Of course things are changing around here again. Nothing ever stays the same, which is probably why it's a good thing I keep a blog. If I didn't, I'd probably lose track of my own life. ;)
Seriously though, our family has changed a bit and we're also moving...again. But, let me start with our family changes.
First of all, we lost two of our Sugies. Both Fiona and Plato have gone to the rainbow bridge, both quite suddenly and quite unexpected. We're not sure what happened at all, but we've decided that perhaps Sugar Gliders do not do well in our household. So, with that in mind, Mr. K contacted Gus and Fiona's breeder to see if Yoda could be of any use for her as a neutered male. She is a fantastic breeder and I would tell anyone looking for a Sugar Glider in the UK to purchase their Sugies from her.
She responded saying that Yoda would be great in assisting one of the mating pairs with raising the joeys. Sugar Gliders live in colonies in the wild with numbers anywhere near 16 Sugies and so it is not unusual for them to help each other out. Because Yoda is neutered, he won't fight the other male for his wife and all will be well. We thought that was a great idea and were so happy and thankful that Yoda would be going to live with an expert and that he would have a very happy life playing nanny.
So, we packed him up with his cage, toys and other accessories and he moved out on Saturday. It was sort of bitter sweet. We were sad to see him go, but we know he's in a much better place. The breeder will be able to use the cage for more Sugar Gliders and we are glad that it will get some good use. He apparently has settled in well, with Candy and Tom accepting him, and his name has been changed to Dale. We wish Candy, Tom and Dale all the best.
So, our family has shrunk by three members in a course of a few months. We think Fiona may have gotten sick, but Plato just sort of died randomly. We don't know if he choked on his food or had a heart attack, but whatever happened, everyone is much happier where they are now.
Despite our family getting smaller by three, we had another member join our fuzzy ranks. Enter Hamish the Lion Head Rabbit. That's right, we have a bunny. He is about 12 weeks old and the fluffiest little dude ever.
We heard that he needed to be re-homed due to a family's allergy and we offered to take him on. Mr. K had bunnies growing up and he always wanted another rabbit. So, Hamish came to live with us. He seems to be warming up to us and isn't afraid of the dogs at all. Hermione wants him to play with her; Glacier wants to mother him; and Roscoe could care less. So, I think Hamish is fitting in just fine. We've talked about getting Hamish a friend because bunnies like having bunny company, but we'll see how much room we have when we move.
That brings me to my next point; our move.
Just over a month ago our flat started falling apart. Actually, it's been slowly falling apart since about February, but we decided that it wasn't anything major and that we'd be fine until I was done with my university program, but things got worse. One of the window frames broke off in my hands when I was trying to close it because it had dry rot and it hasn't been fixed properly. There is a piece of wood nailed over the hole. The other windows also have dry rot, so it is possible they will crumble into little bits at any time as well. Our heat stopped working and our gas makes horrible squealing noises if it is left on too long to heat the water. Don't even get me started on the water not staying heated properly. The list could go on and on. So, Mr. K started looking for two bedroom flats, thinking that if we were going to move that we'd get a bigger place.
I took up the search as well and fell in love with a two bedroom flat that is only a ten minute walk from where we live now. We viewed it and I was convinced. We put a deposit on it as soon as we walked out of the door from the viewing and finally signed the lease last week. We get the keys on the 15th of July and I am so excited. Not only do we have more room, but we also have a communal garden at the back, a cycling/walking path right across the street and a little cafe just on the corner of our street. We also have moved closer to the sea and that always makes me happy. The icing on the cake was that it was only 25 quid more than the place we are in now, which means we get all of those great things without breaking the bank. It's also on a quiet residential street, which will be nice as well.
Mr. K and I have both agreed that we are not moving any time soon after we move into that flat. We had originally moved in here thinking that one day we'd move out to find a bigger place, but we are both sick of hopping from home to home. It's time to put down some roots.
As you can see, there have been and are going to be a few changes in our lives, but you know me, I probably wouldn't have it any other way. Well, except for the moving so often part. :)
Showing posts with label Fiona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fiona. Show all posts
Monday, July 02, 2012
Monday, April 02, 2012
Our Household: Part 3
Before I start today's post, I had an interesting question from the last one. It was asked if it was true that Sugar Gliders hate dogs.
In our household, our Sugar Gliders do not hate dogs. In fact, when Fiona, Yoda and Plato are out and about, they often jump on to Glacier and Roscoe and scurry around on the boys. Both boys are incredibly patient and just ignore the Sugies. Hermione has only been introduced to them through the cage so far, but eventually, we hope to teach her that Sugar Gliders are friends, not food.
I thought today we could be introduced to one of the two humans in our household. We are definitely outnumbered by animals here, but I don't think we'd have it any other way.
Introducing Mr. K.
Mr. K was born and raised in Michigan, but moved around a bit in his early adult years. He attended college to become a minister, but realised that that sort of work just wasn't for him. He started working for Best Buy and quickly climbed the managerial ladder. He worked in both Michigan and Florida and was very successful. At age 25, just six months after he had bought a brand new car, he lost his sight to a neurological condition. Apparently it had been going on for a while, but there was nothing gradual about the onset. At one point, he was totally blind, but after under going some heavy steroid treatments, he regained some of his light perception, which he still has today. This means, he can see bright lights on TV screens or even outside, as long as there is enough contrast.
After this very obvious life altering experience, he attended the Commission for the Blind in Michigan, which is a facility designed to assist totally blind and visually impaired people learn important life skills, such as reading braille and Orientation and Mobility. (Orientation and Mobility is what we are taught to allow us to be independent travelers). After four months at the Commission, Mr. K attended Leader Dogs for the Blind and was matched with Roscoe. This is where we met as well.
Our"courting" story is kind of funny, but quite lengthy. So, perhaps I'll leave that for another day.
Mr. K decided to go back to school and in October of 2009, he entered Liberty University for Psychology. He is currently a "Senior" and will probably graduate in the fall of 2013; unless he decides to do a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. His future plans include attending the University of Edinburgh for his Master's in some kind of Neuro Psychology program that I can never remember the name of; it's just that impressive.
Mr. K is six foot five and his height is often a conversation starter. We always tease him because Roscoe is shorter than Glacier, but realistically, personality wise, Mr. K and Roscoe were matched perfectly.
Mr. K likes to draw and after not drawing due to his sight loss, my mom convinced him to try again with some very impressive success. He also started painting when we moved with even more success. One of our friends has commissioned him to paint him a series of paintings, with the Yorkshire rose as the focus. Everyone who sees the paintings are floored at how good they are. Mr. K, of course, does not think they are brilliant, but many people would beg to differ. He also comes from a musical background in that he played the guitar in a metal band in high school and continued playing music, just with different instruments. When we lived in SC, he picked up the banjo and thoroughly enjoyed it and now he is taking online lessons for the mandalen. He is actually talented and I am impressed at how quickly he has learned to play each new instrument.
Mr. K is also the biggest nerd around, but I love him for it. It's funny because if you were to see him, you may not believe me. He has several tattoos and his hair used to be shaved into a mohawk, but underneath all of that, Mr. K loves electronics and videogames. Cameras, computers, new cellphones, anything that may be related to technology and he's going to be excited. His favourite are speakers though. When we lived in SC, he had a crazy sound system and whenever someone gets a new one, he is always over hooking it up properly.
Mr. K wasn't really an animal person until he met me and was matched with Roscoe. Actually, I think the various dogs we've had in our considerably short relationship have all brought him closer to being a dog person. He has completely fallen in love with Hermione and as I mentioned before, the Sugar Gliders have attached themselves to him.
As for me and Mr. K: we are best friends. Sure, we have little spats as any friends or married people do, but at the end of the day, we like doing things with each other and love being around one another. We definitely complement one another well and I think that is what makes our relationship work. I think sometimes it is easy to forget, in the craziness of the day to day, how important someone can be to you. Sometimes I forget to tell him how proud of him I am and how lucky I am to have him in my life. I mean, really, who else would put up with my crazy dog antics?
In our household, our Sugar Gliders do not hate dogs. In fact, when Fiona, Yoda and Plato are out and about, they often jump on to Glacier and Roscoe and scurry around on the boys. Both boys are incredibly patient and just ignore the Sugies. Hermione has only been introduced to them through the cage so far, but eventually, we hope to teach her that Sugar Gliders are friends, not food.
I thought today we could be introduced to one of the two humans in our household. We are definitely outnumbered by animals here, but I don't think we'd have it any other way.
Introducing Mr. K.
Mr. K was born and raised in Michigan, but moved around a bit in his early adult years. He attended college to become a minister, but realised that that sort of work just wasn't for him. He started working for Best Buy and quickly climbed the managerial ladder. He worked in both Michigan and Florida and was very successful. At age 25, just six months after he had bought a brand new car, he lost his sight to a neurological condition. Apparently it had been going on for a while, but there was nothing gradual about the onset. At one point, he was totally blind, but after under going some heavy steroid treatments, he regained some of his light perception, which he still has today. This means, he can see bright lights on TV screens or even outside, as long as there is enough contrast.
After this very obvious life altering experience, he attended the Commission for the Blind in Michigan, which is a facility designed to assist totally blind and visually impaired people learn important life skills, such as reading braille and Orientation and Mobility. (Orientation and Mobility is what we are taught to allow us to be independent travelers). After four months at the Commission, Mr. K attended Leader Dogs for the Blind and was matched with Roscoe. This is where we met as well.
Our"courting" story is kind of funny, but quite lengthy. So, perhaps I'll leave that for another day.
Mr. K decided to go back to school and in October of 2009, he entered Liberty University for Psychology. He is currently a "Senior" and will probably graduate in the fall of 2013; unless he decides to do a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. His future plans include attending the University of Edinburgh for his Master's in some kind of Neuro Psychology program that I can never remember the name of; it's just that impressive.
Mr. K is six foot five and his height is often a conversation starter. We always tease him because Roscoe is shorter than Glacier, but realistically, personality wise, Mr. K and Roscoe were matched perfectly.
Mr. K likes to draw and after not drawing due to his sight loss, my mom convinced him to try again with some very impressive success. He also started painting when we moved with even more success. One of our friends has commissioned him to paint him a series of paintings, with the Yorkshire rose as the focus. Everyone who sees the paintings are floored at how good they are. Mr. K, of course, does not think they are brilliant, but many people would beg to differ. He also comes from a musical background in that he played the guitar in a metal band in high school and continued playing music, just with different instruments. When we lived in SC, he picked up the banjo and thoroughly enjoyed it and now he is taking online lessons for the mandalen. He is actually talented and I am impressed at how quickly he has learned to play each new instrument.
Mr. K is also the biggest nerd around, but I love him for it. It's funny because if you were to see him, you may not believe me. He has several tattoos and his hair used to be shaved into a mohawk, but underneath all of that, Mr. K loves electronics and videogames. Cameras, computers, new cellphones, anything that may be related to technology and he's going to be excited. His favourite are speakers though. When we lived in SC, he had a crazy sound system and whenever someone gets a new one, he is always over hooking it up properly.
Mr. K wasn't really an animal person until he met me and was matched with Roscoe. Actually, I think the various dogs we've had in our considerably short relationship have all brought him closer to being a dog person. He has completely fallen in love with Hermione and as I mentioned before, the Sugar Gliders have attached themselves to him.
As for me and Mr. K: we are best friends. Sure, we have little spats as any friends or married people do, but at the end of the day, we like doing things with each other and love being around one another. We definitely complement one another well and I think that is what makes our relationship work. I think sometimes it is easy to forget, in the craziness of the day to day, how important someone can be to you. Sometimes I forget to tell him how proud of him I am and how lucky I am to have him in my life. I mean, really, who else would put up with my crazy dog antics?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Our Household: Part 2
Yesterday we took a stroll down memory lane and met Jetta, my first guide dog; a spunky Black Labrador who always made sure there was never a dull moment. I thought today we'd switch gears and talk about three, odd, little creatures that have recently joined our family.
Meet Fiona, Plato and Yoda. Never mind who are they, but rather, what are they?
Fiona, Plato and Yoda are Sugar Gliders. I call them my flying monkeys, but that isn't entirely accurate. Actually, it's really inaccurate. Sugar Gliders are native to Australia and Indonesia and are nocturnal marsupials with a "gliding" membrane that stretches from their ankles to their wrists. Sugar Gliders are approximately six inches long, with a prehensile tail-they can use it to grab things-and opposable thumbs. They are also very clever creatures and, if not secured properly, can learn to open their own cage. I have often seen them referred to as acting like dogs, and, after owning them for four months, I would agree with that statement.
All three have learned their names, but Fiona is the best at coming when she is called. All three have really taken to Mr. K even though the Sugar Gliders were supposed to be my critters. However, Sugar Gliders choose who they bond to and they have taken a liking to Mr. K. We always joke that there is no denying who the Sugies belong to because Mr. K likes to drink Coke and if a Sugie is out, they are instantly drawn to the Coke can. Obviously, we do not let them have the Coke as it would be very bad for them, but you almost have to fight them off of the can because they cling on for dear life. Friends who are over and drinking anything sweet are warned to keep their cups covered. We've watched one of the Sugies shove a paper back book off of a glass of Coke so that he could get into it. Did I mention that they are very smart?
When we first got Sugar Gliders, we had Fiona and her brother who we named Gus. Unfortunately, Gus died accidentally, when he escaped our living room and fell into the open toilet; one of the most common ways for a Sugar Glider to die. It was incredibly sad and both Mr. K and I felt horrible for Fiona. Sugar Gliders are very social creatures, living with up to sixteen other Gliders in the wild, and within 24 hours of Gus's passing Fiona started acting as though we had never bonded with her. She didn't sleep well and would bite us if we came near her. We knew that we had to find her some friends fast.
Enter Plato and Yoda.
On December 31, Mr. K and I hopped a train and went to pick up the two male joeys who we named Plato and Yoda. We were really nervous about introducing them as a lot of the literature we had read made the process sound very complicated and sensitive. Perhaps in certain situations it is, but for our three, all we did was put the sleeping boys in the cage and Fiona immediately climbed in with them. After the boys' arrival, Fiona was much happier, sleeping better and also allowing us to pet her again. It is interesting to note that Sugar Gliders are incredibly soft. I would say that their fur almost feels like a bunny. What is also interesting is that their hands and feet do not have fur and the opposable thumbs are present on both the front and back feet.
Since then, Plato and Yoda were neutered as we didn't want any joeys and it also makes them more friendly. Not to mention, their "man" smell decreases drastically as the scent glands on their forehead and chest dries up.
For the most part, the Sugies are cage dwelling animals, but we let them out at night so they can interact with us and get some exercise. Their cage is definitely quite large, standing over six feet tall, but it's good for them to get out and "glide." They also like to sit on Mr. K and groom him. They do this by going through his hair with their hands, spitting on his hair and pulling any tangles out. They also use their teeth to pull away any dead skin. Before the boys were neutered, Plato was a bit rough and Mr. K wouldn't let him groom, but since the operation he's become much more gentle. The funny thing is that Yoda is the biggest out of all of them and is probably the gentlest. They are some of the neatest little creatures and are always providing us with entertainment when they are out and about. Mr. K even sometimes carries Fiona around with him in a bonding pouch when we are out in public. Just the other day, we had supper at a nearby pub and Fiona was nestled under Mr. K's hoodie.
So, it's not just dogs that occupy our home: we have little flying monkeys too! I never thought I'd be much into exotic animals, and although Fiona, Yoda and Plato are Mr. K's babies, I really like having them around. Watching a movie in our house just isn't watching a movie anymore if there isn't a little fuzzy critter scampering/hopping/gliding around the room.
Meet Fiona, Plato and Yoda. Never mind who are they, but rather, what are they?
Fiona, Plato and Yoda are Sugar Gliders. I call them my flying monkeys, but that isn't entirely accurate. Actually, it's really inaccurate. Sugar Gliders are native to Australia and Indonesia and are nocturnal marsupials with a "gliding" membrane that stretches from their ankles to their wrists. Sugar Gliders are approximately six inches long, with a prehensile tail-they can use it to grab things-and opposable thumbs. They are also very clever creatures and, if not secured properly, can learn to open their own cage. I have often seen them referred to as acting like dogs, and, after owning them for four months, I would agree with that statement.
All three have learned their names, but Fiona is the best at coming when she is called. All three have really taken to Mr. K even though the Sugar Gliders were supposed to be my critters. However, Sugar Gliders choose who they bond to and they have taken a liking to Mr. K. We always joke that there is no denying who the Sugies belong to because Mr. K likes to drink Coke and if a Sugie is out, they are instantly drawn to the Coke can. Obviously, we do not let them have the Coke as it would be very bad for them, but you almost have to fight them off of the can because they cling on for dear life. Friends who are over and drinking anything sweet are warned to keep their cups covered. We've watched one of the Sugies shove a paper back book off of a glass of Coke so that he could get into it. Did I mention that they are very smart?
When we first got Sugar Gliders, we had Fiona and her brother who we named Gus. Unfortunately, Gus died accidentally, when he escaped our living room and fell into the open toilet; one of the most common ways for a Sugar Glider to die. It was incredibly sad and both Mr. K and I felt horrible for Fiona. Sugar Gliders are very social creatures, living with up to sixteen other Gliders in the wild, and within 24 hours of Gus's passing Fiona started acting as though we had never bonded with her. She didn't sleep well and would bite us if we came near her. We knew that we had to find her some friends fast.
Enter Plato and Yoda.
On December 31, Mr. K and I hopped a train and went to pick up the two male joeys who we named Plato and Yoda. We were really nervous about introducing them as a lot of the literature we had read made the process sound very complicated and sensitive. Perhaps in certain situations it is, but for our three, all we did was put the sleeping boys in the cage and Fiona immediately climbed in with them. After the boys' arrival, Fiona was much happier, sleeping better and also allowing us to pet her again. It is interesting to note that Sugar Gliders are incredibly soft. I would say that their fur almost feels like a bunny. What is also interesting is that their hands and feet do not have fur and the opposable thumbs are present on both the front and back feet.
Since then, Plato and Yoda were neutered as we didn't want any joeys and it also makes them more friendly. Not to mention, their "man" smell decreases drastically as the scent glands on their forehead and chest dries up.
For the most part, the Sugies are cage dwelling animals, but we let them out at night so they can interact with us and get some exercise. Their cage is definitely quite large, standing over six feet tall, but it's good for them to get out and "glide." They also like to sit on Mr. K and groom him. They do this by going through his hair with their hands, spitting on his hair and pulling any tangles out. They also use their teeth to pull away any dead skin. Before the boys were neutered, Plato was a bit rough and Mr. K wouldn't let him groom, but since the operation he's become much more gentle. The funny thing is that Yoda is the biggest out of all of them and is probably the gentlest. They are some of the neatest little creatures and are always providing us with entertainment when they are out and about. Mr. K even sometimes carries Fiona around with him in a bonding pouch when we are out in public. Just the other day, we had supper at a nearby pub and Fiona was nestled under Mr. K's hoodie.
So, it's not just dogs that occupy our home: we have little flying monkeys too! I never thought I'd be much into exotic animals, and although Fiona, Yoda and Plato are Mr. K's babies, I really like having them around. Watching a movie in our house just isn't watching a movie anymore if there isn't a little fuzzy critter scampering/hopping/gliding around the room.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Happy Birthday Yellow Fellow
He's five!
I can hardly believe it. My big Yellow Fellow is sort of middle aged. That means, we've been together for almost four years. I am not sure where the time has gone, but I couldn't ask for a better dog.
I'm sure every dog owner says that about his/her dog, but, for me, Glacier is my guy. We've been through so much and I just feel now that I'm really getting to know him. He's such a happy, goofy guy and I am so lucky that we were matched three and a half years ago.
I'm not sure what he was like as a puppy. I only have one photo of him, which I've shared with you, when he was a baby. I know his puppy raiser was a teacher and Glacier was read to by the children at "circle time." Other than that, I don't know much else, but I bet he was adorable; all paws and head.
Today has been a bit slow for him as Mr. K and I have been fighting or are finishing up with the stomach flu, and it was one of the most horrible stomach flus!
His morning started off by Glacier having half of a banana in his breakfast, and he and I worked our way to the grocery store to get apple juice for Mr. K and then on to the pet store, where we bought puppy pads and a few edible chew treats for he, Roscoe and Hermione to have later. He is now snuggled up with Roscoe, having a well deserved nap.
The funny thing is, I don't think he would spend his birthday any other way. He loves to work and he was excited to go to the pet store of course. The clerk gave him a huge biscuit because it was his birthday, and you can never go wrong with Labs and food. He knows there is a treat tucked away in the drawer for him as well. He also is best friends with Roscoe and I think that if he could choose, Roscoe would definitely be a part of his day.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, Tenie, Carmen and I are taking the dogs on an outing back to the North Sea so that they can have a good run; another part of Glacier's birthday present. Besides working, I know a crazy, all out, zoomies on the beach would be the best gift for him. People have teased me in the past about birthday parties for dogs and presents, but I figure that he works so hard for me that he deserves a day or two all about him.
I also think a good free run will help him forget Hermione's moved in. ;)
In closing, since it is Glacier's fifth birthday, I will leave you with five fun facts about Glacier; in typical blogging fashion. :)
1. Glacier likes to use his paws. I don't mean just a little high five here and there. Oh no. Mr. G uses his feet all of the time. Once we were out working with Cessna from Ruled by Paws and both dogs were in a "sit stay" in harness, minding their own business. Well, at least Cessna was minding her own business. I felt Glacier shift and I reached over to check what he was doing, only to find him with his paw resting on her head; kind of like when very tall people use shorter people for leaning poles. He also uses his paws to hold your arm still so he can give you a bath and will often use his paws to gently whack anything that may be annoying him.
2. Glacier doesn't bark. Okay, perhaps he barks, but in the three and a half years I have had him, I have heard him bark a total of six or seven times. Each time it is just one, gigantic, "woof." I've heard him use his very big voice wen telling Hermione to please stop nipping his toes. He didn't growl or snarl, just one huge warning "woof." I've also heard him bark once when playing with Mr. K and we haven't been able to replicate it. He's just a guy of few words, I suppose.
4. Glacier has zero prey drive. Guide dogs are required to have a very low one, but I don't think Glacier has a hunting bone in his body. If he sees a cat, he just wants to stroll around with it; he completely ignores squirrels/chipmunks; and doesn't even flinch when the pigeons fly up only two feet from his face. The only thing I've seen him want to chase, besides Roscoe during zoomies, was a frog. We were out for a walk on a bike path and a little frog hopped out in front of us. Glacier had been guiding me along, ignoring all manner of creatures, and so I was startled when he tried hopping off after it. He doesn't even try to chase the Sugar Gliders when they are out, roaming our living room. He just wants to follow Fiona around, like they are best buds.
5. Glacier is a great snuggler. I can sit in front of him on the floor, and he will drop his head down and push the back of it into my chest. We can sit like that for a very long time. He will also rest his chin on my shoulder and start to fall asleep when I'm sitting down in front of him. When he is asked up into my bed, he will lay with his back pressed up against me, stretched out to his full length. When he knows you are sad or sick, he just wants to lie on your feet. I remember when we were at Leader Dogs for the Blind, I was having a particularly rough day and I went into one of the bathrooms at our downtown working centre to cry. He looked up at me and instantly started slurping my face and even though I was still frustrated, I didn't need to cry anymore. He's a lover, not a fighter. :)
So, here's to you, Mr. G. Let the next five years of your life be as happy as your first.
love,
your girl
I can hardly believe it. My big Yellow Fellow is sort of middle aged. That means, we've been together for almost four years. I am not sure where the time has gone, but I couldn't ask for a better dog.
I'm sure every dog owner says that about his/her dog, but, for me, Glacier is my guy. We've been through so much and I just feel now that I'm really getting to know him. He's such a happy, goofy guy and I am so lucky that we were matched three and a half years ago.
I'm not sure what he was like as a puppy. I only have one photo of him, which I've shared with you, when he was a baby. I know his puppy raiser was a teacher and Glacier was read to by the children at "circle time." Other than that, I don't know much else, but I bet he was adorable; all paws and head.
Today has been a bit slow for him as Mr. K and I have been fighting or are finishing up with the stomach flu, and it was one of the most horrible stomach flus!
His morning started off by Glacier having half of a banana in his breakfast, and he and I worked our way to the grocery store to get apple juice for Mr. K and then on to the pet store, where we bought puppy pads and a few edible chew treats for he, Roscoe and Hermione to have later. He is now snuggled up with Roscoe, having a well deserved nap.
The funny thing is, I don't think he would spend his birthday any other way. He loves to work and he was excited to go to the pet store of course. The clerk gave him a huge biscuit because it was his birthday, and you can never go wrong with Labs and food. He knows there is a treat tucked away in the drawer for him as well. He also is best friends with Roscoe and I think that if he could choose, Roscoe would definitely be a part of his day.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, Tenie, Carmen and I are taking the dogs on an outing back to the North Sea so that they can have a good run; another part of Glacier's birthday present. Besides working, I know a crazy, all out, zoomies on the beach would be the best gift for him. People have teased me in the past about birthday parties for dogs and presents, but I figure that he works so hard for me that he deserves a day or two all about him.
I also think a good free run will help him forget Hermione's moved in. ;)
In closing, since it is Glacier's fifth birthday, I will leave you with five fun facts about Glacier; in typical blogging fashion. :)
1. Glacier likes to use his paws. I don't mean just a little high five here and there. Oh no. Mr. G uses his feet all of the time. Once we were out working with Cessna from Ruled by Paws and both dogs were in a "sit stay" in harness, minding their own business. Well, at least Cessna was minding her own business. I felt Glacier shift and I reached over to check what he was doing, only to find him with his paw resting on her head; kind of like when very tall people use shorter people for leaning poles. He also uses his paws to hold your arm still so he can give you a bath and will often use his paws to gently whack anything that may be annoying him.
2. Glacier doesn't bark. Okay, perhaps he barks, but in the three and a half years I have had him, I have heard him bark a total of six or seven times. Each time it is just one, gigantic, "woof." I've heard him use his very big voice wen telling Hermione to please stop nipping his toes. He didn't growl or snarl, just one huge warning "woof." I've also heard him bark once when playing with Mr. K and we haven't been able to replicate it. He's just a guy of few words, I suppose.
4. Glacier has zero prey drive. Guide dogs are required to have a very low one, but I don't think Glacier has a hunting bone in his body. If he sees a cat, he just wants to stroll around with it; he completely ignores squirrels/chipmunks; and doesn't even flinch when the pigeons fly up only two feet from his face. The only thing I've seen him want to chase, besides Roscoe during zoomies, was a frog. We were out for a walk on a bike path and a little frog hopped out in front of us. Glacier had been guiding me along, ignoring all manner of creatures, and so I was startled when he tried hopping off after it. He doesn't even try to chase the Sugar Gliders when they are out, roaming our living room. He just wants to follow Fiona around, like they are best buds.
5. Glacier is a great snuggler. I can sit in front of him on the floor, and he will drop his head down and push the back of it into my chest. We can sit like that for a very long time. He will also rest his chin on my shoulder and start to fall asleep when I'm sitting down in front of him. When he is asked up into my bed, he will lay with his back pressed up against me, stretched out to his full length. When he knows you are sad or sick, he just wants to lie on your feet. I remember when we were at Leader Dogs for the Blind, I was having a particularly rough day and I went into one of the bathrooms at our downtown working centre to cry. He looked up at me and instantly started slurping my face and even though I was still frustrated, I didn't need to cry anymore. He's a lover, not a fighter. :)
So, here's to you, Mr. G. Let the next five years of your life be as happy as your first.
love,
your girl
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Hermione Sophia
Yesterday was March seventh and do you know what that means?
It means that the newest member of our family turned two months old. She is the sweetest, craziest puppy I have ever met. She plays hard and then sleeps hard to. I don't know how people with jobs ever raise a puppy from eight weeks. Maybe that is why so many end up being re-homed?Practically every night, she is waking me up every two to three hours. Sometimes it's because she has to go to the bathroom, sometimes she wants to play and others she's just hungry. I get up every time though because her house training is not entirely there yet and I don't want her to need me to take her to the bathroom and I ignore her, thinking she jut wants to play. It really is like having a new born baby in your home. You try to sleep when she is sleeping and hope that you get enough to stay patient and consistent with her.
When we had our Dachshunds, Mr. K was heavily involved in training Aria when she was this small because he kept irregular hours and would be awake when she was.
I'm definitely not complaining. she is quite the character and keeps me busy when she is awake. Her potty training is coming along quite nicely as well and I think she'll be pretty easy to obedience train. We're still working on name recognition.
When we first brought Hermione home she was so small and clumsy. She could hardly walk without tumbling over. Now, a week later, she plays tug of war with me and can keep her feet. It's amazing how fast they seem to advance. We will start introducing her to the clicker in the next few days and then "sit" will be the first cue she learns.
Glacier still seems to be doing fine with the new addition. His work is excellent and although he ignores Hermione, I think he's slowly getting used to her being around. As I've mentioned before, Glacier is quite sensitive to other dogs being near is girl, so I have ben aware of my time with him and have made sure to work at least once every day since Hermione's arrival. So far, so good.
What about Yoda, Plato and Fiona?
Hermione hasn't exactly met them yet. She's watched them through the cage, but usually when they are awake and running around, Hermione has gone to sleep for a few hours of the night. fiona has come out a few times when Hermione's been awake, but they just seem to ignore each other. That works for me. If Hermione doesn't find the Sugar Gliders interesting, then she can't accidentally hurt them.
We have so many animals now, some of a stranger variety, perhaps I need to change the name of this blog. LOL
PS: I was going to post photos today, but Blogger will not allow me for some reason. Will try again soon.
It means that the newest member of our family turned two months old. She is the sweetest, craziest puppy I have ever met. She plays hard and then sleeps hard to. I don't know how people with jobs ever raise a puppy from eight weeks. Maybe that is why so many end up being re-homed?Practically every night, she is waking me up every two to three hours. Sometimes it's because she has to go to the bathroom, sometimes she wants to play and others she's just hungry. I get up every time though because her house training is not entirely there yet and I don't want her to need me to take her to the bathroom and I ignore her, thinking she jut wants to play. It really is like having a new born baby in your home. You try to sleep when she is sleeping and hope that you get enough to stay patient and consistent with her.
When we had our Dachshunds, Mr. K was heavily involved in training Aria when she was this small because he kept irregular hours and would be awake when she was.
I'm definitely not complaining. she is quite the character and keeps me busy when she is awake. Her potty training is coming along quite nicely as well and I think she'll be pretty easy to obedience train. We're still working on name recognition.
When we first brought Hermione home she was so small and clumsy. She could hardly walk without tumbling over. Now, a week later, she plays tug of war with me and can keep her feet. It's amazing how fast they seem to advance. We will start introducing her to the clicker in the next few days and then "sit" will be the first cue she learns.
Glacier still seems to be doing fine with the new addition. His work is excellent and although he ignores Hermione, I think he's slowly getting used to her being around. As I've mentioned before, Glacier is quite sensitive to other dogs being near is girl, so I have ben aware of my time with him and have made sure to work at least once every day since Hermione's arrival. So far, so good.
What about Yoda, Plato and Fiona?
Hermione hasn't exactly met them yet. She's watched them through the cage, but usually when they are awake and running around, Hermione has gone to sleep for a few hours of the night. fiona has come out a few times when Hermione's been awake, but they just seem to ignore each other. That works for me. If Hermione doesn't find the Sugar Gliders interesting, then she can't accidentally hurt them.
We have so many animals now, some of a stranger variety, perhaps I need to change the name of this blog. LOL
PS: I was going to post photos today, but Blogger will not allow me for some reason. Will try again soon.
Sunday, March 04, 2012
Surprise!
This has been a very exciting week here at the Mr. and Mrs. K's home. First the exciting news on Wednesday about being accepted into Performance Psychology MSc program at the University of Edinburgh and then the lovely present Mr. K got me for being accepted.
Do you remember my list of five things to do to fight the winter blues? Well, technically there were six things that were a part of that list, but I didn't think my first number five was really an option, but apparently Mr. K thought differently.
Let me explain.
Performance Psychology is a fairly new branch of psychology. In fact, it's not even a part of the Psychology department at the University of Edinburgh, but is a part of the Education department. Performance Psychology is used in relation to high stress occupations, such as, performing artists, athletes and even in busy corporations. Performance Psychologists teaches people how to cope in high stress situations in order to perform at the best of her/his ability. When you're an athlete you need to be "at the top of your game," despite there being loads of pressure on you and so Performance Psychologists can be very beneficial people to have around.
In the last term of the Performance Psychology MSc program at the University of Edinburgh students are required to write a dissertation; basically, a huge, original research paper. My intentions for this paper are to study the impact of animals on people in high stress situations and prove that having therapy dogs around can be a viable option of therapy.
With that in mind, I had been throwing around the idea of training my own therapy dog to take into hospitals, schools long-term care facilities Etc. That way, I'd be more familiar with the actual application of therapy dogs and how all of that works; especially with regards to access laws and such things. Because I am volunteering with the Labrador Rescue I thought that rescuing a Labrador would be the way to go. C is a very trustworthy person and I knew she'd pick out the perfect therapy dog candidate for us. Mr. K made a valid point though when he reminded me of how small our flat actually is and that having a third big dog may cause space problems. Not to mention, Glacier is super sensitive to other dogs and a big dog could very easily make Glacier feel displaced. That would certainly not do, especially since Glacier is my guide dog. So, I started researching smaller breeds that could potentially serve as a good therapy dog.
I spent so many hours researching. I can't tell you how long I sat with my laptop and a cup of coffee, examining various breeds' characteristics and adding or removing them from my potential list. I explored the option of a beagle, as they would be the perfect size, but as a blind person I need a dog who innately wants to have good recall. I could probably train a Beagle to come back to me, but it is easier for a blind person if her dog already thinks that coming back is a good idea; just in case they get off the leash somehow. Not to mention, if we got one who was a good barker, we may get kicked out of our flat. These buildings are old and although very sturdily built, not so sound proof. A few other breeds were scratched off of the list because of this barking issue, including the Dachshund. I also wasn't sure if I had it in my heart to have another Dachshund after giving ours up so recently. Plus, Dachshunds are difficult to house train, and although it is not impossible as ours were house trained,I just wasn't sure I was ready to go there again.
I looked at a Westie since they are originally from Scotland, but they have a high prey drive. Some may not, but we couldn't take that chance with our lovely Fiona, Yoda and plato; our Sugar Gliders. Fiona Yoda and Plato lived here first and if a dog were coming into the home, he/she would have to learn to respect the Sugar Gliders; which includes not eating them.
When out on a hike with a friend, I met two Cocker Spaniels and so examined the Cocker and the Springer Spaniel. It was still an option that I was considering, but the Springer Spaniel, who was supposedly a bit calmer than the Cocker, got a bit bigger than what I was looking for. Again, both of these breeds were hunters and I wasn't sure how they would feel about sharing their home with a Sugar Glider.
I felt like I was running out of options fast. I like little dogs with big dog attitude that is why I was originally drawn to the Dachshund, but I also needed a little dog who could reliably behave itself.\
It was when I was browsing a breed list when I found, or rather remembered, the cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Mr. 'K's mom as always loved the breed and it was from her that I had first heard of them. The funny thing is, she's not even a dog person, but she always said that if she could have a dog, it would be a cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I told Mr. K about them and we started researching breeders, with the idea of eventually exploring the option of getting one. That all changed when I got my acceptance on Wednesday.
Mr. K told me to go ahead and contact the breeder I had been in touch with and tell her we wanted a puppy from the litter they had just had. It was a litter of seven, with only one girl and I was so happy to find out that she was still there. Mr. K, myself and one of our friends rented a car Thursday and drove over four hours into England to go and pick up our new little girl.
That is right: we have an 8 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel baby girl running about our flat now.
She is so tiny and just absolutely precious. She has a lot of personality already and has had only one accident since Thursday night. She responds well to learning and I am so excited to have her in our home. Glacier and Roscoe are a bit miffed, but Tenie and I took them for a 3 mile walk last night and I think that made it up to them at least a little bit.
So, I suppose wen I was yammering on about puppies the last few days, I was really hoping that I'd get one soon. Now, we have puppy teeth and breath galore and we're loving it. Even Mr. K has fallen in love with the little fluff ball. Tenie met her for the first time last night and she said that the puppy doesn't look like a real puppy because she is so cute. I will definitely get photos up for all to see.
So, this is my official welcome to Miss Hermione Sophia into my blog and my home and heart.
Do you remember my list of five things to do to fight the winter blues? Well, technically there were six things that were a part of that list, but I didn't think my first number five was really an option, but apparently Mr. K thought differently.
Let me explain.
Performance Psychology is a fairly new branch of psychology. In fact, it's not even a part of the Psychology department at the University of Edinburgh, but is a part of the Education department. Performance Psychology is used in relation to high stress occupations, such as, performing artists, athletes and even in busy corporations. Performance Psychologists teaches people how to cope in high stress situations in order to perform at the best of her/his ability. When you're an athlete you need to be "at the top of your game," despite there being loads of pressure on you and so Performance Psychologists can be very beneficial people to have around.
In the last term of the Performance Psychology MSc program at the University of Edinburgh students are required to write a dissertation; basically, a huge, original research paper. My intentions for this paper are to study the impact of animals on people in high stress situations and prove that having therapy dogs around can be a viable option of therapy.
With that in mind, I had been throwing around the idea of training my own therapy dog to take into hospitals, schools long-term care facilities Etc. That way, I'd be more familiar with the actual application of therapy dogs and how all of that works; especially with regards to access laws and such things. Because I am volunteering with the Labrador Rescue I thought that rescuing a Labrador would be the way to go. C is a very trustworthy person and I knew she'd pick out the perfect therapy dog candidate for us. Mr. K made a valid point though when he reminded me of how small our flat actually is and that having a third big dog may cause space problems. Not to mention, Glacier is super sensitive to other dogs and a big dog could very easily make Glacier feel displaced. That would certainly not do, especially since Glacier is my guide dog. So, I started researching smaller breeds that could potentially serve as a good therapy dog.
I spent so many hours researching. I can't tell you how long I sat with my laptop and a cup of coffee, examining various breeds' characteristics and adding or removing them from my potential list. I explored the option of a beagle, as they would be the perfect size, but as a blind person I need a dog who innately wants to have good recall. I could probably train a Beagle to come back to me, but it is easier for a blind person if her dog already thinks that coming back is a good idea; just in case they get off the leash somehow. Not to mention, if we got one who was a good barker, we may get kicked out of our flat. These buildings are old and although very sturdily built, not so sound proof. A few other breeds were scratched off of the list because of this barking issue, including the Dachshund. I also wasn't sure if I had it in my heart to have another Dachshund after giving ours up so recently. Plus, Dachshunds are difficult to house train, and although it is not impossible as ours were house trained,I just wasn't sure I was ready to go there again.
I looked at a Westie since they are originally from Scotland, but they have a high prey drive. Some may not, but we couldn't take that chance with our lovely Fiona, Yoda and plato; our Sugar Gliders. Fiona Yoda and Plato lived here first and if a dog were coming into the home, he/she would have to learn to respect the Sugar Gliders; which includes not eating them.
When out on a hike with a friend, I met two Cocker Spaniels and so examined the Cocker and the Springer Spaniel. It was still an option that I was considering, but the Springer Spaniel, who was supposedly a bit calmer than the Cocker, got a bit bigger than what I was looking for. Again, both of these breeds were hunters and I wasn't sure how they would feel about sharing their home with a Sugar Glider.
I felt like I was running out of options fast. I like little dogs with big dog attitude that is why I was originally drawn to the Dachshund, but I also needed a little dog who could reliably behave itself.\
It was when I was browsing a breed list when I found, or rather remembered, the cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Mr. 'K's mom as always loved the breed and it was from her that I had first heard of them. The funny thing is, she's not even a dog person, but she always said that if she could have a dog, it would be a cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I told Mr. K about them and we started researching breeders, with the idea of eventually exploring the option of getting one. That all changed when I got my acceptance on Wednesday.
Mr. K told me to go ahead and contact the breeder I had been in touch with and tell her we wanted a puppy from the litter they had just had. It was a litter of seven, with only one girl and I was so happy to find out that she was still there. Mr. K, myself and one of our friends rented a car Thursday and drove over four hours into England to go and pick up our new little girl.
That is right: we have an 8 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel baby girl running about our flat now.
She is so tiny and just absolutely precious. She has a lot of personality already and has had only one accident since Thursday night. She responds well to learning and I am so excited to have her in our home. Glacier and Roscoe are a bit miffed, but Tenie and I took them for a 3 mile walk last night and I think that made it up to them at least a little bit.
So, I suppose wen I was yammering on about puppies the last few days, I was really hoping that I'd get one soon. Now, we have puppy teeth and breath galore and we're loving it. Even Mr. K has fallen in love with the little fluff ball. Tenie met her for the first time last night and she said that the puppy doesn't look like a real puppy because she is so cute. I will definitely get photos up for all to see.
So, this is my official welcome to Miss Hermione Sophia into my blog and my home and heart.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Any Takers?
She has been so busy puttin' photos on to a page thingy, sendin' out email thingies and all sorts of excitin' thingies for the Blogville Valentine's Day PAWTY. So, I told her to give her fingers a rest this morning and I would type for her. She's off in the kitchen makin' some coffee. That's one of the only thingies that the Daddy lets her make. Hers is not so good in the kitchen. Anyway, gotta type fast befure she comes back. I have some favors to ask and I need to tell ya the truth so that you understand how desperately I need your help. She won't like it! So, here it goes.
With all of the excitin' plannin' my girl seems to have missed one very impawtant detail: if we're gonna be dancin' we're gonna need music. She has sent me on the hunt for a band or a DJ. There has got to be a band or a DJ somewhere out there in Blogville? Mayor Frankie suggested Puddles could sing "Rain drops keep falling on my head" over and over again if we can't find a band. So, I am hopin' we can find some music for our dancin'...no offense Puddles.
My girl thinks that maybe she could teach Fiona, Plato and Yoda to play some instruments in two weeks if she had to, but those flying Monkey thingies she calls Sugar Gliders give me the creeps. Just the other day Fiona pulled one of the Daddy's keys off of his keyboard in search of treasures. They have thumbs!
Thumbs I tell ya!
I'm thinkin' that they probably could be trained, but there's no tellin' what they'll do. So, is anyone out there musically inclined in any capacity? If not, the Flying Monkeys may be our only option.
More concerning than the Flying Monkeys performin' at the Blogville PAWTY is that my girl needs to bake a birthday cake. She won't tell me whose, but it's someone's birthday on February fourteenth and she thinks that all of Blogville needs cake to celebrate. I like cake! Oh, wait. I've never had cake...my girl is thinkin' that it should be a critter friendly cake. Now, listen very carefully, my girl may be able to teach the Flying Monkeys to play instruments, but that girl should NOT, under any circumstances, be allowed to bake!
I repeat! Under no circumstances!
She and the kitchen disagree. She's lit the stove on fire, boiled a sponge into her pasta salad and dogness knows what else!
True stories! I wasn't there, but my girl's first guide dog, Jetta, told me all bouts it.
So, please Blogville! I am beggin' ya! Can someone bake a critter friendly cake?
Pppppllllllleeeeaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't let her do it!
Just don't!!!!!!
Oh, hers is comin' back. Gotta hurry.
If you can bake a critter friendly cake for February 14th, can you email my girl at:
purple DOT tidalwave AT gmail DOT com
Don't tell hers I warned ya bouts her cookin'...okay?
*****
Update: Glacier back again. Have you seen what Mayzie is doing fur the PAWTY?! Hers needs a date and she's turned it into a contest. I was going to enter, but brother Roscoe saw her photo and is smitten. So, I will back off.
If you're looking for a date, gentlemen, go on over to her
blog
and enter, but just be warned, Roscoe is entering too.
Monday, January 09, 2012
Baby Pictures
I've promised a few of you that I would post photos of our little Flying Monkeys. I'm not the photographer of the family; in fact, I'm sure some of you can attest to my non-photo taking abilities, but Mr. K seems a bit more talented in that department. If you are wanting to see our newest fur kids, you can see a couple of them on Mr. K's blog
here.
There is one labeled "Superman" and that is Yoda at the top of our blinds in our flat. Another is labeled "rockin' out" and that is Plato coming out of Mr. K's guitar. I missed all of the fun last night because I went to bed at 6 PM-thank you creeping crud-but it sounds like Mr. K and the babies had a good time.
As for Glacier, Roscoe and I: we spent the evening and whole night curled up in bed. I was so tired and felt so crummy, I fell under the covers wearing my clothes and woke up this morning still fully dressed. They did a great job of sandwiching me between them; ensuring I was warm and secure. Both boys left me long enough to have Mr. K take them out to "park," but came bounding back on to the bed once let back in. They promptly took up their snuggle positions and slept until I woke up this morning. I do feel quite a bit better-the pain in my head/face/neck has subsided-but I think I may be going back to bed for a while longer. Thanks for all of the well wishes and happy Glider watching. :)
*****
Blogville Valentine's Day PAWTY Update: the badge is almost ready. I will let you know once it is posted on the Information page. Once it's up, please feel free to take it to display it on your blog.
here.
There is one labeled "Superman" and that is Yoda at the top of our blinds in our flat. Another is labeled "rockin' out" and that is Plato coming out of Mr. K's guitar. I missed all of the fun last night because I went to bed at 6 PM-thank you creeping crud-but it sounds like Mr. K and the babies had a good time.
As for Glacier, Roscoe and I: we spent the evening and whole night curled up in bed. I was so tired and felt so crummy, I fell under the covers wearing my clothes and woke up this morning still fully dressed. They did a great job of sandwiching me between them; ensuring I was warm and secure. Both boys left me long enough to have Mr. K take them out to "park," but came bounding back on to the bed once let back in. They promptly took up their snuggle positions and slept until I woke up this morning. I do feel quite a bit better-the pain in my head/face/neck has subsided-but I think I may be going back to bed for a while longer. Thanks for all of the well wishes and happy Glider watching. :)
*****
Blogville Valentine's Day PAWTY Update: the badge is almost ready. I will let you know once it is posted on the Information page. Once it's up, please feel free to take it to display it on your blog.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Thank You Kong!
Well, Blogville. We wanted raffle prizes and we got some. Yes, that's right: I said "some," but let me start at the beginning just in case some of you don't know what I'm talking about.
On February 14th there is going to be a Blogville bash like no other. Not only is it Valentine's Day complete with PAWTYING, but all of the fun will benefit
and all of the wonderful adoptable animals she has in her own home. A page is going to be added to my blog with all of the details so that if you want to know anything about the PAWTY, like what time it starts or what fun things you can pawticipate in, you can just look on the page displayed at the bottom of this blog. Of course, I'll still let you know about updates, but this will allow you to find all of the information in one place.
Speaking about updates: I have a very exciting one to share with you.
A pawty just wouldn't be a pawty without raffle prizes. We've had a few generous donations from some great people, like Fiona and *angel* Gus's breeder, and today our pool of prizes just grew immensely.
has donated three, count 'em, three prizes for our raffle draw. I had contacted Kong originally asking for a product to be donated for you lovely folks to win and when the package arrived this morning I was shocked at how big the box was! In fact, it was so large, I didn't think it was the box from Kong until I opened it and found:
1 Classic Kong red,
1 King Kong black,
1 large Kong Wobbler
and 3 mini Kong key chains.
Can I just say, those key chains are adorable?!
Not to mention, the Kong Wobbler is one of Glacier and Roscoe's favourite toys. They were both confused when I put the box away without sharing the goodies inside with them.
With three larger Kong products paired with three mini Kong key chains, there will be three prizes for your ticket purchasing pleasure. Photos of the raffle prizes and the ability to purchase tickets will soon be available.
All I can say is:
"THANK YOU KONG!" Your generosity completely blew my mind.
With this great news, I'm off to create our "information" page.
I know I'm excited: what do you say Blogville?!
Friday, January 06, 2012
When Flying Monkeys Attack
Okay, perhaps our Sugar Gliders-Yoda, Plato and Fiona-didn't attack, but they sure were plotting.
Last night was another successful night in the tent. Fiona, Yoda and Plato were not entirely impressed that Mr. K had put them into a carrier to be transferred from their cage to the tent, but once they were out of the carrier and roaming free, all complaining ceased. After returning from
the gym
Mr. K and I climbed into the tent for another bonding session with our flying monkeys. The evening started out with the usual gliding, climbing, jumping, scurrying Etc. All three gliders were in great moods; especially Fiona, who was climbing the tent walls more than she ever has. She was also good about not chomping as much-she only chomped me twice-and was more concerned with giving Mr. K's hand a bath. She even hopped up on my shoulder and did her little "squeak tsk" thing she does when she's playing or happy.
Both boys were zooming around like the crazy little guys that they are. Plato was racing as fast as he could and Yoda was contented to scurry about and then come back to chill on either mine or Mr. K's back. Originally, Mr. K had one of his shirts in the tent because that is where all three Gliders had been asleep when he removed them to the tent. Plato kept trying to get back in it and then crabbing angrily whenever he got snuggled in, so I pitched it out of the tent. His crabbing stopped.
Fiona found a new fun game that entertained her for almost the whole time we were in the tent. We've put a fleece blanket on the floor of the tent to make it more comfortable and also to reduce the crinkling sound made by the bottom of the tent. We read somewhere that the sharp plastic noise can scare the Gliders at first and to reduce that, a blanket spread out is a good idea. Last night, Fiona decided that tunneling under the blanket and running from one side of the tent only to pop out at the other end was great fun. I'm not sure why she did this, but she was so happy, sneaking from one end to the other. Well, she thought she was sneaking, but the little "tick, crinkle" of her claws gave her away.
After being in the tent for nearly two hours, Yoda came to perch on my shoulder. Earlier he had tried to burrow in my pocket, but I think the space was a bit too small for him. After a minute or two of just hanging out, Yoda started moving close to my neck and hair. I thought he was going to groom me, but suddenly he started burrowing under the neck line of the hoodie I was wearing and disappeared down the back of my shirt. He would not come out. I think he was off to take himself a nap. Plato soon discovered his brother's hiding place and every time he tried to burrow in, Yoda crabbed at him. Finally, Plato found a spot closer to my other shoulder and settled in. He wasn't as tucked in as Yoda was, but the two sat and crabbed at each other from my two shoulders.
I couldn't stop laughing. First of all, it tickled so much. The Sugar Glider's fur is so soft that it felt like someone was rubbing a cashmere sweater on my back. Plus, their little feet tickle and Yoda kept rooting with his nose so that he could get in further. I was trying not to move and tears rolled down my face in the effort of keeping my laughter in check.
By this point, Mr. K and I had thought of getting out of the tent, but we couldn't figure out how to get Plato and Yoda out of my hoodie. Fiona was scurrying around on my back looking for them and both boys were still having their crabbing war. Plato was mostly in the hood of my hoodie, so Mr. K suggested taking my top layer off. I thought Yoda was in that superficial layer as well, but when the hoodie came off and only Plato could be heard crabbing in the sweater, we knew Yoda was still tucked in for his nap.
Mr. K suggested pulling my second shirt off, but as my shoulders are a bit big from when I was a swimmer, pulling shirts over my head is difficult at the best of times; never mind when there is a flying monkey going to sleep on my back. I tried three different ways to pull the shirt off and finally succeeded by yanking my arm through the hole and then my head. Off came the shirt, but still no Yoda.
Since we had been at the gym, I had my sports bra still on and he had managed to wiggle under the thick strap and down under the back. He was determined that he was staying on Mama for his sleep. The problem was not only did we need to get out of the tent, but Fiona and Plato were already in the food box, ready to be transferred back to the cage. We always bring the carrier in with their food-AKA a Glider kitchen-when we are ready to get out. That way, the gliders usually hop in, we close the lid and they are moved back to their cage safely. But, Yoda was convinced that he was just fine where he was.
Hoping to scare him off, I put my hand on my shoulder and petted him. Instead of leaving, he rubbed his head against my hand. It was so darn cute that I didn't want to move him, but by this point all of the water I had drank at the gym had kicked in and I knew Glacier and Roscoe probably needed out for their last "park" time of the night. Mr. K tried scooping Yoda off my back and even though Yoda let Mr. K pet him, he was not coming unstuck from my sports bra. Finally, I put the shirt I had taken off over him and gently scooped him into it. He crabbed a bit, probably wondering how he had been captured, and we were able to transfer him into the Glider kitchen with the others. The instant Yoda noticed there was food, he stopped his complaining and chowed down. The lid on the carrier/Glider kitchen was closed and our little stow aways were returned safely back to the cage.
Our little flying monkeys never cease to amaze me. They are so much fun and both boys have such a sweet demeanor. Fiona is making bonding strides and we are so glad that she actually likes us again. If having Yoda stuffed down the back of my shirt is what it is like to have a bonded Glider with you, I'm ready for it; just without the strip routine. :)
Last night was another successful night in the tent. Fiona, Yoda and Plato were not entirely impressed that Mr. K had put them into a carrier to be transferred from their cage to the tent, but once they were out of the carrier and roaming free, all complaining ceased. After returning from
the gym
Mr. K and I climbed into the tent for another bonding session with our flying monkeys. The evening started out with the usual gliding, climbing, jumping, scurrying Etc. All three gliders were in great moods; especially Fiona, who was climbing the tent walls more than she ever has. She was also good about not chomping as much-she only chomped me twice-and was more concerned with giving Mr. K's hand a bath. She even hopped up on my shoulder and did her little "squeak tsk" thing she does when she's playing or happy.
Both boys were zooming around like the crazy little guys that they are. Plato was racing as fast as he could and Yoda was contented to scurry about and then come back to chill on either mine or Mr. K's back. Originally, Mr. K had one of his shirts in the tent because that is where all three Gliders had been asleep when he removed them to the tent. Plato kept trying to get back in it and then crabbing angrily whenever he got snuggled in, so I pitched it out of the tent. His crabbing stopped.
Fiona found a new fun game that entertained her for almost the whole time we were in the tent. We've put a fleece blanket on the floor of the tent to make it more comfortable and also to reduce the crinkling sound made by the bottom of the tent. We read somewhere that the sharp plastic noise can scare the Gliders at first and to reduce that, a blanket spread out is a good idea. Last night, Fiona decided that tunneling under the blanket and running from one side of the tent only to pop out at the other end was great fun. I'm not sure why she did this, but she was so happy, sneaking from one end to the other. Well, she thought she was sneaking, but the little "tick, crinkle" of her claws gave her away.
After being in the tent for nearly two hours, Yoda came to perch on my shoulder. Earlier he had tried to burrow in my pocket, but I think the space was a bit too small for him. After a minute or two of just hanging out, Yoda started moving close to my neck and hair. I thought he was going to groom me, but suddenly he started burrowing under the neck line of the hoodie I was wearing and disappeared down the back of my shirt. He would not come out. I think he was off to take himself a nap. Plato soon discovered his brother's hiding place and every time he tried to burrow in, Yoda crabbed at him. Finally, Plato found a spot closer to my other shoulder and settled in. He wasn't as tucked in as Yoda was, but the two sat and crabbed at each other from my two shoulders.
I couldn't stop laughing. First of all, it tickled so much. The Sugar Glider's fur is so soft that it felt like someone was rubbing a cashmere sweater on my back. Plus, their little feet tickle and Yoda kept rooting with his nose so that he could get in further. I was trying not to move and tears rolled down my face in the effort of keeping my laughter in check.
By this point, Mr. K and I had thought of getting out of the tent, but we couldn't figure out how to get Plato and Yoda out of my hoodie. Fiona was scurrying around on my back looking for them and both boys were still having their crabbing war. Plato was mostly in the hood of my hoodie, so Mr. K suggested taking my top layer off. I thought Yoda was in that superficial layer as well, but when the hoodie came off and only Plato could be heard crabbing in the sweater, we knew Yoda was still tucked in for his nap.
Mr. K suggested pulling my second shirt off, but as my shoulders are a bit big from when I was a swimmer, pulling shirts over my head is difficult at the best of times; never mind when there is a flying monkey going to sleep on my back. I tried three different ways to pull the shirt off and finally succeeded by yanking my arm through the hole and then my head. Off came the shirt, but still no Yoda.
Since we had been at the gym, I had my sports bra still on and he had managed to wiggle under the thick strap and down under the back. He was determined that he was staying on Mama for his sleep. The problem was not only did we need to get out of the tent, but Fiona and Plato were already in the food box, ready to be transferred back to the cage. We always bring the carrier in with their food-AKA a Glider kitchen-when we are ready to get out. That way, the gliders usually hop in, we close the lid and they are moved back to their cage safely. But, Yoda was convinced that he was just fine where he was.
Hoping to scare him off, I put my hand on my shoulder and petted him. Instead of leaving, he rubbed his head against my hand. It was so darn cute that I didn't want to move him, but by this point all of the water I had drank at the gym had kicked in and I knew Glacier and Roscoe probably needed out for their last "park" time of the night. Mr. K tried scooping Yoda off my back and even though Yoda let Mr. K pet him, he was not coming unstuck from my sports bra. Finally, I put the shirt I had taken off over him and gently scooped him into it. He crabbed a bit, probably wondering how he had been captured, and we were able to transfer him into the Glider kitchen with the others. The instant Yoda noticed there was food, he stopped his complaining and chowed down. The lid on the carrier/Glider kitchen was closed and our little stow aways were returned safely back to the cage.
Our little flying monkeys never cease to amaze me. They are so much fun and both boys have such a sweet demeanor. Fiona is making bonding strides and we are so glad that she actually likes us again. If having Yoda stuffed down the back of my shirt is what it is like to have a bonded Glider with you, I'm ready for it; just without the strip routine. :)
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
A Sugie Surprise
We did it: last night, Mr. K, Fiona, Yoda, Plato and I entered the infamous, or not so famous, tent for some quality bonding time. A lot of the literature on Sugar Glider bonding suggests that you begin your bonding process trapped in a tent with your Sugies to ensure a safe environment where the Gliders can get to know you on their own terms. Both boys let it be known that they were not happy about being trapped in bonding pouches, but once the zippers were undone, it did not take them long to emerge. In fact, Fiona didn't take long to pop her little head out either. Mr. K and I used to have to wait at least twenty minutes for Fiona and Gus to decide to come out. It was almost amazing how quickly the three Sugar Gliders decided to grace us with their presence; at least in Fiona's case. She thinks she's gracing us with her presence. That little stinker has become a diva. Perhaps she was always one, but ever since these two boys arrived, she's been waiting for glass slippers and a sparkling tiara to be added to her cage.
We probably spent close to two hours squished into the tent with three little fuzz butts jumping from one of us to another, climbing the tent wall and dropping from the ceiling on to our heads/faces and just general Sugie silliness. It is an awesome thing to see each individual personality display itself. Physically, the boys are difficult for Mr. K and I to tell apart, but their movements, sounds and general demeanor are so different that it clues us in to who's wriggling down our shirt collars.
Plato is a little dare devil who isn't afraid of anything. We should have called him "speed racer" because he does everything at top speed. Even when the other two are tuckered out, Plato is still awake running his little heart out in one of the two Wodent wheels we have in their cage. He was no different in the tent. He would scamper up the side of the tent at top speed, launch himself at our heads or faces (they need their claws trimmed) and then run as fast as he could around our shoulders/head only to glide to the side of the tent and race back up it. It was easy to tell who Plato was when he was hanging out on you because he didn't really hang out. He was too busy running around as fast as he could. That said, he's very sweet and even lets Mr. K pet him while he hangs off of the tent's roof from his back feet. Considering that the boys' breeder wasn't able to handle them very much, our two boys are impressively friendly; especially Plato.
Yoda is sweet too, but in a calmer, laid back way. However, he is always on guard and I think kind of takes on the protector role. He is the one who crabs the most when the sleeping domain, containing all three Gliders, is disturbed and yesterday he lunged at Mr. K and grazed Mr. K's face with his teeth. When neutering time comes, he'll be the first to have the procedure done. He shows, to my untrained eye, too many signs of alpha manliness and so we don't want that to get out of control.
He too enjoyed cruising around the tent, but was more satisfied to sit between my shoulder blades and hang out. At one point, we thought he escaped the tent-not sure how-as we couldn't find him anywhere, but turns out he was just chilling on my back. He had been there so long, I couldn't feel him through the thick sweater I had on. To make sure he was doing all right, I offered him a yogurt drop which he accepted and proceeded to eat, still perched between my shoulder blades. I was even able to gently pet him while he sat on my back, which was the first time I've really had a good "look" at our, or any, Sugar Glider, despite having Gliders for over a month. He was very good about not biting and both he and Plato seem to be past that horrible "chomping" phase Miss Fiona is gradually growing out of.
Speaking of Miss Fiona: how is she?
Well, as I stated above, she is the queen and definitely rules the roost. If she crabs at all, even just a little bit, both Plato and Yoda go scampering to check on her. Yoda sometimes fusses at her if she has been awake before the other two and climbs back into the pouch, but she chitters at him and he quiets right down. Pretty soon, she'll be perched on the edge of the hammock expecting the boys to be her man servants, bringing her yogurt drops and paying her compliments. She's a sassy girl. It seems all of the girl fuzzy creatures in my life have an element of sass to them. I wonder why that is. ;)
Fiona is doing so much better since the arrival of her new brothers. She chirps and is much more active. She lets herself be moved from her sleeping place to a bonding pouch which she had started refusing to do after Gus died. Her chomping has decreased and she has started licking more than anything. Last night we had a break through when she first groomed me, by pulling on my hair and combing it out with her little fingers, and then doing the same for Mr. K. She's never groomed either of us and it was so good to know that her bonding is progressing.
It's already been a wild ride with these three "flying monkeys," as we like to call them, and I'm sure there is much more in store for us. I don't think it will take long for them to bond at all. Plato escaped the cage yesterday when Mr. K was attempting to scoop the three of the Sugar Gliders into a bonding pouch. Instead of running away and hiding though, Plato scurried around on the couch where Mr. K sat and eventually entered the cage on his own. The first time Fiona escaped out in the living room, she hid for two hours under the couch. Plato's already even sat on top of Roscoe, not minding the shaggy dog trying to sniff him.
The last few days have been great, watching Fiona come even further out of her shell and getting to know our two newest family members. As I've mentioned before, bonding with these little flying monkeys is definitely a process, but a very rewarding one. They aren't the easiest pet to keep as they require a lot of patience and persistence, but I would definitely recommend them to people, or a person, who has a lot of time and patience. In the long run, you will have a little companion who will be by your side, quite literally, for many years to come.
We probably spent close to two hours squished into the tent with three little fuzz butts jumping from one of us to another, climbing the tent wall and dropping from the ceiling on to our heads/faces and just general Sugie silliness. It is an awesome thing to see each individual personality display itself. Physically, the boys are difficult for Mr. K and I to tell apart, but their movements, sounds and general demeanor are so different that it clues us in to who's wriggling down our shirt collars.
Plato is a little dare devil who isn't afraid of anything. We should have called him "speed racer" because he does everything at top speed. Even when the other two are tuckered out, Plato is still awake running his little heart out in one of the two Wodent wheels we have in their cage. He was no different in the tent. He would scamper up the side of the tent at top speed, launch himself at our heads or faces (they need their claws trimmed) and then run as fast as he could around our shoulders/head only to glide to the side of the tent and race back up it. It was easy to tell who Plato was when he was hanging out on you because he didn't really hang out. He was too busy running around as fast as he could. That said, he's very sweet and even lets Mr. K pet him while he hangs off of the tent's roof from his back feet. Considering that the boys' breeder wasn't able to handle them very much, our two boys are impressively friendly; especially Plato.
Yoda is sweet too, but in a calmer, laid back way. However, he is always on guard and I think kind of takes on the protector role. He is the one who crabs the most when the sleeping domain, containing all three Gliders, is disturbed and yesterday he lunged at Mr. K and grazed Mr. K's face with his teeth. When neutering time comes, he'll be the first to have the procedure done. He shows, to my untrained eye, too many signs of alpha manliness and so we don't want that to get out of control.
He too enjoyed cruising around the tent, but was more satisfied to sit between my shoulder blades and hang out. At one point, we thought he escaped the tent-not sure how-as we couldn't find him anywhere, but turns out he was just chilling on my back. He had been there so long, I couldn't feel him through the thick sweater I had on. To make sure he was doing all right, I offered him a yogurt drop which he accepted and proceeded to eat, still perched between my shoulder blades. I was even able to gently pet him while he sat on my back, which was the first time I've really had a good "look" at our, or any, Sugar Glider, despite having Gliders for over a month. He was very good about not biting and both he and Plato seem to be past that horrible "chomping" phase Miss Fiona is gradually growing out of.
Speaking of Miss Fiona: how is she?
Well, as I stated above, she is the queen and definitely rules the roost. If she crabs at all, even just a little bit, both Plato and Yoda go scampering to check on her. Yoda sometimes fusses at her if she has been awake before the other two and climbs back into the pouch, but she chitters at him and he quiets right down. Pretty soon, she'll be perched on the edge of the hammock expecting the boys to be her man servants, bringing her yogurt drops and paying her compliments. She's a sassy girl. It seems all of the girl fuzzy creatures in my life have an element of sass to them. I wonder why that is. ;)
Fiona is doing so much better since the arrival of her new brothers. She chirps and is much more active. She lets herself be moved from her sleeping place to a bonding pouch which she had started refusing to do after Gus died. Her chomping has decreased and she has started licking more than anything. Last night we had a break through when she first groomed me, by pulling on my hair and combing it out with her little fingers, and then doing the same for Mr. K. She's never groomed either of us and it was so good to know that her bonding is progressing.
It's already been a wild ride with these three "flying monkeys," as we like to call them, and I'm sure there is much more in store for us. I don't think it will take long for them to bond at all. Plato escaped the cage yesterday when Mr. K was attempting to scoop the three of the Sugar Gliders into a bonding pouch. Instead of running away and hiding though, Plato scurried around on the couch where Mr. K sat and eventually entered the cage on his own. The first time Fiona escaped out in the living room, she hid for two hours under the couch. Plato's already even sat on top of Roscoe, not minding the shaggy dog trying to sniff him.
The last few days have been great, watching Fiona come even further out of her shell and getting to know our two newest family members. As I've mentioned before, bonding with these little flying monkeys is definitely a process, but a very rewarding one. They aren't the easiest pet to keep as they require a lot of patience and persistence, but I would definitely recommend them to people, or a person, who has a lot of time and patience. In the long run, you will have a little companion who will be by your side, quite literally, for many years to come.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Fiona and Friends: A Smooth Sugar Glider Introduction
Mr. K, Glacier, Roscoe and I headed out this morning, taking a train to the Southern part of Scotland to pick up Yoda and Plato. Down town Edinburgh was a bit crazy with the city preparing for its huge Hogmany celebration this evening. To be honest, I don't know much about the celebration, which is just one huge street party, but I will definitely have to look it up. Because of this celebration being so large, the train station was over flowing with people and their suitcases. Most of the streets into the station had also been blocked off due to the nature of the party and our cab driver had difficulty getting us in. That bit of our trip was a bit stressful, but once we arrived at our destination, all stress subsided.
Yoda and Plato's breeder was very nice and she and her daughter and husband sat and had a coffee with us while we waited for our train back to Edinburgh. We chatted about Sugar Gliders and Mr. K and I asked a few questions. Domestication of Sugar Gliders is so new that it seems the best way to gain knowledge is to ask people who deal directly with Sugar Gliders questions. There aren't tons of books published on the topic and a lot of the articles on the internet are conflicting. So, when I get someone around who knows Sugies, I ask an incessant amount of questions.
Some websites said to introduce strange Sugar Gliders on neutral ground and to be ready to break up any sort of fights. They said, in order to be prepared for fights, one must have a small bowl of water and gloves at the ready. If the Gliders fought, then you were to dunk their bottom ends or paws into the water. The gloves were meant to keep your hands safe from biting and scratching and the water served to shock the Sugies so that they stopped their scrapping. Most articles agreed that strange Sugies should be placed in separate cages far enough apart to guarantee they couldn't reach one another, yet close enough so that they could smell one another and talk to each other. This method also suggested that sleeping pouches from each cage be swapped every night to give the Sugar Glider's each others' scent. Once the Sugar Gliders were "talking" over the gap, it would be safe to introduce them on neutral ground and then move them in together; as long as the meeting went well. There were several other scenarios laid out on different websites for various situations, but none of them addressed our specific situation exactly. We could take bits and pieces from each technique, especially the one where the Sugies were housed in different cages for a while, but that technique was prescribed for a joey who had always been alone and if you were attempting to give it a new friend. None of them talked about what to do if your Glider was in mourning and desperately needed a playmate.
The last couple of days Fiona's behavior has gotten progressively more aggressive. I attributed it to her loneliness and my thoughts were confirmed when we returned from collecting Plato and Yoda today. Mr. K had attempted to put her in the bonding pouch so that she could accompany us. Her contact with us has decreased drastically with each passing day and today was the worse. Normally, Fiona is a great sleeper and Mr. K is able to scoop her into the bonding pouch. Ever since Gus died, she doesn't sleep soundly and wakes up as soon as Mr. K gets the cage door open. Today was no exception and she manage to evade him. He probably could have caught her, but we didn't want to pursue her and stress her out anymore than she already was. When we got home, she was sitting on the edge of her cage waiting for us to come into the living room. She so desperately wants attention, but is just not ready to receive it from us. We didn't want her to be alone any longer than she needed to be and we were both worried about transferring her to the secondary cage while she was awake. If we thought getting her into a bonding pouch was difficult when she was awake, convincing her to go into a strange cage would be a hundred times worse. However, Plato and Yoda's breeder gave us a suggestion for introducing the three Gliders and we decided to give it a try. We were a bit nervous, but if it worked, then it would produce the best situation.
When I asked her how she would introduce Sugar Gliders, I thought I'd get the same information that I had found online. I had asked just to see if she had a way to make it easier and also to boost my confidence in attempting to introduce them. However, her answer was the complete opposite of everything I had read.
The breeder told us to put Plato and Yoda into the cage and try to put all three of them together while they slept. They usually slept so soundly that they wouldn't even notice another Glider being added to their ranks. She said that a breeder who had handled Sugar Gliders for years had told her to do it this way. She had bulked at first, but tried it and it worked. He had explained to her that the Sugies would smell each other when sleeping and associate the other's scent with warmth, safety and sleep. When they woke up, they would have accepted each other. I was a bit weary, but if we tried this and everyone was happy, then Fiona wouldn't have to move out of her home and she would have new friends sooner than later. I think we decided then and there to give it a shot, but when we got home and Fiona was awake, we both hesitated. The breeder had not said anything about awake Gliders. It was much too early for Fiona to be awake, but as I said, she's not been sleeping properly since Gus left us. Mr. K took a chance and put the sleeping boys, bundled in a fleece pouch into the cage.
Fiona walked around a bit more and I think Mr. K and I both held our breath. Mr. K waited by the cage just in case he'd have to perform an extraction. We figured that there were two who already knew each other and therefore Fiona was at a bit of a disadvantage, but, on the other hand, it was her home. We kind of hoped the two would balance each other out. Within minutes, the most amazing thing happened: Fiona crawled into the pouch with the sleeping Plato and Yoda and went to sleep.
No crabbing. No fussing; just sleeping.
Since then, they all have been awake and moving around the cage. I heard a bit of crabbing from time to time, but it was short lived and petered out quickly. Fiona has been making her happy chirping noise that she had stopped making and there was definitely some grooming going on. Grooming is a very good sign as it indicates acceptance. One of the males-the one we've deemed Yoda-is much more vocal than the other-who is consequently Plato. Yoda crabs when you get near the cage, but we'll just have to work with him. Plato, on the other paw, may be much quicker to come around. He already moves close to the front of the cage and willingly takes treats from Mr. K with no crabbing. We will probably leave them to their own devices until at least Monday, but after that the tent will be put back up and all bets are off. It is just a huge relief that all three can live together and Fiona no longer has to be on her own.
*****
The above technique worked for us, but as our situation was unique, I would suggest consulting a breeder before attempting introducing Sugar Gliders in this manner. Our Sugies are all joeys and therefore acceptance is much more likely. We also took a chance by introducing our Gliders this way. However, we are very happy with the results and so is Fiona. :)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Dear 2011
Dear 2011:
I cannot believe that you are already drawing to a close. So much has happened this year. So much so, that I have no idea where to begin. I think, besides the first year I made the Paralympic Games in 2000, or perhaps my first year of university in 2002, you have been one of the busiest, craziest years I have had. So many wonderful and amazing things have happened and for those I m grateful. There have been a few tenser moments, but I am just as grateful for those as well. The harder moments have taught me much about myself and have helped me grow. Looking back, I am still in awe at half of the things that happened and feel very blessed.
***
2011 In All Its Glory
1. In January of 2011, Mr. K and I lived in a house that was not ideal; not even close. The water shut off nearly every other day and was off for at least two to three days at a time. We started looking for a more suitable living arrangements even though we had intentions of moving to the UK as soon as possible. We had four dogs living with us: Glacier, Roscoe, Aria and Baloo.
2. In February we moved into a much better dwelling and Doc joined our ranks. It was then that I really started noticing problems with Glacier's working. This was also the month that solidified our plans to move to Scotland. Before Doc moved in, we had Roscoe, Glacier, Aria and Baloo Tider tested in order to begin the paperwork to bring everyone to the UK.
3. March was filled with puppies and their pooping issues. Dachshunds who were potty trained decided that they liked the carpet of the new house instead of going outside. We knew all three Dachshunds could not come with us, as we had originally bought Doc for Mr. K's sister, and the more we looked into it, the more we realised that we should re-home our little family members. It was a painful, and difficult decision. Glacier's guiding issues were becoming more apparent. I contacted Leader Dogs for the Blind in the hopes that they could help Glacier and I.
4.. In April, I headed home to Canada with Glacier and Baloo. Glacier and I were going back to Leader Dogs for the Blind for retraining and Baloo would be finding a new home with a high school friend; as long as they liked each other. It turns out, they fell in love almost right away and Baloo moved in with her just days after getting to my parents' house. Glacier and I worked hard for twelve days at LDB and left a much happier, confident working team.
5. May came quickly and I spent the majority of the month getting things in order for mine and Mr. K's wedding. I loved being home with my family, but I missed Mr. K terribly. May was also the fateful month that started making my triathlon dreams into a reality. Our wedding was fabulous and I couldn't have asked for a better day or husband, for that matter. May was also the month that saw Doc and Aria re-homed as well. It was difficult and parts of me still wishes that I could whisk them across an ocean to be with us.
6. June was a crazy month, attempting to finalize my passport and my Portuguese identity card. It was this card that would allow us to move to the UK without having to worry about Visas. I also found out that I could in fact get pregnant, but that it was not medically advisable.
7. Glacier and I returned to SC and sweated the month out,packing and planning to leave. We had vet appointments and we tried to sell, or at least, give away our belongings that we could not take with us. My parents visited for a while and helped us get a lot of things done in preparation for the move. The house felt so empty with only two dogs in it.
8. August snuck up on us and we worked feverishly to ensure that everything was set for our departure. We ran into a few glitches, such as the State vet saying that we may not be able to fly with our dogs because things were not documented correctly on our forms. We nearly watched seven months of planning go up in smoke. I worked to get as much of the house packed up as I could and some patient friends assisted with getting the rest of the stuff out once we had flown away. We ran into a small glitch in Boston when we tried to transfer flights and the guy assisting us through the airport didn't speak english. Then, on top of that, the airline didn't have record of our guide dogs, despite Mr. K speaking at least three times to them about it over the phone. After standing at the counter for almost an hour, we were cleared. Our flight was pretty good, considering we were flying so far and we had no issues once we entered London England. We spent a few days touring London and almost walked our feet off. We arrived in Edinburgh and stayed in Tenie and Carmen's flat, which they shared with two other girls. We stayed there until we could get things straightened out for our own flat. We did a few touristy things, like going to the zoo and a few festivals as well.
9. It was in September, after some waiting and assertive conversations, that we were able to move into our own flat. Tenie and Carmen had picked it out before we had even arrived, but it took nearly three weeks for us to be able to move in. When we finally did move in, the hot water didn't work, but it was resolved. We spent the month settling in and getting to know our surrounding area.
10. It wasn't until October rolled around that I started feeling more comfortable with walking around on my own. Glacier and I experienced a huge regression in his guiding when we first arrived, which followed us basically through September. I worked hard with him, being consistent and resetting my mindset. I was to look at him as a working dog, not a pet. I knew that, but somehow in the move, I had lost that perspective. We celebrated Halloween dressed up in the Steam Punk fashion.
11. November was a great month for me. Triathlon training really started coming together with me finding a guide and receiving a whole lot of help from various sport minded organisations. Mr. K and I also brought Gus and Fiona home, our two little Sugar Glider joeys.
12. December was a month for the Holidays and even though Mr. K and I didn't go home, we had a good month. We went to the Christmas market and had a great time experiencing the food, drinks and crazy crowds. Gus and Fiona joined us that day in their bonding pouch, but Glacier and Roscoe stayed home as we figured the crowds would be liable to crush them. We had a few dessert parties with the people living at Tenie and Carmen's flat and went out for drinks one night, sampling nearly every festive mixed drink they had on the menu. The night before the girls headed home for the Holidays, one of Tenie's flat mates had us over for a delicious dinner and we were able to say farewell to everyone. Mr. K and I spent Christmas together and it was enjoyable, despite our families being far away. Even though December was a joyous month, it also brought sadness when Gus passed away due to an unfortunate accident on Boxing Day.
As for today, December 31?
Mr. K and I will be going to pick up Yoda and Plato, two new Sugar Gliders, so that Fiona may have some playmates. Tonight, we may wander to a local pub and have a few celebratory drinks and talk about 2011 and maybe even of 2012 and what it will bring.
To everyone out there: Happy 2012. May it bring you joy and be everything you hope it to be. :)
Love,
Jess, Glacier, Roscoe, Fiona, Plato and Yoda
I cannot believe that you are already drawing to a close. So much has happened this year. So much so, that I have no idea where to begin. I think, besides the first year I made the Paralympic Games in 2000, or perhaps my first year of university in 2002, you have been one of the busiest, craziest years I have had. So many wonderful and amazing things have happened and for those I m grateful. There have been a few tenser moments, but I am just as grateful for those as well. The harder moments have taught me much about myself and have helped me grow. Looking back, I am still in awe at half of the things that happened and feel very blessed.
***
2011 In All Its Glory
1. In January of 2011, Mr. K and I lived in a house that was not ideal; not even close. The water shut off nearly every other day and was off for at least two to three days at a time. We started looking for a more suitable living arrangements even though we had intentions of moving to the UK as soon as possible. We had four dogs living with us: Glacier, Roscoe, Aria and Baloo.
2. In February we moved into a much better dwelling and Doc joined our ranks. It was then that I really started noticing problems with Glacier's working. This was also the month that solidified our plans to move to Scotland. Before Doc moved in, we had Roscoe, Glacier, Aria and Baloo Tider tested in order to begin the paperwork to bring everyone to the UK.
3. March was filled with puppies and their pooping issues. Dachshunds who were potty trained decided that they liked the carpet of the new house instead of going outside. We knew all three Dachshunds could not come with us, as we had originally bought Doc for Mr. K's sister, and the more we looked into it, the more we realised that we should re-home our little family members. It was a painful, and difficult decision. Glacier's guiding issues were becoming more apparent. I contacted Leader Dogs for the Blind in the hopes that they could help Glacier and I.
4.. In April, I headed home to Canada with Glacier and Baloo. Glacier and I were going back to Leader Dogs for the Blind for retraining and Baloo would be finding a new home with a high school friend; as long as they liked each other. It turns out, they fell in love almost right away and Baloo moved in with her just days after getting to my parents' house. Glacier and I worked hard for twelve days at LDB and left a much happier, confident working team.
5. May came quickly and I spent the majority of the month getting things in order for mine and Mr. K's wedding. I loved being home with my family, but I missed Mr. K terribly. May was also the fateful month that started making my triathlon dreams into a reality. Our wedding was fabulous and I couldn't have asked for a better day or husband, for that matter. May was also the month that saw Doc and Aria re-homed as well. It was difficult and parts of me still wishes that I could whisk them across an ocean to be with us.
6. June was a crazy month, attempting to finalize my passport and my Portuguese identity card. It was this card that would allow us to move to the UK without having to worry about Visas. I also found out that I could in fact get pregnant, but that it was not medically advisable.
7. Glacier and I returned to SC and sweated the month out,packing and planning to leave. We had vet appointments and we tried to sell, or at least, give away our belongings that we could not take with us. My parents visited for a while and helped us get a lot of things done in preparation for the move. The house felt so empty with only two dogs in it.
8. August snuck up on us and we worked feverishly to ensure that everything was set for our departure. We ran into a few glitches, such as the State vet saying that we may not be able to fly with our dogs because things were not documented correctly on our forms. We nearly watched seven months of planning go up in smoke. I worked to get as much of the house packed up as I could and some patient friends assisted with getting the rest of the stuff out once we had flown away. We ran into a small glitch in Boston when we tried to transfer flights and the guy assisting us through the airport didn't speak english. Then, on top of that, the airline didn't have record of our guide dogs, despite Mr. K speaking at least three times to them about it over the phone. After standing at the counter for almost an hour, we were cleared. Our flight was pretty good, considering we were flying so far and we had no issues once we entered London England. We spent a few days touring London and almost walked our feet off. We arrived in Edinburgh and stayed in Tenie and Carmen's flat, which they shared with two other girls. We stayed there until we could get things straightened out for our own flat. We did a few touristy things, like going to the zoo and a few festivals as well.
9. It was in September, after some waiting and assertive conversations, that we were able to move into our own flat. Tenie and Carmen had picked it out before we had even arrived, but it took nearly three weeks for us to be able to move in. When we finally did move in, the hot water didn't work, but it was resolved. We spent the month settling in and getting to know our surrounding area.
10. It wasn't until October rolled around that I started feeling more comfortable with walking around on my own. Glacier and I experienced a huge regression in his guiding when we first arrived, which followed us basically through September. I worked hard with him, being consistent and resetting my mindset. I was to look at him as a working dog, not a pet. I knew that, but somehow in the move, I had lost that perspective. We celebrated Halloween dressed up in the Steam Punk fashion.
11. November was a great month for me. Triathlon training really started coming together with me finding a guide and receiving a whole lot of help from various sport minded organisations. Mr. K and I also brought Gus and Fiona home, our two little Sugar Glider joeys.
12. December was a month for the Holidays and even though Mr. K and I didn't go home, we had a good month. We went to the Christmas market and had a great time experiencing the food, drinks and crazy crowds. Gus and Fiona joined us that day in their bonding pouch, but Glacier and Roscoe stayed home as we figured the crowds would be liable to crush them. We had a few dessert parties with the people living at Tenie and Carmen's flat and went out for drinks one night, sampling nearly every festive mixed drink they had on the menu. The night before the girls headed home for the Holidays, one of Tenie's flat mates had us over for a delicious dinner and we were able to say farewell to everyone. Mr. K and I spent Christmas together and it was enjoyable, despite our families being far away. Even though December was a joyous month, it also brought sadness when Gus passed away due to an unfortunate accident on Boxing Day.
As for today, December 31?
Mr. K and I will be going to pick up Yoda and Plato, two new Sugar Gliders, so that Fiona may have some playmates. Tonight, we may wander to a local pub and have a few celebratory drinks and talk about 2011 and maybe even of 2012 and what it will bring.
To everyone out there: Happy 2012. May it bring you joy and be everything you hope it to be. :)
Love,
Jess, Glacier, Roscoe, Fiona, Plato and Yoda
Friday, December 30, 2011
Friends for Fiona
Tomorrow is the big day. Tomorrow we bring home Fiona's new brothers, Plato and Yoda. The boys are brothers and are a month "out of pouch" a month before Fiona. That's fancy Sugar Glider talk for, "they are a month older." Some of this Sugie jargon first threw me for a loop and sometimes I have to ask a million questions to understand, but I think I'm getting there. That sort of language is almost second nature for me when it comes to dogs, but there have always been dogs in my life and so I think that makes the difference. Sugar Gliders are a very new thing in this house.
I think the sooner we bring Yoda and Plato home the better. Fiona has been awfully confrontational and so it's been hard to give her the attention I know she needs. She will often lunge at our hands, crabbing very loudly, and if she can get a good hold she will bite. She was always a bit less bonded than Gus, but her biting was subsiding and she didn't lunge anymore. Ever since Gus passed away, she's regressed. However, Mr. K and I are as stubborn as she is and are not allowing her poor behavior to deter us.
Technically, when handling a Sugar Glider it is suggested that you do not wear gloves. Since the Gliders bond through scent, if you are wearing gloves it could be confusing. I've also noticed that the more bonded the Glider becomes the more willing they are to touch your skin. At first, both Fiona and Gus didn't want anything to do with our hands. They would run down my arms and stop at the cuff of my sleeve and pick an alternative route. Gus was at the point where he didn't mind hands and Fiona was getting there, but her biting has forced us to resort to wearing gloves.
Now, we don't wear the gloves if we are putting our hands in the cage to give her a treat or to play with her. She seems less likely to bite/lunge when she is able to approach you on her own. We do need her to be in the bonding pouch during the day though, as our body heat will help her and she needs to continue the bonding process, despite losing her brother; now probably more than ever. Mr. K wears the gloves to get her out of her sleeping place to put her in the bonding pouch. If he does not, she latches on and even drew blood.
I completely understand why she is acting this way. I don't blame her at all, but we can't let her be by herself. Sugar Gliders are such social creatures that too much time alone could be detrimental to Fiona's health. I carried her around in the bonding pouch yesterday; even when we left the house. She lunged at my stomach at one point through the pouch, but thankfully the thick fleece kept her little chompers away from my skin. She is so jumpy now. It makes me so sad that she is so out of sorts. I'm sure, at least in the beginning, bringing Yoda and Plato into the picture may throw her off a bit more, but in the long run it will be good for her.
We will be busting out the tent again and setting it up in the living room to facilitate bonding with all three Gliders. It's also better to introduce joeys, or even grown Gliders, in neutral territory and so we think the tent will be a good place. I've read of a few different ways to introduce your Sugar Gliders, but since all three are still joeys we shouldn't have too many problems. One article suggested placing a small drop of vanilla extract between the shoulder blades of each Sugar Glider. They like the vanilla and that way they all smell the same. It also will encourage them to start grooming each other; a sign that they have accepted one another. I know this technique is often used to encourage mama animals to take on orphaned babies. I may use this technique as a precaution.
When we first brought Gus and Fiona home I remember being nervous and this time around, I'm a bit nervous as well; for totally different reasons though. We know what to expect with regards to owning Sugar Gliders, whereas, when we picked up Gus and Fiona we were clueless. That nervousness is way laid. I am a bit worried though as to how Fiona, Yoda and Plato will all take to one another. I'm also concerned that we won't know the difference between Yoda and Plato. We could tell the difference between Fiona and Gus because she is smaller and they moved differently, but Plato and Yoda are both boys, will there be physical indicators we will be able to pick up as blind people? Realistically, I'm sure eventually we will. Mr. K and I can usually tell the difference between Glacier and Roscoe most times without touching them because they move differently, make different noises and Glacier is bigger. So, I'm sure there is nothing to worry about. What I really should do is change my perspective: this is exciting. We are bringing new babies home and Fiona will be a happy little girl.
Speaking of happy little girls: Fiona would like to remind you that a very big event will be taking place in Blogville. She, Yoda and Plato will be there and she hopes you will be too. She would like me to tell you that she's not called a "Sugar" glider or "honey" bear for nothing. She says that "sugars" and "honeys" are very impawtant to this event. ;)
With that, I will leave you for today.
Happy Friday everyone. :)
I think the sooner we bring Yoda and Plato home the better. Fiona has been awfully confrontational and so it's been hard to give her the attention I know she needs. She will often lunge at our hands, crabbing very loudly, and if she can get a good hold she will bite. She was always a bit less bonded than Gus, but her biting was subsiding and she didn't lunge anymore. Ever since Gus passed away, she's regressed. However, Mr. K and I are as stubborn as she is and are not allowing her poor behavior to deter us.
Technically, when handling a Sugar Glider it is suggested that you do not wear gloves. Since the Gliders bond through scent, if you are wearing gloves it could be confusing. I've also noticed that the more bonded the Glider becomes the more willing they are to touch your skin. At first, both Fiona and Gus didn't want anything to do with our hands. They would run down my arms and stop at the cuff of my sleeve and pick an alternative route. Gus was at the point where he didn't mind hands and Fiona was getting there, but her biting has forced us to resort to wearing gloves.
Now, we don't wear the gloves if we are putting our hands in the cage to give her a treat or to play with her. She seems less likely to bite/lunge when she is able to approach you on her own. We do need her to be in the bonding pouch during the day though, as our body heat will help her and she needs to continue the bonding process, despite losing her brother; now probably more than ever. Mr. K wears the gloves to get her out of her sleeping place to put her in the bonding pouch. If he does not, she latches on and even drew blood.
I completely understand why she is acting this way. I don't blame her at all, but we can't let her be by herself. Sugar Gliders are such social creatures that too much time alone could be detrimental to Fiona's health. I carried her around in the bonding pouch yesterday; even when we left the house. She lunged at my stomach at one point through the pouch, but thankfully the thick fleece kept her little chompers away from my skin. She is so jumpy now. It makes me so sad that she is so out of sorts. I'm sure, at least in the beginning, bringing Yoda and Plato into the picture may throw her off a bit more, but in the long run it will be good for her.
We will be busting out the tent again and setting it up in the living room to facilitate bonding with all three Gliders. It's also better to introduce joeys, or even grown Gliders, in neutral territory and so we think the tent will be a good place. I've read of a few different ways to introduce your Sugar Gliders, but since all three are still joeys we shouldn't have too many problems. One article suggested placing a small drop of vanilla extract between the shoulder blades of each Sugar Glider. They like the vanilla and that way they all smell the same. It also will encourage them to start grooming each other; a sign that they have accepted one another. I know this technique is often used to encourage mama animals to take on orphaned babies. I may use this technique as a precaution.
When we first brought Gus and Fiona home I remember being nervous and this time around, I'm a bit nervous as well; for totally different reasons though. We know what to expect with regards to owning Sugar Gliders, whereas, when we picked up Gus and Fiona we were clueless. That nervousness is way laid. I am a bit worried though as to how Fiona, Yoda and Plato will all take to one another. I'm also concerned that we won't know the difference between Yoda and Plato. We could tell the difference between Fiona and Gus because she is smaller and they moved differently, but Plato and Yoda are both boys, will there be physical indicators we will be able to pick up as blind people? Realistically, I'm sure eventually we will. Mr. K and I can usually tell the difference between Glacier and Roscoe most times without touching them because they move differently, make different noises and Glacier is bigger. So, I'm sure there is nothing to worry about. What I really should do is change my perspective: this is exciting. We are bringing new babies home and Fiona will be a happy little girl.
Speaking of happy little girls: Fiona would like to remind you that a very big event will be taking place in Blogville. She, Yoda and Plato will be there and she hopes you will be too. She would like me to tell you that she's not called a "Sugar" glider or "honey" bear for nothing. She says that "sugars" and "honeys" are very impawtant to this event. ;)
With that, I will leave you for today.
Happy Friday everyone. :)
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
1 + 2 = 3
So... guess what?
Our Sugar Glider colony is about to double. We will be bringing home not one, but two little fuzz butts to be at Fiona's beckon call. She's the princess, so of course her two new brothers will have to do her bidding. My dad laughed at me when I said we were getting two joeys. He said,
"good thing they didn't have six; you'd have them all; trying to save the world."
Mr. K spoke to the breeder this afternoon and she was satisfied that we were well researched Glider owners. Mr. K told her that as soon as we have an appointment scheduled to have the boys neutered, we will be in touch to arrange a date for us to pick them up. Mr. K promptly purchased a second smaller cage to house probably Fiona in order to provide her a space to call her own until she and the two new boys are adequately acquainted. Not to mention, it can serve the purpose of a "hospital cage" if the need ever arises that a Glider needs to be housed by him or her self due to medical issues.
It would seem that we are moving a bit quick since Gus only left us yesterday, but the sooner we have the new boys neutered the better. As well, the sooner they are introduced to Fiona, and to Mr. K and I, the better. They are a bit older than Fiona-about a month-and fast approaching the end of their best bonding period. It's not that they won't bond after this time, but it is most ideal between eight and twelve weeks of age; similar to a puppy.
There are a few ways to introduce Sugar Gliders to each other, but since all three are babies, there shouldn't be any aggression issues. We've decided to have the boys neutered before introducing them as well to also reduce the likeliness of aggressive behavior. Fiona will stay in the smaller cage since she is by herself and we will place the cages next to each other. That way, they can get used to one another from a distance and once everything is settled-babies are talking to each other and neutering done-we will let them all live together. If the boys were at sexual maturity, then they would have to be housed separately for a month as they could remain fertile. However, these boys shouldn't be at that point just yet and so will be able to live with Fiona sooner rather than later.
So, have we picked names?
The answer is yes.
Mr. K thought it would be a good idea to name them "after the two greatest thinkers of all time," and so they will be named:
Plato and,
Yoda.
These two boys are not meant to take Gus's place as he was a special little guy, but I know they will fill our lives in their own unique ways and give Fiona the companionship that every Sugar Glider needs to be at his/her happiest.
Our Sugar Glider colony is about to double. We will be bringing home not one, but two little fuzz butts to be at Fiona's beckon call. She's the princess, so of course her two new brothers will have to do her bidding. My dad laughed at me when I said we were getting two joeys. He said,
"good thing they didn't have six; you'd have them all; trying to save the world."
Mr. K spoke to the breeder this afternoon and she was satisfied that we were well researched Glider owners. Mr. K told her that as soon as we have an appointment scheduled to have the boys neutered, we will be in touch to arrange a date for us to pick them up. Mr. K promptly purchased a second smaller cage to house probably Fiona in order to provide her a space to call her own until she and the two new boys are adequately acquainted. Not to mention, it can serve the purpose of a "hospital cage" if the need ever arises that a Glider needs to be housed by him or her self due to medical issues.
It would seem that we are moving a bit quick since Gus only left us yesterday, but the sooner we have the new boys neutered the better. As well, the sooner they are introduced to Fiona, and to Mr. K and I, the better. They are a bit older than Fiona-about a month-and fast approaching the end of their best bonding period. It's not that they won't bond after this time, but it is most ideal between eight and twelve weeks of age; similar to a puppy.
There are a few ways to introduce Sugar Gliders to each other, but since all three are babies, there shouldn't be any aggression issues. We've decided to have the boys neutered before introducing them as well to also reduce the likeliness of aggressive behavior. Fiona will stay in the smaller cage since she is by herself and we will place the cages next to each other. That way, they can get used to one another from a distance and once everything is settled-babies are talking to each other and neutering done-we will let them all live together. If the boys were at sexual maturity, then they would have to be housed separately for a month as they could remain fertile. However, these boys shouldn't be at that point just yet and so will be able to live with Fiona sooner rather than later.
So, have we picked names?
The answer is yes.
Mr. K thought it would be a good idea to name them "after the two greatest thinkers of all time," and so they will be named:
Plato and,
Yoda.
These two boys are not meant to take Gus's place as he was a special little guy, but I know they will fill our lives in their own unique ways and give Fiona the companionship that every Sugar Glider needs to be at his/her happiest.
Moving Forward
Today I feel a lot better; much better. The kind and thoughtful comments left by you have made losing Gus so much easier. Gus and Fiona's breeder has actually been fantastic and incredibly supportive, understanding and kind. She has a waiting list for her joeys, but she has put us in touch with another breeder that is actually closer to home. This new breeder has two sets of joeys ready to go and another just "out of pouch." We could technically wait for the two just out of pouch because they would be in a better stage to bond, but I don't think we can wait that long for Miss Fiona's sake. Those joeys won't be ready to go to a home until February or so and that is much too long for a Sugar Glider to be alone
Fiona seems a bit lost, but Mr. K and I are making sure to play with her and we both took our turns carrying her around in the bonding pouch yesterday in order to give her a warm body to be near. I also make sure that her Snuggle Safe pad is always warm and tucked up under one of Mr. K's shirts in her cage. That way, if she is feelin she needs some warmth, it is there. This might be a bit easier if she was a bit more bonded because we would be able to have her out of the cage perched in a pocket even when she's awake, but she is not quite there yet. She did come out and run in her Wodent wheel quite a bit last night; she ate her food and took treats; and played with us and the feather toy we got for her and Gus. We're trying our best to keep her occupied and give her the interaction she needs to be a happy, healthy little Glider, but I think a fuzzy companion is going to be necessary in the long term.
We are supposed to get a phone call from the new breeder later today and then we'll go from there. It would seem that the tent is going to be put back up in our living room and we'll start this process all over again. However, that may not necessarily be a bad thing for Fiona. I think she could use a bit more time in the tent. Because the tent is so small, she is forced to interact with us and I am sure that will help her bond further. I am not sure how many "brothers" Fiona will end up with as Sugar Glider breeders prefer to sell the joeys in pairs since Sugar Gliders are so social. Our cage is definitely big enough for three Sugies as it is taller than Mr. K and wider. Sugies also do not seem to react poorly to having odd numbers as some other animals might. The breeder only has males available so we will have to ensure both are neutered very quickly. They are a bit older than Gus and Fiona and so will reach sexual maturity much faster and that will cause two problems:
1. They may fight as there is only one female,
and 2. Fiona may become a Mom. No thanks. :)
So even though the last 24 hours have been quite tough, and I still get a bit teary from time to time, we are doing much better. Getting Fiona a new companion will make me feel much better as well because that will provide her with the stimulation and companionship that she needs.
Again, thanks all of you so much for your comments and virtual hugs: they mean so much to Mr. K and I.
Fiona seems a bit lost, but Mr. K and I are making sure to play with her and we both took our turns carrying her around in the bonding pouch yesterday in order to give her a warm body to be near. I also make sure that her Snuggle Safe pad is always warm and tucked up under one of Mr. K's shirts in her cage. That way, if she is feelin she needs some warmth, it is there. This might be a bit easier if she was a bit more bonded because we would be able to have her out of the cage perched in a pocket even when she's awake, but she is not quite there yet. She did come out and run in her Wodent wheel quite a bit last night; she ate her food and took treats; and played with us and the feather toy we got for her and Gus. We're trying our best to keep her occupied and give her the interaction she needs to be a happy, healthy little Glider, but I think a fuzzy companion is going to be necessary in the long term.
We are supposed to get a phone call from the new breeder later today and then we'll go from there. It would seem that the tent is going to be put back up in our living room and we'll start this process all over again. However, that may not necessarily be a bad thing for Fiona. I think she could use a bit more time in the tent. Because the tent is so small, she is forced to interact with us and I am sure that will help her bond further. I am not sure how many "brothers" Fiona will end up with as Sugar Glider breeders prefer to sell the joeys in pairs since Sugar Gliders are so social. Our cage is definitely big enough for three Sugies as it is taller than Mr. K and wider. Sugies also do not seem to react poorly to having odd numbers as some other animals might. The breeder only has males available so we will have to ensure both are neutered very quickly. They are a bit older than Gus and Fiona and so will reach sexual maturity much faster and that will cause two problems:
1. They may fight as there is only one female,
and 2. Fiona may become a Mom. No thanks. :)
So even though the last 24 hours have been quite tough, and I still get a bit teary from time to time, we are doing much better. Getting Fiona a new companion will make me feel much better as well because that will provide her with the stimulation and companionship that she needs.
Again, thanks all of you so much for your comments and virtual hugs: they mean so much to Mr. K and I.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
