Revy's piggy paws

Revy loves borrowing the fleece cube house from her piggy neighbors next door. Since we've been putting it outside the cage during floor time she's been taking advantage of the opportunity to squeeze in an extra nap or two.

Peaches: 2 days after bath

"If you try to bathe me again, I will BITE you." -Peaches

Last Sunday an exhausting afternoon was spent on piggy related cleaning. First both cages were changed: bedding was replaced, hay racks were refilled, water bottles were cleaned, and bricks were hosed off. Six grumpy pigs were rinsed, bathed, and reluctantly blow dried against their will before being granted reentry into their cages.

Late dinner, grumpy Truffle

Truffle knows when dinner is running late. Just look at the grumpy face she was sporting while lying in wait by her food bowl!

Food bowl seesaw

Whereas Truffle, Peaches and Poof have resigned themselves to Belka's bowl tipping tactics, Abby-Roo has become an expert at reclaiming it from Revy.

Belka, food hog

Belka long ago learned that standing on the rim of the communal food bowl tilted it towards her, thereby enabling her to get first dibs on all the lettuce inside.

Calendar Pig Poof

For the past few years our friend Mieke from the Undercover Guinea Pigs blog has created a calendar, the proceeds of which are donated to support a guinea pig shelter (this year it went to Palace Piggie Rescue in the UK).

The calendar features different agent pigs from around the world, each of whom was invited to share their stories and a bit about themselves during their corresponding month. We've been enjoying reading the stories behind the piggy faces on the wall. 

As this month's calendar cavy, Poof was happy to share her piggy tale. Read what she had to say!

How to Grow Wheatgrass Indoors for your Guinea Pigs

The first time I ran across wheatgrass while grocery shopping it never occurred to me to juice the blades as a drink for myself. Instead the thought that came to mind was, "I wonder if the piggies can eat this?"

GuineaLynx, the go-to resource for cavy health, confirmed that not only was wheatgrass safe for guinea pigs to eat but that it was also a common forage food. Being an excited piggy mom, I rushed back to the store. The wheatgrass was a hit and the pigs were hooked. Every wheeker I've had since has loved the treat. However, they weren't so fond of sharing the minuscule containers so I looked into growing it myself.

An easygoing green, there are many different ways to grow wheatgrass. I created this simple guide to illustrate the method that has worked best for me to satisfy six spoiled, grass-happy pigs. Poof was more than happy to help pose/eat.

More cucumber?

"Can I have more cucumber?" -Truffle

Belka, Poof, and Peaches were excited to see their hay rack freshly refilled with a mix of timothy and bluegrass hay.

Why grow wheatgrass for your guinea pigs?

We first started offering wheatgrass to our wheekers when there were only three to feed. Several years and several adoptions later, we finally started growing our own. There was no way sharing a single tiny container could keep Belka, Truffle, Peaches, Poof, Revy and Abby-Roo satisfied!

So why go through the trouble of messing about with dirt and seeds? Here are some reasons why it is worth the effort:

Vote for OCCH at WorldFest!

Image courtesy of OCCH

Revy says to please vote for Orange County Cavy Haven in WorldFest's Pay it Forward contest! OCCH is the rescue that fostered and cared for her after she was found abandoned, a lone guinea pig wandering homeless in a Venice Beach alley.