The New Arrivals

There are four new boys in the Bungalow, so I thought I would introduce them to you, especially as they are the cause of lots of trials and tribulations at the moment! We didn't mean to get them,well  what I mean is, we intend to get guinea pigs, but first we knew we had to get a big cage. We'd been looking around but not found anything we wanted. In the meantime I'd started the ground work and e-mailed Avalon Guinea Pig Rescue to see if they had any groups that would be suitable for us.

Then one day on a whim after we'd been stuck inside all day doing jobs, Lauren and I decided to drive over to White Post Farm near Farnsfield to see whether they had any suitable hutches. Bingo, they had the perfect thing a large 6ft wide affair, perfect for four growing boys.

We asked all the questions we needed to and were heading out, when we spotted a hutch with 2 funny guineas inside, a tiny little fellow called Silver, with a smudgy nose and his dad Long John, a long haired inquisitive chap, with the funniest big white, horsey lips! I was smitten. We had a bit more of a look round, there were a couple of pens of tiny babies and then an indoor cage with William and Harry in, difficult to tell what they were like, just two disappearing bottoms and a flash of ginger. We headed home to tell Tony what we'd seen.

I got a reply from Avalon, they had some suitable piggies and said just to contact them when we were ready and we could go and have a look. We decided to go and get the cage on the Saturday and then we would make an appointment for the following week

Saturday came around and off we all went back to White Post Farm. Tony took a look at Long John and Silver and was taken as we had been, but because we had wanted four pigs in all, we decided to take William and Harry too.

When we said we wanted to buy some guinea pigs, the lady told us they had all been sold, but when we mentioned which ones we wanted we were relieved to find it was just all the babies that had gone, it seemed no one was in the market for a 2 year old and his 2 month old son and two five month old skittish brothers.

And so they have arrived with us. We let them get to know each other through the cage before introducing them all. It was very tense, poor Long John ended up with a bite on his rump, but gradually they all settled down. William and Harry are still terribly skittish, but once we have them they don't mind a cuddle, catching them all is an art which is running us all ragged. We have virtually got through a hay bale and they are eating us out of house and home.

Unfortunately we had to separate them back into their pairs at the weekend after a rumpus broke out, but we still have a couple of things to try before we give up hope of them living in harmony. There is always a period of status quo but it usually means one of them being left out, so if it doesn't work out then we will have to leave them as pairs, but fingers crossed.

"Long John Parsley Face"......2 years old, ex stud, nosy parker. Has a penchant for cucumber and parsley.

"Hi Ho Silver".....2 months..son of Long John. Partial to melon and tomatoes but is actually a bit
of a piglet and will eat most things that are vegetable based and can't run away.
Happy to be back with dad and away from over protective Harry. Very squeaky.

"William Wish Wellingtons"..... 5 months, timid enjoys his muesli and some fresh kale. Lives with brother Harry,
 tendancy to annoy Silver, loves hiding in his little green house
 has wonderful springy hair and whispy whiskers.

"Hurry up Harry".....5 months, brother to William, likes to run very fast, occasionally into things when he's being his nervous best, has a massive nose and a long tail, not sure what his favourites are as he runs to hide when he sees us, but once we have him he loves his cuddles