Oops

Guess I've been neglecting my blog rather a bit. So a brief summary of the last six weeks, I went to three NSW Sydney shows and won a few awards most notably Laertes won BOB against five other dals, Shemelle Charmer won Best Pet and at only one show were all of my sables refused BOB.

So not too bad. Ayanna has gotten huge and is now due any day. She looks as if she's dragging a VW Beetle along inside her belly. She's due any day now and is very close. I cannot wait to see what babies she has! The sire of this litter is Shemelle Charmer.

Both Beatrice and Eugenie are also pregnant and even though it's just seven weeks since they went in with a boar they are already filled with squirmy movement. I'm not so sure Tina is pregnant though.

So I will post pictures as soon as Yanna has the grace to pop and once the Sables litter I'll share heaps of pics of the bubs.

ANNNNNDDDD!!!! One satin sheltie sow, one satin carrier texel boar and two possible satin carrier sows (one sheltie, one texel) are all flying to me from Western Australian. However they are doing a detour to Brisbane first in order for the satin sheltie girl and a texel girl to spend six weeks with a buff satin merino boar. EEEEEEEE!!!!

I think my two breed groups are now nicely set. Longhairs in Texel, Merino, Coronet and Sheltie (with the possibility of Peruvian & Alpaca) in Satin and Normal and Dark Sables in Normal, Crested and (eventually) Satin.  That gives me a full four breed groups to show in (Marked, Satin, Crested, Longhair). I've no interest in coarse coat or self, and I recently acquired a chocolate agouti for the ticked classes, so I'm quite set to have nice full shows now.

But the sable fact for the day: Up until now it's been assumed that sables are a type of Himalayan, however the English have proven they can breed true and do not necessarily require Himalayan to be created. Interestingly sables do not colour up like Himalayans either, at two months old the first hints of shading appear at the bottom corner of the eyes, at three months a small piece of shading occurs above the nose, by five months the shading has filled in and by seven months has fully darkened. So it would seem Sables best show period is after that seven month stage. So far I've seen no evidence that the shading muddies or lightens at all as they age or the temperature changes, which is very different to Himalayans.

A Sable breeding program

I thought it would be worthwhile sharing some of the things I've learned about sables since I started this journey.

I am a bit obsessive with research, it's a great habit to have for my law degree, but can also really irritate people in the real world. So if you don't want an in depth discussion of every microscopic detail I've learned about sables, probably time to stop reading.

As a start to my research I turned to the Australian standard and secondly the English standard. I read papers on sable genetics written by both Australian and English breeders. I then came to the fairly annoying conclusion that no one actually knows what a perfect sable should look like or even what their genetic makeup is. They all shared a similar conclusion that there were three ways to create a sable. These were white agouti dilute x Himalayan, cream agouti dilute x Himalayan and buff x Himalayan. Okay fair enough, you need a Himalayan to create shading and you need to avoid agouti at all costs unless you want an agouti sable. So I then start studying the pedigrees of the five pedigreed sables I own. Hang on a second, what? I own a sable from a mixed background of self chocolates and Himalayan, and then four sables which came from mating the original to a cinnamon agouti.

So I start looking at the breeders, studying matings, examining as much as I can. Every genetics paper I read tells me one thing, one thing that they all agree on... Sables don't breed true. Sable x sable gives 50% sables, 25% sable dilutes and 25% himalayans. Then, I find a breeder who has bred over 150 sable bred babies. In those 153, 137 were sables and just 16 were Himalayan. None were dilutes. The actual thread of this discussion can be seen here: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/cavycolors/messages/1467?threaded=1&m=e&var=1&tidx=1

So this then means the sables come from unknown genetics. We know how to create them, but we have no tracked what the actual gene involved is.

To me sables are magic, they are so very beautiful, and so unknown. I love a challenge and the sables are a challenge in a way the longhairs are not. The longhairs are a challenge in the grooming, they are a way of truly competing. But sables, sables are I guess an experiment in genetics. I have so missed science since I started uni, it is nice to be faced with such a challenge.

So my plan is to see if this is true. To see not only if I can breed sables that match our Australian standard, but also to see if I can get them breeding true. If I can establish a line of sables that breed true, I can prove they are not just a random genetic quirk.

In order to this I'm starting with as wide a gene pool as I can manage. It's why I've placed three sable sows with three unrelated Himalayan boars. This will be the one and only out cross until I've reached 100 babies.  I intend to select for the lightest possible babies each generation. It's my belief that the lighter they start, the more distinct the shading will become as it appears that their initial colour is the belly colour when they reach adulthood.

Each sable born here will be photographed monthly for their first twelve months. Each month I will photograph each side, the head and the belly. Since I do not breed much or often this is a long term project, but I would truly like to see the sable reach it's potential. Instead of the faintly murky sables I have now, I would love to breed one where the shading is visible even in dim lighting, one which has a stark near black head against a pale beige belly.

This blog may simply turn into a documentation of my sable adventure, but I promise, every step will be documented.

Samsara Sables: The Beginning

I've mentioned a few times that I'm working on a special project, but now it's time to unveil it.

I've been working hard researching my favorite breed, the one that makes me go weak at the knees, the sable. In the time I've spent researching it, what I've learned above all else, is everyone is a bit confused. I've been told so many different things, by so many different people that in the end I realized the best way to tackle this, was to memorize the standard and look to England. Which unfortunately didn't actually help. For instance the English Rare Varieties Cavy Club has a picture of what they view as the ultimate sable, what they are aiming for here: British Cavy Council: New & Emerging Breeds. Fair enough right? the sable is a chocolate based cavy with dark sepia masking... Then you go to the website of the only sable breeder I can find anywhere: Tartuffe Cavies. Their sables are black based animals with black masking... Confused yet?

After speaking to judges, including visiting english judges and comparing chocolate based and black based sables side by side. This is the conclusion I have come to:

There are THREE varieties of self sable

Chocolate based dark sable: Chocolate pigment with deep sepia masking (aka dark sable)
Black based dark sable: Black pigment with black masking (aka seal sable, or black sable)
Chocolate based chocolate sable: Chocolate pigment with chocolate masking (aka chocolate sable)

For me the problem is defining what the standardised sable is. I own all three varieties of sable listed above (courtesy of Janellan cavies). However after speaking to the judges and the very few sable breeders I can find, and studying the standard some more, I have come to a conclusion. The sable standard calls for dark sepia masking, not black. It calls for a beige belly, not milk chocolate. To me these suggest that chocolate pigment is necessary. Since true chocolate masked sables have not been around long and our standard was written years ago I believe our standard calls for chocolate based dark sables. However if I'm wrong my genetics study has indicated all I need to do is cross a chocolate dark sable to a black himalayan to return to black based sables.

So this is all interesting theory, but what does it mean?

Well let me introduce you to the sables who are my foundation stock for this project. Please note however that Eugenie, Beatrice, Fergie and Harry are just five months old. They have a good four or five more months until they are fully shaded. You can see in the pictures that some of the shading appears strangely uneven.

Janellan Eugenie is the best one I have. Her type isn't great but her masking is the best of all five chocolate based sables. Her belly is far too dark though, but I'll be working on that.

Eugenie has been paired with Sathra Wizard in an attempt to add more contrast to the shading.

Janellan Beatrice is easily the second best with decent shading and type.

Beatrice has been paired with Janellan Helix.

The two sisters together in the sunlight, which really shows the shading off.

Janellan Harry, he isn't great, but he is still sable, and pedigree at that.

Janellan Fergie, she has white hairs and her shading isn't great, but she is a sable.

Afflexian Choc Tina is the last of my chocolate based sables. She also has chocolate masking. She is the mother to teh four sables above but the different masking shade would suggest there are different genes at play.

Tina has been mated to Sathra Rally just to see what pops out.

Then we have the two black sables. Both are from much iffier backgrounds and will never be mated as I don't really want sable dutch, sable american cresteds or sable abyssinians. However they are fun to show.

Spud isn't actually mine but I do show him as it's a good way to give a judge a visual comparison between the two colours. He's got a good mask but no shading along his spine. He also has a tonne of cream hairs.

And of course I've posted Piggles on here before. It's generally 50/50 whether a judge gives her a BOB or DQ's her. 

Now in the three months since I've started talking about sables, I've been attacked, called a backyard breeder or simply informed that if I like brown pigs so much I should show chocolates. I know sables aren't a well known or well loved breed. I know it will be an uphill battle to bring them back to standard but I've also been told before that we breed cavies, we show cavies, because we love them. I've been told to choose the breed I love, the one that for me is so gorgeous it's like my heart stops when I see it. That would be the sables for me. I won't win Best In Show's with them no, but honestly I don't do this for the glory. I do it for love of cavies, love of learning and a love of the friendship that exists within the fancy.

I have all sorts of ideas and theories in my head in regards to sables. For instance an English breeder has found evidence in her own sable line that the himalayan gene can be bred out, that sables may actually breed true. It's why I'm starting with three unrelated himis now. After these three matings I intend to line breed for a good 5-10 generations to see how I go. But since all my sables are related I wanted to introduce some new blood in first, before I start intensive line breeding. With so much misinformation out there the only way I'm going to learn about sable genetics is by actually breeding them. I intend to keep meticulous photographic records, so I can study how the sables change as they grow, and also learn how to improve the shading. One day I will breed a sable with complete shading and a beige belly. I am absolutely determined.

Pictures of The Wheepers

It's been a bit since I updated and ages since I posted up pictures... oops. So brief update all the kids are going well though there are issues with Feather. Symphonia Lavinia was caught by Symphonia Laertes on the 7/9 so she will be due on the 16/11 and Chantilly Ayanna was caught by Shemelle Charmer on the 9/10 so will be due on the 18/12. We also have several new pigs coming to join the Samsara ranks, Afflexian Choc Gem a two month old chocolate himalayan sow as well as a litter of four chocolate sables: Janellan Harry, Janellan Beatrice, Janellan Fergie and Janellan Eugenie.

Anyway on to the pictures! My apologies for the picture quality, my camera died and the one I borrowed disagreed with guinea pigs...

 Pipsqueak Sterling. He's been doing well but has a pretty boring life at the moment, I've got him next door to some sows so he has someone to talk to.

 Pipsqueak Feather, some sad news for this boy. I recently noticed he was crying while peeing again so took him in to the vet. Although the x-ray was inconclusive urinalysis showed very large crystals. Even if I was willing to do another surgery Feather still hasn't recovered from the last one. This means that Feather is now on palliative care, he's got plenty of painkillers and we just take it day by day.

 Pipsqueak Fortinbras is doing well and seems as bright and happy as usual. The unique haircut is courtesy of his three buddies.

 

 Ferdinand is one of my newbies from Sapphire City Cavy Rescue. I wanted to be sure that Fortinbras had cagemates when Feather passes on and didn't think he'd take kindly to a cagemate disappearing for days or weeks at a time for showing or breeding so I adopted some nice pets.

 Frederick is my other adopted boy. He has a bit of a different story in that he is born with deformities. Best guess is disproportionate dwarfism but basically none of his bone structures sit where they should be, his ribs press against his hips, his teeth don't meet etc. However he's happy and he eats and he gains wait so he'll stay with us until his condition starts deteriorating.

 Shemelle Charmer! I am in love with this big sooky boy, he's just gorgeous. I'm still waiting on his pedigree but have seen enough of his progeny to know that this boy is going to give me some spectacular Samsaras.

 ACA Champion Symphonia Laertes (yup I showed him to Champion!), being an idiot as always. Next step is to get him to a NSWCC Championship! He's halfway there.

 Pipsqueak Ebony Charm. Ebbie is still gaining weight, I'm beginning to wonder if she's ever going to stop.

 Pebbles being an absolute idiot.

 Tommi being adorable as always, Tom is still looking for her forever home.

 Zibby is my RSPCA foster, he gets desexed tomorrow as he has one of those uber aggressive personalities, I haven't managed to get him to even act vaguely friendly to a boar, he just attacks. So once his balls have been removed he can hang with the girls until he's adopted.

 Symphonia Lavinia who is nearly five weeks preggers. I so cannot wait!

 A really really awful photo of Piggles.

 Chantilly Ayanna who clearly could not be bothered posing. Isn't her new haircut hilarious?

 Samsara Any Other Name, my first Samsara baby! aint he glorious? this pic was taken when he was only a couple of days old, he's all fluffy and curly and adorable now.

Any again, coz I can!

Random thoughts of the day

All the kids had their weekly weigh in today. Everyone was up except for Laertes. Laertes is down 40g from usual, which I'm putting down to the fact he's still running with Nia. No change in condition so I'm sure he's fine. He'll move back to his bachelor cage tomorrow as It's been three weeks since Nia has been on heat, and I saw the wax plug three weeks ago. If she isn't preggers I'll just pop them back together later.

Today has been very busy as a new rabbit came into the RSPCA and I'm her new foster carer. "Trixie" is a very sweet sooty fawn charlie lop, she looks like a cross breed. Her ears are lopped but she has a fair amount of control of them, unlike Luther who can barely move his a cm. She had her vaccination today and is booked in to be desexed on Thursday. I've fallen in love already, she may end up staying if she gets on well with Lu.

In other bigger news the Samsara cavies may be moving to a new shed. They are currently in the spare bedroom which will soon need to be used as a bedroom, so it looks like we'll be moving out into a garden shed. More on that once a shed is chosen and of course built. We have a great spot for it out under an enormous old peach tree.

Lots of traveling coming up for the pigs as well. Some time in the next two weeks I'll be heading out to Grafton to collect a DEW sow who will be joining the ranks. It's an eight hour round trip, but should be worth it. Then the new girl, Laertes and Piggles will be heading down the mountain for a week in Sydney on the 16th of October. The new girl will stay on at a friends to meet a stud boar and Laertes and Piggles will be attending the show on the 21st. I will also be collecting Afflexian Choc Jem at the same time a sweet baby choc himi who will come back with me. Rosie may also be coming back, not sure on that though, she may stay on where she is until she litters. Haven't really decided. I will also be collecting something like six other pigs that are a temporary lend for the next aca display. Around the same time Ayanna will move into Charmers cage for her second litter. She's rebounded amazingly and shows no sign that she has recently littered. If I wait till after summer she's likely to be too fat and comfortable, I would rather breed her again while she remains in perfect breeding condition. Then once we get back from our week in Sydney (which also involves The Legally Blonde Musical, and a ghost tour for the human), we have a very brief break before putting one a pedigree display in Armidale on the 4th of November. Then we head back down the mountain on the 10th for the NSWCC show on the 11th. I'll pair my last litter then as well. Lavinia will also be due at his point. We then have a brief three week break before the final show of the year for NSWCC on December 2nd. Then we all collapse until the show season starts again in February....

So life will be chaotic but also very very fun, I do enjoy all the travelling and my 'show team' (currently consisting of Champion Symphonia Laertes and Piggles) don't seem to mind it either. They are both very relaxed about the driving and eat, sleep and drink while we are in motion. They ride on the drivers seat next to me in an extra large carrier (each have a 45cm x 30cm area) and don't seem to mind the activity, they then generally get a chance to stretch their legs when we arrive as I stay with another breeder, so I can unpack the wiggles into spare cages if needed.

Thoughts...

I haven't got much to add today. Life continues as usual in Samsara land. I have a new project that has me very excited but I won't be posting much about it until I have some definite results.

I do have new pigs coming though as a friend collected a little himi sow for me on the weekend who is likely to play a part in my project.

Mainly I've been working on organizing for the national next year which I am so very excited for. I'm hoping to take along two or three longs, maybe a dally, maybe a rex and several of my new project. Because any cavy shown at the national must be six months old, any prospective pigs must be born by mid Feb, conceived by December 9th. Which means I need to pair up by November 10th at the absolute latest. So Nia and Laertes were paired up on the 4th (wax plug seen on the 7th) and Rosie was paired up with a lovely silver agouti rex on the 8th. Yanna has rebounded really well so I'll pair her up again November 10th. Then I'm hoping to have two litters for my project... one is organized and will be paired up early November but haven't worked out the second one yet.

Other than that I've been studying hard for exams in two weeks and dreaming of the fantastic holiday I get after it... I'm driving down to Sydney to go see Legally Blonde the Musical and then spending time with friends, going on a ghost tour and finishing it all with a NSWCC show.

I've been rearranging pigs as well, well in my head at least. Rosie is unlikely to stay after she litters as she's demonstrated implicitly that she much prefers living at the stud where her boyfriends are rather than with my herd. So she'll likely go there with implicit instructions that I will take her back at any time if they don't want her. I'll see her every month and she'll get even fatter and lazier LOL. I'll probably move Nia on after she litters as well, she doesn't fit well into the sow herd and would be better off in a quite pet home.

I also need to speak to my vet about neutering Zibby and Sterling. Neither will ever get on with other boars and they are both extremely lonely. Sterling is getting snipped for several reasons. Mainly though because Any already has more curl than Sterling ever has and I know I'd rather continue with Any and Charmer. I won't be breeding enough to warrant three stud boars and I have no intentions of moving Sterling on. So instead I'll get him snipped and return him to his on true ladylove.

I have some pigs that will always stay regardless. Feather, Fortinbras, Frederick and Ferdinand are a package deal and will be with me till they die. The same goes for Ebony, Piggles, Pebbles and Laertes. Once Sterling is neutered he'll join my core of 9 must have pigs, even if only two of them are actually useful when it comes to showing or breeding. Yanna will probably have one more maybe two litters with me and then return to her breeder who rather misses the sweetie pie. I'm hoping Zibby and Tommi will one day find their own special homes, though I still haven't had any serious interest.

Show results

The samsara crew have done three shows in the last two weeks, between those and Eddie and Any's birth life has been pretty hectic.

But we did well at all shows.

ACA Inverell show 2/9/12

Best Marked went to Symphonia Laertes
Best Coarsecoat went to Symphonia Rosaline\
Best Ticked went to Chantilly Wilbur
Best Longhair went to Chantilly Emmanuel
Best Crested went to Piggles

Symphonia Laertes got Reserve In Show
Chantilly Wilbur got Best In Show

Since apart from my ten only one other pedigree attended, we kind of swept the board... Tisn't much fun without competition. But the show did go well and I came hom with two newbies. Both are I guess you could call them wannabe shebas who have been christened Frederick and Ferdinand and have joined Feather and Fortinbras to make a herd.

Then on 9/9/12 we attended a double show. Wilbur and Manny returned to their breeder, Wilbur because he was only a temporary lend for the ACA show and Manny because I've come to realize I just don't like shelties. He was an angel to wrap but a pest when it came to the judges table. I will miss how easy it was to groom him though. Another reason he went back is that I really can't have a longhair in wrappers over the next few months as I'm spending time away and though the pigs are well cared for I can't ask someone to do his wrappers. So he'll find a nice show home elsewhere.

Okay so in the Young Stock show Symphonia Laertes got Best of Breed and Reserve Marked.

He then went on to take out Best of Breed in the Sydney Titles as well! Piggles won a Best of Breed too and Charmer got Best Pet.

I collected Shemelle Charmer at the show and he is just wonderful, he's a big fat boofy boy who he such a total sook. I cannot wait to see what he produces!

I also left Symphonia Rosaline at a friends for a second attempt at breeding her. This time she has gone in with Symphonia Silver Island a silver agouti rex. Hopefully we will get babies this time round.

Oh and my final piece of news, while cleaning out on Friday I found Nia with a wax plug, so it looks like Laertes may have done the job, which will make the babies due around October 16th woooo!

Sad news

I'm rather sadly writing to say that Pipsqueak Edmund passed away this weekend. He's been having on and off health issues since he was three months old and it got to the point where it was obvious I only had one choice left. He has spent five weeks with a sow so I am praying that there may be miniature Eddies in the future.

At least my baby is now out of pain. Rest In peace my baby boy.

The kiddliwinks

Well Hi to my non-existant readers..

Been a bit since my last post. Life has been extroadinarily hectic.

Firstly the Inverell Show... okay I admit I was a bit disappointed, there was almost no interest in the pedigrees. I'm starting to think I should give up on the idea of pedigree shows up here and just stick with the Sydney ones. After all I do move to Canberra at the end of 2014... it's not that far away. But I'm getting info about pigs out there and that is really what matters.

Secondly, Ayanna. She finally gave up the goods and gave birth to an adorable baby boy yesterday. I walked in the door as she had her first contraction and got to watch the whole process from start to finish. It was amazing. He's nice and healthy at 147g and has been christened Samsara Any Other Name. As in "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". And yes all my longhairs will be named after shakespeare quotations....

I've also become an RSPCA foster carer as well, so a lot has been happening.

Anyway and update on my ... jeepers... seventeen babies.

Chantilly Ayanna seems to be enjoying motherhoood, I gave her an extra dose of calcium considering Any's size but so far she's happy and alert and absolutely gobbling her food.

Chantilly Emmanuel will be returning to his breeder on Sunday. He's an angel when it comes to grooming but I can't help it I just don't like shelties, the mane is just wrong... So I tried it, it didn't work and he can go to someone else who does like shelties and can continue to show him. Not fond of his peonality either, I prefer the more placid texels, shelties always seem so manic.

Ferdinand is one of the new kinda sorta sheba boys I picked up. I didn't want to give Feather anything showable or breed quality as Feather gets upset when his friends are away for even a few minutes. So I adopted two kinda sorta shebas from Sapphire City Cavy Rescue, they are cute rosetted longhair crosses, but kinda sorta sheba sounds like a more interesting breed name. Ferdinand is four months old and is a cream agouti, cream and white boy.

Frederick is the other kinda sorta sheba boy, he's just four weeks old but has had teeth issues so I took him since he couldn't go to a normal pet home. We are hoping he'll grow out of the teeth problems. He's mainly cream and white with a cream agouti face and is Ferdinands half brother.

Pebbles is doing well, still as skinny as can be but nice and solid, she's just truly shaped like a lawndart I guess.

Piggles is also gaining weight and seems to love life, though for some reason she isn't allowed near Any.... Piggles is entered in the Sydney Titles this weekend.

Pipsqueak Ebony Charm is overjoyed to have a baby to wash, even if it's not her own. She's still gaing weight, I've no idea when she'll stop LOL. She got knocked off a table at the show unforunately and is missing her top teeth now but it hasn't stopped her eating or really harmed her in anyway.

Ch Pipsqueak Edmund is very ill unfortunately. Still not too sure what's wrong but he'll be going to the vet on Tuesday. More on him later.

Pipsqueak Feather is doing great and adores his brand new friends. He's still slowly gaining weight but eats well and I think he's just too hyperactive to gain quickly, but I'll get him to 1200g one day...

Pipsqueak Fortinbras is a little shocked over the new cagemates but seems glad to have somethiong to divert Feather's attention away from him. He's sporting a brand new fringe trim courtesy of Feather. He had a brief bout of cystitis but tests showed no blood or kidney issues and it seems to have cleared upeasily with some trimidine powder and ural.

Pipsqueak Sterling is very sad having been left without a girlfriend for a while now. But he'll not be getting a new girlfriend this year so I need to sort him out a divided cage with another boar.

Shemelle Charmer is the new boy who is still at a friends place. I collect him on Sunday and oooh I can't wait, he sounds so adorable!

Symphonia Laertes is shocked that I actually put him in a cage with a sow but seems to be settling now. Hopefully there will be babies in mid november!

Symphonia Lavinia is equally shocked that I've put her in with a boar but likes not having to fight six other sows for access to the food bowl. She's a plump little madam already so I didn't want to hold off and have her get to heavy to breed safely.

Symphonia Rosaline is not pregnant unfortunately so she's heading back to a friends stud to try this again and hopefully actually get her pregnant this time. She's as happy as can be though and was very interested in Any and helped with his birth.

Tommi is doing well but I still haven't found her a home unfortunately. I'm not really sure what to do about that though....

Zibby is my new RSPCA foster of an unidentified colour, somewhere between slate and beige. But with dark eyes. I'm guessing Taupe... maybe, or a really really really washed out chocolate, he's almost lilac in tone, but brown based. He's got te most gorgeous type and he seems to enjoy living in the caviary.

And the fun continues....

I'm wondering when this bad luck with pig health will end?

Firstly I solved the crackly pig issue. The new feed is a bit to dusty and the pigs keep breathing it in and going crackly before doing a giant sneeze. So URI's are now over and we can move on with that....

But Eddie of course took another turn, the pig has a death wish or something. I'm not sure if it is the corflute he ate a couple of months back or if he got his teeth into some new indigestible object but he's feeling very sorry for himself. I'm not really sure what to do with him really. Clearly a trip to the vets is in order but I'm not sure what they can do.I've read the vet books cover to cover and the closest I can find is stasis. But stasis doesn't usually happen repeatedly. I'm thinking it may be something like megacolon or intermittent soft stools. But both are rabbit issues, not pig issues....

To add to the fun I've been hearing soft cries in the animal room for a few days and finally got it pinned down to Fortinbras. He's crying while peeing. So I pulled him out and got a pee sample. He's clear for blood, ketones, glucose and protein. I'm hoping the lack of blood means it is just a UTI. Seriously he's not even a year old, two unrelated pigs less than a year old both getting stones? that would be very scary. So he's starting a two week course of trimidine and I'll keep a close eye on him. He's not straining to pee or lifting his butt and he hasn't lost weight. I did catch him crying while pooing though.... If he goes downhill he'll go in for an x-ray but right now he's not worrying me that much. Hopefully it's just a UTI and he'll be right as rain in no time...

Still no babies from Ayanna.

Cavy news.

I have to share some very exciting news, will exciting for me anyway. Feather is up to 890g! He seems to have finally started gaining fairly rapidly and I hope one day soon he'll get back over 1kg!

In other news I believe Ayanna might pop in the next 24-48 hours. Baby has moved to sit directly under her now and her pelvic bones which have been sitting at a few mm for nearly ten days have slid out to 1cm apart. Fingers crossed anyway! I'm very excited and I'm just praying that the bubba will be small enough to have a smooth birth and won't hurt Ayanna. The second Glimmer litter I ever bred involved one 155g baby which killed her mother because she was too big. So I'm praying Ayanna will be okay. She's the perfect age and she's had everything she could need or want so now it's just fingers crossed.

In other news I had another look at Rosie the other day and decided it did look unlikely that she was pregnant so I groomed her up and washed her so I could take her to the ACA show and what do ya know? she starts gaining weight like billyo and her stomach pudges out...She's put on 100g in the 18 days since I brought her home. Most of that in the past week. At a guess I'd say she'd be five weeks gone. If I'm right I should start feeling little golfballs before the ACA show Sunday week. Needless to say if her weight gain continues she will not be attending the show.

Preparation for the ACA show continues. I've made 28 large Pop Up Piggy Pouches, perfected my Cavy Cookie recipe, revamped my carry cages, loaded a tonne more Compedniums onto CD's, packaged feed and prepared guinealogues. I've also taken flyers all over town.

Health Concerns Cont.

I'm still unsure what to do for Rosie, Sterling and Ebbie. Rosie has improved a lot, she was crackling constantly and now only crackles when she's quite stressed, such as when I'm forcing her to take medication. Sterling also only crackles when he's very very stressed. Ebbie hasn't crackled at all but she dd have some gunk on her nose that may or may not have been snot. Listening with a stethoscope they sound a lot less raspy. Maybe I just need to give the trimidine more time to work?

The thing is I have no issue taking Ebbie and Sterling back to the vet and getting them doxycycline. At the same time both of them are improving and I don't think they need the doxy. It's Rosie who's the worst off and it's another four weeks before I'll feel certain whether or not shes pregnant. So do I just keep her on the trimidine until we get to that point and hope she kicks the bug herself? If pregnant she's somewhere between two and five weeks. I can rule out five weeks, she's as skinny as ever and her weight gain isn't fast enough. She could certainly be between two and four weeks though. She's gained 30g in the two weeks she's been home, which since she's seven months old is a normal gain for her age, actually my other pigs are gaining faster than she is. Ayanna gained a full 90g in the first and second week of her pregnancy, and she's only carrying a small litter. She gained another 90g in the second to the fourth weeks of her pregnancy. And I'm going round in circles. Bottom line is I don't know if she's pregnant and while she appears happy and alert and is gaining weight I'm reluctant to risk her or her possible babies with other medications. All three are gaining weight, they are bright and happy, they all eat and drink and act perfectly normal. They are all on twice daily antibiotics and twice daily weighing. So I guess if they did take a turn for the worse I would know it almost immediately. The vets are great about slotting me in. If something happens I can get the pigs to a vet in about 30 minutes.. So I just need to sit on my hands and wait it out and hope the trimidine is just taking its time and they'll be good soon. In another week if they are still crackling with no other change I'll take them in.

Getting better

I gave in and put Ebbie back with the girls, she was getting miserable and dropping weight so I felt the best thing for her was to be returned to her usual busy life. It had been a full five days since she'd been snotty. She gained 80g in the first day back with her besties and is now back to her usual self, though she's still 60g under he normal weight, but I'm sure it's a matter of time. Today is day eight of Trimidine for her. I'll keep her on it for at least six more days if not longer just to be totally sure she's kicked it.

Sterling went snotty a couple of days after they all started the antibiotic but he seems to have cleared up now and has actually gained 50g, which I'm assuming means he's feeling fine. He's up to highest weight ever now at 1010g. I'm hoping one day I'll get him up to 1200g. He's looking gorgeous, his coat has been steadily thickening since he came to me and now nearly has the same density as Edmund, he's even got a bit of a wave going with some curls on his belly.

Rosie was extremely snotty two days ago to the point I was beginning to worry about whether she was getting enough oxygen. I held off on the vet though, knowing that there's not much can be done because Rosie is likely pregnant. It seems that was the worst of it though as she sounds clear now.

Both Rosie and Sterling will stay on prolonged courses of the Trimidine as well, I do want to chance this thing returning.

Books, books, BOOKS!

In other news my vet books arrived, I bought the latest editions of Carpenters Exotic Formulary, Blackwells Five Minute Veterinary Consult: Small Mammal, Ferrets, Rabbits & Rodents and my favorite book, a real gem The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster & Other Rodents.

So a bit of a mini review on my new books.

Exotic Animal Formulary by James W. Carpenter 2013 edition (no I do not know how it counts as a 2013 edition, but that's what the book says)

This book is very useful but is unlikely to be of much use unless you have a good relationship with your vet. It doesn't provide info on diseases or treatments, it is simply a concise list of the dosages of all the different drugs used within a veterinary practice. In Australia is is absolutely fantastic because most vets don't know much about medications for cavies beyond Baytril and Metacam. The rOdent section is 34 pages long and covers every drug you could possibly need. But as I said before it's probably not so useful for the pet owner with a couple of pigs. I would however reccomend you insist on your vet having a copy. After spending numerous vet visits trying to work out medications for Feather that he won't react to and neither of us knowing the correct dosages, this will be invaluable for me.

Blackwell's Five Minute Veterinary Consult: Small Mammal edition by Barbara L. Oglesbee 2011 edition.

What can I say? this will now be my go to book. Forget Diseases of Domestic Guinea Pigs, this book is amazing! The guinea pig section is phenomenal and covers everything. I never knew the disease that wiped my cavies out in 2007 had a name... or a treatment protocol. But it does, you just have to look under Tyzzer's disease in this book. This book is easy to understand, though there may be times when you require a dictionary. The information is accurate, useful and covers an immense amount of health problems. It provides 120 pages of phenomenal information on cavies and comes with a formulary as well as as two pages of physiological values. It is not a cheap book but I reccommend it to anyone who owns cavies with all my heart. It is the best book I have ever come across regarding cavy health and belongs on the bookshelf of every single cavy fancier.

Ferrets Rabbits & Rodents: Clinical Medication & Surgery by Katherine E Quesenberry and James W. Carpenter. 2012 edition

I kind of regret buying this book, as thick and heavy as it is I don't find it particularly useful. Guinea Pigs are covered in a 59 page chapter along with Chinchillas, of that, just 15 pages is devoted to cavy diseases. The information supplied is quite basic and I cannot honestly see how a vet can use this textbook to diagnose animals. It's useful to owners providing the absolute basic diagnostic tools but I can name many websites that provide more detail. It does provide more information on protocols fr things such as anesthesia, analgesia and dentistry in the back, but Blackwell's is a lot more useful, though Blackwell's does not cover such protocols and instead focuses on diagnosis.

The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster and Other Rodents by Mark A. Suckow, Karla A Stevens and Ronald P. Wilson. 2012 edition.

Okay so you get to see the nerdy side of me come out... I adore this book, absolutely and utterly adore it. It LISTS the viruses and bacteria that affect cavies... by name. It discusses treatments and diagnosis for such diseases. It gives specifics, numbers, data on all aspects of cavy physiology. It answers every question I have ever had about cavies. I adore this book, I want to marry this book, it is just amazing. It begins with 150 pages covering Ethics of Laboratory Animals, anesthesia and analgesia, biochemistry and hematology, euthanasia and necropsy and zoonoses and occupational health. It then has a 160 page section on cavies which covers taxonomy, history, anatomy, physiology, behaviour, managament, husbandry, general health, experimental models, infectious diseases (viral, bacterial, fungal, protaozaic AND parasitic) and non infectious diseases. AND THEN it has a formulary and a section on normative values.

Now this book probably is far far more than any cavy owner needs, but for a girl who is still disappointed she did the sensible thing and chose law over veterinary science? it is absolute heaven. It will take me months if not years to absorb all the information this book has to offer and I will love every minute of it. And if the worst thing ever happens and I have another disease go ripping through my caviary? I can hunt the bugger down and TREAT it. I can understand it, I can understand my animals health. Although I often do not agree with the use of lab animals, you gotta respect the information the labs produce. This book is a thousand Christmas's rolled into one and it's all I can do to avoid taking it to bed with me. It weighs about 4kg and is larger even then my law books but god it is amazing! It almost makes up for not actually doing veterinary science. Though I think I may scare my vet should I ever lug it in for a consult...



And back to me being cutesy and fluffy and ditsy (coz didn't ya know at 20 that's the only role I'm allowed to play). Ayanna is very heavily pregnant and I cannot wait! I am sooo very excited and looking forward to her popping. Her pelvic bones have begun inching apart and I feel confident to say that I'll see babies within the enxt two weeks!

Update on the invalid.

Ebbie seems to have kicked her URI now, she was really wheezy on the first day of treatment, really snotty on the second and clear on the third. Obviously she still needs at least a week long course on the trimidine (aussie version of bactrim) but we are having a slight issue with her weight. On Thursday when I realized she was ill she was 1170g, today (Monday) she is 1105g. I don't believe the weight loss is caused by the illness but rather her situation. She's stuck by herself in the end of the house where she can't even hear the other pigs. I've noticed that pigs always eat more when living with others, the competition makes them hog. On their own they eat a lot less. Ebbie is still eating and munches down on any veggie I bring her but she spends her days just sitting in a cozy burbling to herself. For a pig who's always lived with multiple other sows it's obvious she's bored rigid.

So I'm not sure how far to go with the quarantine, one week is a given but I'm still undecided about two weeks...

The other pigs finish their five day course today. Rosie was a bit snotty at the start but it could just be dust. Nia had a teensy bit of snot on her nose this morning. Sterling has had on and off crackles. I'm not sure how Sterling could have caught it, not having had any contact with any of the pigs that came home from the show, but all pigs are being treated nonetheless and I may give Sterling a longer course just to be sure he's clear.

Piggy Photoshoot!

Well since I have newbies I needed to photograph for my records I figured I may as well snap pics of all the babies. The only 'kid' not picture is Pipsqueak Ebony Charm who is in quarantine. Her breathing has already improved and she seems healthy but she's doing a two weeks course of antibiotics just to be sure and will remain in quarantine until I'm certain she's clear.

So, we may as well start with the newbies.

Now new baby who I am totally in love with... Piggles! Piggles is a crested sable and I intend to show her to get some experience with the breed before starting my own (not from Piggles, don't worry). Generally Sables should also have a dark spinal bar, but Piggles is a start!

Then we have Piggles' cage mate Pebbles! Though not standardized in any way this girl is so sweet, she has the most adorable personality!

And finally we have Chantilly Wilbur! He's only a temporary guest as he'll need to be returned September 9th, but he'll be representing the ticked at the ACA show September 7th. He is a gold/lilac argente.

And then of course we have all my other babies...

Pipsqueak Edmund who I believe is now a Champion and still has an affinity for inedible objects.

Pipsqueak Sterling who I could swear is getting thicker, curlier hair by the day.

Pipsqueak Feather who is steadily gaining weight after his surgery.

Pipsqueak Fortinbras who is as crazy as ever!

Then we have Chantilly Ayanna who is eight weeks pregnant! Still looks like it'll be a very small litter unfortunately....

Check out her curls!

And Chantilly Emmanuel, who actually agreed to sit still for once for some proper photos!

Then Symphonia Laertes, just one more month till he goes in with a girl....

Symphonia Lavinia who is getting bigger by the day and will soon go in with La-La.

Symphonia Rosaline who may be pregnant, but only time will tell...

Annnnnnd.... Tommi! She's currently looking for her forever home.

And coz I can, a very rare image of Luther...

And my own little darling, who spends his time velcroed to my shoulder... Atticus!