A well travelled pig

Wendell vacationing on Neebish Island

I haven’t written much about Mr. Wendell, my orange and white guinea pig. In a household of eleven noisy cats, one can often forget about the little guy in the family room cage. But in my world, there is something rather special about Mr. Wendell.  For one, he cooperates with his grooming. Unlike the other pigs that have lived here, Wendell allows me to trim his claws without fear of being bitten. He also understands Japanese; no small feat considering how poor a speaker I am. I welcome him each morning with an Ohayo gozaimasu, genki desu ka. Asagohan wo tabemasu ka. Ninjin?? (Translation – Good morning, how are you?  Have you eaten breakfast? Carrot??)

 But what makes Mr. Wendell so very special is how well travelled he is. Finding a guinea pig sitter is no easy task. The retired couple who had cared for him had decided that the daily chore of cleaning his cage had become too much for them. So I decided that whenever I had to go out of town, Mr. Wendell would come with me. I furnished a small plastic cat carrier with food and water dishes with a thick towel on the floor. A separate tote carries his pig food, timothy, a quart of water and bedding supplies. I found a small play pen at the local pet store that I connect with zip ties to the bolts on his carrier. Voila!! A portable mobile pig home.

Wendell has seen more of the state than most animals. He has spent a week’s vacation in Ypsilanti at the home of his cousin Leo, the Italian Greyhound; weekends with cousins Bixby and Sophie, a pair of Yorkiepoos. He has ridden the Neebish Island Ferry to vacation at the Birchtree Cottages and camped at Lightfoot Bay.  He is even welcomed at my parents’ home in the U.P., an invitation that would never be extended to his feline friends.

With the arrival of summer now, Wendell and I will once again hit the road. With his mobile home safely buckled into the back seat, off Wendell and I will go on our next adventure.