This is the story of three little pigs...but not the story you might have heard as a child of The Three Little Pigs. THIS Story is about picking up Three little GUINEA PIGS! from Cuddle Bear Day Care in Rapid City, SD on March 29, 2011. Two boars and a sweet little sow baby.

I had lost GI P Guinea, our sweet long haired mix GP in the late fall of 2010. He was our buddy and each evening, and he sure did know when, the three of us, Deron, my husband, I and P Guinea, split an apple. I would eat half, then give it to Deron who would eat half, then Deron would give P Guinea the core. Honestly, Deron and I have not eaten as many evening apples since P Guinea's death. We don't know how old P Guinea was. I bought him from a Pet Store that took him in from a Serviceman that was leaving for Iraq and could not keep him. He came without a name, so I made his up in honor of his former owner, a brave young man we never met. GI P Guinea is also a play on the words Guinea Pig if you look at it you will see.

I was going to wait til October of 2011 to get another GP. I thought I would and I did, buy a hamster (that turned out the be three) and a new rattie girl (that turned out to be two). The plan was to train them well, then in October get A (one) GP. I guess by the name of the page you can guess what happened.

Sooooooo, I have this good friend who loves animals as I do. We met when we both lived in N WI. She now lives in TN and we "talk" via email about every day (several times). Lately I have been encouraging her to replace her ferrets, and she has been teasing me with all the great colors of GPs that she owns and has seen and could "send me".

My husband has encouraged all, well, almost all, of my animal purchases, and bless his heart he drove over 100 miles to pick up the three new Guinea Pigs.

I had seen the ad on CraigsList for these GPs but thought there was no way to go to pick them up. We live way out on the prairie and get stuck there with snow and or mud. However.....on the 28th while Nichole, in TN, and I were emialing back and forth she resent that Craigslist ad. YES! She is a good friend to have looked this up for me and send it to me. Anyway, I called. So the next day, Deron, Joy (our little Cocker Spaniel and constant companion) and I loaded up and headed for a fun day in Rapid City.....complete with carry cages for the three GPs I might get. Deron knows what "might get" means and even brought extra cages in case (He does love me).

When you look at the photos below you will see why I had to have all three. I had wanted Americans, Tri Colored and Cream are my favorite. I was thinking a sow....you can sure over think things, ey? So, they had a darling, darling, little cream and white sow baby, a tri colored boar in pastels, and then the brown and white that caught my eye when I walked up to the cage! All are Americans. Each as cute as the other....and I was thinking three might be a good thing.

As soon as they settled in training began. Please see our Video page and recheck it often.

Here's "The Boy". Here is the guy I left home for. I love Tri Colored. I love Americans. So when I heard about him, well, I was ready to load carry cages and get to Rapid before someone else picked him out. Captain is calm and happy. He does not run when you reach into the cage and has such beautiful markings. Photos show the right and left side of his body.

This guy caught my eye when I walked in to the room he was in. I LOVE his markings. He has a very sweet face, is the first to "Shout Out" (squeak) when he hears the veggies coming (hears a plastic bag rattle) and my oh my, he is just a little love that enjoys being held and fussed over. Well, before we left for Rapid (100 miles one way) I had told Deron that maybe I should get three GPs since we live so far from anywhere and can't always find them when looking. So, it was easy to pick out the third GP I was bringing home. He was the FIRST one I choose really. When we got home after midnight, I could not help myself...I dressed him in a little sweater. Did he mind? Not too much. I am sure he is going to make another great model and GP ambassador. Photos show different angles and you can see his markings.

If I were choosing just one Guinea Pig from the those available, it would have been Damsel....well, I think it would have been Damsel. Yeah, it would have....pretty sure. This sweet thing was just weaned and a little lover. She is pretty and I love her dark, bright eyes. When I called about the GPs I was told about her, I was already "sold" before arriving to lay eyes on her. When some Guenia Pig owners see her photos they will think "mismarked Dutch", me? I see a pretty little thing designed by God for me. She is going to make a Great Model for our clothing line and I have a hunch that she will not be hard to train to do little tricks and or agility. Isn't she beautiful? Photos show different angles of her markings.

Thank you so much for the sweet babies and fun I am about to embark on! Thank you for GPs that are used to noise and action and fun and being held and..... Thank you for the GP Squeaking back in our home and hearts. Please check this site often for photos of the guys.

Thanks Nichole for looking up the ad on Craigslist and sending it to me. Thanks for not letting our GP cage staying empty too long. Thanks for all your encouragement on all the animals you send via emails.....now?....you know I am going to be encouraging you to start training one of your GPs to learn agility and tricks and..... <grin>

Here's a photo of Captain who hopes to Learn to Play the Piano.

And look for Damsel to have her own training page here on the site. People have written to tell me how much they enjoy Little Mac's Training Page on www.theagilerat.com and Coal's Training Page on www.hamsteragility.com so we thought that one of the Piggies should also have their own, step by step training page with photos.

April 10, 2011

I have taught a few Pet Fancy Rats and a Dog to knock down, appropriate sized Bowling Pins, but not a Guinea Pig. I have, for many year, taught Guinea Pigs to do other tricks and tasks, so I had an idea of where to start this trick. What I did not know was that my "Wonder Pig" was going to learn this trick as fast as he has. One Lesson, he taught me that if I set the Bowling Ball in front of his foot, he would, could, will kick it and maybe, just maybe, it will hit the pins and knock them down. This Boy, Matey, The "Wonder Pig" is learning much and fast, really fast! Look how he keeps his eye on the ball.

The contents of this page for The Three Little Pigs is still under construction. Please check back later! Easter Photos coming very soon. As well as other photos from time to time.

-- The Guinea Pig Agility Team
Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:32:52 -0400