[Gpdd] MISC Pigtures of the new Piggyfriends

[Penny Charlesworth]

I had been thinking of names for the new Piggyfriends when Mieke suggested the name Gandalf for the silver agouti . I don't know why I didn't think of that myself. A lifelong Lord of the Rings devotee, I have had piggies named Frodo and Sam, Shadow is named after Shadowfax and I have cockatiels named Merry and Pippin. For those of you who have never read the book ( or seen the movies ) they are all characters from the book.

So that is his new name. Gandalf. Thanks Mieke. He is quite nervous at the moment, hardly surprising considering all the upheaval that they have experienced this past week, but I hope that he will grow into his name.

I always call rexes, texels and the like Fuzzypegs. The name comes from a character in a much loved series of books, which I read as a child and passed on to be enjoyed by my sons in turn. Fuzzypeg is actually a hedgehog but these rexy piggies do look very much like hedgehogs so I decided to call my Alpaca boy Fuzzypeg. I tried to think of something serious but a coat like that does not go hand in hand with seriousness. All of that "mad scientist" hair needs a name like that of Janneke's Igor.

He reminds me so much of two Alpacas of the past, Leo and his daughter, Snickers, who were among four lovely poppets who used to stay with me when their owner went on holiday. I called them all the Little Visitors and eventually they became full time Piggyfriends when my friend moved overseas. I also had Goldie, a wonderful girl with a head tilt who endeared herself to all who met her.

I have taken a few photos which I would like to share with you all. I had hoped to take them outside to avoid the dreaded red eye but it is cold and wet here today so I hope that you will bear with my poor camera work and imagine that Fuzzypeg has black eyes and Gandalf's reflect a very dark red in the light but are predominantly black. Come the spring weather I hope to take some better photos. It is no use me buying a fancy camera. I would never learn how to use it.

The first pigture shows Fuzzypeg when he arrived minus his fringe. This pigture does not really convey the tangle of hair and hay that he was dragging around with him so the second pigture shows how much I removed before his bath.

In the third one he is sitting in a box of towels by the fire to dry off. He has had another lot of hair removed by now.

The fourth shows him nice and dry with some grass as a reward. For those who may not be familiar with the Alpaca breed, it is a Peruvian ( the ones that have a long fringe over their eyes ) with a rexed coat. I have cut short the frontal ( the long fringe ) so that I can see his sweet face and he can see out. I always do this with Peruvian types as I am never going to show them. For showing they have to have their hair brushed out in a circle like a sunburst.

The fifth pigture shows Gandalf after his beauty treatment, with some veggies as a reward for being a good boy and the sixth shows what makes him a Coronet - the crest on the top of his head.

After they were both dried off they sat peacefully on my lap and we watched a ghost story on television. Dear little fellows. They are certainly cuddle pigs. 

Here are the pigtures. Look at the first six. Or more if you wish. Enjoy.

http://s720.photobucket.com/albums/ww201/Piggyfriends/

Penny and the Piggyfriends.

P.S. Thank you for laughing at my New year Resolution Stef. I did keep it for nearly two months!!


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