Late January 2004
Wandered into a pet shop at Holland Village and I met the prettiest little creature that was standing shyly away from the rest of her friends.
She had weird turfs of hair sticking around, cute color patches, and she looked so lonely.
I stared and stared, and asked questions about her.
Her black eye reminded me of a naughty rascal, and her brown eye had the sweetest look.
How could a piggie look so naughty and so lovable at the same time?
I was told by the pet shop uncle, that she is an Abyssinian cavy, and the only one of her breed, amongst her other cavy friends for sale.
I knew at that moment I had to bring her home, and so I did.
I was told that she's roughly 6 months old....which made her a June baby.
---
As a kid, I was told that Guinea pigs are capable of whistling, and I was sort of disappointed to have a silent piggie when I brought her home.
I truly thought she was mute.
I read up that guinea pigs love fruits and vegetables, so I experimented with various offerings that mommy has in her fridge.
I shared sliced apples, grapes, bananas, carrots and other various vegetables, and I found out that her one true favourite would be the Chinese cabbage (bok choy - according to the price stickers that supermarket paste onto the packages) was because
she uttered her first "whee" after she got acquainted with the chinese cabbage.
She never quite stopped whistling after.
She'll whistle excitedly whenever she hears the fridge door being pried open.
She would also respond happily to my footsteps.
Not quite sure how she manages it, but she would whistle whenever I walk through the door.
Not to mom's footsteps, or dad/sister/brother's.
It would precisely be my footsteps that she responds to.
This smart little sweetie, somehow stole the hearts of the entire family in less than a month.
Even mommy, who hated/scared of animals so badly.
Mommy would insist that I walk to the wet market, to buy her a ball of cabbage, just because the fridge is out of cabbage for Pixie's consumption.
We ALWAYS have cabbage in the fridge ever since.
Mommy also attempted to use her feet to stroke pixie, and sometimes attempt to poke her really quickly, just like a kid dipping her hands into cold water, just to see how cold the water is. That's what she meant to mommy who had been scared of furry animals her entire life.
she definitely stole more than just a corner of mommy's heart.
---
Feb 2007
Pixie also attended my 21st birthday.
Secretly, over the years, I always saw her as a personal 21st birthday present to myself.
She attended my party with her red harness and leash.
Everyone present was intrigued by her, and the silly red leash that I bought for her. :)
---
Her first christmas with me...
I attempted to photoshop reindeer's antlers onto her picture.
Her last christmas with me Dec 25th 2009
I borrowed a tiny santa's hat from Da's winnie-the-pooh toy, and made pixie pose with a mini axe from the christmas log cake. :)
---
I gave her lots of nick name over the years, with derivations based mostly on her name and the sounds she makes like....
pixie wixie
pig pig/pix pix
piggul
weewee
and princess.
I love how she would hoist/headbutt my hands whenever I irritate her, how she'll sit on my tummy and not move until I let go of her - making coooooo coooo/purring noise when she's contented and happy.
and a slight "pock pock pock" sound that reminds me of chicken, when she's exploring, or finding her way back to her living quarters.
How I never needed to cage her up, because she is home loving, and no matter how much coaxing or cabbage dangling, she refuses to step out of her cage.
---
June 2010
at 4.30am today, My brother and I watched our little darling succumb to age and her failing health.
I found her lying on her sides weak and almost motionless, just as I was about to head for bed.
The brother transferred her onto a towel, as we sat by her side, cheering her to be strong and telling her how much we love her and still do (something I never failed to remind her when I feed her daily, especially in the recent months)
She showed signs of improvement, after I fed her with drops of water using a syringe.
She tried to stand, waving her feet around, stretching, and we tried to help her stand up.
For over an hour, we watched my brave little pixie fight for her life.
I tried to ease her final moments as much as I could, watching helplessly as she weakens, gasping for breath.
Sad that she'll no longer greet me when I wake up,
I am comforted that I was able to be with her in her last moments,
that I managed to tell her that I love her for the last time,
that I am very proud that she is a fighter, refusing to let go of her life to the very end.
It's June - you've have turned into a full 7 year old piggie, if you could have held on just a little longer.
Rest in peace my darling, you'll always be my special little whistler.
