an unexpected arrival
2010
We’ve been keepers of guinea pigs for several years now – Abby’s first pair, retirees from the school farm, were Mousey and Little Miss – their demises were dreadfully sad, and appropriately tearful and ornate funerals were held. A few months after Mousey left this world, Little My and Snufkin arrived and very sweet they were. Well, Little My still is – she sure is one resilient guinea pig, a characteristic guinea pigs do not ordinarily possess. She has fallen off the verandah table, been chased by a demented dachshund, toppled off the front porch, endured the 2 hour flight between Brisbane and Melbourne, and lived on her own now for 12 months (Snufkin, always the louder and more demanding of the pair, left the world last winter).
Now guinea pigs are very social animals and we have long debated whether or not Little Miss needed some new companions. On the one hand, surely she would enjoy some snuggly friendship with an animal that didn’t want to eat her (as do Simon and Toph). But on the other hand, maybe she would resent the intrusion which could result in nasty, bitey conflict? This week, we’ve decided to err on the side of companionship so this morning, visited the pet store.
Well! WELL! We’ve found another reason why living in Melbourne is cool. In Melbourne, you can keep rabbits as pets. Yup! And the pet store had their rabbits and guinea pigs in the one enclosure and there they were, snuggled up sleeping together, sharing the food bowls together, and playing with each other. Oh my! Abby forgot to breathe she was so enchanted. :-) Instead of coming home with Wendoline, Beebee and Clarabelle; we came home with Wendoline (a dear, sweet little caramel coloured Abyssinian), Percy and Totoro (darling, soft little dwarf rabbits).
I have to say, this muma is just as smitten as the girlie. What dear little animals! Being familiar with the skittish ways of guinea pigs, we are astounded/delighted to find that the rabbits are ever so friendly. They love to sit around with us, have a long cuddle, eat from our hands etc. They see no reason to scuttle under the bedroom or tear manically around and around the cavie house when we come near. Nope. They come up to the door, ears tall and alert, sweet wee noses a-twitching, and greet us cheerfully.
Abby has spent all afternoon in the cavie house – she’s taken out her drawing tools and a novel about a guinea pig called Winston to share with the four dears (seriously, she read them four chapters). And the walls of the house are now decorated with lovely posters of each animal and its name.
As for the name Percy – there’s a story attached. For as long as I can remember, my old Grandad has shared his stories with me. I have heard most of them many, many times but love each retelling – these events of long ago have become part of who I am and my memories, and I know that I possess a family history much richer and more detailed than any of my cousins. Inevitably, the importance of cherishing what has come before has been passed on, and I too have become a narrator of family stories. Since Abby was born, I have filled her ears with the tales of times, people, places, animals and funny memories that make me who I am. However, before today, I’ve not been sure how much my nattering on has meant to her. There we were, driving home with the new members of the family, discussing what to call the lads. She and Julian chose Totoro quickly – he’s one of their favourite characters from the Japanese anime films of Miyazaki. Then Abby annouced that the brown and white bunny would be called Percy.
“Ah,” I said, “And where does that name come from?”
“Don’t you remember mum!” she exclaimed, sitting forward in her seat, her eyes bright and laughing. “He was your neighbour when you were a little girl and you and Nan and Janie brought Wilbur the cat home from the RSPCA and you wanted to call him Percy after one of the streets that you drove past on the way home, but you couldn’t because it would sound too funny standing out the back yelling “Percy! Percy! Come here Percy! when Percy lived next door with Elsie”
Well, there you go. She does listen :-)
p.s. there’s no photos of Wendoline – she only pops out from under the sleeping hutch every now and then. Typical guinea pig :-)
12 comments
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Welcome, welcome to the new arrivals! They look so sweet — too sweet to ever become disapproving rabbits. Have you seen the disapproving rabbits web site? You’ll have to have a look. But these lovelies may never disapprove — they look like the most cheerful companions.
What fun and exciting news!!
As a keeper of a bunny myself, I’d LOVE to see more of your enclosure…it looks amazing!!
On another note…you seem to be raising the sweetest of daughters ?
LOL…the ? was a heart…doesn’t translate, I suppose, but I certainly was not *questioning* her sweetness, but acknowledging it, for sure!
Hope you are having a lovely weekend with the bunnies and piggie!
Oh oh oh! I should have never let Zach peek over my shoulder at these photos. And that you named one Totoro!? My week just got a little more complicated (“Please, mommy, please just one more piggy! Or a bunny!”)
Your little critters are gorgeous and look so lovely and well cared for. Makes me feel a wee bit guilty about our skiddish little sea faring guinea and his greying coat and my secret wishes that he will pass into the next world soon.
And I love how you tell Abby the family stories. We are FULL of that over here too. And my sweet husband, who really has no family stories, has risen to the occasion and just makes some up. I love that even at age 12 Abby still hangs on to them.
Love to you and your bunnies!!
Congratulations on the cutest, sweetest additions to your loving family :)
Just found your sweet blog the other day. Wanted to say hello, so I am not just lurking. Your blog is sweet. We are proud owners of a sweet cavie too. We had one dear a few years back ( Brownie) She loved to sleep with our bunny ( Butternut) She since has passes away. This Spring we decided to get another guinea baby. ( Cookie) She is a delight… That is so sweet that your guineas and bunnies are getting along. I am not sure why people say you shouldn’t put them together. Looking forward to future posts. Nice to meet you. Mica/The Child’s Paper
Our house is now in uproar. We NEED to move to Melbourne and get bunnies! The children’s lives will not be complete without bunnies!
BEAUTIFUL! Aren’t rabbits just SO beautiful! We have one dear little grey bunny and he is just gorgeous. Exactly as you describe, cuddly instead of flitty like the guinea pigs. We have let our bunny hop around the yard the past few days and he has astounded us with how fast he can bolt and his precision to jump through the narrow hole back into our yard through the fence when he hopped outside the fence boundary and the neighbours ridgeback came flying for him. However, our bunny’s shenanigans have come to an end today as he managed to hop himself up under the house and it took us all day to entice him out and Daddy craftily grabbed him to which bunny was in mid air in Daddy’s firm grasp doing air hops trying to bolt away. I could just hear him “nooooooooooooo let me go.. that was SO much fun”. No more backyard free range time for this bunny. We will have to get another bunny halter before he can come back out of the cage in the yard. But yes – they are such cosy animals to have snuggle up on your lap and cuddle! Enjoy your new additions. Your rodent cage looks beautiful – what kind do you have?
Oh, Oh, they look so cute!
Hi, your pets are extremely cute. I only recently found your blog. It’s really funny.
Ciao.
What a lovely blog story! So full of sweetness and cuddly fuzzybums! A hearty welcome to your new additions – I wish my computer screen allowed for reaching in to feel their very apparent super softness. :)
Looks like life in Melbourne is going very well, are you all settling in well.
I’ll be down there this month, would you like to catch up?