Miniature pigs delight in playing mini piano at Victoria children's farm
Although the Little Pink Piano couldn’t be further from Carnegie Hall, one wonders if the anticipation of its upcoming concert at the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm feels just as momentous.
"They have discovered music," Claudia Laube smiles, playing random notes on the toy instrument. "They love to play."
And when the farm manager says "they," she’s referring to a trio of miniature pigs.
(CTV News)"There’s Poppy. There’s Petunia," Claudia says, as each black and white pig snorts and wags their tail in recognition. "And there’s Punk, because not everyone can be a flower."
And while not every piano can be a Steinway, the Little Pink Piano has never stopped striving for excellence.
"A little girl donated her piano to us," Claudia recalls.
The Little Pink Piano’s first player no doubt set high standards for performance before graciously offering her instrument to an aspiring band of chickens.
"It’s animal enrichment," Claudia explains, before carrying the Little Pink Piano over to an eclectic flock of birds. "Something to make it more interesting for the chickens to play."
Although the chickens spent the past few years attempting to impress the public by appearing for every performance dressed in dynamic feathered stage costumes, no one ever seemed to come close to rivalling the musical talents of a Liberace or Elton John.
"They’re not as musical in my opinion," Claudia says, as the colourful chickens peck at the black and white keys, but rarely make a sound.
So Claudia decided to pair the Little Pink Piano with players who had more potential.
"Pigs are some of the smartest animals," Claudia says.
Pigs regularly rank in the top five on lists of world’s smartest animals, and are said to have the intelligence of a three-year-old human, and are more trainable than dogs.
Also, the first time she played the Little Pink Piano, Punk the pig performed way more notes than a whole flock of chickens.
"They put their little noses on it," Claudia says, showing me video of the piglets’ first performance. "They seem to like the idea that it makes sounds."
As Poppy, Petunia and Punk have grown into teenagers, the sisters’ musical tastes have evolved with them.
"It’s freestyle I would say," Claudia laughs, as the pigs pound on the keys with gusto.
While the pigs’ performance is certainly more Rock than Rachmaninov, the little piano seems to be tickled pink.
"I think the piano is happy to be played," Claudia smiles. "Happy being an active part of the farm."
Because no matter which animal is performing the soundtrack to smiles, the Little Pink Piano ensures they’re hitting all the right notes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Iran's judiciary confirms rapper Toomaj Salehi death sentence
Iran's judiciary confirmed the death sentence of well-known Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi but added that he is entitled to a sentence reduction, state media reported on Thursday.