Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Everything's been really busy around the caviary!
At the STORRS show on 3/1/15, we brought home seven- SEVEN!- extra piggies! First was Nativefox Tecumseh, a little baby Peruvian boar from my Texel mentor. She had been planning to surprise me, and it turns out Mom was in on it! (I'm surprised Mom managed to keep the secret for that long. When she got PEW, he was meant to be a surprise but she ended up telling me maybe half an hour after she put him on hold.) I can't describe the expression on my face when she gave him to me. "But... but... how much is he?"
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| Nativefox Tecumseh |
Next was Cutie Pie's Poe Boy and Cutie Pie's Lenore. Poe Boy was planned, Mom had bought him about a week before from the breeder and the breeder was going to deliver him to the show. When mom went to pick up Poe Boy, she said:
"Hey, want a sow for him?"
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| Cutie Pie's Poe Boy |
Kline's Rufus
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Cutie Pie's Lenore
Later in the day, while we were waiting for them to FINALLY start judging cavies (who knew there were so many holland lops?), `one of our breeder friends came up and tapped Mom on the shoulder. Shes led her over to a box of piggies and leaned in, grabbing two little boys. Of, course, Mom decided to buy them. Later, she ended up going back and getting another. They became Dad's boys and they built them a cage up in the living room. They're named Bill, Ted, and Rufus, after characters from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.
"And together they are... the WYLD STALLYNS!"
Kline's Ted
Kline's Bill |
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Last was Pepper, Lenore's sister. The breeder came up to us while we were (still!) waiting for the Texels to be called up and said:
"Want another sow?"
Cutie Pie's Pepper
When the Texels were finally judged for show A, there were four broken Int. sows. FullMoon got 4th in the class, Donut got 3rd, and Clemie got 2nd. 1st was taken by one of my breeder friend's sows. who went on to win Best of Breed and Best in Show. The judge said Pig Who Shall Not Be Named was promising and gave her Best Junior of Breed- I'm excited to see how she does at the next show!
Show A started shortly after. Some of the breeders had already left because it started to snow. Clemie took Best Opposite of Breed. Pig Who Shall Not Be Named got Best Junior again, same as last time.
IPP Darling Clementine
IPP Pig Who Shall Not Be Named
During the show, I sold IPP Jingle Belles to a future breeder! Her name is now Tulip and the breeder's planning to show her at the show in the 29th. She'll get to go head to head with her sister, Pig Who Shall Not Be Named!
IPP Jingle Belles
I also sold IPP Bite Size to someone who was looking for another pet boy.
IPP Bite Size
After the show was over, we packed up and headed home. The only bad thing about the show was that it was snowing, so we missed out on getting the UConn ice cream again!
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On Friday the 13th, Miss Little Piggy and Big Savings's litter was born! (For those of you who don't know, I lent Big Savings to another breeder, Sharyl, for a co breeding back in December, and this is his litter.) Three healthy little wheekers- two TSW sows and a broken red boar. The red boar will be named Kenny and he's on hold for a friend of the breeder. One of the TSW sows will be staying with the breeder and will be named Clementine. The other TSW sow will be coming here for my breeding/showing program and will be named IPP Big Spender.
It seem our luck didn't last. On the 14th, Feedsfour developed pregnancy toxemia. She had one stillborn baby and was very lethargic. She still had more babies inside of her. We brought her upstairs and put her in a cage in my mom's room for the night. She made it through the night and had the two babies, both stillborn.
Meanwhile, things werent going so well at Sharyl's house either. Miss Little Piggy got mastitis. We went over to her house to help her treat her. When we came home, Feedsie had passed.
Feedsie as a baby
Feedsfour
That night, Molly had her litter. Four (thank goodness!) HEALTHY babies- a mismark boar, a black/cream/white sow, and two black and white sows. Molly did very well with her babies.
Molly's babies
Molly
The following morning, we got the news that Miss Little Piggy didn't make it. She was a gorgeous piggy and a great mama. Luckily, her babies survived. Panda Chow Mein, whom I sold to Sharyl a while ago, helped show the babies how to eat and drink like adults.
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The more recent news is a lot less sad. I set up a co breeding with Nativefox Caviary- she'll lend me her sow to breed to Rumplestiltskin (Boston Gold) and the sow will be sent back to her once she's confirmed pregnant. She'll get the first and third pick from the litter and I'll get second and anything else. There's a lot of risk, of course, but it's still exciting.
Also, I found a self sow from California, and Tulip's new owner is helping me set up transport for her! She'll be great to breed to one of the Things. Her name will be Sally.
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