- Penelope (right) and Olivia enjoy snuggling together, even on hot summer days!
Guinea Hog piglets. Just saying that now brings a huge smile to my face, and I’m not the only one. Our new girls have charmed every person-young or old, zookeeper or not-that has laid eyes on them. They now have adorable names to match their very individual personalities: Penelope and Olivia. Named after two famous piglets from children’s story books, Olivia was named such for her dainty, princess-like personality. Penelope, on the other hand, goes by the nickname “bulldozer”, always trying to push her way to the center of attention. If these first few weeks of Penelope and Olivia being on exhibit has taught us anything, it is definitely that piglets have a TON of energy! These girls seem to be on the move the majority of the day. Running, chasing, bouncing off of each other, training, climbing in water bowls and searching for snacks in the dirt sure takes a lot of energy! Even eating is a mini-marathon, each piglet trying to play and eat at the same time. And when they are tuckered out they find a corner to snuggle in, sometimes nose to nose, other times side by side.
Play or eat? Decisions, decisions.
Even the other animals who live nearby are entertained by their antics. The first few days on exhibit piqued everyone’s interest and nearly every move they made was being carefully watched. Crowds of goats gathered at the fence, each one trying to get a good look at the new additions. The Zebus called out, seeming to wonder why the attention was not centered on them, and the Llama couldn’t decide if the piglets were friend or foe. A week later, everyone is content with Penelope and Olivia being their new neighbors. When it is time for a training session, the excitement is easy to see. Penelope and Olivia can’t get enough affection and attention, and they usually greet their trainers with a grunt or squeal. According to trainer Amy Lavergne, Penelope and Olivia’s favorite reward seems to be strawberries, although being pigs they will accept almost any fruit or vegetable we give them! Pigs are not picky. One of the girls’ favorite behaviors to work on is paint, where the trainer applies non-toxic paint to their snouts and lets them go wild on a canvas to create their own masterpiece. Ok, maybe they don’t go wild yet, but they’re working on it. And just like your kids at home, they do not like cleaning up! Running around with a bright pink nose is much more fun than taking a bath. Before too long they will be learning to walk on harnesses to get some exercise and excitement outside of their exhibit.
Candace applies animal friendly paint to Olivia's snout, which she will use as her paintbrush.
Olivia makes her first swipe onto the canvas.
She seems to be catching on to the fun of being an animal artist!
She even managed to get some good snout prints!
A completed painting by Olivia
Next up is bath time to clean all that paint off!
For now, Penelope and Olivia are very busy exploring, playing, tasting new foods, learning new behaviors and getting used to their daily routine. They are absolutely adorable and quite rambunctious, qualities that are sure to make them a Houston Zoo favorite for many years to come! Be sure to visit the John P. McGovern Children’s Zoo during your next visit to see Penelope and Olivia up close! For more adorable pictures of Penelope and Olivia visit the Houston Zoo’s Photo Albums!
To learn more about Olivia books by Ian Falconer, visit http://www.oliviathepiglet.com/. Visit http://www.nicolerubel.com/nicolebooks.htm to learn more about Penelope Pig books by Nicole Rubel.
