Introducing Earl....

I am pleased to introduce you all to Earl. Earl was 6 weeks old when Patrick picked him out as his birthday gift. This is the very guinea pig that Zoe stalks and stares down relentlessly,

every opportunity she gets. She is NOT a good girl (this is of course the same cat I had the tripping incident with)! I know this little guy recognizes voices because every time I go into the kid's bedroom to make sure he is properly fed and watered, he perks up with happiness to hear and see me. He does a little purring sound when I pet him, and he never freaks out or runs from me. Little Earl has a little sparkle in his eye. Earl loved loved LOVED his little nest bed we put in his cage. Loved it so much this past week he ate the darn thing! Now where is he going to hide from the salivating, glaring cat? I understand they chew on things to keep their 2 little front teeth filed down, and the bed was designed for this sort of thing, BUT, he laid in that thing for like a month, never a nibble. Then last week he went to town on it, chewed it all to bits. I am going to have to replace it eventually, he was so happy with it. On occasion we put Earl in a giant ball that he can run all over the house in if he so desires. It's clear and plastic and if he grew to the size of a javalina I think he would still fit, it's big. He was horrifically upset with Patrick the other day when Pat nudged the ball with his foot while walking past. Poor Earl was not prepared to roll like that...we keep him far far away from the stairs too...that would indeed be a disaster.