CEDRIC's SAGA

Excuse me, do you speak chinchilla? No, I didn't think you did, at least not fluently. It is a very complicated language, not easy to get your tongue round. I'd better tell my story in English

My name is Cedric and, as you already know, I am a chinchilla. A little bundle of soft, grey fur,ears like a very famous mouse and a tail with a curl in it. I have long moustaches, sit up on my haunches and hold food in my front paws. I like hanging on to the bars of my cage like a straphanger in the tube. All this makes me an appealing and funny pet.

I belonged to a family who took care of me.I was settled and content. One day they decided to go on holiday. What to do with me? Not enough holiday places welcome chinchillas. To solve the problem they left me in my cage in a big outdoor car park. That way someone would see me and take me in. I hoped I would not have to wait for a long time!

Time went by, a few people came and peered at me. I put on my most appealing look but no one took me. It was a hot day and my cage, once in the shade, began to get very sunny.I was also running out of food and water. Big problem!!

I was reaching desperation point when a lady spotted me. She scooped up my cage and put it in her car. She was worried as I was so hot and bothered. Best place for me, she decided was with a vet friend of hers.

Oh boy! The sheer relief to be in the cool. Chinchillas do not like the heat at the best of times. Well you wouldn't, would you, coming from a mountainous region. The vet prodded and poked, the way they tend to do. He decided that a night at his place would do me no harm. I didn't mind at all!

The next day the lady phoned to see how I was. Much better but now what? A lover of chinchillas she had several of her own and she decided to add me to her chinchilla family.

Although the vet notified other vets in the area that I had been found and re-homed, no one ever claimed me. I find this so sad. But, I am one of the lucky ones as I have found a wonderful home.

Copyright Jacqueline Hastings 2009