A rather huge addition to our family...at least in numbers.

Two weeks ago there was a call out from a work friend about some guinea pigs needing a new home.  As guinea pigs are often used as starter pets for kids many of them end up in shelters when kids don't want to care for them anymore.  No more starter pets people, the pet is not your childs responsibility, its yours.  A parent had bought one guinea pig thinking this was a good way to teach responsibility, the problem is when you buy a guinea pig from a store there is a decent chance you are going to get more than you bargained for. Yep, she was pregnant.  So you now have four guinea pigs and need to care for two cages.  The problem was with her three little ones all born of the male persuasion unless she is alone in a cage you end up with multiplication tables again.  Well she was kept with a male and got knocked up teen mom style.  Time to get rid of the pigs.  This is where I come in.  When I heard it was a "we have to get rid of these pigs one way or another" situation I assume the worst and agreed to take them.  I wanted the momma to give birth in a calm setting and not be jostled into a big shelter who might not know what to do in an emergency or have the time to offer the care they need.  

We got the guineas all set up in my craft room with the plan that after she gave birth we would contact Critter Corral to get them into foster homes.  The Critter Corral is a great guinea pig shelter in our area that we adopt from when room in a cage opened up after a loss of a little friend.  That was a Wednesday, when I had not contacted the shelter by that Saturday, I was in fact waiting to see what the sex ratio of the little ones was going to be in case we could keep a few girls, my wonderful husband told me that we should go ahead and buy the cages and items we needed to keep them all.  This was a great stoke of luck as I saw a post on the Critter Corral rescue Facebook page stating that they are at capacity.

Two pet stores and an Amazon shopping trip later we have a huge new cage and lots of pigloos for everyone to be happy in.  That next Tuesday momma gave birth, in less than two hours mind you, to three adorable little piggies, two boys and one girl...I think.  We have a few weeks of nursing before cage reshuffling begins again as we will not have another pregnancy.  We now have nine guinea pigs and one bunny giving me the business every time I'm in the room trying to craft...let me tell you the little one can really give you the business if they think treats are not coming fast enough!

Introducing the small mammal house residents......

Mr. Bun

Libby, one of the original two pigs

Oreo, the other original piggy

Special Agent Phil Coulson

Director Nick Fury

Bucky Barns

Poundcake, the momma

Fluttershy

Dashie

Daring Do

I have all these cute little lives depending on me for good food and love.  Our veggie bill has quadrupled but all the happy squeaking and purring make it all worth wile.  Always remember Adopt, don't shop!

Kelly

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