Pushy Piggy!

So yesterday the hooman asked you to take guesses at what I had been up to the previous evening that was so naughty. Plenty of you had brilliant ideas but no one guessed exactly the mischeif fun I had.

Now I don’t know about you but sometimes I like to pretend to be a hooman. So that night instead of cuddling in my usual spot on Mummy’s lap, I climbed off onto the sofa next to her. She said I was looking extra cute as I snuffled around the cushions. I lay down and stretched myself out to my full length as I’d seen the hooman do before when she wanted to claim a sofa as her own.

Then I realised I was at a slight height disadvantage! So I gently “encouraged” Mummy to get up.

“Now that’s not quite how it happened Basil-“

She was quite happy to move onto the floor and make way for me after a few gentle nudges…

“I think you’ll find I wasn’t that happy about-“

She got up and sat on the comfy floor. The other hoomans were quite accepting of my human dominance also.

“Well with you rumbling, biting my clothes and trying to dig your nose under me and flick up, I didn’t really have much choice! Plus you tried to nip anyone who wanted to sit down on the sofa near you, even though there was plenty of room!”

I don’t know what you are talking about hooman, I was furry comfortable!

Does anyone else like to pretend to be something else once in awhile? What are you up to today?

Happy Thursday!

Basil

xxxx

Pigs Is Pigs?

Whee only just found this but it gave us a good giggle! Walt Disney – Pigs Is Pigs

How whee came to be know as “pigs” is a mystery that only our dear ancestors will ever know the answer to. One idea is that some of our squeaks reminded hoomans of a pig squeal. Whee are shaped quite like pigs too. Whee have a large head compared to our bodies, a short neck, and a rounded rump (yes ’rounded’ Mummy, not fat as you like to say) Also, like pigs, whee do spend most of our of time eating.

Our name sounds much like whee are pigs in many languages. The German word for example is Meerschweinchen, literally “little sea pigs” (sailing ships stopping to get provisions for the New World would pick up groups of guinea pigs, which provided an easily transportable source of fresh meat. Whee are not to happy about that!). The Welsh term is mochyn cwta (‘little pig’), the French Cochon d’Inde (Indian pig), the Dutch used to call us guinees biggetje (Guinean piglet). In Italian the term is either Porcellino d’India (Little Indian Pig) or Cavia Peruviana (Peruvian Cavy). This is not universal but yes, hoomans do think of us as pigs. Not an insult really. Whee know many pigs who are very nice but whee are not pigs!

The scientific name of our species is Cavia porcellus, with porcellus being Latin for “little pig”. Cavia is derived from Portuguese çavia from the Tupi word sawiya, meaning rat!

The origin of “guinea” in “guinea pig” is even harder to explain, and like the pig part, unknown officially! Whee will leave that for another day. For now, here is a diagram which essentially explains us!

(source: Guinea Pig Zone – click on the pigture to see their page)

Nutty, Nacho, Buddy & Basil

xxxx

Treat Tragedy Tuesday

It’s a tragedy . . . officially. Mummy has run out of my most favourite dried herb treats in the whole wide world. She got the packet like she usually does, and tipped it over my treat bowl saying I should “enjoy the crumbs left” Crumbs?! It was practically nothing! And I checked . . . see:

Where is it?!

I gave her the hard stare and she is under strict orders to fetch me more tomorrow. For now, she is letting me sniff the empty bag, like a kitty with a small taster of catnip.

Burgess Excel Country Garden Herbs – Empty bag, empty life

Comfort me furfriends, I don’t think I can wait! What are your favourite treats?

Buddy

xxxx

Smile It’s Saturday

Have a great Saturday efurryone!

Nacho

xxxx

ps. An old video with our favourite song ever! I’m not in it but our bootiful Nibbles (RIP) is. Enjoy the smiles

Confessions of Cavy Criminals!

Today whee have been naughtier than usual. So whee are in the ‘dog-house’ as it were. Currently watching the hoomans fussing and cuddling Nutty and Nacho and feeling a tiny bit jealous.

Whee feel that whee must confess our naughtiness to get the hoomans to forgive us so here goes.

Bad Boy Basil

My naughtiness was from early this morning when whee were allowed out in the garden, before it got to hot outside. Mummy was keeping a careful eye on us as it was already quite hot. But obviously not careful enough because one minute I was sitting there in my tent looking angelically up at her and the next time she looked I was the wrong side of the run nomming on a particularly tasty patch of grass!

She made a high pitched very piggy like squeak which I managed to translate into “OMG!” and dropped to her knees and crawled commando style towards me cooing and reaching slowly.

Completely cool with this development I let her grab me where she cuddled me close muttering what a bad boy I was. It took her less than a minute to find the small gap I had dug out and squeezed under the run. Considering how chubby I am getting she was impressed I had managed to fit.

She borrowed a plank of wood to block up the gap and checked carefully for anymore before flopping onto the garden bench with a huff. She is not as impressed by my Houdini antics in the garden as she was inside when I broke out of my cage! Sorry Mummy!

Bit Bratty Buddy

My naughtiness tracks back to yesterday but Mummy only admitted it to her Dad (who is even less impressed than her!) today. The hoomans have been enjoying the sunny weather and discussing where they would go on holiday this year. I do not like the hoomans going away. Even though I get the bestest love and care from our holiday hoomans I miss my Mummy a lot.

So you see my crime has the best of motivations!

They had maps and brochures everywhere so when I had my floor time I crept up to one and within seconds I managed to tear off most of the South Coast! Try going on holiday now hoomans! I mean, I am very sorry Mummy.

Whee know Mummy will forgive us but whee can’t help being a little naughty sometimes!

Yours, the currently in disgrace

Buddy & Basil

xxxxx

Tired Out Tuesday!

Well yesterday the weather wasn’t too bad, a little bit windy but nothing whee can’t handle! So whee spent most of it in the garden and today whee are tired right out! Just look at me, in my highly attractive and comfortable looking sleeping pose:

Just to give you a glimpse of the funs whee had, the little hoomans and Mummy filmed us playing out there. My favourite part is the end bit with Nacho popcorning in the tent! The green spaghetti is very disappointing at the moment, all dried out thanks to the sunshine and our munching so Mummy let us eat our vegetables out there to cheer us up. Yes, whee piggies had a PIGnic! I can tell you is super jealous!

Did you have a fun time in the sunshine? Are you tired out today? Do you like my sleeping position (provocative but not showing to much ^_^)?!

Have a terrific Tuesday

Buddy

xxxx

ps. in the video the observant of you will notice Nacho closing his right eye a little. He has seen the vet and is having eyedrops (which he is very brave about) to make this better.

Nutty’s Guide To Bringing Up A Naughty Piggy!

You probably all know that Nacho, my new cage mate is furry young. Between 9 and 10 wheeks old in fact! Well like most babies he is causing a lot of trouble and it’s up to me to keep him under control and teach him all he needs to know . . .

Nacho?! Nacho, What are you doing over there?!! Behave!

Sorry about that, now where was I? Oh yes. There are many lesson he must learn, like, how one should eat the green spaghetti in the garden really really fast then look up at the hoomans with the hungry face

Speed nomming, the whippersnapper’s not half bad!

And how to bounce around in a cute way so the hoomans go “D’awwwwwww”

How to wheek at the top of your lungs to make the hoomans hurry up with the noms, be it hay, veggies or breakfast! He’s not to great at this one, whee will have to film it because it’s quite funny! When he gets really excited he actually can’t squeak, he just puffs out lots of air and dashes around. Whee got the vet to check this was ok on his first ever vet trip and she said there’s nothing wrong with him, he’s just super duper excited!

And how to share a tent . . .

Ok, so he hasn’t quite got the hang of that one but these things take practice!

The final art I have been working on with him, is the art of adorable snuggling on the hoomans . . .

He’s getting good at this one! Wait! Nacho! What are you doing? Where are you going kid?! Naughty Nacho!!!

Ah well. Whee might need to work on that one too!

What other lessons do you think efurry young piggy or pet should learn?

Happy Monday efurryone!

Nutty

xxxx

Somewhere To Be Sunday

Well it was nice while it lasted. The sunshine went away yesterday evening, making way for a horrible thunderstorm. Luckily whee spent some time out enjoying the garden while it was nice.

Mummy always thinks I look funny in the garden as I bustle around a lot, like I’ve got somewhere to be! What she doesn’t know is that I am like a guard. Just call me the Cavy Crusader! I am watching out for threats! Those mischievous magpies, sly sparrows, cunning cats (Sorry kitty furfriends but you have not seen the way next doors kitty Lucky McFluff looks at us! Whee are not lunch!) and don’t even bring up that troublesome toad. See, somefurry has to watch out and sound the alarm if danger approaches. I know Mummy sits out so she might see but two pairs of eyes are better than one.

I may have sounded the alarm prematurely sixteen a couple of times before by wheeking at the top of my lungs and sending efurryone dashing for cover when I saw shadows or something flew past but it’s better safe than sorry, right?!

I don’t usually stay still long enough for good pigtures outside but Mummy got caught me by surprise by hiding round the back of our tent as I made my perimeter checks. Of course this caused one of my false alarms and I don’t think anyfurry will believe me next time. It’s like that story of the boy who cried wolf cavy who squeaked cat.

Ah well, at least inside I have a better view of the entrances and exits. Nothing will get passed me in there!

Basil

xxx

Quicky News

Well whee have been melting in this hot weather but whee have to pop back here to say:

Happy Blogaversary to Mollie & Alfie, don’t forget to pop over to theirs this Tuesday to enjoy a pawty to end all pawties!

The second little bit of news in case you didn’t know is our furfriend Nylablue hasn’t been feeling very well. Whee are sending healing huggles to her and cuddles of comfort to her hooman. Paws crossed she gets well soon.

Whee have a couple of interesting posts planned for this wheek if whee can gets the hoomans to do anything in this hot weather! Can’t get the cavy slaves these days!

Nutty, Nacho, Buddy & Basil

xxxx

Wordless Wednesday – Safe From The Sun

It is too hot outside today so whee are staying indoors. My favourite spot is on the plastic hidey, which is cool and lovely to lie on!

Where’s your favourite place to relax when its sunny?

Nacho

xxxx