Pocket Pet Products Worth Using

I've cared small caged mammals for 40+ years, both personally and professionally. Rats, mice, hamsters, ferrets, guinea pigs, rabbits -- you name it, I've cleaned it. And I've picked up a few things over the years that I'd like to share.

Keeping cages clean is important. Mice and rats aren't known to be clean animals. They pee and poop whenever and wherever the urge hits. The smell of rodent urine can be pretty pungent. And since the rat cage is in my living room, it's important to me that it stays clean. I use Nature's Miracle Cage Cleaner to wipe things down between cleanings. (Rats pee on everything. ick.) I can only find it a PetSmart.

Bedding is important. Years ago we used cedar shavings. They masked the smell of urine pretty well. As time went on, however, it was discovered that the cedar oil was harmful to the animals' respiratory systems. We later switched to pine and aspen shavings. Lately I've discovered something new -- paper bedding! I absolutely LOVE it. It keeps the smell down better than the wood shavings ever did. I find that I'm changing the cage less these days. The bedding is vacuum packed, so the package is deceivingly small. And the bedding comes in a variety of colors so your pets' cages can match your décor. I've found the best price for this stuff is at Walmart.

A favorite of my girls is the Kaytee Sleeper Play Tunnel. It hangs from the top of the cage and there is a 90% chance that a rat is inside it. Unfortunately, my rat Pink likes to chew it as well as sleep in it. (Pink isn't the smartest rat I've ever owned.) I have to replace the tunnel every 6 weeks or so. Good think they're cheap on Amazon!

I find rats to be fun, smart and affectionate. (Except for Pink -- she bites!) It's important to keep them healthy and happy. The things above make that easier for me. Do you have a favorite pocket pet product? -- K

Rosie

During our South Carolina trip I finally got to meet Rosie the White. I'd heard so much about her. She is my cousins' white German shepherd, and she's absolutely beautiful.

Here are a few things about white German shepherds that you may not know:

• White German shepherds are not albinos. The color is the result a recessive gene. 
• The white gene has been present since the beginning of German shepherds. A white herding dog named Grief was the grandfather of Max von Stephanitz's foundation dog.
• In 1933 white coats were deemed a breed standard disqualification by the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany.
• In 1968 white coated German shepherds were officially banned from competing in the conformation ring by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
• In 1998 white German shepherds were officially disqualified from the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) breed standard and banned from the conformation ring. 
• White German shepherds are allowed to compete in all other dog sports including obedience, rally, herding, agility and tracking.
• Surprisingly, white German shepherds are still registered with both the AKC and the CKC. If both parents -- regardless of color -- are registered with the organization as German Shepherds, all puppies -- regardless of color -- are fully registerable as a German shepherd dog.
• The United Kennel Club (UKC) recognized white German shepherds in 1999 and they are allowed to compete in conformation ring. I think the International All-Breed Canine Association (IABCA) also recognizes white GSDs.
• The German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA) oversees the breed standard for AKC German Shepherd dogs. White German shepherds are a heated topic and the club argues amongst itself whether or not to allow them on a regular basis. 

There are clubs world-wide dedicated to the white German shepherd. The White German Shepherd Dog Club International, Inc. even holds national conformations shows. A simple Google search will provide you with hours of reading material.

There are breeders who specifically breed whites as well. And just like every other breed, it's buyer beware! The quality of these puppies can vary greatly. Do your research. Ask for health and temperament tests. My cousins did their research and found a great breeder. Rosie is wonderful. She is a healthy, well-balanced, even-temperament dog. Rosie is definitely a GSD. She takes her job as "family dog" seriously, providing love and protection to two active children.

Finally, Rosie has a famous littermate! He was all over the news in 2015. Her brother, appropriately named Lieutenant Dan, was born without a foot. The special puppy was given to a girl without feet. You can read the story and see pictures here. Warning: grab some Kleenex first. You'll need it.

OK, enough gushing over my cousins' dog. Jedi says it's time to get back to my own dogs. TTFN, -- K

Rats and More Rats

A couple weeks back I told you about Hide and Seek, our new rats. After Seek's sudden passing, we had a rough time finding another female rat. I knew Hide was lonely and didn't want her to be alone too long.

Meet Cache

Our rat hunt wasn't any easier than before. We stalked every pet store in town to no avail. Hubby kept saying we should go back to the lizard store and buy another feeder rat, but I was worried about health issues. Like I said before, I don't think feeder rats are held to the same health standards as rats intended to be pets.

I work Sundays but Hubby is off. Sometimes Hubby does crazy things when I'm at work -- like make rat tubes! Last Sunday he made a command decision. He cleaned out an old 10-gallon tank, found the corresponding screen cover and set it up in the dining room. Then he hopped on his Harley and went to the lizard store. Hubby picked out two friendly feeder rats and brought them home -- on his bike. The lizard guy felt so bad about Seek that he offered to replace her for free. He said that sometimes the feeder rats get colds (told you!) and that's probably what happened to Seek.

And Sport

Hubby set the girls up in the dining room. He wanted to quarantine the new rats in case they were sick. He said he bought a second rat "just in case one didn't make it." I told him that sounded pretty harsh, but he felt that taking a chance to live in a loving home was better than the guarantee of a short life ending in a snake's belly. So how do you argue with that?

Well, right away one rat started sneezing. I was glad that they weren't in with Hide. We watched the new rats closely. The white-faced girl had bright eyes and was very energetic, whereas the brown-faced girl looked lethargic and squinty-eyed. After 24 hours we made the decision to move the white-faced girl (now named Cache -- keeping with the hidden theme) in with Hide. They bonded right away.

I named the other girl Sport (since she rode home on a Harley Sportster) and kept a close eye on her. After three days she seemed to be doing much better and we put her in the big cage. So now we have THREE rats. They each have a distinct personality too.

Hide wants attention -- and treats!

• Hide demands attention. She will stomp on anyone to get to the front of the cage when people walk by. She loves having head rubbed just behind her ears.
• Cache tolerates human attention, but doesn't seek it out. She'll sit in my hand and let me stroke her back. She loves the exercise wheel. I hear her running in it day and night.
• Sport is a loner. Hide and Cache will cuddle together on the top level, but Sport prefers to hide in the cubby at the bottom of the cage. Sport doesn't like being held either, so socializing her is more difficult. (She doesn't bite, she's just really squirmy.)

Hide is about a month older and significantly bigger than the new girls. I've already introduced her to the tube. She runs in with no problem and is calm when Jedi sniffs with her inside it. In fact, getting her to come out was more difficult than getting her in. Apparently she liked it in there. I'm going to work on socializing Cache and Sport before introducing them to the tubes.

So, we have our hands full of rodents right now and I'm loving it. Even rat-hating Hubby is coming around. I'll catch him baby-talking to the girls. And he keeps baggies in the fridge of cheese bits and vegetable scraps that he doles out when he thinks I'm not looking. Don't tell him I know, OK? I'll share more later, but for now I have to feed animals and clean cages. That's one of the drawbacks to having your own personal zoo. TTFN, -- K

Rats!

One of the best cartoons ever!

It's a good thing this is a dog blog, because I've got a shaggy-dog story for you! Try to keep up!

I like rats. I had rats as pets when I was a kid. They're intelligent, affectionate and trainable -- much better than nasty little biting hamsters. Hubby does not like rats. He thinks they have beady little eyes and gross hairless tails. (He's wrong of course.) Because of Hubby's aversion to rodents, I've only had one rat in the 30 years we've been together. Her name was Dot and she was absolutely wonderful. When we got orders to Japan, she couldn't go with us. Instead, she became the third grade pet at the elementary school. She was loved by children until the day she died.

At 28" X 28" X 18" this thing is huge

I dislike digging through old shit. Keep your "buried treasures." I've got enough of my own stuff to deal with, I don't want somebody else's. Unfortunately, Hubby is a "collector" for lack of better words. He enjoys yard sales and flea markets. He enjoys American Pickers entirely too much. And in Japan he fully embraced the concept of gomi. Once a month people would stack unwanted but still usable items outside. Neighbors would go through and take what they wanted. It was socially acceptable (or so I was told). Hubby brought home all kinds of crap! He still slows down when he sees stuff piled on the side of the road. To my horror, he brings things home all too often. About six months ago he came home with a large cage. It looked like it was designed for a ferret. It had several levels and three doors. I rolled my eyes, but it has sat on the porch ever since.

So fast forward to Mother's Day weekend. We went to a Barn Hunt trial and Jedi totally bombed. I signed up for four runs, each with two hidden rats. Out of a total of 8 possible rat's Jedi found exactly one. I was frustrated and assumed that Jedi was just overwhelmed by the new venue. Out of the blue, Hubby said "You know, you really should get some rats to practice at home." Then he reminded me about that eyesore on the porch. I jumped on that like Drogo on a mealworm!

So, all this is to say: Meet Hide!

Sorry for the picture quality. This little girl is FAST!

WARNING: Don't get your panties in a bunch. Yes, my rats will (hopefully) be trained to accept the tubes to help Jedi with his barn hunt training. However, they are pets. They are loved and well cared for. Animal Rights Activists can keep their ugly comments to themselves.

Buying pet rats has proven to be more difficult than you would think -- definitely more difficult than it was when I was a child. First of all, very few stores even carry fancy rats. (Feeder rats are a different story.) Those that do -- PetSmart and Petco -- have some strange rodents related policies. Three of the four Petco stores I went to only sold males, the fourth had very large (read old) mangy-looking white girls with pink eyes. Ick. PetSmart stores sell either male or female rodents, but not both. However, they don't advertise which, nor do they always know what the other stores carry. Grrr.

I want female rats. They stay smaller. I think they're more attractive too. Male rats have giant genitalia that they drag behind them and I think rat balls are gross. I also want more than one. Rats are social creatures and I think it would be nice to have a pair. Besides, the cage is huge. So Hubby and I drove around one Saturday. We probably hit 8 pet stores and found one female rat (Hide). A week later we hit another half dozen pet stores on the other side of town. Nada, sans the fugly girls mentioned above.

Hide (bottom) and Seek (top)

We had to stop by the reptile store to get horned worms for Drogo (his favorite). While there I asked if they had any small, female feeder rats that were relatively friendly. I told the reptile guy that it would be a pet. The guy went into the back and brought out ten very cute ones in a wide variety of colors and patterns. I stuck my hand in the tub and they were all friendly. I picked the gray one with a white triangle on her forehead and named her Seek. I felt bad choosing just one, knowing the other nine wouldn't be as lucky as this one. And when I saw the price -- a third of what PetSmart charged -- I was a little miffed that I had wasted all that time driving around town.

Hide was thrilled to have a friend. The girls cuddled and Hide was constantly grooming Seek. Unfortunately, Seek didn't appear well. She started sneezing right away. Her eyes weren't as bright and she didn't have the energy of Hide. I was hoping that with good food, fresh air and as little stress as possible she'd bounce back. I was wrong. Two days later Hubby found her dead in the cage. I guess feeder rats aren't expected to be as healthy as pet quality rats. I feel bad. I hope the last couple days of her life we happy ones.

So for now we're going to keep looking for another female rat while loving on Hide. Thankfully, she still appears to be healthy. Soon we'll make rat tubes and teach the girls to go in willingly. Meanwhile, Jedi is well aware that we a have a rat in the house. When I ask him "Where's the rat?" he runs over, noses the cage and sits. Who knows, we may get our RATO title after all! -- K

Awww...Gucci Remembered

Gucci chillin' on my bed

I know this is a dog blog, but today I'm feeling . . . catty. You see, today is the anniversary of Gucci's death. I can't believe I've been catless for a whole year. I miss that stubborn little cat. As I stated a year ago, Hubby had asked for a no replacement policy on cats about a decade before Gucci died. He said his allergies were getting worse. I agreed. When we got married Hubby was the cat person so it didn't bother me too much. However, now I realize there is a cat-shaped hole in my heart and it makes me sad.

Funny thing though, about six months ago a friend was in the car with me and Hubby. Hubby was talking about various things and said that he knows one day I'm going to find a special cat at work and he's just going to have to deal with it. I was stunned, but said nothing. Friend and I had lunch a few days later. I asked "Did you hear what I heard?" She said "Yeah girl, you're getting a cat!" Well, that cat hasn't come along yet. We're still looking. But in my feline-free year I've realized a few things about cats and dogs.

Cartoonist Gary Larsen obviously has pets!

• Dogs are great for your self-esteem. They're like three year olds -- easily amused, always open to having fun, very trusting. Dogs think that their people are awesome, despite what the rest of the world says. Seriously, I've seen way too many jerks with loyal, loving dogs.

• Cats, on the other hand, keep you humble. They're like teenagers. They can be affectionate, but things have to be done on their terms. They have a weird sense of humor. And they're skeptical about everything. I can't tell you how many times I've said "It's cat food, I swear. Look there's a cat right here on the bag. Just eat it!"

There's some funny sayings out there about the difference between cats and dogs:

Dogs come when you call; cats take a message and get back to you later.

Dogs have owners; cats have staff.

The funniest thing I've ever seen on YouTube is Cat Friend vs Dog Friend. I laugh every time I watch it! Have you seen it?

I'd like to leave with one more picture of Gucci. She and Roxy had a love/hate thing for years. Roxy would sneak up on Gucci and lift up her back end as she walked by. Gucci would yowl and I swear Roxy was laughing. In retaliation, Gucci would sneak up on Roxy when she was sleeping and box her face -- no claws, but 3 or 4 good hits to the muzzle. You could hear the impact. Gucci would wait until Roxy was awake, stare her in the face and then throw her tail up and march off. "Bitch!" was definitely implied. The girls mellowed in their old age. About 6 months before Gucci passed I caught the two of them napping together.

This truce just warmed my heart

How's that for an Awww...picture? It's Awww...Monday. This is a hop where various bloggers try to brighten your Monday with Awww-inspiring posts. Click around below and see what others are sharing today. A big thanks to Sandee over at Comedy Plus for hosting this hop. -- K

Happy National Pet Day

Apparently today is National Pet Day. Did you know that? It's all over the internet!

Today I'm celebrating with Roxy and Jedi . . .

Hermione and Drogo.

I'm also remembering the ones who've passed, like Pepper and Logan . . .

Spike . . .

and most recently, Gucci.

I am so lucky to have had all these wonderful pets in my life. I hope you have wonderful pets of your own to share the day with. 

In addition to National Pet Day, today is also Awww...Monday! I hope my pets have brought a smile to your face. Click around below and see what others are sharing. I'm sure you'll see plenty of happy pets today! -- K

St. Patty Silliness

I don't drink beer -- green or otherwise. However, we usually have a little St. Patrick's Day silliness around here. For example, today's photo. Jedi and I were early for nosework class, so I thought I'd take a few pictures while waiting. Facebook jazzed them up a bit. I think this one turned out pretty nice:


 

Here's Drogo's picture from last year. This is the picture that spawned his Fashion Dragon humiliation awesome web page.

 

 

And finally, there's this:

 

The joke: What's Irish and sits on your lawn? Paddy O'Furniture!

I sent this picture to my husband via Facebook. The reason why is super funny. Or pathetic, depending on your sense of humor (or lack thereof). I've been telling Hubby the same joke on March 17th since 1988. He doesn't think it's funny -- which, of course, makes it hilarious! It's gotten to the point that I don't even need to say the joke, just the punchline will do. I've had to get creative over the past 20 years because he'll go out of his way to avoid hearing the joke. Silly husband. Hope you're enjoying the holiday. Later, -- K

 

Goodbye Gucci

Gucci in her prime

The worst thing about pets is that they don't live long enough. This morning I took Gucci to the vet for the very last time. Her 19 year old body had become nothing but skin and bones. She had been deaf for years. Honestly, we knew the day would come sooner than later. Still, I wasn't prepared. But are we ever really prepared?

Things were fine this morning. She ate her breakfast and we had our daily disagreement over my lap. As usual, she won. Just before lunch I found her lying in a weird position on the kitchen floor. She was disoriented, unstable and I suspect she had lost her sight. Thankfully my vet is open until 2:00 on Saturdays. We think she had a stroke. Things weren't going to get better. We didn't want her to suffer, so we made the decision to put her to sleep. For her, it was quick and painless. For me, not so much. I feel like shit.

15 years old and still ornery

I'm a certified euthanasia technician. In the past 12 years I've put down hundreds of animals, and have assisted with the euthanizing of even more. I know the names of all the drugs, can calculate dosages and can hit a vein with no problem. Yet all that knowledge doesn't make putting my cat to sleep any less painful. Dammit.

Gucci was a good cat. Sometimes -- OK, oftentimes -- she was an annoying, self absorbed pain in the ass. She had cattitude in spades. She was also playful, amusing, stubborn and fearless. I watched her dominate dogs 10 times her size. She was affectionate and loving -- on her own cat terms, of course. I miss her already.

The old girl about a year ago

Gucci was probably my last cat. About 10 years ago Hubby's allergies started getting worse and he asked that we have a "no replacement policy" for cats. (Mind you, he didn't say get rid of the cat, he just said no more.) In the interim he would take Claritin and wash his hands after touching her. I agreed to bathe her more often and try to keep Gucci from sleeping on our bed. (It didn't work, she was a sneaky little thing.) I doubt Hubby expected to have to suffer in silence for another decade. He loved her too though. I'd often find her on his lap watching TV or catch them taking an afternoon nap together.

I've got dozens of silly kitty stories. She was definitely a character. Maybe I'll share some of them later. Right now, though, I need to take a nap. I have a terrible headache from crying. Who knew that a little old cat could leave such a giant hole in my heart? -- K

Happy New Year!

Yes, this is Kelley's DOG Blog and we're opening 2016 with a picture of a lizard. That's the kind of year I'm hoping for -- quirky, adventurous, unpredictable and fun. (Plus, I couldn't get Jedi to wear a hat.) Jedi and I are starting the new year at full speed. We have several things going on this month, including:

• Starting today: silly dog tricks! I've always loved Kyra Sundance's Do More With Your Dog stuff. It's a fun and positive way to have fun with the pups. There are even Trick Dog Titles that you can earn. Anyway, I joined a Facebook Spark Team. Starting today we're going to work on 15-20 different tricks and, Jedi willing, we will earn our Novice Trick Dog title this month. Wanna play along? There's still time to join us! (BTW, learning is free; there's a nominal fee if you want the title, but it's not required.)

• On Tuesday the German Shepherd Dog Club board is getting together map out this year's activities. I'm excited. I have some ideas and an amazing core group of people working hard to revive the club. I'm already seeing some energy and excitement coming back into the membership. Cross your fingers. And just for fun, visit us on Facebook. (BTW, right now I'm doing most of the FB Admin for the club, so yes, you're seeing some of the same stuff here and there. I'm not creative enough to come up with different things for each social media. Shhh, don't tell.)

• This Thursday we start a new nose work class. This one is at the same place we did our Sniff 'N Go in November -- literally 5 minutes from my house! This instructor uses UKC Nose Work rules, which will be different. I'm really looking forward to it.

• Next Saturday (as in 8 days from now -- EEK!) Jedi and I are taking the Birch ORT in Lake Park, Florida. Wish us luck!

And I know I said "NO RESOLUTIONS" yesterday, but there are a few things I'd like to accomplish this year. Let's call them "goals" instead, OK?

1. I'd like to get rid of some of my clutter. To do so, I've joined the Declutter 365 Facebook Group. I'm hoping it'll help (she says as she sits in front of the computer typing instead of actually picking up stuff . . . ) Yeah, I need help.
2. I'd like to lose weight. My brother finally proposed to his girlfriend after 16 years. (I know!) I'm flying back to California for the wedding in August and I'd like to be 30 pounds lighter. I need help here too! (BTW, I could stand to lose twice that much. However, if I dwell on that fact it makes me so depressed that I want to eat a pan of brownies. Mmmm, brownies.)
3. I've been saying "I want to go to the Westminster Dog Show" for decades. Decades! It hasn't happened yet. I'll be 48 this year. I don't want to say I'm running out of time, but . . . I know me. Talk is cheap. When I finally decided that "I want a puppy" I opened up a CD and had money taken directly from my paycheck. Two years later, I had Jedi. (BTW, the CD is still active and saving for the next puppy. Don't tell Jedi.) So I've decided it's time to get aggressive about Westminster. Last week I reactivated an old savings account and I'm using this Money Savings Challenge. If all goes as planned, I'll have $1400 (plus interest, I don't trust me with money sitting around in a jar) by this time next year. I want to be at the 2018 Westminster Kennel Club cheering for the German shepherd.

And with that, it's time to log off. I've got a pot of beans cooking (a New Year's tradition in our family), some trick and sniff training with Jedi, and today's declutter mission: figure out where to put the stuff that's being evicted. Later, -- K

Merry Christmas

Drogo is wishing you a Merry Christmas reptile style!

Honestly, that's not far from the truth. It's been in the 80's all week. Nice and warm, just like he likes it. The rest of us, however, not so much.

I hope you enjoy Drogo's photos. You can see more on his very own Fashion Dragon page. BTW, I don't want to say that my family is encouraging Drogo's humiliation, but I DID get a DIY calendar kit for Christmas. Just sayin . . . Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and yours. -- K

Sweet!

Good thing it's Wordless Wednesday! I honestly don't know what to say about this picture. I don't even remember what I was thinking when I took it, other than "Please don't step in the cake. It looks yummy and I really want to eat it."

(BTW, Drogo did step in the cake -- and I ate it anyway. What can I say? I'm a sugar junkie.)

This is a hop. Click around below and see what others are sharing today. If you find anything stranger than a bearded dragon wearing a toque, please let me know! -- K

Drogo's Game

Well, it's finally happened. Drogo's fame has gone to his head.

 

 

Seriously, this is one incredible reptile. In fact, Drogo now has his own spin tile game. Hubby's friend took Drogo's photos and turned them into a free phone app. It's mindless fun. Curious? You can find it here. I hope you check it out. Hubby's friend says that if enough people like (i.e. rate) the game he'll add more photos to it.

 

It's Wordless Wednesday. Hop around and see what others are sharing today. -- K

Happy Autumn

The calendar says that today, September 23rd, is the first day of Fall.

The Weatherman says otherwise as he predicts even more temperatures in the mid 80s. Ugh. Nonetheless, Drogo welcomes Autumn with this festive photo.

It's Wordless Wednesday! Click around below and see what others are sharing today. -- K

 

Awww...Back to School

Now that my kids are adults, I don't realize that school is back in session until I see all the buses on my way to work. Drogo posed for this photo in honor of all the hard working teachers and students out there. Keep up the good work!

It's Awww...Monday. We're joining Sandee from Comedy Plus to help bring a smile to your Monday. Click around below and see if you don't find and awww or two. -- K

Who Dat?

Do you ever wonder if animals recognize themselves in a mirror? Neuropsychological researcher Stanley Coren (author of The Intelligence of Dogs) has an interesting article about it here from Psychology Today.

 

 

On this Mischief Monday Hubby and I introduced Drogo to the mirror. Adult male bearded dragons can be aggressive toward each other, so we expected him to puff up and bob his head at the "other dragon." Instead, he sat quietly and admired his reflection. I don't blame him, he's a good looking lizard!

Anyway, this is being linked up to the Awww...Monday and Monday Mischief blog hops. When you're tired of laughing at my lizard hop around and see what others are sharing today. -- K

 

Sepia Dragon

I know this is Kelley's DOG Blog, but regular visitors will recognize Drogo, our favorite bearded dragon. I have never known a reptile to have so much personality. His permanent grin and agreeable temperament also make it easy to dress him up and take silly pictures. You can see those pictures on his Fashion Dragon page. However, today I'm posting a more dignified picture.

 

Drogo's head tilt is just endearing as any dog's

Both Hubby and Son #1 are reptile enthusiasts and we've had several different species over the years. Bearded dragons are my favorite by far. They are heartier and easier to care for than most. The don't grow as large as iguanas and seem to have a nicer temperament. And unlike snakes, their diet consists of bugs, fruits and vegetables. No mice or rats. I used to have rodents as pets, so it's distressing for me to use them as food. Therefore, this is a snake-free house. Luckily for Drogo, I have no emotional attachment to bugs.

 

Before you run out and get a Beardie of your own, there are a few things you should consider:

• They need large tanks to be comfortable. Do you have the room for one?
• They need a warm climate. This could require heat lamps in the colder months.
• They need special lighting, both day and night. The bulbs can be expensive. And they get hot, so in the summer you may need to change bulbs to keep the right temperature in the tank.
• Substrate isn't cheap and needs to be cleaned regularly. (We use a special reptile-safe sand.) And it needs to be completely changed periodically.
• Dragons are social creatures. You need to handle them frequently. They also need supervised exercise.
• Fresh fruit, vegetables and live crickets have a short shelf life. You will have to buy and prepare food frequently.
• Crickets stink. We buy 50-75 at a time and keep them in a separate tank, feeding only 8-12 at a time. We still have to go to the pet store at least once a week to buy bugs. Crickets have a high mortality rate. Since we only feed live crickets, many are thrown out.

Still interested in a bearded dragon? Check out The Bearded Dragon. This is the most comprehensive site I've found and all the information is free. And if you have/get a beardie, let me know!

 

 

We're joining Ruckus the Eskie and Earl's World in this Sepia Saturday hop. Click around and see what others are sharing today! -- K

 

Wordless Drogosaurus

I went to see Jurassic World. I have mixed feelings about it. I'll rant about that later. But for now, I'll share this:

King of  the Dinosaurs

Yep, we're still at it. Poor Drogo. Want to see more? Check out Drogo's Fashion Dragon page. The again, maybe you shouldn't. There's a good chance you'll never think of me the same way. Yikes.

This is a hop! Click below to see what others are sharing today. -- K

Happy 4th of July!

Drogo wants to wish everybody a happy -- and safe! -- 4th of July holiday weekend.

 

 

It's Wordless Wednesday! Click around and see what others are sharing today. -- K

 

 

Catching Up

No offense to the guy below, but
I prefer my reptiles to have legs and eyelids.

Wow, it's been a while since my last real post. Despite what it looks like, I've been doing more than just dressing up my lizard and taking pictures. In fact, something pretty big has happened. I was elected president of my local German Shepherd Dog club. This is a big deal, even bigger than I had imagined when I said yes. I'm still trying to process everything. I've discovered this newest endeavor is much like showing dogs -- it's harder than it looks. I'm looking for fun and exciting ways to reenergize the club. Any suggestions? (And like my dog show saga, I will share -- warts and all.)

 

The weather has gotten extremely hot, so we're putting our dog showing on hold for a bit. I am in no shape to be running around the ring in Hell-like heat! To keep Jedi from going stir crazy in the house, we're picking up nose work again. K-9 Obedience Club of Jacksonville is working hard to bring nose work trials and Odor Recognition Tests (ORTs) to north Florida. With some work -- and a bit of luck -- Jedi and I could earn titles in our own back yard! We've registered with the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) and have broken out the sweet birch oil. Unfortunately, the nose work classes at K-9 are full so we're just practicing on our own at the house. eek. We (OK, I) do much better with the accountability and structure of a class, so wish us lots of luck!

 

Actor portrayal, not the real snake

Work has been busy as well. I'll tell you all about it in a later post, but I'll share the weirdest call of the week with you right now: Yesterday a guy brought me a dead snake in a Ziploc bag. He told me it had just bitten his daughter and wanted to know if I could identify the snake. (I know! I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried!) I told him "I think it's a garter snake. However, I am not a snake expert. I strongly suggest you take your daughter to the doctor . . . and take your dead snake with you." And I said it with a straight face too!

Hope all is well with you. Until next time, stay cool. -- K

Awww...Poor Lizard Again!

Yep, still hot. We're still bored. And we're spending waaaay too much time at the craft and party stores. I'm afraid Store Security is going to put our faces on some strange BOLO, so we need to lay low for a bit. This will be the last of the Drogo Dress Up pictures -- for now. Enjoy.

We call this one "Thug Life." This one makes Hubby giggle.

Whazzup My Lizza! 

 

The skull is actually Drogo's basking rock from his tank. When I put it on the blanket he immediately climbed up on it and gave me the stink eye. How dare I mess with his precious rock? Too funny.

 

My Precious

 

I call this one "Party Animal." I was trying to play with light and effects all while keeping the lizard from licking the glass marbles.

Just so you know that this isn't ALL mischief, Hubby's boss is developing a game around Drogo's photos. He needed 20 different pics, so we've tried to be creative. I'll post a link to the game when it's ready to go. Until then, you can check out more of Drogo's photos on his Fashion Dragon page.

Anyway, this silliness is being linked up to the Awww...Monday and Monday Mischief blog hops. When you're tired of laughing at my lizard hop around and see what others are sharing today. -- K