Friday 18 November 2011

A wheek of Guinea Pigs...

After the dizzying fame of how to make a felt Jeremy in this month's Guinea Pig Magazine, I thought I'd introduce my guinea pig story. It started with a trip to the SSPCA, and a father and son guinea pig pair. Their names soon became Norman Stanley Fletcher and Lennie Godber. After all, they were held behind bars, and Fletch slept on top bunk (well, on top of the cave).
Their story was sad, they had been found in a box in a park, along with Mrs Fletch and some female babies. Fletch was quite a character, like an overgrown big hamster.
Fletch definitely performed the alpha male role, whilst Godber being the teenage son sulked in the pigloo. Fletch had some rather odd health issues, and when he passed, it left a very lonely and needy Godber. Godber by now, had realised that humans are good for food and lying on laps sleeping. He was quite an affectionate so and so.
As a friend for Godber, we got a young boar from Lanarkshire small animal rescue. Continuing with the Porridge theme, he was Jim McLaren. It was love at first sight between Godber and McLaren.
As he was just a baby when we got him, we didn't realise that McLaren was a sheltie guinea pig, with beautiful long locks. Fortunately McLaren was a very good natured beast who didn't mind the occasional bum hair trim!
One night McLaren stopped eating, and before we could take him to the vets in the morning, he had gone. Godber was heartbroken - first his dad, then his best friend. Godber withdrew and hid in his house. A new friend was needed, again off to the SSPCA, where we found a beautiful guinea pig with a tragic back story, Oscar. He was found in a box, along with a rabbit and two female guinea pigs, along the side of the road. When he was found he was in a terrible state, underweight, with bald patches from where the animals had been barbering each other (probably due to lack of hay and stress).
Oscar came home with us, a friendly guinea pig who seemed constantly amazed by fresh food (he certainly wasn't picky at all!). Unfortunately Godber didn't take to him.
LinkI think Oscars presence confirmed to Godber that McLaren wasn't coming back. Godber retreated even more, and eventually refusing to eat. He developed a chest infection, and sadly died. This left the newcomer Oscar, after his turbulent few months we decided he could settle in on his own and get used to the good life. A few days after this sweetcorn adventure, Oscar had a seizure and died. Now we were without guinea pigs. A break in pethood was needed, but then I found Tom and Jerry at Becklen rescue.
Two brothers needing a home. So since May, the artists formally known as Tom and Jerry (the names implied a hierarchy!) became Mark and Jeremy (of Peep Show fame). These boys are certainly the most athletic guinea pigs we have had, Jeremy especially, I suspect he thinks he is a ferret some days.
Mark is the braver of the two, although they are still suspicious of us, and any new food!
Here are all the guinea pig decorations together.
Apparently the collective noun for guinea pigs is a group, which is a little dull. I think it should be a wheek of guinea pigs or a collection of cavies. What do you think?

6 comments:

  1. Tracey what lovely pictures of all your boys and a what a good way to commemorate them.x

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  2. All very handsome gentlemen! You are such a great pet owner, I'm so sorry that you went through so many losses. Our one pig has been sick for 6 months or so (he had a bladder stone surgery in June and still has crystals when he pees, unfortunately there is nothing we can do to stop them...he's still happy otherwise and in no pain!). They are such great pets! I have a dog too, but honestly my guinea pigs are so much better :P

    By the way, I found this tutorial online if anyone else wanted to make some of these: http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/cegif/felt/guineapig.gif

    Thanks for sharing your story and cute pics!

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  3. Thank you for your comments! Guinea pigs are ace!

    Lisa Kate - That is a great template that you have found, i put instructions on how to make a decoration on this post... http://craftytrekky.blogspot.com/2010/11/guinea-pig-christmas-tree-decoration.html

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  4. wow I cried at your story. very moving. Dandy and Bobby are our two pigs. we live 'em

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  5. Clare - don't cry! It is amazing that such small animals can have such big personalities. I like their silliness lots!

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  6. Aww that's such a lovely post! It is so sad to lose so many - that is the only downside to small furries they die far too soon! At least they all died having spent some time being loved and Happy and looked after!! I agree the collective noun is slightly boring, the collective noun for rats is much better "a mischief"

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