**************************************************
There are few noises as happy as a pair of guinea pigs munching on watermelon rinds. The crunch and snap as they nibble away is really satisfying.
I’ll be honest - we are guinea pig owners by default. The children would have preferred a dog or a cat, my husband is allergic to fur and tried to veto all animals. Guinea pigs were a compromise, chosen because they could live outside. But now Freddie and Chester are members of the family, and we wouldn’t change them for anything.
They were obviously meant for us. My daughter took the task of finding a suitable breeder very seriously and scoured the internet to identify one who lived just a few miles away. When I called her we discovered that not only did we have lots of friends in common, but also her sister-in-law used to be my husband’s secretary. Oh, and our daughters were going to the same summer camp and ended up sharing a room.
‘You’ll love them,’ she predicted, putting two balls of fur into our shoebox. ‘Who couldn’t love an animal whose main interests are food and conversation?’
Freddy & Chester
It’s true, guinea pigs love to munch and chat, and that’s about it. They are happy to be held and stroked, but they’re not desperate for attention. They’re placid, undemanding and calm little creatures, with just the odd fight to liven things up.
When they talk they have a great repertoire of squeaks and squeals, with a vibrating roar if they get cross. They’re cleverer than they look, I suspect - my main evidence in support of this theory is the house that Freddy made by rolling himself in newspaper on the way home from the vet. They’re considerate too, they obviously try not to pee or poo when they’re being held - and are usually successful.
Admittedly these are the only proofs I have of superior thinking skills, but they so often look perplexed and thoughtful that I can’t believe there’s nothing going on. And they must be talking about something.
Anyway, Freddy and Chester have finished their watermelon now, and they’re chatting to each other. When they’re really happy they ‘popcorn’ – jumping in the air. Doesn’t that beat anything a cat can do? And they never drag in dead birds.
**************************************************
Thank you so much for visiting today Keren! Keren David is the author of the fab young adult thriller When I Was Joe that was released earlier this year. The sequel Almsost True was released last week on September 2nd. I absolutely loved When I Was Joe and Almost True fully lived up to my expectations - I would highly recommend both books. You can read my reviews by clicking on these links - When I Was Joe & Almost True.
For more information about the Author's Animal Antics feature click here
No comments:
Post a Comment