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Unsolicited Advice: Cat Window Hammock Perch

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Quick disclaimer: I am not sponsored by the K&H Pet Products company. They do not pay me or give me free supplies for this blog post. I promote this product because it works for me and my animals. Happy July to everyone out there. We have been battling thunderstorms, gigantic mosquitoes, and unrelenting heat for a few weeks now. One of the storms actually tore down a large limb from my walnut tree in the backyard. We were quite lucky, though, because it fell perfectly between the barn, the wash house, and the Copper Mermaid Cottage, so no damage! Just a couple hours cleaning up the wreckage. Still, it provided me some perspective about how blessed we are. If any of the branches on the cottage-side of the tree had fallen, there could have been a chance that Makoa or the chinchillas wouldn't have made it. It's been a difficult year, to be sure, but at least all of my babies are healthy and alive.  Now, time for some unsolicited advice. Lately, the Copper Mermaid C...
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Storytime: Bringing home the new baby (if I can just get him in the car)

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Good morning to wherever you are. It is a mercilessly hot Monday morning in Florida, and I am seeking the sanctuary of the guinea pig room while I write this.  In my last post , I talked about meeting Cullen Bunhannon at the humane society. I filled out adoption paperwork and was approved to take him home.  Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. The day I was to pick up Cullen, named for his crazy hair like my favorite character from AMC's  "Hell on Wheels," he was also scheduled to be neutered. I assumed since I had called every day to check on him that he would have his surgery in the morning and be ready to go in the evening. I was scheduled to pick him up at 5 p.m. At 2 p.m., I called the humane society. "Hi, this is Cullen's mom. I am calling to see how his surgery went," I said from my dining room table. "Oh yes, he's doing wonderful! You should be able to pick him up between five and six, but call back an hour before you leave ...
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The Yorkie Llama Floofball

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Hello, out there! It's been quite a while since we last talked! Pretty much once my job starts back up nothing else gets done other than the necessities. And lately, the world has gone even more crazy! Have you looked outside? There's a quarantine going on! People are wearing masks, no one leaves their home, events are canceled, school is virtual, and it's a never-ending roller coaster ride of wondering what will come next. Personally, I'd like to get off the ride and get a refund! But since our last post, lots has changed in the herd besides the changes affecting the world right now. One of those changes is a new herd member. His name is Cullen Bunhannon . In January, I went scrolling through Petfinder .com to see if there were any guinea pigs for adoption. I thought it was time to add to the Butter Girls - Butter Stick and Apple Butter. I found a young female guinea pig at the Humane Society of North Central Florida that was perfect. She was nut brown all over, y...
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Top 5 things you need when owning a chinchilla

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Chinchillas take serious effort and special equipment. Unlike hamsters and other small rodents, chinchillas are very particular about everything- their diets, toys, routine, even bathing. As I like to say, chinchillas are not merely pets but a lifestyle choice. You can say goodbye to spontaneous overnight trips or long vacations. You can expect your belongings to be covered in a fine coating of silvery dust. You can be sure to show off chewed books, remote buttons, and baseboards to visiting friends and family. There are definitely rewards out of owning chins, but you need to be prepared for what's in store. Look at that naughty face That being said, here is a list of the top five things you should have on hand as a chinchilla owner (although there's certainly more): 1. Time Chinchillas require at least an hour of playtime a night (typically after 6:30-7:30 p.m. when they wake up). That's every night. If you don't have the schedule for that or you like to tur...
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Storytime: When we added a little spice to our herd

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As a single chinchilla, Hiddleston was pretty happy. Which is odd because chinchillas tend to prefer being in pairs. When Hiddleston's bonding partner died, I thought that was going to be the end of Hiddleston as well. My research showed that some chinchillas are so heartbroken over the loss of their friend that they will try to commit suicide by starving themselves. Hiddleston, however, continued to be his boisterous, curious self, and I stopped watching for signs of starvation. We were a happy one-chinchilla family. Then, I got a message on Facebook from a work colleague. "I hear you have chinchilla experience." "Yes, I do." "Do you want two more?" Unbeknownst to me, my former coworker is a foster mom for our state's Fish and Wildlife Service. She has taken in everything from chameleons to rabbits to chinchillas that are either abandoned, found, or confiscated. She is a busy young woman with a heart of gold and a house full of anim...
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Unboxing

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I order supplies and gifts for the pets all the time. So, of course, there's going to be an unboxing post. About a week ago, I ordered goodies for myself and for the pets from Amazon. A few days ago, they arrived and I filmed what happened! Unboxing: The Guinea pigs had a few items - a woven chew ball, the tassel hidey, and the plush crocodile bed. You don't see the crocodile bed in the unboxing video. I thought it was a dreamcatcher kit I ordered, and I put it to the side. I didn't realize my mistake until after i had already filmed all my videos. Here's a photo of Butter Stick checking out the bed. No one has used it so far, but I like it. I put it out during floor time so the chinchillas can check it out as well. I'm really happy with the tassel hidey. Apple Butter has spent a lot of time there since I installed it in the cage. I will definitely purchase a second one for Hiddleston and maybe a third for the other side of the Guinea pig cage. ...
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Unsolicited Advice: Ceramic bowls

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Storms are settling in here, which means it's the perfect time to write. The last few days have been a blur of long walks, floor time with various pocket pets, and running errands. So, it's nice to take a minute and type a few things out. When it comes to food dishes, ceramic bowls are where it's at! And I'm not talking about just the rodents; I mean everybody. There are two main reasons why ceramic is used in this house - unchewable and easy to clean. When selecting bowls for rodents, you have to choose something they can chew. Plastic is a big no-no, especially for chinchillas. Hiddleston, my oldest chinchilla, is using the same ceramic radish dish that my chinchilla from college used. It's a bowl with a lot of miles and a lot of meals, and still, it's in perfect condition. The Guinea pigs have two ceramic bowls - one for their Oxbow food and one for their fresh veggies. Now, sometimes, I hide their green pepper slices and chunks of celery around th...
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