Believe it or not, this is a photograph of Yum-Yum running top-speed around the big, blue chair with glee, popcorning and jumping in between sprints. He requested we show this photograph to demonstrate his athletic prowess and kung-fu lightning reflexes. Even mom's camera couldn't capture his speed! If you wonder what "popcorning" is, when guinea pigs are beyond happiness and become overly-ecstatic with joy, our little bodies cannot contain it and we begin "flying" in the air (seriously) often with all four of our tiny feet leaving the ground! Then, upon landing, we abruptly change directions, running as fast as our tiny toes will take us until "popping" again. It's the funniest thing in the world for humans to watch. Mom laughs so hard that even she rolls over, giggling uncontrollably! No other animal in the animal kingdom popcorns like us!
Many cavy-owner newbies think we are having seizures since we may also roll over on our sides, kick out our legs (with glee) then roll back into a full sprint, flying into the air, dropping down as abruptly as we popped, and sprint, roll, or simply run so fast not even the camera can capture the action. Since we resemble little kernels of corn in a corn-popper, this mystical ecstasy was given the moniker: popcorning, popping, etc.
In reality, we are having a mystical experience and are out of our speedy little bodies, our spirits soaring through spiritual realms while our bodies try their best to keep up. Which, of course, they cannot.
So, new piggie owners, this is a GOOD THING, and it means you have the happiest possible piggie at that moment! And if someone asks you, "Does your pig pop?" we hope you say, like mom, "OH, YEAH!"
