The Piggie Saga

Jerry has a love for ferrets. I do not. And since we all know who will be cleaning the cage (ME!) I get the last say!
 We were at petco looking at the cats when Joe declared his undying (albeit new) passion for guinea pigs. We headed over to look at them and Jerry said yes before a soul could blink.
 Since I know nothing about guinea pigs, and since I didn't know we would be coming home with a little guy, I had not prepared anything! I ended up completely taking the advice of the pet store clerk which was probably a little detrimental to my wallet, but well, that's what happens when you aren't prepared! The only advice I did not take was, "Get two. they'll be way happier." Hrm, sure try to up sell me... right. Not happening. I wasn't born yesterday.
 She gave us a warning not to touch our new fury friend and let it be for about 2 days or so, let it get used to it's cage first and find comfort in it's home.
 We got home, and while Jerry set the cage up the kids and I watched youtube videos on dancing guinea pigs or piggies that like to swim. We were in stitches over it and incredibly excited to see our new little friend do all his tricks!
Jerry called us over and we gathered around it's cage.
 Well this piggie was a FLOP! It didn't even blink for 40 minutes.

   

Eventually the kids trickled off and Jerry and I scratched our heads. Maybe it's scared out of it's mind? Jerry decided to forgo the advice of the sales clerk and picked that piggie up and put her into her straw burrow.

   

It didn't move out of it's little nest at all.

 

For 24 full hours.

 I was starting to panic - if it dies, well at least we have a 2 week return policy but I really wanted this guy to work out!
 I got online and found a couple forums with some good advice.
Guinea pigs need a second guinea pig to keep it happy, to combat for food so they stay on a good diet.
The next morning Jerry and Joe headed back to the pet store to get a second little guinea pig (oof).

Meet Queen Amidala. 

 

First off she ran around like a maniac, ate some food, tasted her water, chewed on the straw hut, ate a carrot, then slowly she entered the straw hut and the princess blinked her eye, like coming out of a coma she looked around and started eating some food too! 

   

We all rejoiced, yada yada yada I've.had.to.clean.their.cage.every.single.day. but so happy the kids are happy.
  *insert pasted on smile*
 We slowly acustomed the kids to the piggies (and vice versa!) by letting them pet them in a little plastic box.

Two days later (though Joe is wearing the same shirt - don't judge me) we let them start to hold them. 

 

 

*hey little critter, here's my finger, looks just like a carrot. don't bite it though m'kay?*

 

They fit right in here and it feels like they've been here forever. Yesterday I called Joe to lunch but did not know he had the princess out. She is still very very calm and basically just sits around all the time. Joe set her on the couch while he went to eat and she just sat their and waited.
 The queen is much more vocal. After I recorded this I read that the squealing is a sign on terror.
 Umm... sorry little piggie.

Since then we've worked on cuddling them while petting them, petting from crown to rump, always approaching from the front, picking them up with two hands, and the piggies reward us with a pigeon coo-ing noise.

   

So yeah, that's the first of probably many guinea pig sagas and meanwhile we're reading lots of information on guinea pigs.