Adopted: March 2017
Personality: bouncy, excitable, quiet
Special skills: runs fast
After we lost Tatiana unexpectedly in January of 2017, it took awhile to first want to get a new pig, and then to actually find the right one. We were on vacation at Universal Studios when we got a call from our friend that Tatiana had passed away, and it was a very sad time which made it difficult to find enjoyment for the last days of our trip. The one thing that made us laugh was the Horror Make-up Show, so when we returned home we decided that we'd name our next pig Marty James after one of the characters in the show. We really enjoyed spending time bonding with Harriet on her own, but we eventually started to really search for Marty James to be her new friend.
After many visits to different pet stores and the shelter, I either wasn't happy with the conditions of the stores, or the pigs (although all adorable) just didn't feel right. I eventually came across a website for a nearby pet store I'd never heard of and called to see if they had any guinea pigs. The owner was very knowledgeable and said they only had one female pig but she was currently on a health hold to ensure she was healthy enough to be sold. I visited the store later that week anyway and saw the cutest little black and white pig who bounced around her cage when I approached her. I didn't want to get another black and white pig at this time because it reminded me too much of Tatiana, but I thought it was cute how energetic she was. The owner mentioned that he suspected she might have ringworm and was treating her as a precaution. After nearly a month went by (and another visit in the meantime in which I saw her again and she was just as happy as the first time), I mentioned to our mom how hard it was to find a pig that was Marty James. She said that maybe the black and white pig was popcorning around so much to tell us "Hey, I'm Marty James!" We went back to the pet store and ended up leaving with that cute fluffy pig that day.
Marty James is such an interesting pig with such a different personality. When we brought her home it was so much fun to watch her learn how to use the sleeping bag (and purr as she figured it out and made herself comfy) and for us to find out what her likes and dislikes were. It was really cute when I first fed her veggies - I only gave her one type at a time so as not to overwhelm her, but she was not pleased until I finally gave her some carrots. To this day she still likes to start her dinner with carrots before anything else. She is also so quiet most of the time - she'll wheek and make adorable burbling noise as she walks around, but when we pet her she really isn't much of a purrer. Out of all of our pigs over the years she is the first one we've ever had that really doesn't purr very much. She'll lean into your hand as you pet her and really seems to enjoy it, but she just keeps it to herself. A huge contrast to Harriet, who we find purrs when we pet Marty James, even if she's across the cage and not even watching what's going on.
One thing that really changed when we brought Marty James home (after her quarantine ended) was Harriet's personality. Tatiana could be such a sweet pig, but she also had an overbearing personality, and she and Harriet would often get annoyed with one another. Marty James and Harriet, on the other hand, have been buddies from the start. When we introduced them, Marty James immediately popcorned over top of Harriet and that was that. They had the easiest introduction out of any of our pigs, and after they moved into the cage together there was not a single issue. Harriet has claimed the area beside the curtain (where she spends a lot of time burrowed under the sleeping bag), and Marty James tends to like to lay underneath the curtain right next to Harriet's bag.
Marty James has added a lot happiness to all of our lives and we're very glad that she made herself known, even if it took three times for me to catch on! It has been fun watching her learn and grow (at less than 9 months old she's already bigger than Harriet), and to see her cute personality develop. She's a very special little girl and we're very happy to have her in our piggy family!

Photos