When babysitting one pig becomes babysitting 5!

I've been babysitting the gorgeous 'Flick' from Clover Cavies for the last fortnight or so while her owners are interstate. She was in the last stages of her pregnancy, and getting bigger and bigger each day.

Then, sometimes during the early hours of friday morning, she delivered 4 gorgeous, healthy little girls! The father of this litter was my boy 'Jonah'. Born here last year to Liam and Galaxy. Sadly Jonah passed away suddenly last month to sun stroke, so these bubs are his last legacy.




We got one little lady just like mum (below), one throw back in black and buff (above and two just like daddy (bottom pictures). The new family are staying here for another fortnight yet, so I'm so excited to watch them grow, and to see if their coats end up more like mum or dad!

Baby Updates: in their new homes

Jonah in his new home. You can see how much he's grown since he was newly born!




And this is Mason looking lovely in his new home. He's the spitting image of his mum Crumble, and has also grown so much since his first photo.





And this stunning big boy is Bodie now 2 1/2 months old in his new home. Look at that hair!!! This was him as a newborn - a few months have made an incredible difference to his appearance!





And Bear, also 2 1/2 months old now. He lives with Bodie and is almost unrecognisable from that fat little bub!





And last, but not least - Jethro. Now named 'Wicket' in his new home (with Bear and Bodie who are now named Kenai and Apache). And for comparison sake - here's Jethro as a newborn too!

Weigh in

[Petal and Jonah went to their new home today!]

Here's this weeks weigh in, for Saturday the 15th Oct 2011:


*** Liam's Love Shack ***
Liam is 925g (loss 10g) - 27wks (6.5m)
Sparrow is 940g (gain 5g) - 27wks (6.5m)
Yeti is 750g (gained 20g) - 19wks (4.5m)


*** Sprout's Pad ***
Sprout is 890g (lost 20g) - 28wks (7m)
Subi is 1155g (gain 30g) - 2.5yrs


*** Malakai's Quarters ***
Malakai is 615g (gained 50g) - 11wks (2.5m)
Leilani is 815g (gained 35g) - 17wks (4m)
Peppa is 725g (lost 205g) - 1yr (I don't know what's going on here. Peppa's gains and losses over the last few weeks have had a range of over 200g... last week I thought the scales were off... but now I don't know what to think!? She is fine, happy, eating, playing, her teeth are clean, her eyes are bright... but my scales can't be consistently inaccurate for the one same piggy!? The plan is just to keep a closer eye on her).


*** Girl's Mansion ***
Alba is 850g (loss 5g) - 33wks (8m)
Beeno is 950g (gained 10g) - 33wks (8m)
Bonnie is 1000g (gained 50g) - 20wks (5m)
Crumble is 1040g (gained 15g) - 46wks (11m)
Custard is 990g (gained 15g) - 4.5yrs
Elodie is 565g (gained 45g) - 11wks (2.5m)
Ginger is 1040g (gain 35g) - 30wks (7m)
Jasmine is 230g (first weigh in) - 4wks (1m)
Lavender Mist is 505g (gained 60g) - 9wks (2m)
Millicent is 560g (gained 45g) - 11wks (2.5m)
Molly is 520g (gained 60g) - 9wks (2m)
Phoebe is 885g (gained 30g) - 26wks (6m)
Sheba is 895g (gain 40g) - 38wks (9m)
Violet is 545g (gained 20g) - 13wks (3m)


***Re-homing Pigs***
Petal is 565g (gained 55g) - 17wks (4m)
Rafia is 430g (gained 55g) - 6 wks (1m)
Ripley is 665g (gained 55g) - 17wks (4m) - (possibly pregnant)


***New Mumma's***

Kobe is 780g (same) - 33wks (8m) (nursing)
Otis is 105g (gain 30g) - 1wk
Onyx is 100g (gain 15g) - 1wk
Olivia is 95g (gain 20g) - 1wk
Oscar is 100g (gain 25g) - 1wk

Ruby is 910g (gain 15g) - 30wks (7m) - (nursing)
Rollo is 155g (gain 30g) - 2 wks
Rudy is 150g (gain 35g) - 2 wks
Romeo is 175g (gain 40g) - 2 wks
Ryder is 165g (gain 40g) - 2 wks

Alice is 700g (loss 10g) - 35wks (8m) - (nursing)
Cricket is 130g (gain 20g) - 2 wks
Chloe is 115g (gain 25g) - 2 wks
Cleo is 145g (gain 30g) - 2 wks

Galaxy was 850g (loss 20g)- 41wks (10m) - (nursing)
Jethro is 225g (gained 40g) - 3wks
Jonah is 150g (same) - 3wks
Jax is 230g (gained 40g) - 3wks
Jarvis is 215g (gained 45g) - 3wks

Another pretty good week for everyone. Jonah was my only concern, staying the same weight this week. He is probably the most relaxed out of his litter though, and I was wondering if maybe he was getting held back from the best food by all the other more boisterous babies. He left for his special new home today though, so will get lots of food all to himself!


I thought I'd take some progress shots of my sheba-look-alike girls too, before their hair looks any worse! This is Milli at 11 weeks old. She has a crazy, full fluffy coat a fortnight ago... then Ripley and Rafia moved in and the hair-chewing started!


Elodie (also 11 weeks) has probably been chewed on the most - and so looks the most ratty at the moment! You can just make out the occasional extra long strand of hair - that's how long it ALL was... before the wanna-be-hairdressers got to it any ways! :P

It's hard to say why some piggies chew hair, and other's don't. Some will constantly chew their own coat, while some just constantly chew the coats of those around them. It can be from boredom and/or stress, but I think in this case, for Rafia and Ripley anyways, it's more a case of curiosity. They were living with only other short haired piggies before, so to find themselves in a cage full of these crazy fluffy creatures is quite overwhelming. I suppose they've got no other way of exploring what all that hair is, other than to chew it! Thankfully they don't self-chew though. Short-hair piggies are usually pretty good like that.


And lastly, this is an update of Lavender Mist (9 weeks). Her hair hasn't gotten much more length, so I believe this is similar to what she'll look like as an adult. It's very much like a short haired texel: soft, cotton-wool-like curls. Rather than the more wire-like rex breed (he head is a little more rexish though).

More baby Updates

These are just some more updates of the babies so their respective new families can keep an eye on them. Everyone is doing so well too!



Here were have Jethro at 3 weeks. He is incredible! For comparison, check out his newborn photo to see how much his hair has grown in such a short space of time. This little boy will be a stunner as an adult!






And this is Jonah at 3 weeks as well. His fur is also crazy long and kind of frilled/wiggly (Liam's legacy I suspect!). He hasn't gained quite as much weight as his brothers this week though, but otherwise seems fine.


(Jax and Jarvis are doing really well too - their hair is also this length, just difficult to show because they're sheltie look-a-likes with the hair that grows downwards rather than upwards!)




Here we have Onyx at 1 week. He's such a shimmery little guy! And such a wriggly little guy too...



... I thought it might be nice to try and get a photo of Onyx and Cricket together (as these two are being adopted together), but both boys were way more interested in exploring the strange new place I'd put them! They are cheeky little monkeys!


And this is Cricket at 2 weeks old. Again, a lovely dense, fluffy coat. And the prettiest of colours!

Baby updates

I had the perfect opportunity to get some great progress shots of the new babies this morning... sitting in the middle of the cage with them sniffing at my feet... when my camera battery started dying!

So I quickly scooped up the closest bubs, and grabbed these shots! I'll have to take the other's the next time my kids allow me 5mins of peace to just sit with the pigs! (without begging to come in with me! which they're not actually allowed to do any more. Mostly because of all the little one's running around, but also due to the 'lets lock mummy in the guinea pig cage' incident! Thankfully it was late afternoon and my hubby was home, and able to unlatch the lock for me! Not the middle of the day while he is at work, and all the phones are in the house!)




Up the top we have Chloe at 5 days old. I'm still pretty sure we're going to see curls of some form as she grows. She's getting really strong and fast on her little legs now too.



Next we have Cleo, also at 5 days old. She's starting to get the longer 'fluff' happening.




Here's Jonah at 12 days old. Now his hair is really funky - the ultimate in 'fluffy', long, really soft and kind of frizzy.




And this is little Jethro - also getting long, but with a much more traditional straight and silky hair type.



And of course, Miss Ripley had to poke her nose in... which reminds me, I haven't actually introduced you to Ripley and her baby Rafia yet... I'll get right onto that!

Yet another weigh in!

[Sibling shot of Cricket, Cleo and Chloe]

Here's this weeks weigh in, for Saturday the 1st Oct 2011:


*** Liam's Love Shack ***
Liam is 880g (loss 10g) - 25wks (6m)
Ginger is 990g (gain 55g) - 28wks (7m)
Alba is 840g (gain 35) - 31wks (7.5m)


*** Sprout's Pad ***
Sprout is 870g (gained 5g) - 26wks (6m)
Subi is 1145g (lost 15g) - 2.5yrs
(I think these two are still adjusting to life together. Subi is a BIG personality, and Sprout likes to think he's quite dominant too... so they're probably still have civilised discussions over dinner as to who wears the pants in this relationship... :P)


*** Malakai's Baby-Sitting Service***
Malakai is 500g (gained 60g) - 9wks (2m)
Mika is 435g (gained 40g) - 7wks (1.5m)
Ben is 375g (gained 25g) - 5wks (1m)


*** Girl's Mansion ***
Beeno is 915g (gained 5g) - 31wks (7.5m)
Bonnie is 870g (gained 60g) - 18wks (4.5m)
Crumble is 975g (gained 30g) - 44wks (10.5m)
Custard is 970g (gained 45g) - 4.5yrs
Eloide is 490g (gained 60) - 9wks (2m)
Kobe is 1060g (gained 70g) - 31wks (7m) (Heavily Pregnant, due early October)
Lavender Mist is 435g (gained 50g) - 7wks (1.5m)
Leilani is 760g (gained 50g) - 15wks (3.5m)
Millicent is 490g (gained 90g) - 9wks (2m)
Molly is 445g (gained 65g) - 7wks (1.5m)
Peppa is 835g (lost 95g) - 1yr
Phoebe is 805g (gained 50g) - 24wks (6m)
Ruby is 1340g (gained 70g) - 28wks (6.5m) - (VERY Heavily pregnant, revised due date any day now!)
Sheba is 780g (gain 10g) - 36wks (9m)
Sparrow is 940g (gained 30g) - 25wks (6m)
Violet is 495g (gained 35g) - 11 wks (2.5m)
Yeti is 730g (gained 35g) - 18wks (4.5m)


***Re-homing Pigs***
Petal is 490g (gained 70g) - 15wks (3.5m)
Pixie is 695g (gained 40g) - 29wks (7m)
Rafia is 305g (first weigh in) - 4 wks (1m)
Ripley is 625g (first weigh in) - 16wks (4m)


***New Mumma's***
Alice is 730g - 33wks (8m) (gave birth 30/9/11 - 290g of baby)
Cricket is 70g - newborn
Chloe is 55g - newborn
Cleo is 75g - newborn

Galaxy was 870g (loss of 20g)- 39wks (9.5m) - nursing
Jethro is 120g (gained 20g) - 1wk
Jonah is 100g (gained 25g) - 1wk
Jax is 130g (gained 25g) - 1wk
Jarvis is 110g (gained 15g) -1wk


In review - nearly everyone had a good week this week. In particular the new additons from last week and the younger pigs. Special mention needs to go to Milli, who somehow gained 90g!!!? That's more than my pregnant girls gained!



I thought I'd include these 'out-takes' from my attempt at getting photos of all the new babies together earlier this morning. In this photo Alice was calling for the bubs and they were responding back with little chirps. Very cute. And the last photo I got with them - they went straight back in the box and snuggled up underneath her. I think she's getting the hang of motherhood. Just took her a little longer than my other mums.


I also thought it might be nice to get a photo of all the new bubs lined up together... yeah. No. Maybe if they were all only a day old, but 1 week old babies are notoriously wriggly, and no one was having a bar of being lined up! These shots are literally as good as it got!

The boys - 6 days old

Just had to share some more photos of the boys today. They are growing so well!



This is the two fluffy boys Jonah and Jethro. Jethro must be hogging all the milk because he is just huge! Even just picking them up today I could feel how much fatter his little belly is to his brothers. Cheeky little monster!



Jethro is also becoming my new favourite (Grandmas aren't supposed to have favourites though are they :P). His coat is just stunning. I don't know how clear it is in these pictures, but there is just the tiniest hint of a wave to his and Jonah's fur (most noticeable in the picture right at the bottom of this post. Click on it to enlarge it if you want even closer detail!).



I don't know if this is just because the fur is getting longer? Or if it suggests there will be a slight wave as they grow? I still pretty sure my smoothie-two are going to be sheltie-look-alikes, they're developing much the same as Sheba's boys and Crumble's boys. But as for the two fluffy boys... I'm just not sure what they're going to end up like! And it's so exciting not knowing!

Galaxy's boys - 4 days old

Jethro, Jarvis, Jax and Jonah

Lamington Galaxy and Liam's instant family of four boys are doing so well! She is an awesome mummy! Altogether the bubs weigh in at 375g. Galaxy got to about 1.3kg at the end, and now weighs 890g. The individual photos are below:

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This little sweetheart is 'Jethro'. He is one of the two Abyssinian looking boys out of the litter of four. He will most probably grow up looking a little Sheba Mini Yak-ish and has one of the sweetest little faces around! Jethro weighed in at a very healthy and neat 100g exactly.





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This little guy is 'Jonah', the other Abyssinian looking boy who will also likely end up growing a bit of a Sheba Mini Yak looking coat. He has the most cream out of the four boys. Jonah is also the runt of the litter weighing in at a very healthy 75g. (Jonah is SOLD)





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This is 'Jax' - he's a smooth coat that will grow into a sheltie-lookalike. He is the only bub to have any physical resemblance to his mum with his little half/half facial colouring. Jax was our biggest baby (and I'm pretty sure the fourth one born that I had to assist), weighing in at 105g.





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And this little guy is 'Jarvis'. He is the second smoothie boy that will most likely end up growing a sheltie-lookalike coat. He has the sweetest little 'bunny' face and weighed in at a very healthy 95g.




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