Weigh in

[Custard, enjoying the cooler afternoon today]


The weigh in for Saturday the 19th November 2011:

*** Liam's Love Shack ***
Liam is 950g (gain 20g) - 32wks (7.5m)
Sparrow is 1010g (loss 15g) - 33wks (7.5m)
Crumble is 1100g (same) - 51wks (11.5m)


*** Sprout's Pad ***
Sprout is 910g (same) - 33wks (7.5m)
Romeo is 375g (loss 25g) - 7wks (1.5m)


*** Malakai's Quarters ***
Malakai is 720g (loss 10g) - 16wks (3.5m)
Millicent is 650g (same) - 16wks (3.5m)
Peppa is 1020g (lost 70g) - 1yr
Molly is 590g (lost 25g) - 14wks (3m)


*** Violet's Arrangement ***
Violet is 630g (gained 25g) - 18wks (4m)
Pooh Bear is 1030g (gained 300g) - on loan


*** Girl's Mansion ***
Alba is 930g (lost 20g) - 38wks (8.5m)
Alice is 875g (gain 25g) - 41wks (9.5m)
Bonnie is 1310g (gained 60g) - 25wks (5.5m) - (Heavily Pregnant, due end Nov)
Chloe is 340g (gain 20g) - 7wks (1.5m)
*Custard is 1010g (gained 20g) - 4.5yrs
*Demi is 420g (gained 50g) - 8wks (1.5m)
Elodie is 725g (gained 10g) - 16wks (3.5m)
Galaxy was 980g (gain 30g)- 45wks (10.5m)
Ginger is 1375g (gained 20g) - 35wks (8m) - (pregnant, due approx 2/12)
*Ivy is 465g (gained 75g) - 8wks (1.5m)
Jasmine is 385g (gain 20g) - 9wks (2m)
Lavender Mist is 680g (gained 15g) - 14wks (3m)
Leilani is 890g (gained 15g) - 22wks (5m)
Lotus is 460g (gained 5g) - 8wks (1.5m)
Ruby is 975g (gained 5g) - 35wks (8m)
Sheba is 1030g (gain 20g) - 43wks (10m)
Subi is 1180g (lost 15g) - 2.5yrs
Tigerlily is 470g (gain 50g) - 8wks (1.5m)
Twizzle is 490g (gain 25g) - 8wks (1.5m)
Yeti is 880g (gain 10g) - 24wks (5.5m)
Zinnia is 470g (gain 30g) - 8wks (1.5m)


***Re-homing/Foster Pigs***
Rafia is 720g (gained 45g) - 11wks (2.5m) - (pregnant, due approx 8/12)
Lulu is 780g (gained 40) - 12wks (2.5m) - (pregnant, due approx 5/12)
Olivia is 350g (gain 45g) - 6wks (1.5m) - (On Hold)
Tabitha is 235g (gain 30g) - 3wks - (treating for mites)
Xeraphina is 390g (gain 50g) 6wks - (treating for mites)


***New Mums***
Phoebe is now 725g (same) - 31wks (7m) - (nursing)
Noah is 150g (gained 60g) - 1wk
Nixie is 150g (gained 55g) - 1wk

Delilah is 705g (lost 30g) - approx 1yr - (nursing)
Sadie is 235g (gained 60g) - 3wks
Suri is 250g (gained 60g) - 3wks

A bit of a so-so week of gains this week. The new girls being treated for mites are doing well though, and so are Phoebe's bubs - HUGE gains for such tiny creatures!


We had a bit of an incident with our free-ranging this afternoon too. I thought I'd latched Malakai's cage properly after topping up their grain (especially now that he sits inside the perimeter area of the mansion cage), but I hadn't! And yes, he did what any male guinea pig would do - he realised he could get out, and he found himself some willing partners! Thankfully I was there, filling up water bottles and grain bowls when I heard the ruckus, but after checking the nether-regions of the lady's in question (Alice and Galaxy), I do believe he may have hit his target! Cheeky little bugger. We still don't know if he's actually 'live' yet though, so it may have just been a test-run, so to speak. But I do know that I'll be doubled checking those latches from now on!

Not such a problem when everyone's safely locked away in their cages - all he would have done is go for a bit of a walk in the safety of the perimeter area. It was just one of those moments where everything just worked out for Mr Malakai! :P

To be honest, my main concern was more about Alice and Galaxy only just having had their litters a few months ago. I like to give my girls a bit more of a break then that usually! I have been reading a very informative document - 'Advanced Guide to Keeping Cavies' by another Brisbane Cavy Breeder though, and he explains how a female shouldn't be in show condition (ie. nice and fat) before falling pregnant due to the possible complications from carrying the extra weight. He explains that he actually gets his girls to loose a bit of condition before they're put in for breeding. And here I was trying to get my girls back into full-fatness between litters!

What I've taken away from that piece of information is that perhaps having a blanket-rule of '4 month break between litters' isn't going to work every time. Some mum's might need the full 4 months to recover, while others might get too conditioned/fat over that time. That's what I'm telling myself right now anyways - until I know if Malakai's misadventures have amounted to anything in a few weeks time! :P

Still, there was a lot of VERY interesting reading in the e-book. I'd recommend it if you're interested in the finer points of genetics: coat types, dominant/recessive genes/ colour inheritance etc. You do have to remember that it is one person's opinion though, and I don't agree with everything written, but it certainly gave me some information/guidance that I wasn't aware of already. There's always something to learn, no matter how long you've been in the game! :P


And after that rather long-winded ramble, I'll keep my next few captions short! These are just some shots of captured of Ginger this afternoon - showing off that incredible belly! I'm actually thinking we might have 5 babies... at least! This will definitely be a birth I'll need to be present for!






And Bonnie has surprised me by starting to open her pelvic bone this week too. I first noticed it earlier in the week, and decided to bring her inside for monitoring last night. She's continuing to open, and may possibly have her babies in the next few days. OR - she might do a 'Ruby' on me, and hold onto her litter for the next two weeks before her estimated due date! :P

(I had to include this pic too - it looks like Phoebe is telling Bonnie what to expect from birth... Bonnie looks a bit shocked!)


creatures!

Nixie and Noah - 8 hours old

It took me a little while, but I'm not feeling as raw about the loss of Phoebe's two little girls now as I did first thing this morning. I still feel incredibly guilty for not being there for her, but as a friend put it - my own kids come before guinea pig midwifery duty, so I can't beat myself up for being a mum to them first. It doesn't stop the 'what if' thoughts though... what if I'd checked her before I started breakfast... - but I'll never know the answer to that!


This was Phoebe and her babies on the grass this afternoon. They're all dry and fluffy now, and looking so good. You can see the colour contrast from Nixie's black to Noah's chocolate-tone. I'm still unsure what to call him exactly, but it does look a lot more 'Dark Chocolate' than 'Slate grey'. And I'd say as he grows, and the hair shaft lightens - he may end up looking more 'Milk Chocolate!'



Nixie, 8 hours old:






Noah, 8 hours old:

Phoebe's Babies - Noah and Nixie

I bought Phoebe inside last night. Mostly as a precaution. I didn't really think she'd deliver yet.

But she did! And it wasn't in the middle of the night either, it was approx 6:30am this morning. And I could have been there to help her out if I hadn't been making breakfasts and breastfeeding and mediating the morning squabbles between the kids!

By the time I'd gotten a chance to pop my head in, the birth was over and two gorgeous little babies had already passed. It just about broke my heart. The two stillborns were both female, and both cream and white. The smaller one had a big white stripe up her nose and weighed 60g (runt) and the larger one weighed 80g. Both good sizes, and otherwise perfect.

Once I snapped out of my distress, I thought I'd better check what else was bobbing around underneath Phoebe's curls - and found two very strong looking babies, both in black and cream. A little girl I've called 'Nixie' - who will be staying here. And a little boy I've called 'Noah' - who will be looking for a new home.


Noah:

Noah weighed in at 75g, and is a dark slate/grey (not quite black) and cream boar. He has just the tiniest hint of cream up his nose, a dot on his back and a dot on his toe.

He is a purebred Texel, but will not be papered. His adoption fee will be $40, and he will be available from the weekend of the 3rd Dec. I am anticipating that a lot of families will want to take him home, so for the next week I will be taking expressions of interest in him, then on the 17th I will randomly draw a new family. This seems like it will be the only fair way to go. Email me at eleb2000@hotmail.com if you'd like to be considered for his new family.




________________________


And this is our surviving girl - Nixie. She was the biggest in the litter, weighing in at 90g. She is a black and cream sow with little white socks! She will be staying here at the caviary, especially after I lost two of her sisters! She will be an important addition to diversifying our genetic pool in the texels.



And she's just too cute!!!

Weigh in and updates

[Phoebe enjoying the watermelon. Look at those curls!]


Here's this weeks weigh in, for Saturday the 22nd Oct 2011:


*** Liam's Love Shack ***
Liam is 920g (loss 5g) - 28wks (7m)
Sparrow is 975g (gain 35g) - 29wks (7m)
Yeti is 810g (gained 60g) - 20wks (4.5m)


*** Sprout's Pad ***
Sprout is 915g (gain 25g) - 29wks (7m)
Subi is 1190g (gain 35g) - 2.5yrs


*** Malakai's Quarters ***
Malakai is 635g (gained 20g) - 12wks (2.5m)
Leilani is 820g (gained 5g) - 18wks (4m)
Peppa is 935g (gain 210g) - 1yr (Yep - and this week we have the 200g gain again... this is so weird!).


*** Girl's Mansion ***
Alba is 865g (gain 15g) - 34wks (8m)
Beeno is 955g (gained 5g) - 34wks (8m)
Bonnie is 1005g (gained 5g) - 21wks (5m)
Crumble is 1025g (lost 15g) - 47wks (11m)
Custard is 965g (lost 25g) - 4.5yrs
Demi is 285g (first weigh in) - 4wks (1m)
Elodie is 575g (gained 10g) - 12wks (2.5m)
Ginger is 1025g (lost 15g) - 31wks (7m)
Ivy is 295g (first weigh in) - 4wks (1m)
Jasmine is 265g (gain 35g) - 5wks (1m)
Lavender Mist is 530g (gained 25g) - 10wks (2m)
Millicent is 560g (same) - 12wks (2.5m)
Molly is 530g (gained 10g) - 10wks (2m)
Phoebe is 960g (gained 75g) - 27wks (6m)- (pregnant, due approx 17/11/11)
Sheba is 910g (gain 15g) - 39wks (9m)
Tigerlily is 300g (first weigh in) - 4wks (1m)
Twizzle is 325g (first weigh in) - 4 wks (1m)
Violet is 570g (gained 25g) - 14wks (3m)
Zinnia is 285g (first weigh in) - 4wks (1m)


***Re-homing/Foster Pigs***
Rafia is 450g (gained 20g) - 7wks (1.5m) - (possibly pregnant)
Ripley is 650g (lost 15g) - 18wks (4m) - (possibly pregnant)


***New Mumma's***

Kobe is 770g (loss 10g) - 34wks (8m) (nursing)
Otis is 150g (gain 45g) - 2wks
Onyx is 150g (gain 50g) - 2wks
Olivia is 140g (gain 45g) - 2wks
Oscar is 145g (gain 45g) - 2wks

Ruby is 850g (lost 60g) - 31wks (7m) - (nursing)
Rollo is 210g (gain 45g) - 3wks
Rudy is 200g (gain 50g) - 3wks
Romeo is 225g (gain 50g) - 3wks
Ryder is 205g (gain 40g) - 3wks

Alice is 700g (same) - 36wks (8m) - (nursing)
Cricket is 165g (gain 35g) - 3wks
Chloe is 150g (gain 35g) - 3wks
Cleo is 180g (gain 35g) - 3wks

Galaxy was 825g (loss 25g)- 42wks (11m) - (weaning)
Jax is 295g (gained 65g) - 4wks
Jarvis is 245g (gained 35g) - 4wks


[Jarvis - 4 weeks]


[Jax - 4 weeks]


So not the best week in terms of gains. Everyone is maintaining their weight nicely, but the only one really packing it on is Phoebe (very top photo). Her bubs are moving away in there nicely now too.


[Rollo - 3 weeks]

Ruby's boys put on a decent amount of weight this week too, which I think has taken a bit of a toll on her, as she lost the most out of my nursing mums. Thankfully they're old enough to be weaned this week and she can have some 'Ruby-time' back!

I also thought I'd quickly snap a pic of Olivia with her aunty Sparrow during the week too. The two of them weren't terribly cooperative, so this is as good as we could get! Still, they make a lovely duo!

Finally - some pedigree texel females!

A fellow piggy-loving friend needed to part with her guinea pigs today, so I took on three more girls. (because there's always room for one more... or three more... or six more in two days as has been the case this week! :P). This little lady is a three month old chocolate Himalayan coronet (crested sheltie). I've called her Leilani, which means 'heavenly flower'.





I also bought home this lovely lady. Her pedigree name is 'Cambent Princess Leyah', but I'll be keeping her last owner's name of 'Phoebe'. She's a black and cream 5 month old pedigree texel. She has links to Liam's original stud (Glenjolie) as well as Krisdar, Pipsqueak and Hedon heritage. She has been living with a buff texel male for the last month or so, and is most probably pregnant. So we will keep her on pregnancy watch for the next few weeks. She will also be on trial for her personality as well - she has a bit of a mean streak. We're not sure if this is a pregnancy related aggression, or an inherent trait. If she doesn't end up being able to co-habitate with my other ladies, she will need to find a special 'no-other-pesky-piggies' home. But we'll see, she will get a good chance to find her place in the hierarchy.


And lastly, this sweet little bundle of gorgeousness is 'English Rose Violet', but we'll be calling her just 'Violet'. She is from similar stud stock as my Liam, but through a different stud owner, and she and Liam do share some ancestors. She was born on the 18th July this year (my birthday!) and already has a lovely coat.