Growing Like Weeds

I can't keep up!  I've been gathering photos and video of Laylla and her pups faster than I can edit and post them.  The dynamic changes every day.  Even as I type, the boys are chasing each other around the cage making so much noise!  

So here's a quick dump of what's gone on in the last week with foster guinea pigs Laylla, Snap, Crackle and Pop. 

We have confirmed that the trio of pups are all boys.  We're a little disappointed with that because both the folks at Dakin and I had hoped Laylla would keep a child as a companion.  Plus it is unlikely all three boars will be able to live together as they hit adulthood (personality conflicts).

As you can see - their favorite place to eat a bowl of food is in the bowl.  It's also the best way of not sharing the contents. 

They've also all graduated to eating lettuce.  Generally speaking the best lettuce is the piece that mom is eating...

which can be a bit dicey because Laylla is so much bigger than them.  She has no qualms about shoving them off. 

In a week they gained about half their birth weight.  They're still so tiny when I hold them, but I can see the difference in size.  It's pretty funny to see Crackle lift Laylla up as he looks to nurse in the video below.  I also love how they swarm around her when she clucks at them.

The big event was when Pop (then still called Baby Two) figured out how to get onto the second level.  You can see him contemplating the jump in the beginning of the video.  The other two have been getting up there on their own for days, using the cuddle cup on the first floor as a boost or by leaping straight up.  Pop would stand below and cry for mama.  If I was around I would lift him up (and down) to join the rest.  Until now, any photo of the four of them on the second level was because I helped him out.

Now Laylla can't sneak off for time by herself.  Luckily, the boys often entertain themselves.  Our evening television watching is often interrupted with zoomies in the cage.  I especially enjoy hearing them bank off the sides of the cage.  

It has only gotten more rambunctious in the last few days.  There's more to come!