I whistle before I feed my pigs their veggies every time. It's a habit I got from the days of having my boar group: Cashew, Koda, Mimic and Bailey who were allowed to explore the house regularly because it meant that if some-pig had decided to take a nap under a thing in another room the whistle would, without fail, have them up and wheeking with excitement while running back to their cage.
Last night, as usual, I whistled to announce dinner time and the herd responded by dashing excitedly forward to see what I had for them.
Wait a minute... aren't we missing somepig?
We have Maisie, Buddy (top)
Lolly and Meribel
Annie
Fizzpop
... we're missing one pig*.
Where on earth is SCRIBBLE?!
I soon did find him, but what made me laugh so much I had to take pictures to share this story is that when I whistled again to see if he would come over he wheeked quietly in response and then started to stuff his face with hay.
I could just imagine him sitting there feeling incredibly proud of himself "I've struck gold! Food whistle was sung and already I have found DINNER!" while missing the point that the whistle actually means "Veggies from the Sky!!"
And this is from a guinea pig who, at one year gotcha, has heard the piggy whistle EVERY TIME I have fed them! Apparently he's gotten use to me plunking veggies in front of his face.
He did eventually realise something was amiss.
And turned into Incognito Pig to steal the handful Fizz was happily eating.
Buddy since his illness has been doing fantastically and, of all the pigs, I have found him and Scribble playing with little baby Maisie the most. He seems to really like keeping an eye on her.
I have some BRILLIANT news about Meribel who broke her leg in December in a place that couldn't be set to heal. Guess who can now stand up on her hind legs to beg for veggies?!?!
And baby-Maisie, who stopped taking food from hands when her brother and sister left, has finally decided that people don't taint the lettuce. But the device I was using to photograph them meant she could only eat inside the house... until she finished her meal.
*Really we are now missing two pigs because our eldest lady, Allsorts became very, very unwell and passed on a few weeks ago.
