Two guinea pig sisters needed a new home. An 11-year-old neighbor's family took them in, renamed them, and Brigid Daley wrote this account of living with them herself.
Written by Ballantyne Country Club neighbor Brigid Daley.
My family has two guinea pigs named Pearl and Cinnamon. They are sisters and are both 8 months old. We got them from another family in Charlotte who couldn't take care of them anymore. We wanted them because they were so cute!
When they came to live with us, we decided to rename them. My sister Saoirse picked the name Cinnamon because she is brown and white and reminded her of cinnamon. I named Pearl because I just thought she looked like a Pearl.
Pearl and Cinnamon live in a cage in our bonus room, and they are very spoiled. They get lots of fresh vegetables, treats and attention. They especially love carrots and apple and banana treats made for guinea pigs. They also get really excited when we give them fresh hay. We learned that hay is actually supposed to be about 80 percent of what guinea pigs eat!
One of my favorite things about them is all the different noises they make. They recognize certain voices and even our footsteps. Sometimes when they hear us coming, they start squeaking because they know they might be getting food or attention.
Pearl and Cinnamon are best friends with each other, although sometimes they fight because they are sisters! I like opening the door to their cage and watching them get more comfortable coming out to spend time with us.
One time I opened their cage and Cinnamon came out and climbed right onto my lap. I was holding her when I opened the hay bin, and she jumped right into it! It was really funny.
I love playing with Pearl and Cinnamon and just watching them. They are always friendly, and they make us laugh a lot. We've learned that guinea pigs are more work than you might think, but they are also really affectionate and interesting pets. I'm glad Pearl and Cinnamon are part of our family!
Brigid is 11 years old and enjoys art and family trips. She is part of the Daley family, which includes parents Rory and Andrea and siblings Declan and Saoirse.
To recommend a pet to be featured, please email Delia at ballantyne@strollmag.com.
This story appears in the September 2026 issue of Stroll Ballantyne Country Club. Read the full edition here.