Contest Winners!

The contest is over and I've chosen the winner and runner-up. I would like to thank everyone who entered, I got some really adorable photos and I have uploaded all of them to my Flickr account to be enjoyed by all. See them here.

If you submitted more than two photos, I chose from the first two that you sent me, since the rule was only two per person. The way I chose these was by having my roommate open al of the files so I didn't know who sent what. These photos were chosen based solely on their snuggle/cute-factor.

Now, on to the fun.

Congratulations to Emmy and Heather!

Emmy is our winner, with her photo of Pippin, seen here.

And Heather is our runner-up, with her photo of "baby rats," seen here.

Like I said I got a lot of really great photos, and it was tough to choose from all of them. So I have also chosen the top 5 photos [besides Emmy and Heather's, of course,] and I would like to offer the takers of these photos 10% off their entire next purchase at my shop. This does exclude shipping but there is no time limit, and I do ship all over the world.

View the Top 5 here.

How does this all work? For our winner and runner up, simply choose "other" when you get to checkout. If you purchase more than your $25 or $15 worth of stuff [remember, shipping included], I will invoice you via paypal for the remaining balance.

If you're in the Top 5, you can Convo me in Etsy and tell me what you'd like to order, I'll make a custom listing for you with the 10% taken off. Be sure to mention that you were in the Top 5 for this photo contest!

What about the sale? I did mention that I was planning a sale shortly after this. Unfortunately though I am too darn busy with my two jobs do stock up for it right now. But I do have something planned, don't you worry.

Photo Contest Reminder

The photo contest is supposed to end tonight but I am extending it a day because I'm really not going to have time to look at the photos until Saturday.

Please send your submissions to SilverBeatShop [at] yahoo [dot] com. Remember, Winner gets $25 worth of goodies from my shop, Runner up gets $15 worth! This does include custom items AND shipping.

For more info, see this post.

Guinea pigs at the CNYSPCA.

I am now *officially* the girl in charge of the cavies at the CNYSPCA in Mattydale, NY. Which means a lot of changes in care, diet, grooming, and cleaning will be made.

Now.

The pigs are being kept in fairly small cages in an ex-storage room in the back of one of the cat rooms. Basically anyone who wants one can have one, for the $35 adoption fee. They're kept on newspaper bedding, changed daily, which isn't great but the fact that it's changed daily is definitely a plus. It's better than keeping them on shavings. They are on a diet of Sweet Meadow pellets [which I provided] and a handful of hay a day. They get veggies whenever I get in there to give them veggies, so a couple of times a week.

Soon.

I am drafting a daily care/feeding schedule and a list of acceptable pellet foods for the shelter director to post to the kennel staff. Right now I personally am okay with them being on paper bedding. They're not going to love it, but I will make sure that it gets changed daily. Veggies will be my responsibility to get to them, which isn't a huge deal for me. I have also been told that I am free to set up a "floor time" space for them whenever the bunnies are out, which will be awesome.

Later.

My long-term goal for the guinea pigs is to move them out of the cat storage room and into the rabbit room. I am working with "the rabbit guy" [Bob] on designing a cage setup for the bunnies and the piggies that is affordable, large, sturdy, easy to clean, preferably mobile [on wheels], and easy on the eyes.

I am also collecting all of my fleece scraps and will be making the pigs some patchwork piggy pads for their swanky new cages.

Right now we have three single pigs- Jamie, Tyler, and George. They appear all to be female. And we have one pair, Lucy and Ethel [female as well]. I will be posting updates about my experiences with the shelter pigs and whatnot.

What's Going On?!

Hi Everyone!

Life is busy these days in the yellow house. Some big decisions are being made, some big paychecks are being earned, and some big time-budget cuts are being made.

Rocky.

It looks like Rocky is a keeper. He is very old, that's for sure. He's probably lived his whole life alone, and lord knows how long he's been dealing with this impaction problem, but even with a big cage, a HAFF [Hay and Fresh Foods] diet and regular cleanings, I have to "squeeze" him at least once daily. My vet said that neutering him would have little if any effect on his chronic impactions. He is obviously uncomfortable, and I just want him to be comfortable and happy for the rest of his life.

Because I don't have the money right now to get Laika and Ferdie spayed, and because I'm not sure if I even really want to put them through that procedure unless absolutely necessary, AND because I do not want to mess up the "dynamic" of the sows' cage, I have decided that I am going to adopt a buddy for Rocky. Probably an older male (3-4). I would love a Peruvian if I had the choice.

Rocky's QT period is over, his URI has subsided and his infected rump is growing fur. He is moving into the girls' room for now, And I will work on building him a C&C cage and getting him a buddy within the next month.

Winnie and Milo.

Winston and Milo are doing very well at my mother's daycare. I call them my "satellite" pigs. The kids love them and are learning a lot and my mom is warming up to them. I will get some photos and do a special write-up about my take on guinea pigs in day cares, classrooms, and children's rooms someday soon.

Wordless Wednesday: Where was this photo taken?

Photo Contest Reminder

Hi everyone! Only 19 days left to enter my "Snuggle Up" Photo contest! I have only gotten a couple of submissions so far...

*The photo does not have to be of a guinea pig. It can be any animal*

*I am now going to allow up to 2 entries per person*

Here are a few examples from my own collection [click the image to view the large version]:

View the photo contest rules and how to enter here.