There's gold in them thar food bowls, Piggies! It's Gold Fever Day! 🐹 💛 🧡 💛 💰 💰 💰 🥕 🥕 🥕


"Oh My Darling, Clementine (Guinea Pig Edition)"

Oh my darling,
Oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine,
You were wheeking, you were squeaking,
You were stealing all my thyme.

In the kitchen,
Near the hay rack,
Nibbling parsley, bold and free,
Then you spotted unattended lettuce—
Tragic theft in front of me.

Oh my darling,
Oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine,
How you wheek for treats at sunrise,
Like it’s legally required time."

On January 24, 1848, at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California, James W. Marshall spotted shiny flakes in the American River—sparking the discovery that launched the Gold Rush and, soon after, the legendary Forty-Niners.

According to guinea pig historians (a highly underfunded field), this moment also triggered a lesser-known but equally intense migration: the Forty-Wheekers. Drawn west by rumors of untold riches, these determined cavies rushed to the riverbanks armed with pans, pickaxes, and an extremely loose definition of “gold.” By spring 1849, camps were buzzing with excitement as pigs triumphantly uncovered beet chips, carrot shards, and the occasional suspiciously shiny pebble—declaring each find a fortune.

While humans chased nuggets that would change the economy, the guinea pigs pursued a more practical dream: unlimited hay, communal snacks, and the hope that one day someone would finally strike a nugget big enough not to be immediately eaten.

Wheek! Wheek!