Why Grown Adults Would Own Two Small Rodents...

This past weekend JD and I spent the majority of our Sunday making some tweaks to what we have deemed the "piggy palace." My father-in-law and JD worked tirelessly to build this indoor hutch for our little piggies over the summer and we are quite happy with the outcome...

You may be wondering why, in our limited time, we would want to spend the better part of a weekend working on making our guinea pigs more comfortable in their little home. 

You may be wondering why two adults would own guinea pigs in the first place. I have asked myself the same question when they wake us up at night with their squeaks, but they have become a part of our little family and even though we've talked about it on several occasions we just can't bring ourselves to give them away. Here are a few reasons why we keep Camila and Lulu around...

They are Great Apartment Pets

I have wanted a dog for a long time, but besides the fact that they are expensive, it is hard to find an apartment in Seattle that allows dogs. Small animals, however are welcome in most places and they require a lot less time and money. 

When we go out of town we can leave them for several days at a time, and the times that we have been gone for longer our friends or family can just drop in and give them some food and water and they are set for a few more days. Low maintenance pets are perfect for our lifestyle in this season.

It's an Opportunity to Care for Something Besides Ourselves

Guinea pigs by no means require the same level of commitment as a baby or even a dog, but it's good for JD and I to be responsible for something small and dependent on us. In some ways it prepares us for future responsibility.

There are nights when I do not want to clean their hutch or I do not want to spend the extra couple of minutes feeding them in the morning before I head to work, but it's good to be good stewards of the little lives we have been entrusted with, even if they don't appreciate it.

Let's face it, They're Adorable

JD and I both owned guinea pigs growing up and think they are super cute and fun to have around. Their little squeaks and mannerisms really are adorable. We both love animals, even the small, skittish kind.

There's Actually a Surprising Number of People Who Love Them

Guinea pigs are actually becoming more popular, even for adults. There are a number of people who chronicle their piggy adventures on Instagram such as stephsguineapigtures - one of my favorites.

And then there was the amazing Hyundai World Cup commercial where Tony the Wiz predicted the outcome of the Mexico v. Croatia game. He ended up being wrong, but hey he's a guinea pig. You can't expect too much.

And I have come across more and more articles about guinea pigs, like this Buzzfeed one of guinea pigs dressed like superheroes. 

And then there's Booboo the famous guinea pig, which my friend introduced me to a few months back. I mean come on. You've got to have a heart of stone if you don't think these pictures are cute.

You may not be rushing out to buy guinea pigs after reading this, but if I've nudged you in the direction of coming to appreciate this cute little animal, then my job here is done.