Life In The Pigpen
I forgot to mention before how my boys got their names. In actual fact the names were shortlisted before I even met them. I'd noted to myself and chortled a lot that Stephen Fry looks like a cavy months before I considered getting any. So when piggies came to mind, so did Stephen Fry. So I started running through my mind for a companion name to Stephen. Hugh (Laurie) was in the running, but it's not a very nice name to say. Then I thought of Q.I. (BBC anti-quiz show). Stephen Fry's sidekick on that is Alan Davies. Much more my kind of animal name. By the time I got the boys I just had to decide which was which. That took hours. I even ended up phoning a friend whose judgement, having only seen blurry pictures, was that the name Alan sounded like a light colour to her. Done!
"If I sit very still it might leave me alone."
"What's that thing? You're going to eat me aren't you?"
I ended up giving over my birthday to the pigs that year. My main gifts were a set of grids, some fleece, some old towels and some 'acquired' estate agent boards. All of which I got early because the pigs needed them. The coroplast (correx as it is here) couldn't be delivered until a few days after everything else so I fashioned a temporary 2x3 in the meantime. And that was when my boys truly showed who they were. Stephen's busy, curious yet nervous nature became apparent as did Alan's confidence and laid back attitude. There were zoomies, popcorns and much excitement. Then when they got worn out they had a nap. I had never seen piggies sleep properly before, I was like a kid watching them. Due to the cages I'd had before, you disturbed the inhabitants by trying to see. Watching my boys snooze is still one of my favourite things to do. I bought them a bunny bed from the petstore-that-must-not-be-named. To my delight they immediately knew exactly what it was for. Well, Alan did and Stephen followed.
I'd been all over GPC poring over photos and info and had seen piggies in that pose, but that photo of Alan was my very first experience of the saxxy leg.
Within a week I had built my cage properly. Oh how I cursed and swore at the coroplast. Due to the size of the sheet and my lack of outside space, I had to move all the living room furniture to have room to work with it.
The boys first day in the pigpen.
My cage cost a mere £38 to make. When I finished, I emailed photos to my Dad so he could admire my handiwork. Back in the day, he had made me a two-storey cage for Pugsley that we thought was the bee's knees. It was, at the time. When he saw what I had now he got straight on the phone. He thinks it's the best thing ever. We both feel guilty about how little space old Puggles really had back then, but we did the best we knew at the time and he was the only guinea pig I knew who even lived indoors. I just have to remind myself of that sometimes.
"If I sit very still it might leave me alone."
"What's that thing? You're going to eat me aren't you?"
I ended up giving over my birthday to the pigs that year. My main gifts were a set of grids, some fleece, some old towels and some 'acquired' estate agent boards. All of which I got early because the pigs needed them. The coroplast (correx as it is here) couldn't be delivered until a few days after everything else so I fashioned a temporary 2x3 in the meantime. And that was when my boys truly showed who they were. Stephen's busy, curious yet nervous nature became apparent as did Alan's confidence and laid back attitude. There were zoomies, popcorns and much excitement. Then when they got worn out they had a nap. I had never seen piggies sleep properly before, I was like a kid watching them. Due to the cages I'd had before, you disturbed the inhabitants by trying to see. Watching my boys snooze is still one of my favourite things to do. I bought them a bunny bed from the petstore-that-must-not-be-named. To my delight they immediately knew exactly what it was for. Well, Alan did and Stephen followed.
I'd been all over GPC poring over photos and info and had seen piggies in that pose, but that photo of Alan was my very first experience of the saxxy leg.
Within a week I had built my cage properly. Oh how I cursed and swore at the coroplast. Due to the size of the sheet and my lack of outside space, I had to move all the living room furniture to have room to work with it.
The boys first day in the pigpen.
My cage cost a mere £38 to make. When I finished, I emailed photos to my Dad so he could admire my handiwork. Back in the day, he had made me a two-storey cage for Pugsley that we thought was the bee's knees. It was, at the time. When he saw what I had now he got straight on the phone. He thinks it's the best thing ever. We both feel guilty about how little space old Puggles really had back then, but we did the best we knew at the time and he was the only guinea pig I knew who even lived indoors. I just have to remind myself of that sometimes.
***Waves***
Fellow Scot, lovely to read your chronicle cannot wait too hear all about them :).
Your boys are gorgeous! xx
Fellow Scot, lovely to read your chronicle cannot wait too hear all about them :).
Your boys are gorgeous! xx
At this point I have to jump forward a bit in our tale. I'll go back again later. Today is my boys' given/guessed birthday and they are 2. I have proper grown-up man-pigs!
I decided to take photos of their birthday tea. I should have thought that through. It's dark here by 4pm just now (they get fed around 6), the lighting in my flat is terrible for photos, I forgot to borrow my mate's camera so I had to use my phone and pigs + food + terrible camera = blurry photos. Doh! I figured it'd be cheating to do it another day so I soldiered on. I'll get better shots for their adoption anniversary in February.
This kind of set the scene for the level of cooperation they were willing to grant me. Then Stephen chewed a hole in the card. *sigh*
"Mum, you've kissed a dent in my poor widdle head."
"Yeah, I dunno how I got so cute either."
Their birthday 'cake'. Alan ate both 'candles'.
Eating. Serious piggy business.
A short video of much contented munching.
I decided to take photos of their birthday tea. I should have thought that through. It's dark here by 4pm just now (they get fed around 6), the lighting in my flat is terrible for photos, I forgot to borrow my mate's camera so I had to use my phone and pigs + food + terrible camera = blurry photos. Doh! I figured it'd be cheating to do it another day so I soldiered on. I'll get better shots for their adoption anniversary in February.
This kind of set the scene for the level of cooperation they were willing to grant me. Then Stephen chewed a hole in the card. *sigh*
"Mum, you've kissed a dent in my poor widdle head."
"Yeah, I dunno how I got so cute either."
Their birthday 'cake'. Alan ate both 'candles'.
Eating. Serious piggy business.
A short video of much contented munching.