You know the saying about little acorns? well, Tartuffe Cavies is housed in a shed in a revolutionary system of box housing that I have created myself! When we moved house last year my wonderful husband was able to aquire an amount of green plastic storage crates that are stackable with interlocking lids. They are larger and deeper (too deep to jump out of!) than the large 'curver' boxes that I know some breeders use, and they happily house between 1-3 cavies at a time. I have 'doctored' the sippy water bottles with the help of waterproof heavy duty tape to hang from the side of the boxes and at bedtime I close half the lid over to give protection. My shed has been fitted with an extra door of wire mesh that I can secure during the day to allow lots of fresh air so the shed is 'other animal' proof. This is my system for the winter until I can pursuade my carpenter friend Trevor to make my cavy housing to my particular design. The beauty of these containers are that they are made from heavy duty plastic that can be easily cleaned (they even have a little card holder on the front for labelling contents - so I put name cards in!). I line each one with several layers of newspapers (the local free paper is just the right size!) and then I put a generous layer of dust free shavings in the bottom, a large handful of good quality hay finishes the picture. At weekly clean out it is just a case of rolling up the newspaper and disposing of. What makes my system even better is that I have a large amount of these boxes so I can make them up at short notice for health emergencies (or impulse purchases!). At the moment all cavies live in pairs which is largely harmonious; boars Marlon and Alfie in one and boars Laird and Gillie next to them. On the other side of the shed is sows Sable and Honey, and April and Conker. I have been gathering information from all sorts of sources as to the building of purpose built cavy housing, and have obtained some brilliant ideas from several great web sites (see my links) Some of the advice that I have received so far has proved invaluable and I would advise anyone who is thinking of expanding to do so after a lot of careful thought and budgeting. A mistake on a large scale production is costly in not only money, but in goodwill from long-suffering partners (like mine!)
My next plan is to get electricity run to the shed as it now gets dark quickly and I sometimes forget to put the old torch on charge! I have put some battery push lights onto the walls but these don't really give me enough light to see clearly if something is wrong.
Next year I plan to have a larger shed put in, but I havent told my husband yet so keep it to yourselves won't you?
November Update - My persistence has paid off and my lovely husband has purchased a 10'x10' pine log cabin for the bottom of the garden and has promised electricity and a veranda! Plans for the interior fitments of said 'cavy cabin' are being worked on at this very moment. Once it's up and running there will be no stopping me!
So here we are in December 2005 and the new Cavy Cabin is up and running! My wonderful and very long suffering husband managed to build the shed over a weekend with some help from his mates and my brother-in-law, needless to say the cavies were very grateful and bought 'said' help a xmas pressie each for all their hard work. Workmate Glen was particulary amused and somewhat thrilled with the USB phone charger that they had carefully selected for him, and mused to a plenty about "how did they know it was just what I really wanted?" I explained that although Alfie may appear a tad scatty at times, that he can regularly be found pawing through the newspaper at the bottom of his box, who can say what article he has digested? maybe a 'Which' report, or even that he somehow got an advance preview of Glen's 'Letter to Santa' before it was sent off to the elves at the North Pole by Glen's wife. Anyhow, the shed is great and is a joy to go down there to use, the lighting is supplied at the moment by my art deco uplighter that we had as a wedding present, it seems to create the right ambience! I have a small radio on all day as I think it keeps the cavies used to noise and they don't scuttle around as much when anyone enters, they, like me appear to appreciate radio 2 and I believe one of them is applying to Terry Wogan to be a TOG (Terry's Old Guinny). The veranda will have to wait until spring, but The sign is up above the door "Tartuffe Cavies" - Hurrah!!
Official opening will be in the spring with a few invited guests and some refreshments (avoiding anything that looks like capers or liqorice torpedoes!) If you are one of the chosen that receive a covetted invitation then please be prepared to swear to the alliegence of "Guinea Pigs make the world a better place" whole-heartedly.
Now, I know some breeders do not name their cavies, but as you can see by my other pages I have given all mine names and will continue to do so, partly for the records, and also I think it helps develop their character! My mother in law used to name her dogs in themes, so I have started the same thing so, in honour of their Scottish roots (and my husband's!) all tans will be given a 'tartan-wearing' name. All the black foxes are names from Shakespeare and the tortoiseshells are all greek, and my old and well-thumbed copy of 'naming baby' has come back into use!. Of course in the shed they all have pet names to make life easier, and a few of them have actually started to come when I call, especially Marlon as he knows he's probaly going to get a yoghurt drop for his trouble!
It's now February and the days are starting to get a bit longer (hurrah!) and so I have harranged and hassled my good friend Trevor to come and measure up in the shed for the 'penthouses'. I took him down to the cavy cabin and introduced him to all the inhabitants, unlike most workmen, he is a bit more interested as he used to keep and breed New Zealand white rabbits, so at least he does know how these hobbies can 'grip' you!
I have decided upon four blocks of eight cages, two to be put on either side of the shed, so cleaning out will be easier. each compartment will have a tray that slides out for easy cleaning and each block will be fitted with large double doors that serve the whole block rather than single openings.(I have nicked this idea from Simon Neesam, as I've seen it in practice and it's brilliant!). I have drawn out what I would like and Trevor has chewed his pencil frantically and stomped around with his tape measure muttering darkly, something about "obtuse angles" and "marine ply" and rather oddly "why can't women map-read?" and I am expecting great things to happen soon. Trev has informed me that I will end up with 32, YES 32!!! cages, which will house up to 3 adult cavies comfortably in each compartment! - my mind is already racing at the possibilities that I could introduce to the shed! Trev has gone away to work out 'costins' and I have started to tell my little lot about their new homes that are coming very, very soon! You see, that's what I like about Trevor, no job ever takes more than a weekend to complete and he reckons he will cut all the bits he needs and construct them when he gets here like a kit, I promise to keep him supplied with coffee and cheese sandwiches and my cavies get custom-built cages, a perfect arrangement!
You know, it really is like buses! you wait for one for ages then loads come along all at once! in the last week I have had offers of 9 cavies from 3 different breeders! I have decided upon some slate tans from Smithville stud, and as soon as the cages are built I shall be off to Simon Neesam's to get myself some aby sows! I would love to have everything that has been offered I just don't have the space yet! I have decided to let a couple of the black tans go from here and that has given me several sleepless nights as I'm so attached to them. Still, they are going to a very good home with someone who is just starting up in rare varieties, so I know they will continue to be 'treasured'.
I have had my article published in Cavies magazine! and I can't quite believe that they have actually done it! My friend Naomi is very chuffed that she gets a mention by name and now I think I may have a go at writing an account of my first show that I attended (not that I think I'm a literary great or anything) I just write as I find!
Well, what a month this is turning out to be.....my first show sucess with the Tortoiseshells and winning 'Best RV' with little Scarlet! I thought the month is off to a great start...(and it's my birthday on the 14th) then I get the news I have been dreading for some time, my dear darling beautiful friend Michelle has finally lost her brave battle with the demon cancer. It's not right, It's not fair and it makes everything else in life that I niggle and winge about seem pathetic. I miss her dreadfully already.
I don't want to talk cavies just now.
OK, so March is gone and I've said goodbye to Michelle, and a few of my little treasures down the shed. Ive had a few babies born, and that always raises a smile........one of my little abbys has had the smallest baby I've ever seen! I would say about one a a half inches long and about an inch tall!! I darent even look what sex it is, it is doing really well, so fingers crossed. My star of the shed (Scarlet O'Hara) has gone on for her third win at her third show, and even little Suki the himmie has gained NCC points so the show team is making a good start to 2006. We are all gearing up for the RVCC show in Norwich, and I'm grooming like crazy! I have taken in a few waifs and strays recently to help some people out and seem to have landed myself with a pair of Magpies and a pair of self slates, all four pigs are lovely, just need a bit of 'tarting up' to look their best. I have a new boy in my heart, and that is 'Meet Joe Black' (OK I'm a sucker for Brad Pitt as well!) the little black roan abby, he just couldn't be left in the sale pen, despite my loud protestations that I have far too many boars in the shed, I blame it all on Naomi and Kim who set a very bad example at the show and made similar purchases of "I shouldn't really"s.
I at last have 'Noggin the Nog' at home (little chocolate fox boar) that I bought ages ago from Debbie and John at Smithville Stud, and he's been 'lodging' at Naomi's until I could pick him up, I had to apologise to Naomi profusely, as he had beaten up all her other inhabitants of the shed and thoroughly outstayed his welcome! He's had to learn some manners quickly as he's in with Laird, who will stand no funny business!
The Norwich show has come and gone, with a good deal of sucess and a fair bit of controvercy! A big "are they or aren't they?" debate was held over the presentation of my Marten Sables to the judging table, and when all views were aired, codgetated and digested (in the words of Lloyd Grossman!) it was agreed that they look like chocolate foxes but as I know their bloodlines and they are described in the RVCC handbook by the person that bred them, that they remain Marten Sables (although they don't officially exsist!) It would appear that the universal way to tell a 'proper' sable is to check the belly colour, and as my sables carry the fox gene which produces a white belly (Scarlet's is superb!) then this maskes the only surefire way of telling if they are sables as opposed to chocolate foxes. I still maintain the brown colour is a different shade, but what do I know?
The best advice on the day came from a very reputable and knowledgeable cavy fancier, who said to enter them in which ever class I felt would best do them justice, and as sables are still unstandardised and until more people bring forward sables for a guide standard then it may be difficult to show them as anything other than chocolate foxes, for that is what they mostly resemble! - what a funny world we live in!
Well, a busy month all in all and it was made all the more enjoyable by a visit to the Stud from my 'mucker' Simon, (Shildon Stud). This was a trip that we seemed to have talked about for ever, and we managed to combine his stay with attending my favorite show 'Broadlands'. It was really great to have a visitor who also knows and appreciates the cavy form, and we talked about them almost non-stop. Simon took 4 (yes 4!) of my precious stock! I can't believe I actually let any go! those that know me well, have a good laugh at my 'collector' status and realise that it's not that I don't want to sell any......quite the opposite in fact, it's just I find it so darned hard to say goodbye! they are all special to me!!
I also attended Marsh Farm show in essex and had a really good daywith the tortoiseshells and the marten sables, both lines are coming on really well, and i was very pleased to be able to show them to Linda, who bred the torts in the first place, she was really chuffed to see that they had done so well.
I ran the 'Race for Life' with my friend Jenny this month, in the memory of my lovely friend Michelle who died of cancer in March this year, we managed the run at a very respectable fast walk in an even more respectable 55mins, so that was great! a big thankyou to everyone who sponsored me, personally and on line, we managed to raise over £300 between the two of us, Michelle was in our minds and hearts all the way and we are definately doing it next year (who knows? I may even jog it!)
I have 3 shows lined up for next month, so the show board is already being drawn up with a short-list of who's attending with me! The shed is full to bursting and I have my first proper Rex in situ now. Trouble is his name and mischief is his game!
Flamin Hot! Gowd' it's difficuly keeping cavies cool in the heat! I can't remember it being this bad last year, but then again, I didn't have that many this time last year! I have been saving my small fizzy drink bottles like mad and filling them with water and freezing them! You should see the look on the grateful cavy faces when I pop the frozen bottle in the boxes, they literally mug each other to get to lay over the top of the bottle! Touch wood I haven't lost any to heat stroke, and I even bought two huge box fans from B&Q that work night and day. I have an air-con unit, but quite honestly, it costs so much in electricity that I only use it when the temp is right up in the 90's!
I have had a cracking month show wise and have won Best Rare Variety at all three shows I've attended this month (I think they call it a Hat-trick?) Othello the adult fox boar won it at the Tendring Hundred Show, wee Nighean won it at Norwich and The Laird won it at my absolute fave' show Broadlands! My rosette collection is steadily growing and I got my first trophy at Norwich, i am so proud of it that i went out and bought a new fireplace to put it on (honestly I did!).
Now it is confession time!.........................I have bought my first (and prob last!) longhair! I know I know! I always said I wouldn't....but I did! I took one look at (soon to be called) Taloolah of Tartuffe, and it was a 'done job'. I can't wait to get her, she is staying at my good friend 'Granadan's' for a while until I can sort out where to put her!
I have also collected a further two otters, and had my first litter of Chocolates! they are simply stunning and i shall be hard pushed to part with any of them. (OK Stargate, maybe the odd one to you!) as my friend John would say "well, what is 10 more when you have so many?" I have no more litters imminent, so I can have a bit of a breather for a month or so.
Well, it's a month of ups and downs really, I've sadly lost the slate Otter sow to toxemia following aborting her litter, I think it was probably the stressful moving about that did it. And I lost my only breeding Tortoiseshell sow, which is a bit of a blow to the ol' breeding programme. However, on the up was the 'surprise' arrival of Dellboy! he appeared from nowhere, and I had no idea that his Mum Issie was pregnant, she certainly never looked it!
I had to take Horse to the vet as he was very poorly for no apparent reason, and that cost me a fortune (nearly £100!) to have an xray, a course of anti-biotics and some food suppliment! (I think he just needed a good poo!) anyway, he is making a grand recovery and is back to 'popcorning' merrily.
I have agreed to have a major influx of black tans (well,five to be exact!) from my very good cavy mate Kim at Pristine Pigs, and I have bought some Pink Eyed Goldens (why?) I've also aquired another sable sow which will be great.
I have booked a foreign holiday, and I'm really looking forward to 2 weeks of sun sea and sand, the only downside to it is that I will miss the London Championship Show on the 2nd of September! It seems that everybody in the cavy world is going apart from me, and I was really miffed that I wouldn't get to show the Marten Sables, until good friend Simon Neesam came to the rescue! He has very kindly agreed to take them to the show in my absence and so now I'm madly making plans for bathing and for him to pick them up etc.
Well, back from the ol' hols which was brilliant! My lot got on well in London as well, with Scarlet taking the trophy for Best RV at the Crested Stock Show. In the other classes the results were pretty much as expected considering I was mostly competing against myself!
Ive had two litters born this month, one black tan from Agnes the scottish sow, and two black foxes from Lily. All three babies are doing really well.
At last! I have the new cages installed and they look brilliant! It makes cleaning out so much easier, ans the white board inside the cages makes them really light and airy. The arrival of the long-awaited cages has meant that I can have a move around of the boys and girls and get rid of the green crates, useful thought they were, they did take up alot of space.
I took my biggest ever entry to Broadlands Show (16), and it was quite something to organise! It was a sucessful day tho' with Pistol taking 'Best RV' and getting a great trophy to boot!
I have decided to have a bit of a rest from showing until December to give the cavies a bit of a rest, and for me to re-access the show team, now there are several new members that have joined the shed. I have decided to concentrate on the tans and foxes, so I have agreed to buy a small stud of Lilac Foxes from Pristine Pigs to see what we can do.
Gosh! I havent written for almost a year! - and what a year it has been!
The shed has changed beyond all recognition and is now equipped with 5 blocks of custom built cages and a grooming table and all the 36 cages have a cavy inhabitant (or two!) the tans still dominate the scene, but the sables are following close behind and the collection has risen to 24 with 3 sows expecting litters shortly.
The tans are doing really well, and there are now at least 8 sows that are the regular show team in all three age categories and again there are several sows waiting for litters to arrive.
On the show front I havent been out much since doing the double in July at the Tendring 100 and Norwich on consecutive days with Pistol the Black Fox taking the Best RV title! (not bad for a homebred boy)
Again, a long time since I've had the time to type anything, but I guess it gves me more to say........................The tans are doing splendidly! one of the best sows Ive bred (called Breeshan) made it to Reserve Best in Show at a recent pen show, so I was particularly chuffed with her.
The shed still hosts foxes in black, sables and a few self chocolates, but I suppose the biggest change is that all the self slates went to David Collier in Bolton (my mate Grimcoll!) and in their place I have a very nice collection of agoutis in silver, cream, cinnamon and lemon growing. These cavies area really different challenge for me and I just love their laid back personalities.
I have had a fence put across the garden in order to keep the jack russells away from the shed and grass - the benefits are showing already as it means I can handcut the grass and feed to the shed without worrying if there has been a russell relieving himself on it!
Ive also weakened on my stance on anything hairy and have aquired a pair of Lunkyaras and a pair of Merinos, this is so I can learn a bit more about the requirements of breeding longhairs.........................Im about to start my Judging accreditation! (Eeek!) so need a wide variety of exposure to other breeds.