A rodent by another name...

K called me at work today: "So there's this guinea pig here that the owners want to put down because he gets constipated and then he squeals a lot."
Me: Okay.
K: Apparently the owner has kids and they've discussed it and they brought him in to put him down.
Me: Okay
K: But he's really lively and healthy otherwise...
Me: How old is he?
K: He's 4.
Me: How old do they live to?
K: Between 5 and 7 years.
Me: Okay.
K: So I was wondering...
Me: You want to bring him home.
K: Yes, he's really cute!
Me: Um, will he be okay with Ingrid?
K: He'll be in his cage...
Me: (sigh) I guess if we keep him on the upper floor so he's not too loud...
K: Oh good! I'll take care of him. Just have to massage his colon so he can poop.
Me: Uh-huh.
K: His name is Crunchy.

I didn't mention that Crunchy Guinea Pig is probably a specialty of the casa at some restaurant in Peru. Anyway, Crunchy won't be with us for a few days because K is going off to visit her bf for a long weekend, leaving me with only Ingrid to take care of. No colon massaging necessary. I hope.

Will post photos of Crunchy when he arrives. Happy Year of the Rodent!

Comments

[Pica]

We had a guinea pig growing up who was really sassy with the dog, used to run around her squealing and carrying on.

[rr]

OMFG. A squealing constipated guinea pig. Requiring colonic massage.

Squealing myself.

(laughter)

[Dave]

I have a photo of my brother eating barbecued guinea pig in Ecuador. Just sayin'.

[leslee]

Pica: Ingrid, I'm afraid, has tried to attack any other animal that's tried to be in the same indoor space, including some humans, although generally just human feet.

RR: Scary, ain't it? K now says you have to massage his "belly." I supposed finding the exact spot of his colon might be challenging, so getting the whole belly probably covers all.

Dave: I'm betting they're probably better when young. This guy might be a bit too chewy in his advanced age. In fact, K tells me we need a new name for him. Maybe Chuy (common nickname for Jesús)?

[Jean]

Oh god. Helpless with laughter.

[Sara]

Oh, yay! I had a pet guinea pig as a child and absolutely loved her. She lived with us from the summer after my second grade to early in my sophomore year of high school, so just about 7½ years. She was never constipated that I was aware, but over and above her pellets, salt lick, and fresh water, we fed her lots and lots of lettuce and also let her out for supervised runs in the well fenced back yard as often as possible, so she also got lots of dandelion greens and other lovely fresh roughage of her own selection. (Southern California, you know; wild roughage and kind weather year 'round.) Usually she would just get talkative when we approached her hutch, because she loved going out for her runs or to ride around in her basket.

I hope you will all live happily together for a long time, and that your new housemate's problems clear up once he gets into a place where people don't think it appropriate to kill him for voicing his discomfort. Go, K! And good for you, too. :)

[Tall Girl]

Crunchy is just the perfect name for a constipated guinea pig...

[zhoen]

34=-------------io222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222229

(Moby's comment, presumably he knows Guinea Pig... )

[leslee]

Jean: Glad you enjoyed. We'll see if this is the onset of a continuing saga...

Sara: K has brought home hay, but not sure what else we'll be feeding him. He's unlikely to get out much, especially anywhere near our landlord's garden :-O. Do we need a special basket? Maybe we can take him out in something... Also, not sure how much Ingrid will be terrorizing him. Sigh. Maybe she'll be okay when he's in his cage.

TG: I'm intending to call him Chuy. Not sure what K will call him. I think she mentioned Oliver. Hopefully she'll also solve the constipation problem!

Zhoen: That's just the ploy cats use to lull guinea pigs into thinking they're safe. ;-)

[Sara]

The basket we used was some ordinary, uncovered, woven wicker basket, deep and oval shaped, that we lined with terry cloth and flannel rags for Pippy's comfort. She chewed on it a bit without consequence (except to the basket). I don't think she swallowed, just gnawed, and it wasn't lacquered or painted. I used to bring her to school on special days when we were allowed to bring our pets and carry her around the school yard at recess, even let her loose on the playing fields to sample the exotic greenery growing there. She was not exactly housebroken, so even though she mostly stayed (and functioned freely) in her basket while indoors, I now realize how truly wonderful was my third grade teacher.

Most guinea pigs love the hay, and it's full of nutrients they need, probably exactly what they would get running around outside munching back yards and playing fields. I'm sure Crunchy will find it very helpful in the absence of free access to "Mr. Magregor's garden." ;) Just make sure (unless K says otherwise, of course; I'm sure she knows better than I do) that you also supplement with daily handfuls of fresh vegetation. Lettuce will probably delight Crunchy. Some prefer carrots. Most I've known really go to town on the lettuce, though.

[joanna]

I was going to post something earlier, but I was laughing too hard to type straight. I think the universe is sending you an important Chinese New Year message, Leslee.

[Mouse]

The kids always kept guinea-pigs
Cute and gentle but very nervous
I seem to recall they need a lot of greens to provide vitamin C since they can't store it for long. Is that right?
Ours were rodent lawn-cutters
Did an excellent job!
Support The Rodents, that's what I say
Mouse

[mm]

I really, really like guinea pigs. Always have though I've never owned one. I'm just a little bit jealous (kidding of course!). Good for you for saying yes, Leslee .....

[Lucy]

How do you know when your guinea pig is constipated anyway?
Don't you believe it about the 'they only live five years' bit, that's a ploy to persuade hapless parents to get guinea pigs for kids who'll be finishing their Masters before the wee lagomorphs have shuffled off their mortal coils...

[leslee]

Sara: Thanks for the tips. Will see what he likes when he arrives.

Joanna: The message being "you dirty rat"? ;-)

Mouse! Glad you stopped by in support of the unjustly maligned rodent. :-)

MM: We'll see how it turns out...

Lucy: I didn't get the details, but I assume he tries to poop and instead squeals a lot. It may be he lives a long life; however, I won't be living here past this summer so I'll have to find out from K!

[mb]

Oh, I'm laughing. I hope the household expansion proves, um, comfortable for all!