MONROE - Some of the smallest, but most entertaining, animals judged at the Green County Fair seem rarely seen.
Most fair-goes don't know they're coming to the fairgrounds, and they're gone in less than a half hour. That's because 4-H members must bring their pets in just before judging and take them directly back home.
A Guinea pig, hamster, corn snake, ferret and goldfish showed up at 1 p.m. Thursday for the event this year.
Kayla Foley, 13, Monroe, received a blue ribbon for the second year in a row with her guinea pig, Queenie. Foley said the judge asked no questions about her pet that she didn't know.
Kayla enjoys raising guinea pigs, because they like to be held and are "fun to care for" - a little food and water everyday and a cage cleaning every other day.
"And they hop around like popcorn, when they excited," she said. Queenie gets excited every time someone goes by her cage because she likes attention, she added.
Scott Foley, 10, Monroe, chose to bring in Charlie, an 11-month-old dark brown hamster.
Charlie is a handful, both in size and in curiosity.
"He likes to play around in people's hands," Scott said.
This is Scott's second year at the fair with a hamster; his dwarf hamster, Holly, won him a blue ribbon last year. Charlie brought in another blue ribbon this year.
Scott said judges look for a hamster's bright eyes; clean ears and nose; and a clean, dry tail.
Charlie's favorite things are apple slices and, of course, his wheel.
"If you would stay at our house, you'd hear his wheel squeaking all night until you went to sleep," Scott laughed.
Patrick Condon, 15, Brodhead, brought in two unique pets - a ferret and a corn snake.
Condon got the orange and cream colored corn snake, which has no name, when it was just six to eight inches long. He estimated it was about four years old now.
The judge asked Condon to remove the snake from its cage and handle it for its inspection. Condon also had to answer questions about the snake's native origin's (from North and South Dakota) and its popularity as a pet.
Condon has had his 5-year-old pet ferret, Rascal, for one year, when he adopted it from a rescue shelter, Ferret Nook, in Cambridge. Ferret Nook had about 100 ferrets, most abandoned by owners who bought the animals as babies and without realizing what mischief and damage (and smell) they can create.
Condon said Rascal was most probably descented, because she didn't have a strong odor. Rascal also likes to nip, "but not hard," he added.
"They get into everything," he said, "and she likes to climb under the couch."
Rascal gets along with the cats and dogs in the family; however, Condon said he doesn't let her out without watching her.
Queenie took home a blue ribbon.
Ben Swedlund, 16, Monroe, received a blue ribbon for his 6-month-old goldfish. He told the judge he wasn't sure about the exact breed yet, because it wasn't old enough for the head to be developed enough to make the distinction.
This was Swedlund's fourth year entering gold fish, and has received three first-place ribbons and a second-place ribbon.
The hardest part about entering a goldfish is getting one small enough to bring to the fair, he said.
"They grow quickly, and they get a lot bigger," he said. This year's his entry came to the fairgrounds in a one-quart fish bowl. Next year, he wants to get a bigger tank.
Swedlund has had the problem of his fish dying before he get them to the competition.
This year, he took a new approach.
"He doesn't get a name, and he doesn't get a number, because they die," Swedlund laughed. "And I don't pick one (to show), because they don't know what a fair is, ... and I don't tell 'em ahead of time."
Swedlund took home a blue ribbon for the fish with no name.
Most fair-goes don't know they're coming to the fairgrounds, and they're gone in less than a half hour. That's because 4-H members must bring their pets in just before judging and take them directly back home.
A Guinea pig, hamster, corn snake, ferret and goldfish showed up at 1 p.m. Thursday for the event this year.
Kayla Foley, 13, Monroe, received a blue ribbon for the second year in a row with her guinea pig, Queenie. Foley said the judge asked no questions about her pet that she didn't know.
Kayla enjoys raising guinea pigs, because they like to be held and are "fun to care for" - a little food and water everyday and a cage cleaning every other day.
"And they hop around like popcorn, when they excited," she said. Queenie gets excited every time someone goes by her cage because she likes attention, she added.
Scott Foley, 10, Monroe, chose to bring in Charlie, an 11-month-old dark brown hamster.
Charlie is a handful, both in size and in curiosity.
"He likes to play around in people's hands," Scott said.
This is Scott's second year at the fair with a hamster; his dwarf hamster, Holly, won him a blue ribbon last year. Charlie brought in another blue ribbon this year.
Scott said judges look for a hamster's bright eyes; clean ears and nose; and a clean, dry tail.
Charlie's favorite things are apple slices and, of course, his wheel.
"If you would stay at our house, you'd hear his wheel squeaking all night until you went to sleep," Scott laughed.
Patrick Condon, 15, Brodhead, brought in two unique pets - a ferret and a corn snake.
Condon got the orange and cream colored corn snake, which has no name, when it was just six to eight inches long. He estimated it was about four years old now.
The judge asked Condon to remove the snake from its cage and handle it for its inspection. Condon also had to answer questions about the snake's native origin's (from North and South Dakota) and its popularity as a pet.
Condon has had his 5-year-old pet ferret, Rascal, for one year, when he adopted it from a rescue shelter, Ferret Nook, in Cambridge. Ferret Nook had about 100 ferrets, most abandoned by owners who bought the animals as babies and without realizing what mischief and damage (and smell) they can create.
Condon said Rascal was most probably descented, because she didn't have a strong odor. Rascal also likes to nip, "but not hard," he added.
"They get into everything," he said, "and she likes to climb under the couch."
Rascal gets along with the cats and dogs in the family; however, Condon said he doesn't let her out without watching her.
Queenie took home a blue ribbon.
Ben Swedlund, 16, Monroe, received a blue ribbon for his 6-month-old goldfish. He told the judge he wasn't sure about the exact breed yet, because it wasn't old enough for the head to be developed enough to make the distinction.
This was Swedlund's fourth year entering gold fish, and has received three first-place ribbons and a second-place ribbon.
The hardest part about entering a goldfish is getting one small enough to bring to the fair, he said.
"They grow quickly, and they get a lot bigger," he said. This year's his entry came to the fairgrounds in a one-quart fish bowl. Next year, he wants to get a bigger tank.
Swedlund has had the problem of his fish dying before he get them to the competition.
This year, he took a new approach.
"He doesn't get a name, and he doesn't get a number, because they die," Swedlund laughed. "And I don't pick one (to show), because they don't know what a fair is, ... and I don't tell 'em ahead of time."
Swedlund took home a blue ribbon for the fish with no name.