Zander's Inside Voice

Three weeks ago we made a deal with Girl and Boy #3…keep your room clean for one month and you can get a small animal in a cage like a gerbil, guinea pig, chinchilla, hedgehog, whatever. They went back and forth for awhile about what they wanted and settled on a guinea pig. Then the arguments started on the name. Girl told me we could find a guinea at Petsmart, which immediately sent chills down my spine. Often the small animals are sickly from pet stores like that, unless there’s a very devoted, caring staff member who is taking great care of them. So I spent most of last weekend researching where to find guinea pigs and I stumbled across a rescue operation that has many young guinea pigs that were born while their mothers were with the rescue. SCORE!!

I found a really cute pair named Monkey and Nugget. So, while the kids have kept up their part of the deal and surprised all of us, my wife and I talked it over and decided that we could get two. The kids have no idea that we are looking at a pair. I think they will be ecstatic! Hopefully they will keep the names they already have and maybe add on their planned names. Like Monkey Bob and Chubs Nugget or Nugget Chubs. I guess it could be Monkey Chubs and Nugget Bob. I think I’m planning to have Boy #3 take Monkey though, as Monkey is more outgoing. Girl is so, so patient, kind, and gentle with animals that I think she will be a better fit for Nugget. Boy #3 is rowdy and can be a lot sometimes. That might overwhelm Nugget.

I love animals and I’ve only ever watched a guinea pig for a month, so I am eager to see how this goes. Both of the kids had their own pet rats a few years ago and were great caregivers. They played with their rats daily and made sure they had foor and water at all times. And they were pretty young back then. It broke their hearts to lose those rats, but I know they will do great with these guinea pigs. They both have such kind hearts.

And the animals we had to leave back in Florida were elderly and have now passed away or had to be put down. Nacho the pug, Rachel the cat, a bunch of rats, and Astro (Boy #1’s young cat) had to be given away. It was so heartbreaking and awful for them to lose so many of the pets that have been around their entire lives. I am hopeful that these young piggies will live long and healthy lives with us.

Now to buy a cage and some other supplies to prepare for the arrival of some new friends. Only one more week of the clean-room challenge and then they will have won it. Of course, they need to keep their room spotless from now on so the piggies will have space to play!!