Boston Spring Pignic 2014

The thing I agonize over the most in organizing a pignic is deciding whether to postpone it.  Outdoor pignics can be canceled due to being too hot, too cold or too wet.  Spring pignics are most often called off due to rain, but this year I anxiously watched the weather in hopes it would not be too hot.  I posted that if the hot temperature started to distress the guinea pigs, we'd shut down the pignic immediately.

The Pig Patrol all showed up geared for hot weather.  As luck had it, we required none of it.  The grass, the shade and the breeze kept pigs and humans comfortable the whole afternoon.  I'm glad I decided to set up early.  Participants took my warnings to heart and I had several people arrive by 11:30am.  They even beat out my Pig Patrol, and were helpful setting up the pens and moving the heavy picnic table.  Thank you!!  I apologize for the delay of getting you checked in, but your assistance was really appreciated.

It was a good showing in spite of the forecast - we had close to 60 people and about 40 guinea pigs.  There was a good mix of attendees:  old pros and newbies, elder pigs and youngsters.  A few people came without guinea pigs.  Some were pig-lovers enjoying the variety of cute, others were mourning the loss of their pigs, and a couple were doing their research before they adopted their pigs.  The Pig Patrol spent a good chunk of time answering questions and giving recommendations.  And, of course, clipping nails.

The last time the pignic was held in hot weather there was a lot of bickering between the sows.  This time, everyone pretty much got along.  Of course there were one or two time-outs.  The only war wound was to a human who got between two spatting sows, barehanded.  Ouch!

Pinniped spent the pignic in their private pen.  I didn't want to stress her with the pigs and the heat.  But Cannoli went into the common sow's pen.  Wow.  This was a pig I've not seen before.  She immediately made friends with the sows that were in there.  She ran around, checked out other pigs and relaxed in the grass.  Where did this confidence come from?  And no fighting!  So many of my girls have not played well with others.  Noli had arrived at the shelter with a large herd, so I'm not entirely surprised she could get along in a group.  But it was something to see!  Cannoli had the time of her life in that pen.  I eventually pulled her out to put back with Pinni, because Pinni seemed depressed all alone.  I look forward, though, to see Cannoli tooling around with the other pigs at the September pignic.

The pigs were inspected and weighed as they came to the pignic.  Such variety!  I inspected a boar with pretty green-painted nails (well manicured, too).  There were teddies, silkies, a texel, a skinny, an abyssinian and a couple of Peruvian mixes.   A bunch of shape, sizes and colors!  The biggest was Sippy, a sow that weighed in at 1464g.  The smallest was an adorable two-month-old boar, Rebel, who weighed only 505g.

Pinni had been losing weight the last day or two.  I brought along my hand feeding supplies to do a demonstration on hand feeding.  I had been hoping to show how to feed a fighter.  Pinni will suck down the first 5ml and will fight me on the rest.  What did she do in front of the crowd?  Ate all the critical care with hardly a wriggle.  Rotten rodent!  Regardless, I hope the information was useful to those who watched.

The pignic started to wrap up at 3pm, with many of the pigs showing signs of grass coma.  Even in the warm weather, I found my two stuffed into a tunnel together, too lazy to move.  It was a quiet drive home and they spent most of the evening sleeping it off.

Huzzah!  A successful pignic, even with the warm weather.  What a relief.

I have a few more photos in my pignic album.  As others post their photos, I hope to add the links here.