Exploring

The babies have quickly become comfortable with their surroundings and are exploring the pen with gusto.  They like to follow Ruby around, checking out the bucket when she is eating her grain, chewing on hay, and running around the shed.  The little ones have even made their way into the "big pig pen" where Hammy and Jaws are.  This worries me a bit, but so far the big pigs have ignored the babies.  And if I am outside, Chou Chou and Mouse (the two runts who have really accepted the whole bottle feeding thing) will run through the holes in the fence to find my voice. 



Such a contented pig.

Dobby, our dog, isn't quite sure what to make of it.  She watches the babies with interest, but keeps a safe distance from the fence.  I don't think that she would attack them, although they sure are fun to watch.

We managed to get Ruby's mud puddle dried up, thus keeping the babies from the mud, but Ruby found another way to cool down.  And in the process of cooling off in her bathtub, she floods the water into a new mud puddle, thus circumventing our attempts to remain mud-free in the pen.  I prefer Ruby bathing in the tub because it keeps the babies safe and her teats free of mud, but it still causes some trouble.  For one, I am refilling that tub on a daily basis, just to make sure she has water to drink.

A few more of the babies have been given names.  The one with the half pink face is named "Oreo."  She is growing so well.  She's still pretty shy of my attention, but we're working on it.  The second runt that is all black is now "Mouse."  I mentioned her in the last post, but thought I'd introduce her.  She is doing ok but I sure would like to see more growth.  I did see her and Chou Chou nursing this morning and that is a plus.  I was hoping that they would be able to adjust to a bottle and mommy at the same time.  The little boy with a perfect band is "Mr. Perfect."  He would be a nice boar, if we needed one.  While I didn't want to name her "Spot," I seem to continue to call her that, so I guess it's her name.  She has a beautiful black spot in the middle of her white band.  The rest are still waiting for names.