My Caviary

General Cavy Info

About Me

Other

   My family and I started with our first pig in 1998, an Abyssinian mix named Stormy. He was the most devoted little thing we'd ever had. At the time we knew practically nothing about cavies. Stormy lived outside in a cage that we'd open during the day and let him out to play. At night we'd call "Stormy!", and he'd come wheeking and purring out of the ivy plants in our back yard. Unfortunately, one day he decided that dog food was on the breakfast menu, so he went up to 'share' the kibble with our dog and our dog didn't want to share. He nipped at Stormy, to tell him to 'go away'. To another dog, it would have been a warning, but it was too much for poor Stormy. We lost Stormy the next week.

   After Stormy, of course we had to get another one, so we decided to get one from a breeder. We got Cappy Boppy from Carole Newbill of Cavy Carats. From the moment I saw her floor-to-ceiling cages, her room dedicated just to cavies, and her PIGS, I was a cavy slave. Obviously, we started showing and breeding cavies. We started with some American Broken Rainbows from D'Ann of Tartan Cavies and soon we had an average of fourteen or so guinea pigs, most of them for show. We learned how nice and sturdy some cages are, and how flimsy others are. We learned how guinea pigs need extra vitamin C, and how funny, cute and HUNGRY the little pigs can be (and always are!). This went on for a few years, until the year of 2002. We were thinking about moving, and mom decided that guinea pig shows were too time-consuming and unorganized to go to anymore. I was not very happy about that. Guinea pig shows were the only time I could talk to other cavy breeders who really understood why I was soo crazy about cavies. My brother and two sisters lost interest in their pigs when we stopped showing. My sister was only 8 or so at the time, and she has come back around to cavies. She now raises and shows Teddies in broken agouti colors. I am now the proud owner of sixteen (the number does tend to fluctuate, hee hee) happy guinea pigs. D'Ann offered to take me to some shows, and, needless to say, I went. It had been over two years since I'd been to a show, and I loved it! The only thing is, how do you leave a show without bringing back one.......or more pigs home? I am getting very busy with school, and as much as I would like to have more to focus on my breeding program, too many more would overload me. I'm allowed to keep so many adults at a time (heh heh, not including for-sale animals, babies, or my sibling's animals). It's funny how to non-cavy people you say 'I have sixteen guinea pigs' and they say 'Oh, wow! That's a lot!', and when you talk to cavy breeders you say 'I only have sixteen guinea pigs,' and they give you a look of sympathy. LOL.

   Then once again the famous saying ~ Guinea pigs are like potato chips, you can't stop at just one. So TRUE.

   So, I'm not a huge caviary...ok, not even a big one, but I love my pigs, and I do occasionally have litters. I really hope to expand soon (lol, I've been saying that for a couple years now). My goal is to eventually become a registrar and then a judge.

   I pay (and have paid) for my animals food, bedding, medical, grooming, etc. etc. needs personally. My sister and I do all of the care for the cavies. My parents let us jump into this fun hobby, but we have to do everything and pay for everything ourselves. I am thankful for that now, as it has taught us a lot about responsibility, time and money management, finances, organization and diligence. See! Owning cavies is educational! (I even learned some web design through owning cavies!)

   I am at the point that my hard work in breeding and caring for my pigs is finally starting to pay off. The last few litters have been from animals I have bred myself, and there are some show-stoppers in there!

   I've worked hard on this website, I love my pigs and pigs in general, and I hope you enjoy this website and find it helpful!! If you ever have any questions I would be more than happy to help where I can :) So email me!

My first REAL Best In Show :)

Cleopatra under Judge Tim Patty

Pomona, KIH Rabbit Club, 12/9/06