And now for proper introductions!

[PinkGrass]

I never did do a proper introduction thread, and now that we figured out names for everyone I think it's a good time to properly introduce all my current pigs, along with myself. I'll go in order dates of got the pigs.

Meatball

Background: He was my frist pig, and like many others who didn't know better before finding CC.com, I purchased him from a PetsMart in March of 2004 (along with a petstore cage). He was 3 months old when I first got him, and I would play with him all the time in our apartment. My bed was just a mattress on the floor, and I remember letting him scamper around on the floor in my room after making sure no wires or other objects could be chewed on. I also remember giving him so much lap time and attention. He would popcorn and do laps in his cage, but before long (and as he got bigger/older) I noticed him not doing them as often... and then to not doing them at all. He wasn't fed a proper diet... probably only a few cuke slices, lettuce, and carrots a week. And we didn't give him nearly enough hay.

Now that I know how to properly take care of a guinea pig, I'm making it up to him everyday. For the first time in about a year, I saw him doing laps and popcorning in his new C&C cage. It almost brought tears to my eyes to see him happy. He is my special guinea pig, and everything I've done since finding this site was to make him happy. However, because he spent so much time in a little cage, he's very calm and people-y. He'll climb right up in my lap to be petted, and never scatters if I come into the room. He loves to be pet on his head, and is very brave and curious about anything new in his cage. He's a doll when it comes to nail-clipping time.

About his name: I know it's not really the cutest of names... but a friend and I had made a joke about how if I ever got a new pet I would name it Meatball (After some movie, which I can't even remember now).... and Meatball was the lucky guy who got stuck with the name!

Napoleon
Background: Napoleon was a very funny and cute guy. Unfortunately, he does not live with us anymore, but is in a better home now. I still feel it is right to introduce him and tell his story since he was a part of our pig story.

After finding CC.com, I knew I had to find Meatball a friend. I used Petfinder.org to help me find a rescue near-by, and low-and-behold a shelter less than 30 minutes away from me had a big selection of adoptable pigs. Napoleon was only 23 days old when I got him. He seemed like the best candidate at the time since he was young and active, which ended up backfiring on me.

Meatball and Napoleon got along okay at first. I think Meatball was a little annoyed with how active and clingy Napoleon was, him being a very calm and loner pig. Once Napoleon reached his puberty age, things kind of went haywire and fights started to happen. We had to seperate Napoleon for a month, before we finally decided we couldn't keep him like that. He's now it a better home where he won't have to worry about fights and cramped space.

About his name: Napoleon was obviously a dominant pig from the start. For such a small pig, I thought it was funny how he would try and boss Meatball around. Thus, resulting in naming him Napoleon, the little tyrant.

Hewey / Hewette
I originally had my eye on Hewey before getting Napoleon. The shelter website said "he" was a baby, but when I got to the shelter "he" was a little older than I expected. I decided that having a younger pig might be better for Meatball, so adopted Napoleon instead. A week later, I ended up feeling bad and going back to get Hewey. I don't know if going back ended up being a mistake or a godsend, but 2 weeks after adopting "him" I noticed a chubby, moving belly. The shelter had told me Hewey was a male, and all 3 of my pigs had existed peacefully together prior to the gender change. Before I knew Hewey was a girl, I joked about how I thought Hewey was gay, because he was so delicate-acting and always snuggling with Meatball... I guess all along I knew "he" was feminine.

In any case, I couldn't take her back leaving the shelter with potentially more pigs, and I knew I could take good care of her while she was expecting. This site helped me out alot with her situation.

Hewette is still pretty shy. She's such a curious little gal, though, and makes the cutest wheek I've ever heard. She's very fuzzy, and it's fun to spend lap time with her.

Hewey had 3 healthy babies on May 18th, 2006...

[PinkGrass]

Peppercorn (Pepper, or Peppy)
Little Bashful Peppercorn. He was the only male of the babies, and is Meatball's new cagemate. Pepper is very calm, like Meatball, and they get along so well. I'll only hear an occassional rumblestrut if Pepper tries to join Meatball in his hidey-house. We've already had a big scare with Pepper concerning his breathing. We took him to the vet, and have been keeping a close eye on him. After visiting the vet, he does seem to be doing better.

Pepper usually lays on their cuddle-pillow, stretching out as far as he can. He likes to follow close behind Meatball and start a little train.

About his name: Well, he just simply looks like pepper seasoning, since he is mostly a brownish-grey with blotches of white only around his face.

Ashenputtle (Ashe)
Ashe is a girl, and for a while we weren't sure it we were going to keep any of the girls (We still aren't really sure, but everyday I'm just getting more and more attacthed to them). She was the only one born that looks just like her mommy, but -now that she's grown more- we see she has long hair everywhere (Hewey only has long hair in the back)! It's almost 2 inches long now. I'm not sure how long it will get, but it appears to still be growing. I have fun "mohawking" it up.

Like her mom, she is also shy, but out of the 3 girls she seems to enjoy laptime the most. Her and her sister have gotten into a few squalls, and I'll usually find Ashe cuddle up next to her mommy (It's cute seeing the 2 white poofballs huddle together). We've expanded their cage in a new room, though, so the "sibbling rivalry" has improved. ;D I think they were really just cramped in a house full of estrogen.

About her name: I was trying to think of something elegant, since she's such a pretty pig. I thought of Ashenputle (German for Cinderella) because her paws and ears look like they've been dusted with soot.

Harlequin (Harle)
Harle, the other sister! She looks most like her brother, Pepper, and is a very sweet girl. She seems the most people-ly, but still gets very upset if taken away from her family members for laptime. She's also the most vocal, standing up in the front row to wheek for her food and attention! Of the three, she has the shortest hair, which is ever so shiney and soft. I'll catch Hewey grooming her often when they are huddled together. They'll all share a hidey-house togegther, and it's cute trying to find which one they'll all be in.

About her name: I wanted something to fit her markings, since she had a unique "tear" coming off of one eye and a white collar around her neck. I instantly thought of a jester-like Harlequin, thus her name.

[PinkGrass]

About Me
I still consider myself new to guinea pigs, and I'm always learning more everyday. This website has really changed everything for me, and I'm proud to say that I've been able to successfully turn everything around. Who knows how long Meatball would have lasted in such a depressing state. I actually originally found this website after coming back from college and noticed that Meatball just wasn't happy (I had been away fro a year, and he was under the care of my mom.) After much reaserch, I'm so glad and thankful I found Cavy Cages.

I am an art student, majoring in Graphic Design, with some knowlegde in web design and developement. I'm in the process of Moving to New York state (to be with my boyfriend), but I was born and raised in the Mid-West. I really enjoy animals, having 2 cats now and my pigs. I do a lot of photography, drawing and digital art, and often try to mix my passion for animals with my passion for art.


My cats Nahlah and Boots, a part of my big animal family.
Nahlah is mostly Maine Coon (she's huge!) and Boots is mostly Siamese.

[JennG]

Those are great. I'm sorry to hear that Hewey turned out to be a girl instead of a boy but things like that happen. All your pets are very cute. If you can afford them, I hope you're able to keep the girls. Sounds like they're in a very caring home.

[pink_cottonball]

You have adorable pigs and cats! Very creative names!

[jdomans]

What a wonderful story. What a happy family.

[PinkGrass]

A happy family indeed!
Even though it's horrible she was missexed and pregnant, I'm glad I got Hewette. I was able to successfully take care of her, and now her kids are also in a loving home... something that may not have happened if she was adopted to someone else or left in the shelter.

[Buggie_00]

We had a suprise baby in our herd. We got two females (fortunatly they weren't mis-sexed) and one of them (Cookie) was pregnant. We had no clue untill one morning there was another face in the crowd. I panicked and did research and found this site and it has truely made all the difference.

I think that your piggies are adorable! I love the creativity used in naming them, my son named ours and it took all of two seconds for him to do it. We have Cookie, French Fry and Biscuit (who is Cookie's daughter) as well as our two female cats Jennie and Joey.

Congrats on all the improvements, and good luck with those pigs, I'd love to have a few more.

[PinkGrass]

Thanks Buggie!

I remember hearing about your pigs. I'd be alittle surprised too, if an extra one showed up in the cage! But they are all so adorable. That reminds me, I need to get back to drawing pigs.. I know you were very close in line.

I think your pigs name's are cute. I love those food names. Sometimes, I think my names are too long or not cute enough like everyone else's. I really get into the names, though.. I even have last names for them all, but I won't even get into that! ;]

Letsee here.. Meatball Fonzerelli...
Hewey le Fleur... *rambles*

[PiGgIeCrAzYBaBy]

Your piggies are too CUTE! It sucks that Hewey was missed sexed, but it's good that you took care of her and everything went ok with the pregnancy and if I was in Budgie's place, I'd have freaked if there was another pig looking at me when I woke up in the morning. I'm glad I know both mine are boys! *Prays to God pigs wern't missexed* Good luck with your piggies! (Haha, I your avatar thingy, Captain Jack Sparrow in piggie form)