him by our friend Mary! Surprisingly, Pig'ums seemed okay with his new costume... I had expected him to try to shake the hat off, but instead, he just sat there and posed like a good lil' sport! (Pig'ums says "Thank you Mary!" for the cool hat!)

Pig'ums plays Santa all year long by providing us with unlimited happiness and making us smile. He's an awesome lil' piggie!

Proactive Pig'ums!

2009-11-22T22:10:00.000-08:00

Wow! Pig'ums really is the "master of his domain!" Do you see that colorful "cuddle-cup" he's laying? Well, he moved it all the way from the otherside of his digs! (And, considering how long and wide his home is, that's an amazing feat! ...and now, he's gloating!

Check out my Blingee of Pig'ums!

2009-09-17T04:52:00.001-07:00

Make your own Glitter Graphics

An amazing video (not involving the Cavia Porcellus)

2009-06-19T04:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks Steve for the wonderful video you sent to me! It's too beautiful not to share, so I'm going to post it here. To quote Monty Python; "And now, for something completely different..."

Enjoy!

A Pet Capybara's View of the World: Capybara in the classroom

2009-05-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

A Pet Capybara's View of the World: Capybara in the classroom

A Pet Capybara's View of the World: Fame and the Capybara

2009-04-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

I've been following Caplin the minute I found a video of him surfacing on YouTube, and have been a big fan ever since. Thanks to his wonderful owner, we've been privy enough to watch this lil' guy grow up to be a big, handsome, capybara, while enjoying his exploits.

Check out his link (below) to enjoy some truly amazing photos and videos:

A Pet Capybara's View of the World: Fame and the Capybara

Of course, since I love guinea pigs, it was only natural for me to fall in love with the capybara. When my husband first discovered my obsession with capybaras, he ended up surprising me with a wonderful book by Bill Peet, called "Cappyboppy." I think I've read that book over 5 times already! Fortunately, I can enjoy living vicariously with a pet capybara through YouTube and Caplin's numerous blogs.

Recently, Caplin became a celebrity of sorts via Animal Planet... He was featured on a show called "Animal Planet's Most Outrageous." For those who may have missed the show, repeats of this special episode can be found here:

Giant yoghurt-eating rodent

Fortunately, fame hasn't gotten to this "lil' guy's" head yet!

Me an' the Pig, lounging around watchin' TV...

2009-02-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

Pig'ums!

2009-02-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

My lil' guy is sooo adorable! Check 'em out...

New photo of Pig'ums!

2009-02-03T05:58:00.000-08:00

My husband recently got himself a new camera and was playing around with it. As a result, he took this great photo of Pig'ums all sprawled out on my shoulder. What a cutie! I love the little expression on his face! (BTW... this lil' guy weighs close to 4 lbs!!! He's the biggest piggie I've ever had!)

Anyway, without any further ado, here's my lil' munchkin's latest photograph...

Welcome to Simply Guinea Pigs!

2008-11-19T23:10:00.001-08:00

Pig'ums photos of the day...

2008-10-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist posting some other cute photos of Pig'ums, so here's a few that I have (just for fun)...

Posing...

(and, as a bug...)

Pig'ums silent movie!

2008-10-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

This is a "silent movie" I made of Pig'ums while he was eating dinner. If you really need to imagine the sound of this lil' guy chowing down, just grab a few carrots and romaine lettuce leaves and chew on them quickly and with your mouth open... that should give you a good you a good idea as to what this video sounds like.

This was my first experiment using my Nikon Coolpix camera to take a video, as well as an experiment in posting a video on my blog. It's only 40 seconds long, so unfortunately, you'll probably have to forego the popcorn as this movie isn't long enough... sorry!

So much for the month of August!

2008-09-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, the month of August zipped by without a lot of fanfare-save for a friend who visited (and stayed) with us (from France) for almost 3 weeks... hence the lack of updates to this blog!

As a result, Pig'ums had a "roommate" for a good portion of the month... and although he put up with the "coos and unexpected affection" of a stranger, the lil' guy held up well, and adjusted accordingly! However, I could tell that he was more than happy to return to his normal routine as my personal lil' "couch-piggie."

Of course, this little "couch-piggie" had to endure 3 complete seasons of the HBO series called "Deadwood." Despite the outrageous number of "F-bombs" strewn about the show with wreckless abandon, Pig'ums held his own and managed to even get a little shut-eye between a few of those verbal explosions! (BTW...my husband and I really became addicted to the show! It was an exceptionally enjoyable show to watch, and I only wish it ran for more than 3 seasons!!! It was a great character study that was wonderfully written by David Milch and outstandingly performed by a host of great actors... especially Ian McShane and Brad Dourif, my favorite characters...)

But, I took a little detour from the main topic, my couch-piggie... I managed to take a few "special" photographs of my lil' guy-posing and preening as a handsome piggie should! Here are the results of our little photo session:

If I say so myself, he's definitely a striking lil' piggie! A natural born model for all to behold!

Of course, he's been developing a bit of a 'tude due to his sudden celebrity status! With a recent plug from Cavymadness and the adoration of the Guinea Girls from down-under, he's definitely getting a bit big for his britches! But that's okay, 'cause he's awesome!!!

On a very serious note...

2008-08-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this well-made video while perusing the Camarillo Animal Shelter's Website. Despite already being aware of what happens to animals in shelters that are not adopted out or rescued, viewing this video was a truly sobering experience for me. Being aware, versus actually seeing what happens are 2 very different things altogether. I urge everyone to view this short video in its entirety, regardless of how difficult it may be, as I feel it is important to get a thorough understanding of the consequences of not taking pet ownership seriously.

Animal shelters around our country temporarily take in discarded pets. Fortunately, some are adopted out to a loving family, where they'll remain there for the rest of their lives, while others are taken in by rescue organizations who offer these animals a no-kill zone with the possibility of being adopted out to a family in search of a loving, devoted companion.

Unfortunately, too many of these poor creatures are never adopted, or rescued, only to end up being euthanized at the shelter where they were left behind. This is a very harsh and sad reality for a great number of animals that are feral, abandoned, or given to a shelter.

Yet, so many people impulsively take in pets, only to end up abandoning them, giving them up, or failing to give them the most basic requirements to sustain a healthy and comfortable existence. Regardless of the circumstance, I could not imagine having to surrender a pet to an animal shelter for any reason. I take pet ownership and its commitment seriously.

The saddest part is that most of this is preventable, simply through spaying and neutering our pets, and making the commitment to keep a pet for life.

Personally, I have only had to have one dog euthanized--but this was due to inoperable cancer and old age. My husband and I had to take this step to put our poor companion out of her misery. She was too old to be operated on, and the treatments would have had a major impact on the quality of what remained of her life--which probably would not have exceeded 6 months, even if she were in good health. She was this huge lovable malamute named Mandy, who became a member of our family the minute we brought her home. Having her put down was one of the most heartbreaking things that we had to do because we both raised her from a pup.

As responsible pet owners, we felt it imperative to have all of our pets spayed or neutered... in addition to providing them with healthy food, clean water, a clean environment, medical care, and some training for good citizenship. Our pets always remain behind closed doors, or a locked gate--otherwise, on a secure lead if they were outside. We never let our pets roam the streets on their own, where they'd be left unprotected from automobiles, other strays, diseases, or cruel people who seek animals to abuse.

It is unconscionable to the both of us to take in any animal without the intention of keeping it for the duration of its natural life. Moreover, I react to the loss of my pets as I would a family member. I end up being grief-stricken for a long time after the loss of a pet. And, my memory of them remain with me always.

Well, so much for potty-training...

2008-08-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

The one thing I noticed about Pig'ums is that he seems to favor a particular corner of his cage to relieve himself. That is the 'special spot' for him to go potty. In fact, if he's been on my lap for a while and all-of-a-sudden gets antsy, then that's my queue to plop him back into his 'bat cave' so he can go potty! Low and behold, the little bugger scurries off to that same corner no matter what.

After observing this pattern over and over, I decided that Pig'ums is just way too smart to be an ordinary pig. Alas, the proverbial 'light-bulb' clicked on in my head and I immediately remembered the 'piggie-potty' I got for the girls, but ultimately was never used... thus, I decided to give it a try with this lil' guy!

Anticipating that he was going to blow away the competition with his 'Mensa' mind by automatically using this newly furnished piggie-potty, I waited anxiously to see whether he'd take advantage of this 'new green thing' that sat mysteriously in his favorite corner... and, I waited, and waited.

It appears that this 'new green thing' ended up startling Pig'ums for quite awhile, because he did absolutely everything in his power to avoid this recent 'upset' to his surroundings.

Day 1 passes... nothing.

Day 2... he starts showing some interest, but won't set foot into this 'new green thing.' (BTW, this whole fiasco ultimately forced him to establish a different spot to go potty in.)

Then, day 3 arrives. I'm waiting, but still, nothing. Later that day, I decide to relax on my couch to read a local newspaper, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Pig'ums all sprawled out inside his 'new green thing' as if it were a Barcalounger!

Ever so gingerly, I reach over for my camera so I can capture this moment. The photo (below) is the result:

I guess you can say that Pig'ums decided to use this for some other 'off-label' use, instead of for what it was originally intended for. And, judging by this photo, he looks pretty darn pleased with himself!

My Video Snapshot Experiment...

2008-08-04T10:36:00.003-07:00

Although, not a new idea, I thought it would be fun to attempt to take a video snapshot of Pig'ums from my iMac. This however, proved to be a little tricker than I expected because I had to securely hold Pig'ums with one hand while using the other hand to click the mouse in order to snap the photo... all while making certain that I wasn't looking in the wrong direction. After my little juggling act, this is what I finally managed to capture:

Somehow, I don't think that Pig'ums was all that pleased sitting on my shoulder like that... but, at least he was cooperative and a good sport about the whole thing. His reward ended up being this huge mound of hay (of which he is currently noshing on, ever so contently).

He's such a good lil' guy! He puts up with all of my silly whims yet doesn't hold any grudges against me. He's simply too cute! I can't help it if I smother him with affection at times because he's irresistable!

Oh, the sacrifices this little guy has to make every now and then... just to please his human friend!

The Look this Season is Decidedly Fringed!

2008-08-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

Pig'ums is such a unique piggie because he sports a pair of cool-looking fringed ears. I've never seen ears on a guinea pig like this, but I have to admit that they're pretty awesome! He's a one-of-a-kind pig with major "pigatude!" Therefore, I thought I'd spotlight his trendy good looks by making it into the lastest style trend for 2008.

The look this season is definitely retro, and was popular during the 60's and early 70's! What is this season's new look? Why, it's "fringe" of course! Fringe is making a comeback as this season's "must-have" fashion accessory for guinea pigs!

Pig'ums here sports a pair of brilliantly shaped fringed ears, as illustrated by these two photos below:

Pig'ums proudly shows off his unique, natural-born attributes, and awesome fashion sense, by encouraging other piggies with fringed ears to be proud, and show off this latest trend in guinea pig ears. Thoughts anyone?

The Pigloo!

2008-07-20T14:53:00.001-07:00

After I brought home my little pig, I thought it would be good to get him a large terra cotta pot that he could lay in when he's warm during the summer months. Now, remember, I've had him since June 14th... and I got this pot probably within a week of getting Pig'ums. Well, to my astonishment, the little guy 'finally' used it as his little hide-out today!

He probably got sick of staying inside the small cage that he was in while I cleaned out his pen. And, when I finally placed him back in, he was probably frustrated with the way I had set up his pen. You see... I decided to retrieve the 'piggy potty' out of storage and decided to place that in his pen--seeing that he seems to favor one area for using as his bathroom. So, I thought I'd give it a try with him. After thoroughly scrubbing the potty and hooking it onto his pen wall, I filled it with some soft bedding in hopes that he'll start using it himself.

Unfortunately, the girls I had previously were never able to be potty-trained, so despite all of my efforts in trying to get them to use the piggy potty, I finally ended up stowing it away in the cupboard next to their pen... and there it stayed hidden, packed away until today. Meanwhile, Pig'ums was probably wondering what the 'new big green plastic thing' was by the corner where he used to park himself and 'stand sentry' over his pen.

I guess today's additions to his humble abode ended up 'rocking his world' a little too much, thus sending him to seek refuge into the terra cotta pot (or, the 'Pigloo,' as I call it). Oh well... I guess one can't please all pigs, all of the time!

Emo Pig'ums...

2008-07-19T23:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I think I have an 'Emo' pig, cause he'll just sit in his corner and have this 'brooding' expression... plus, sometimes his hair will fall to one side of his face. And, let's face it, he has black hair on his head, which is one of the many hallmarks that epitomizes the 'Emo' style!

If you want proof, just look at this photo, then conduct a 'Google' search for 'Emo' images, and you'll understand what I mean. Especially if you search for 'Emo' hairstyles on 'Photobucket' or 'Flickr,' because invariably you'll find a photo of a girl or boy looking at the camera in a sort of distored close-up with a huge fringe of hair hanging down one side of the face.

Okay... so right now he doesn't have a fringe hanging over his face, but, he's got that 'Emo' pose down really well! Fortunately, he's not into cutting himself, or listening to 'Emo' music. But some days, he's appears to be a little more into 'it' than most! Check out what I mean:

Egg Money commercials from the U.K.

2008-07-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

If all commercials were clever like this one, for Egg Money, I'd probably enjoy the commercials more than the television shows! I thought this was a clever campaign on Egg's part. I find the ads incredibly amusing!

Of course, there are other versions, which I've included in this post. (Make certain to check out the baby guinea pig in the blue long-johns!)

Here's another ad for Egg Money:

Enjoy!

A Favorite Television Ad of Mine...

2008-07-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, there's one television advertisement that's really creative, and really, really different. When I discovered it was posted on YouTube, I immediately saved it to my playlist. What I love about it is that it is a play on the HAL 9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey" and it shows an 'evil' guinea pig. It's totally absurd, but I still giggle when I see it. So, I decided to post it here for your amusement and pleasure.

Cute lil' belly...

2008-07-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Whoo hoo!! I was finally able to get hubby to snap a photo of Pig'ums adorably plump lil' belly! For this blog, I have posted the "censored" version.

Grazing...

2008-07-08T19:22:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo I snapped of Pig'ums grazing on hay this afternoon. What was so adorable was the way the hay was slowly moving into his mouth (sort of like that famous scene in "Lady and the Tramp" where the two dogs both eat the same spaghetti strand together).

But also note the way he remains ever so observant to what's going on around him... He's one "hair-trigger" piggie that's ready to demonstrate his keen ability to quickly evade any unwelcomed hands that attempt to snatch him from his pen. Of course, he looks all calm on the outside, but inside, there's a pig that's ready to bolt at mach speeds!

Keepin' cool...

2008-07-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a pretty warm week, so here's Pig'ums stretching out and trying to keep cool. To keep cool, he likes to lay against the sock-covered, frozen, water-filled, plastic bottle that I placed in his pen. This seems to keep him pretty comfortable. Note the stretched out hind leg... I guess you can say he's literally "chillin' out" in this photo!

He sure looks like one comfy piggie...

I miss all of my girls!

2008-07-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

I often think about all the guinea pigs I've had and wish that they were still around. I miss each one because their personalities were so distinct. So, with that in mind, here's a little homage to "The Girls."

They'll never be forgotten!

I still think about her...

2008-07-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

I still think of Swee'Pea often. The traumatic experience of seeing her so sick really got the better of me. Thinking back, I'm beginning to see that she had certain issues that appeared to be benign back then, to both her vet and myself. Even an x-ray yielded nothing! However, I've always suspected that she may have had a problem with her kidneys due to her frequent urgency and the amount of water she drank.

Aside from that, all other aspects of her behavior seemed healthy and normal. It was probably because she was over 4 years of age (which is about the time when a guinea pig is considered a senior) that things took a turn for the worst. Perhaps the problems that seemed so minor, previously, became more acute due to her advancing age. That doesn't change the fact that I still really miss her. (It would have been nice to be able to introduce her to Pig'ums too-albeit, separately...)

The saddest thing is that animals are unable to tell us when they are ill or in pain. We can be diligent and try to be observant as much as possible, but it's still fairly difficult to thoroughly know when any pet is not feeling well. Often, once the symptoms start becoming more pronounced, it usually becomes too late.

Chillin' out some more...

2008-07-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Pig'ums is finally starting to become a really super-well-adjusted lil' boy now! Hearty appetite, more relaxed, and thoroughly comfy. Here, I snapped a few photos of him during our morning cuddles...

I'm insanely fond of "piggie lips," and needless to say, he's got a robust lil' pout. (You can't really see it on the photos here, but the white fur around his mouth is stained with carrots and beets.)

He's got me wrapped around his little finger/toe, just because of my weakness for guinea pig lips. Aren't they adorable? Who could resist! (Especially, when they're nibbling.)

Can you see me?

2008-06-29T22:36:00.001-07:00

Click on image (below) to enlarge view.

Pig'ums gets settled in...

2008-06-24T15:04:00.001-07:00

Pig'ums has gotten quite comfy these past several days. This robust lil' guy no longer runs away from me when I attempt to pick him up. As the following photos attest to, this little guy has gotten quite comfortable!

I had this tent from my previous little piggies, but since they were all girls--and weighed no more than 2 lbs, they had no problems.

However, with this little guy being over 3 lbs, I never expected him to fit inside! But, as you can see here, he had no problems either...

Check out his cute little back foot with the little pink pads! He's got a nice chunky piece of thigh showing as well.

I'm really happy to see that he's settling in so fast and getting comfortable. I want him to feel very much loved and at home here with us. This lil' guy is one big cutie!

I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeVille!

2008-06-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

This little rascal moves way too fast for me to get a decent shot of him. (I'll definitely need some assistance the next time I want to get a good close-up of Pig'ums!) Here's my first stab at getting his close-up:

This photo doesn't do him justice, but he's got these wonderfully full lips that makes him look like a cute little cherub.

I was also hoping to get a snapshot of him sitting against the pillows to show you what his soft little tummy looks like. (That's another one of my favorite piggie spots...) He's got the cutest little pot-belly and loins (although, all guinea pigs bellies and loins look cute, his is a touch cuter than some).

Hide 'n Seek!

2008-06-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Well, this funny little character of a guinea pig has some unique qualities that I'm discovering each day. Aside from running away from me every now and again, Pig'ums thinks he can hide in his brown paper bag 'toy' and be totally safe from the likes of 'moi!' Go figure?

To give you a little background, it started out with a little make-shift toy that I gave to my previous guinea pigs to play with. I found that by taking a simple brown paper lunch bag and turning down the edges to strengthen the opening, then placing it into their cage, Buttercup, Bibi, or Swee'Pea would each have a lot of fun crawling into it, or head-butting it with their petite noses around the cage.

Left to their own devices, they'd each occupy a good portion of the day playing with this little inexpensive make-shift toy until it became nothing but a shredded paper mess. Once it got to that stage, I'd remove the paper mess and surprise them another one some other time (so they wouldn't get bored with it).

Well, thinking along those same lines, I decided to place one of my paper bag toys in the cage with Pig'ums, figuring that he'd enjoy it as well. In the beginning, he did... he'd play around with it, move it around his pen, and run into it. Once he figured that this bag made a terrific hiding place, the bag was no longer a toy, but instead became a "seemingly safe place" for him to hide in, if he caught a glimpse of me walking anywhere remotely near his cage. The funny thing is that this lil' guy is a 3 lb piggie... which means that he doesn't quite fit in all the way, and what remains hanging out is his huge red butt. It's funny though how he thinks he becomes magically invisible by just running into that bag and laying still.

Although he's not really safe (from me, that is), he isn't easy to free from the bag either (regardless of how much of his butt hangs outside the bag). I think he's figured out a way to actually lock himself into that little bag until I stop annoying him with my cuddle requests. In that case, I'll usually leave him be, to calm down and make him feel somewhat in control (even though he's not, but I'm not going to tell him that).

Anyway, to make this long story short, here's a photo of him pretending to be the invisible piggie. It was just to adorable to miss this photo-op! Check it out:

This 'toy' became a favorite of all the pigs--with the exception of Bosco, who really never got into playing with the bag at all. But then, Bosco was built for comfort, not speed, unless you wanted to pick her up when she didn't expect to be picked up... then she'd become 'Speed-Racer!'

Introducing "Pig'ums!"

2008-06-17T23:37:00.001-07:00

Well, after scouring the Internet for an available shelter piggie, I finally located one at the Camarillo Animal Shelter... so, as a result, I decided to visit the shelter to check out this "cheeky" little fellow!

On June 14th, I drove over to the Camarillo Animal Shelter and adopted a new little pig-pal. This is my first male guinea pig as well!

The minute I saw him, I fell in love, so after completing the paperwork, this little guy was finally relinquished to me. I couldn't wait to take him home to show my husband! He also fell in love with the little guy!

So, without further ado, please allow me to introduce "Pig'ums!"

He is 3 lbs of pure cuddly fluff! I don't know his age, but I suspect that he is still pretty young--based upon his behavior and the fact that he was placed in an animal shelter (which usually indicates a pet the owner grew bored of and thought it was too much work). Oh well, their loss is my gain.

Here's a view of his incredibly cute butt...

June 2008 has been a very sad month so far...

2008-06-17T23:25:00.000-07:00

This has been a very sad month so far, having lost Swee'Pea and remembering how sick she was. I miss her very much and not a day goes by where I don't think of her.

Since having become a true "cavy slave," I found that I've become "hooked" on having guinea pigs. When I sit down to watch television, something feels amiss because I don't have Swee'Pea plopped on my lap.

As a result, I've decided that I adopt another pig (not to replace Swee'Pea... because Swee'Pea, and all of my previous guinea pigs were each uniquely special). Each had very different personalities and I developed an emotional bond to all of them.

This time, however, I've decided to adopt a shelter piggie instead--in honor of Swee'Pea and all my other beloved guinea pigs. I wanted to help save a life--especially after having just lost one.

June 3, 2008 marks the very sad passing of my beloved Swee'Pea.

2008-06-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my beloved Swee'Pea.

I lost my adorable little companion, Swee'Pea just this morning.

She was this soft, small package who made a huge impact in my life, each and every day of her all-too-brief existence.

Swee'Pea became ill and succumbed to what I believe to have been kidney failure.

Her death came unexpectedly and happened within the course of a day.

All I could do was to try to make her as comfortable as possible and attend to her needs.

She was 2.25 lbs of pure love and cuteness!

These are a couple of photos that I took of her on the day she started to get ill (June 2nd). I had her perched on her favorite blanky right in front of my computer so I could spend as much time with her while working on a freelance project. Unfortunately, her decline was rapid!

By the evening, she became so sick and disoriented. She refused to drink and eat, and she barely had the strength to lift her head. I stayed up with her late last night. By the time I woke up (after many dreams about her), I found that she had just passed away--probably around 5 a.m. based on her body temperature.

Needless to say, I've spent the last two days crying throughout because I felt so helpless. For such a small animal, she left a mega-huge void in my heart and her loss has filled me with tremendous sense of grief.

I get really attached to all animals because they always accept you as you are, no matter what. I know that I don't have to do anything at all to impress them, except to play with them, feed and house them, keep them warm and clean, and keep them company. Because they're so helpless, friendly, and cute-looking, I always fall hook-line-and-sinker for these little critters. They have this knack for cheering me up when I've had a rough day because their sweet little faces display so much hope, innocence, and gentility--which is so different from the harsh realities we witness each day, whether it be on the news or first hand.

These wonderful creatures are a great respite from hustle and bustle of daily life. They only have to peer into your soul with their huge black orbs to lift the weight of the day's troubles away. They're far better than any drug that I can imagine. A view into their world is so carefree and calming to one's self. Their sweet little expressions melt my heart, their companionship fills me with warmth--but their loss fills me with immeasurable grief. The only thing that I can hold onto are my memories of this great little girl and all the fun moments I've had with her. She became my surrogate baby to cuddle and care for.

Although, I'm not certain of when she was born, I'd have to say she was approximately 5-years old or so. Throughout her life, she remained pretty robust and healthy, and had only to see the vet once in her entire life--and that was a couple of years ago.

I miss my little cherub immensely, but I sincerely hope that she is at peace and free of pain. RIP lil' Swee'Pea, Peedy, Sweet'ums, and finally affectionately known simply as 'Ums.

Boy, do I miss her... She and I were "attached at the hip" while watching television and movies, and was my companion when my husband was busy working on a project. She gave me 5 wonderful years of companionship. During that time, she acted as a "therapy pig" for my late mother while she lived with us. Since she was in the throws of dementia, and severely declining health, I used to bring Swee'Pea to my mom so she could hold her (she was placed on a table that was always in front of her chair. I could tell that it made such a huge difference in the way my mom felt. She really loved the little girl as well--so bringing her downstairs always put a smile on my mom's face! I'm glad that she was able to bring such joy to my ailing mom!

I just hope that I was able to make Swee'Pea's life as enjoyable as she made mine! RIP...

Swee'Pea has a little buddy!

2008-04-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

A really thoughtful family friend sent me some goodies this morning (all related to guinea pigs)! It was a wonderful surprise, and it was totally unexpected! (Those are the best kind, BTW!) Along with 5 personally designed stamps that she made, depicting cute little guinea pigs in different poses, she included a life-sized plush "Swedish" guinea pig from Ikea. (Gosig Marsvin is Swedish for Guinea Pig...)

Anyway, I decided to compare the size of the plush piggie against my little Swee'Pea, and it turns out that they're the same size! (From the looks of Swee'Pea's face, I'd have to say she approves of this new little friend as well!) I snapped a photo of the two of them together...

Lil' Ums

2008-04-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here's another photo of Swee'Pea all sprawled out in her little cuddle cup. She always knows how to "turn on the cute" without any effort. She looks all cute and comfy!

Sleeping Beauty!

2008-04-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

I managed to capture Swee'Pea dozing off this morning! She was sure a cute lil' warm bundle of fur... all wrapped up in her little blanket! Like clockwork, after she has her morning breakfast, she usually gets a little sleepy towards mid to late morning and ends up taking a nap. (Coincidentally, I do too... but I usually don't get to take a nap!)

Anyway, here are some photos to show how cute she is when she gets sleepy.

Uh oh! Now she's asleep! Check out her little eyes. I'd have to say I have one pretty content little piggie on my lap! Watching her is making me want to nap now... what a life she has, eat, sleep, get cuddled, and repeat. (If she doesn't make you feel all "warm and squishy" inside, then I don't know what would!)

I guess something got her attention because she was sniffing the air when I snapped this shot! Between listening to the cows being herded in from the hills and smelling the mock orange flowers wafting in, I guess she's a light sleeper because she's now wide awake!

(I really get a kick out of seeing her curly little ears too! They look like perfect little flower petals.)

Did you know?

2008-04-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

While your guinea pig is asleep, the ears move independently! Moreover, sometimes your guinea pig can be asleep while keeping his or her eyes open. This is evident because your little guinea pig's ears and legs will continue to twitch as if in a dream state. (...and should you happen to move, you can accidentally startle your little piggie while in this state.)

You can also attempt to "force" your drowsy guinea pig to fall asleep by closing your eyes while your piggie is in your lap. I've done this on numerous occasions only to discover my guinea pig's eyes turning into very sleepy little slits.

Often times, my guinea pig will wake up on her own (while on my lap) with a big stretch as well as a yawn! That for me is the "icing on the cake" because that means that my little piggie is extremely content! Afterwards, her mouth may move as if she's chewing on something.

I can't think of anything more soothing to the soul than to watch your little bundle of fur asleep on your lap.

July 16, 2006, I lost another dear furry friend unexpectedly!

2006-07-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

Poor Bibi left us on Sunday, July 16, 2006 without any warning. She appeared to be her normal self, but then, I discovered her lying still in her pen with her eyes open later in the afternoon. I called her name then reached down to check on her and found her cold to touch, Since she was a bigger guinea pig when I found her, I never knew how old exactly she was... so she may have been older than I thought. I miss my little girl so much! It was just too soon after the loss of Bosco. She was a definite character and an adorably sweet little girl! She had a bit of a "tude," but she was very special indeed. RIP Bibi...

April 2006 - RIP Bosco... I sure miss you!

2006-07-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Bosco was my first guinea pig. My husband and I went over to PetSmart on Lakeview Canyon Road, saw her and just fell in love.

She was just a tiny little thing when I first brought her home, but she quickly grew into this incredibly soft and cute lil' furball! She'd lay in a ball on my lap and sleep contently whether I was watching TV, or a DVD or just typing on the computer. Sometimes she'd twitch in a dream. Her ears would flutter and her hind legs would stretch out. Sometimes she'd let out this big yawn, stretch some more, then lay content just taking in all the rubs. She was the fluffliest lil' bugger with these little white "boots" on the left side of her rear foot. She looked like she was walking around with bathroom slippers when viewed from behind. What a cutie.

I submitted a photo of Bosco to a great guinea pig Web site called "Cavy Madness" which is designed, developed, and maintained by a truly talented photographer (and fellow cavy addict). She announced a "call-of-entries" where she'd select the best photos submitted and publish them on a desk calendar that she sells each year. I was delighted (and surprised) to learn that my photo of Bosco was selected and published on her 2006 desk calendar. As a result, Bosco became a "calendar" piggy (or "Miss October" as I like to call her). She gave it her best Bosco face and struck a pose that's now immortalized and sold throughout the country. I was so proud, I showed everyone my personal "piggie-of-the-month" (which just so happens to be the month of my birthday was well!!!)

Unfortunately, in April of 2006, she passed away due to some hay mites she contracted which quickly overtook and infected her. She died the next day, despite the Ivermectin shot she received at the vet. I was so heartbroken because she was my first-born. She was just a little over 4 years old. She had remained healthy all the years that I had been blessed with her, so it came as a shock when she became ill so quickly then passed away. I'll always miss her big cheeky face and her thick coat of fur. RIP lil' Bosco. I hope you're romping around with Buttercup and remaining her companion!

Swee'Pea!

2006-07-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

Swee'Pea is like a "dark chocolate" version of Buttercup. Sometime after Buttercup passed, I found Swee'Pea and fell immediately in love with her. Although she was not to be a replacement for Buttercup, I loved the fact that she closely resembled my dearly departed "cafe aux lait" friend. Swee'Pea is similar to Buttercup in many ways... with the exception of NOT being able to live with other guinea pigs in the same cage. When my other two piggies were alive, I had to partition the cage so that Swee'Pea wouldn't end up fighting with the others. With the partition, Swee'Pea would get along with everyone.

She'd park herself next to the other two pigs, and not have a problem with them at all. But, remove that partition, and fighting would quickly ensue!

One time I learned the hard way never to separate two guinea pigs during a fight without wearing oven mits or using a towel. I was dumb enough to attempt this with my bare hands only to end up with Swee'Pea tightly attached to my finger with her razor-sharp teeth! That really hurt-especially with her little plump "Pilsbury Dough Boy" of a body wriggling around!!! (She still thought she was fighting Bosco-which, in itself was pretty impressive because Bosco was much bigger than Swee'Pea!)

These days, Swee'Pea is my companion while watching television-and sometimes while computing! I can place her on her blanket right in front of my iMac and she'll sit there with me for a long time. She's my little cuddle companion! She also captures the hearts of anyone who visits just by being "Swee'Pea." The funny thing is that over time, her name has since evolved like the previous pigs. Swee'Pea soon became "Swee'ums," which was later shortened simply to "Ums."

Will work for Parsley... Swee'Pea's favorite foods are parsley, carrots, jicama, apples, watermelons, and pears (in addition to her standard piggie fare of hay and pellets). Parsley, however, is her absolute favorite and that's the only food item I can use to direct her towards me on her own.

Buttercup!

2005-03-04T21:38:00.000-08:00

Buttercup was a special girl. She was the color of a capybara with the most expressive face. Her little fat cheeks and Gerber-baby pout always amused me. She had a very unique personality and was

extremely affectionate. (And, if I ever had a bad day, just one look at her cute little face made all those bad feelings melt away!)

We were lil' buds... not a day would go by when I didn't come home and have her on my lap (or sprawled out over my shoulder)-fast asleep with her ears wiggling as she dreamt. Sometimes she'd gently lick my ear lobe and make sniffing sounds as she "checked me out" as only she could.

I'd see her during my lunch hour at home, and after work. We'd watch TV together and just pal around-although, I'd always alternate with Bosco and Bibi to give them all equal time.

The difference amongst them was most apparent whenever I tried to pick one of them up. Buttercup would never shy away from me like the other two would sometimes do. Most noteable was how she'd let out one really long and loud "wheek!" as I walked towards the room where I had their little home set up. Most of the time it was for carrots and parsley, or her hay and piggie feed.

Sometimes she got so excited that she'd start "pop-corning" and racing around the cage at a 100 miles per hour! When that happened, she reminded me of that cartoon character-the Tasmanian Devil. All these loud noises would emminate from her cage-with all the debris and hay flying all over the place and landing on the carpeting. What a character!

However, the joy and happiness that I experienced with her was very short-lived. A little after a year, she started to get sick. I immediately took her to the vet where they treated her with medication.

She looked as if she was going to recover. But unfortunately, as soon as her medication was finished, she suffered a relapse. I took her to the vet once again, where she received more medication and seemed to start recovering again... but then, on a Monday, I noticed that she was listless.

When I came home for lunch, I held and cuddled her. I remember her flopping down sideways... something I never witnessed her doing before.

My gut told me that something was very wrong with her. I had already made another appointment for her to see the vet after work, but by the time I returned, my little Buttercup passed away. Her life taken away much too soon. She broke my heart and to this day, I choke up thinking about her. She will always be greatly missed!

Bibi the Bold!

2005-01-29T20:55:00.000-08:00

Bibi is one of three cavy cuties that I am blessed with. She's a black and white Abyssinian guinea pig. (An Abyssinian is just one of the many breeds of Guinea pigs whose name is based upon their fur type-lending a sort of "disheveled-look" to their fur). This breed has little rosettes of fur scattered throughout their body.

I named her Bibi because she reminds me of the beautiful Swedish actress named Bibi Andersson, who used to star in a number of Ingmar Bergman films-most of the time sporting a cute, short, blonde, and slightly disheveled hair style that I always thought made her look as if she had "bed-head." Hence the reason for naming my lil' cutie "Bibi."

One day, while shopping at the pet store for bedding, hay, and Guinea pig food, I came across a package of 3 mini tennis balls that were being sold for ferrets. Since I thought it would a fun little toy for my Guinea pigs to play with, I decided to purchase them for my piggies.

Of course, when I first dropped the balls into their cage, they looked a little bewildered. However, within a few minutes, Bibi's curiousity got the better of her, so she started to pick up the ball with her teeth, whipped it into the air and then watched it bounce onto the floor. All of a sudden, there was no stopping her. She continued to play this way for well over 15 minutes!!! It was weird watching her do this for so long, because the other 2 piggies just stood and watched her, as if she were crazy (while I watched her out of amusement). All the while, Bibi looked as though she discovered something special. That little play session really demonstrated how adventurous and bold she can be.

Greetings from the Guinea pigs!

2005-01-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

Hi! You've made it to the place where I can tell you all about the adventures of my little Guinea pigs, Swee'Pea, Bibi, Boscoe, and Buttercup. They're a playful, cuddly, and outgoing gang of mischievous cavy cuties, so check back often. You'll be glad you did!