My small stud of Black American Crested cavies consist of one boar and four sows.  The boar is currently in with one sow at the moment and hopefully a litter will be due towards the end of October.  I would have liked to have had another boar, but sadly haven't got one at this stage.  Saying that though I will probably end up with all boars in the first litter!

This is Thomas, my AC boar, photograph by Kaikora.

Three of my sows are Black English Crested and they are named after the singers Nina Simone, Cleo Laine and Cilla Black!  Nina is currently pregnant to Thomas.  She has two white hairs in her crest so I am eagerly awaiting the outcome of the mating to see if she manages to produce any babies with a white crest.  She is due 1st November 2007.

Cleo is my 'best' English Black Crested and I have shown her.

I'm still patiently waiting on Nina to have her babies.  She is getting bigger by the day and looks like a big black puddle!

Nina successfully delivered 5 babies on 11th November 2007.  She had four boars (as predicted) and one little sow, two of which were 'friesians'.

Litters Due:

Cilla x Thomas due from 21st January 2008

From left to right, Eva, Dec (going to be a school piggie), Enya and Kiri.

Cleo x Thomas (due from 11th April 2008)

Cleo finally gave birth to stunning black crested babies on 20th May 2008

I am hoping to keep my stud of Black American Crested at around the maximum of 10 pigs.  I currently have two boars, Thomas and Takaro Rubinstein and 4 sows, Nina and Cleo (both retired), Takaro Kiri and Takaro Enya.

Litters Due:

Takaro Kiri x Takaro Rubinstein (due from 19th October 2008)

Two very chunky babies born 26th October 2008, one sow and one boar

Takaro Enya x Takaro Morphy (due from 19th October 2008)

Five babies born 19th October 2008, three sows and two boars.

Sadly I have decided to stop breeding this beautiful breed due to impending surgery.  My last two sows have gone to a lovely indoor pet home where they will receive lots of cuddles.  I only have Cleo, 'Daisy' the little Friesian above, Morphy and Rubin and Whiskers Freeman who will be going to his new home in the New Year.  I will miss my stunning Black American Crested piggies a lot but feel I am doing the right thing. 

Update: September 2010:  I only have two Black American Crested remaining in my caviary - Morphy and Rubin, who live with three other boars quite happily.