I love my rats and have already written a bit about my rat Pippa on my blog so now I just have to write about her sister Poppy. Rats are best kept in pairs because they are intelligent and social creatures.
Poppy is a beautiful brown and white hooded rat. She is the dominat rat of the pair and also by far the most intelligent. She is also much more sociable and much less destructive than her sister Pippa.
The reason I decided to get these two rats from the pet shop was Poppy. Pippa was hiding at the time but Poppy was trying to climb out of a hole that had been chewed in their wooden vivarium. At the time I thought Poppy was the one that had chewed the hole, although I now suspect it was Pippa because she chews everything.
So Poppy was there with her head out the hole and her legs dangling down inside the vivarium. She was holding herself up there with her front paws, an impressive sight. She seemed really friendly and that made me decide to take her home. She has a very charming face.
It later turned out that Pippa was the brave one and Poppy was much more nervous. Poppy is always waiting in the morning and as soon as I go in the room she comes and begs for her breakfast. She is also pretty accurate at knowing what time I have my lunch, mostly because she has learned that I will give her a small piece of brown bread as a treat.
Poppy hates strange noises and when she gets frightened she runs to the corner of the sofa and sits there all hunched up. She is also far less keen to try new things. It took 2 days to get her to go in a rat ball and she only went in after watching her sister do so several times.
The thing I love most about Poppy is her affectionate nature. You can guarantee she will lick your fingers and sit on your hand while you stroke her lovely fluffy fur. Poppy and Pippa are so different from eachother but thats why they get on so well and are both so special to me. I would urge people that don't like rats to get to know a friendly pet rat and see if they change their mind.
Saturday 23 October 2010
Thursday 14 October 2010
An awesome animal encounter
I just wanted to share the amazing encounter I had today in my own back garden. I put out food for lots of different animals and often get to see them from my back door on feeders.
Today I went to the bottom of the garden to see if I could spot any birds in the tree waiting to come to the feeder. I thought if I stood next to the feeder and stayed really still they might come and get some food and give me a really nice view.
I admit I was being a little optomistic but there are some birds that are more tame than others. So here I was standing in the cold as it gently spat with rain hoping to maybe see a Great tit or a cheeky Robin up close. What I saw instead was unexpected and hugely exciting.
I should explain at this point that I was standing right next to the bird feeder which is just above my eye level at the bottom of my garden attached to the fence at the back of my garden but slightly higher than the fence so the birds can see if the cats are about. I don't own cats but there are plenty in my local area and they keep coming into my garden trying to kill birds, which they sometimes manage to do.
So back to today and as I stood there I could hear a sort of grinding twitter sound coming from the tree. I didn't recognize this sound but figured it was some type of bird. Then out it came from the tree. A familiar face but not one I have ever been so close to. I have photographed her so many times from my back door. I have blown up the photos on the computer which led me to be sure when I say "she" because there was no doubt when I saw her today that it was the brown faced female that visits my garden. A female Grey Squirrel!
I wondered if she would come near me if I stood really still. I tried not to stare her straight in the eye because I know wild animals find that threatening. I could still hear the strange noise in the tree.
Gradually she climbed onto the fence and crept closer then retreated then crept closer again. All the time she was swirling her bushy tail at me. I don't know if this meant she was afraid of me or was trying her best to scare me off.
After what seemed like forever she climbed back into the tree and up on to a huge steel fence that keeps people off the railway line over the back of my house. She walked along the upright section of this fence until she was level with my head but about 6ft above me. All the time this familiar noise was coming from her. The noise I had thought was a bird was actually her and even more amazing another one was answering her. I couldn't see the other squirrel but I could hear that it was in the tree.
She came down from the fence back into the tree, apparently satisfied that she had checked me out from a safe distance. I thought at that point she would leave but she did not. She spent another 5 or 10 minutes crawling along my fence then hiding back in the tree, still swishing her tail around. Then she came within a foot of where I was standing, leaning on the fence, and she climbed up on to the bird feeder. I could see her so close to me as she put her head into one of the bowls and took out a Hazelnut. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to crack the nut up there or retreat to the safety of her tree. Ultimately she decided to go back to the tree but she did not run away she just left at her own speed.
I decided at this point to go inside and get dry. I had been standing there at that fence for 45 minutes getting cold and damp but it was an amazing experience I will never forget. It is so special to be trusted by a wild animal enough to be allowed to watch it in its environment doing what it does.
Not only that but also the fact that I never knew squirrels made noises. I still don't know what the noise meant but I will try to find out. I'm still just so excited to see an animal that close in my own back garden. What a special treat!
Today I went to the bottom of the garden to see if I could spot any birds in the tree waiting to come to the feeder. I thought if I stood next to the feeder and stayed really still they might come and get some food and give me a really nice view.
I admit I was being a little optomistic but there are some birds that are more tame than others. So here I was standing in the cold as it gently spat with rain hoping to maybe see a Great tit or a cheeky Robin up close. What I saw instead was unexpected and hugely exciting.
I should explain at this point that I was standing right next to the bird feeder which is just above my eye level at the bottom of my garden attached to the fence at the back of my garden but slightly higher than the fence so the birds can see if the cats are about. I don't own cats but there are plenty in my local area and they keep coming into my garden trying to kill birds, which they sometimes manage to do.
So back to today and as I stood there I could hear a sort of grinding twitter sound coming from the tree. I didn't recognize this sound but figured it was some type of bird. Then out it came from the tree. A familiar face but not one I have ever been so close to. I have photographed her so many times from my back door. I have blown up the photos on the computer which led me to be sure when I say "she" because there was no doubt when I saw her today that it was the brown faced female that visits my garden. A female Grey Squirrel!
I wondered if she would come near me if I stood really still. I tried not to stare her straight in the eye because I know wild animals find that threatening. I could still hear the strange noise in the tree.
Gradually she climbed onto the fence and crept closer then retreated then crept closer again. All the time she was swirling her bushy tail at me. I don't know if this meant she was afraid of me or was trying her best to scare me off.
After what seemed like forever she climbed back into the tree and up on to a huge steel fence that keeps people off the railway line over the back of my house. She walked along the upright section of this fence until she was level with my head but about 6ft above me. All the time this familiar noise was coming from her. The noise I had thought was a bird was actually her and even more amazing another one was answering her. I couldn't see the other squirrel but I could hear that it was in the tree.
She came down from the fence back into the tree, apparently satisfied that she had checked me out from a safe distance. I thought at that point she would leave but she did not. She spent another 5 or 10 minutes crawling along my fence then hiding back in the tree, still swishing her tail around. Then she came within a foot of where I was standing, leaning on the fence, and she climbed up on to the bird feeder. I could see her so close to me as she put her head into one of the bowls and took out a Hazelnut. She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to crack the nut up there or retreat to the safety of her tree. Ultimately she decided to go back to the tree but she did not run away she just left at her own speed.
I decided at this point to go inside and get dry. I had been standing there at that fence for 45 minutes getting cold and damp but it was an amazing experience I will never forget. It is so special to be trusted by a wild animal enough to be allowed to watch it in its environment doing what it does.
Not only that but also the fact that I never knew squirrels made noises. I still don't know what the noise meant but I will try to find out. I'm still just so excited to see an animal that close in my own back garden. What a special treat!
Monday 11 October 2010
Pippa and her terrible teeth
I have two female rats right now called Poppy and Pippa. They have such different personalities, part of what makes them so special to me. I want to share a few of their funny little habits to show what rats are really like.
Pippa was the one in the pet shop that hid in the corner and looked nervous. I was expecting her to be the shrinking violet of the pair but I have been proved completely wrong.
It is true that Pippa is the subordinate rat and her sister will reinforce this by having a little wee on Pippa from time to time and sometimes rolling her over on her back and pinning her there until she starts squeaking. Luckily female rats rarely harm eachother when they have disputes and this is the case with Pippa and Poppy.
Pippa is not a scaredy rat at all. She is usually the one that clings to the cage wires and chews them to attract attention. She will do this anytime, but especially late at night and first thing in the morning when she is trying to let me know she wants her food.
Pippa is not the most intelligent rat I have ever had, far from it. She really loves to run around in her big blue plastic rat ball. Most of the other rats I have owned quickly get bored in their rat ball but not Pippa.
Pippa loves to jump on my shoulder. She launches herself from an armchair and lands on me. On one occasion she just aimed straight for my face. I have never had a rat do that before and I now have to be careful to make sure she doesn't do it again. I had scratches on my face for days and she wasn't far away from getting my eyes. She didn't mean to do it she just didn't understand that she can't land on my face.
Pippa has one major problem. She chews everything. I even took her to the vet to make sure there was no problem with her teeth. She chews the cage wires, the armchair and my t shirts. Everything that comes within reach goes straight in her mouth. My vet has assured me there is nothing wrong with her teeth so she is just a really naughty rat.
Pippa lives to eat but luckily she is so active that she does not get fat. There is no fat on her, she is just pure muscle. She never runs out of food so she doesn't chew everything out of hunger. Her favourite food is cucumber, one of the range of veg treats that she gets a small amount of.
Pippa is truly unique and I wouldn't change her for any other rat. I just have to come to terms with the fact that I am going to lose a t shirt or twenty during her time with me.
Pippa was the one in the pet shop that hid in the corner and looked nervous. I was expecting her to be the shrinking violet of the pair but I have been proved completely wrong.
It is true that Pippa is the subordinate rat and her sister will reinforce this by having a little wee on Pippa from time to time and sometimes rolling her over on her back and pinning her there until she starts squeaking. Luckily female rats rarely harm eachother when they have disputes and this is the case with Pippa and Poppy.
Pippa is not a scaredy rat at all. She is usually the one that clings to the cage wires and chews them to attract attention. She will do this anytime, but especially late at night and first thing in the morning when she is trying to let me know she wants her food.
Pippa is not the most intelligent rat I have ever had, far from it. She really loves to run around in her big blue plastic rat ball. Most of the other rats I have owned quickly get bored in their rat ball but not Pippa.
Pippa loves to jump on my shoulder. She launches herself from an armchair and lands on me. On one occasion she just aimed straight for my face. I have never had a rat do that before and I now have to be careful to make sure she doesn't do it again. I had scratches on my face for days and she wasn't far away from getting my eyes. She didn't mean to do it she just didn't understand that she can't land on my face.
Pippa has one major problem. She chews everything. I even took her to the vet to make sure there was no problem with her teeth. She chews the cage wires, the armchair and my t shirts. Everything that comes within reach goes straight in her mouth. My vet has assured me there is nothing wrong with her teeth so she is just a really naughty rat.
Pippa lives to eat but luckily she is so active that she does not get fat. There is no fat on her, she is just pure muscle. She never runs out of food so she doesn't chew everything out of hunger. Her favourite food is cucumber, one of the range of veg treats that she gets a small amount of.
Pippa is truly unique and I wouldn't change her for any other rat. I just have to come to terms with the fact that I am going to lose a t shirt or twenty during her time with me.
Monday 27 September 2010
The Photographer and the Starling
Starlings are such fascinating birds. They fly around in huge flocks and can empty a bird feeder in a few minutes. They are noisy and messy and generally not the most popular of all birds which I think is a shame.
The two things that fascinate me most about starlings are their amazing ability to mimic lots of other birds. I once had one land on the roof of my house and it made a harsh cry that sounded exactly like a magpie. I looked up expecting to see a magpie, one of my favourite birds, and instead this much smaller bird was sitting there. It is amazing how that starling could make such a loud noise when it is much smaller than a magpie and how it could mimic the sound so well.
I have spent ages trying to get nice photographs of s starling with mixed results. These birds are so busy and never seem to be around long enough to get a nice photo. They are also far less confiding than great tits or pigeons, making it impossible to get really close to them.
I have a wonderful 20x zoom lens on my camera that lets me zoom in really close to animals that are far away. The problem with this is that if the animal moves even a tiny bit the result is a blurry photo.
I tried photographing starlings on my bird feeder when they come rushing in to collect a beakful of mealworms. I got some really nice photos but the bird feeder always looks so dirty it spoils the photo. Unfortunately I am a perfectionist.
I decided I wanted a photo of a starling sitting in a tree. There is a nice tree that overhangs my back garden where I knew they would land. I think in the end it took me three weeks of patient waiting, crouching in the garden every day after putting out some mealworms, until I got the shot I wanted. Every single time I tried to take a photo the bird was looking the other way, or it moved. I have a lot of photos of a tree with a bit of tail sticking out and things like that.
I did finally get a photo I was pleased with, although being a perfectionist I would like it if the bird was looking towards me just a bit more, but overall I think the photo captures the beauty of this bird as it sits in the tree and the sunlight shines off its feathers.
The following photo is the one I took. Being a 12mp camera I was able to enlarge the photo slightly when I made it into a greeting card in my shop so the original is a little smaller but apart from that the photo is as it was when I took it.
Starling in a Spruce Tree Custom Birthday Card by Fallen_Angel_483
See more cards available at zazzle
The two things that fascinate me most about starlings are their amazing ability to mimic lots of other birds. I once had one land on the roof of my house and it made a harsh cry that sounded exactly like a magpie. I looked up expecting to see a magpie, one of my favourite birds, and instead this much smaller bird was sitting there. It is amazing how that starling could make such a loud noise when it is much smaller than a magpie and how it could mimic the sound so well.
I have spent ages trying to get nice photographs of s starling with mixed results. These birds are so busy and never seem to be around long enough to get a nice photo. They are also far less confiding than great tits or pigeons, making it impossible to get really close to them.
I have a wonderful 20x zoom lens on my camera that lets me zoom in really close to animals that are far away. The problem with this is that if the animal moves even a tiny bit the result is a blurry photo.
I tried photographing starlings on my bird feeder when they come rushing in to collect a beakful of mealworms. I got some really nice photos but the bird feeder always looks so dirty it spoils the photo. Unfortunately I am a perfectionist.
I decided I wanted a photo of a starling sitting in a tree. There is a nice tree that overhangs my back garden where I knew they would land. I think in the end it took me three weeks of patient waiting, crouching in the garden every day after putting out some mealworms, until I got the shot I wanted. Every single time I tried to take a photo the bird was looking the other way, or it moved. I have a lot of photos of a tree with a bit of tail sticking out and things like that.
I did finally get a photo I was pleased with, although being a perfectionist I would like it if the bird was looking towards me just a bit more, but overall I think the photo captures the beauty of this bird as it sits in the tree and the sunlight shines off its feathers.
The following photo is the one I took. Being a 12mp camera I was able to enlarge the photo slightly when I made it into a greeting card in my shop so the original is a little smaller but apart from that the photo is as it was when I took it.
Starling in a Spruce Tree Custom Birthday Card by Fallen_Angel_483
See more cards available at zazzle
Thursday 23 September 2010
The Joy of rats
I might have mentioned once or twice that I really like rats. I have kept a lot of animals and I have to say I think you can't do better than a rat. I admit never having owned a dog or cat, or really worked with them much either, but rats are amazing.
I have had a lot of rats, most of them rescued. I have had babies that I got from pet shops and ones from breeders too.
I have noticed that males, known as bucks, tend to be a bit cleaner than females (does). I am not sure why this would be the case.
One particular favourite rat was Snowball. I rehomed him from a pet shop. He was quite an old rat when I got him and I quickly discovered that he hadn't been handled very much. He was a Himalayan colour, not your everyday pet shop rat, so I suspect his previous owner was using him as a breeding buck to produce show quality babies. Maybe he got too old to breed from so they just gave him away.
Snowball was a large rat and his fur was a beautiful white colour, apart from his nose and bottom that were brown, the typical Himalayan markings. He had to live alone because you can't put adult male rats together or they will fight to the death. All my rescued females were not spayed so he couldn't live with them.
Snowball took quite a bit of taming. He was not a vicious rat at all but he was not used to hands and every time I tried to pick him up he tried to bite. This was just his way of defending himself and not his fault at all.
In the case of a nervous rat that will bite I tend to find using something like a towel to get them out of the cage works really well. Once he was out of his cage he was no longer territorial and soon got used to the idea of sitting on my lap and letting me stroke him.
Snowy never became a cuddly pet but as long as he was happy that was the main thing. He would tend to sleep a lot being an old rat and slept on my sofa. At the end of the day he had learned that he was going into his cage for the night and would crawl onto my hand and let me put him home.
I don't really like to talk too much about the end of any of my animals but it is enough to say that he got sleepy and doddery like a proper old man. He began to go off his food and eventually would only take soft food like weetabix and baby food. Fortunately nature took its course and he died in his sleep before I had to make the decision to have him put to sleep by my vet.
What I will always remember about Snowy is the time I brought him home from the pet shop. I had to take the cage apart to get it in my friends car and had him just sitting in a tube which he could have run out of at any minute. It was far from ideal. When I got him home I just put my hand in the tube and picked him up. I was so greatful to him that he chose not to bite me that day. It was clear from his behaviour in his cage that if I put my hand in there he was going to let me have it.
It isn't ideal having to get your pet out all wrapped in a towel but to be fair to him he was a rehomed animal that hadn't been handled by his previous owner and he was perfectly fine once he was out of his cage.
Rats are not vicious animals at all. My current pair Pippa and Poppy are so sweet. They came from a pet shop but were babies when I got them. The shop hadn't handled them at all. They are so clever they learned to come out and let me pick them up. I have no doubt in my mind about them. They will not bite. They are such rewarding pets to keep and Pip and Pop both know their names so they come when they are called. You won't find a better pet than a rat I am sure of it.
Here are some things from my shop that feature a photo of Snowball so you can appreciate how beautiful my big boy was.
I have had a lot of rats, most of them rescued. I have had babies that I got from pet shops and ones from breeders too.
I have noticed that males, known as bucks, tend to be a bit cleaner than females (does). I am not sure why this would be the case.
One particular favourite rat was Snowball. I rehomed him from a pet shop. He was quite an old rat when I got him and I quickly discovered that he hadn't been handled very much. He was a Himalayan colour, not your everyday pet shop rat, so I suspect his previous owner was using him as a breeding buck to produce show quality babies. Maybe he got too old to breed from so they just gave him away.
Snowball was a large rat and his fur was a beautiful white colour, apart from his nose and bottom that were brown, the typical Himalayan markings. He had to live alone because you can't put adult male rats together or they will fight to the death. All my rescued females were not spayed so he couldn't live with them.
Snowball took quite a bit of taming. He was not a vicious rat at all but he was not used to hands and every time I tried to pick him up he tried to bite. This was just his way of defending himself and not his fault at all.
In the case of a nervous rat that will bite I tend to find using something like a towel to get them out of the cage works really well. Once he was out of his cage he was no longer territorial and soon got used to the idea of sitting on my lap and letting me stroke him.
Snowy never became a cuddly pet but as long as he was happy that was the main thing. He would tend to sleep a lot being an old rat and slept on my sofa. At the end of the day he had learned that he was going into his cage for the night and would crawl onto my hand and let me put him home.
I don't really like to talk too much about the end of any of my animals but it is enough to say that he got sleepy and doddery like a proper old man. He began to go off his food and eventually would only take soft food like weetabix and baby food. Fortunately nature took its course and he died in his sleep before I had to make the decision to have him put to sleep by my vet.
What I will always remember about Snowy is the time I brought him home from the pet shop. I had to take the cage apart to get it in my friends car and had him just sitting in a tube which he could have run out of at any minute. It was far from ideal. When I got him home I just put my hand in the tube and picked him up. I was so greatful to him that he chose not to bite me that day. It was clear from his behaviour in his cage that if I put my hand in there he was going to let me have it.
It isn't ideal having to get your pet out all wrapped in a towel but to be fair to him he was a rehomed animal that hadn't been handled by his previous owner and he was perfectly fine once he was out of his cage.
Rats are not vicious animals at all. My current pair Pippa and Poppy are so sweet. They came from a pet shop but were babies when I got them. The shop hadn't handled them at all. They are so clever they learned to come out and let me pick them up. I have no doubt in my mind about them. They will not bite. They are such rewarding pets to keep and Pip and Pop both know their names so they come when they are called. You won't find a better pet than a rat I am sure of it.
Here are some things from my shop that feature a photo of Snowball so you can appreciate how beautiful my big boy was.
Saturday 18 September 2010
All about Degus
A Degu is a small Chilean rodent that has gradially become a hugely popular pet. You can find them in most pet shops in London these days and most rescue and rehoming centres too. So what makes the Degu so popular and why are so many of them ending up as unwanted pets?
I have a lot of personal experience with Degus. I owned 3 males that I rehomed from someone that was no longer able to look after them. I have also looked after countless Degus for friends while they holiday.
Degus are small grown Chilean rodents that are closely related to Chinchillas and Guinea Pigs. They are sociable animals that live in groups in the wild. They are prey to ground predators as well as birds of prey. They are excellent burrowers and will work together to dig their burrows.
Degus do make good pets but they are not the easiest animals to look after. They look very cute and appealing in pet shops and their obvious intelligence makes them a popular choice.
Degus do have their negative points. They have a very concentrated urine that can ruin carpets and any other soft surface they urinate on. They can be destructive and will pull in and chew things if they can reach them. They can be fast if not tame and occasionally one will bite if it is sufficiently frightened. They require a special diet and do have some health problems that they are more likely to suffer from than other rodents.
The good points of Degus are their charm and intelligence, their lack of odout and the entertaining noises they make.
If you plan on keeping Degus get more than one Degu and unless you want to breed them, which I wouldn't advise as there are too many unloved Degus out there needing homes, get a pair or group of unrelated females or males.
Degus must have a proper diet. Failure to provided it is likely to result in the Degu getting Diabetes. The Degu spends its time grazing on grass with a low nutritional value in the wild. It cannot digest simple sugars properly and needs a special Degu food available in pet shops and constant access to a good quality hay such as Timothy hay. You can give your Degu treats such as grass from your garden, dandelion leaves or clover. Any treats are just that and should only be given in moderation.
Degus also require constant access to fresh water from a water bottle. Unfiltered water is what they need as filtered water has some important minerals removed during the filtration process. Degus need these minerals. There is a mineral in fresh water that makes Degu teeth orange and if your degu doesn't have orange teeth this is a sign it is not healthy.
Another important thing is a sand bath. Degus require a container full of sand to roll around in. This is how they keep their fur clean and prevent too much grease building up. The ideal situation is to have a bath available for them all the time but at least a couple of times a week is vital.
Degus will need a big cage and things to do. They will run in exercise wheels and the complete plastic ones are the best as the ones with treads can be dangerous. A multi level cage with places to hide, dig and climb is ideal for degus.
Degus that are cared for properly can still have problems. The most common is cateracts. These are white growths inside they eyes that ultimately leave the animal blind. There is no cure and these can often appear in Degus, probably because of inbreeding.
One of the degus less endearing habits is that they eat their own pooh. They do this so they can digest all the complex carbs in their diet. It is normal and is also done by other pets like hamsters and rabbits.
My three wise men were rehomed from someone that just didn't have the time to keep cleaning them out and handling them. They were tame when they came to me and quickly learned when they were going to be fed. I noticed that they had a pecking order. The same Degu would always eat first. He turned out to be the one that lived the longest and I named him Chatterbox becuase he was always making noises at the others and at me too. Degu disputes were always solved by squeaks and I never saw any biting.
Degus can live 8 years or more. My rescued Degus were not young and after a year and a half I was left with just Chatterbox. He looked bored and depressed in his cage so I had him out all day on a chair and only put him in his cage when I had to go out. He slept in his cage too but was always so keen to get out and spend time with me in the morning.
He used to sleep on me. He would wake up turn over click his teeth then go back to sleep. I never found out what this meant. I guess I don't speak Degu. He also had a funny habit of dropping his pooh from the top of the chair at a certain spot where it would bounce off a tin and make a noise. He seemed to find some amusement in this.
When he did eventually pass away it was a gradual decline into old age. He slept more and more and ate less and less and one morning he wasn't there waiting to come out as always and then I knew he was gone forever.
It was a very special thing when the first thing I ever sold in my shop was a magnet featuring a photo of my beloved Degu. Since then I have also sold a greeting card with his photo on. It is very special to me that I can share my memories of him in this way.
Here are some things I made featuring my little Degu Chatterbox, starting with the two things that have sold from my shop.
I have a lot of personal experience with Degus. I owned 3 males that I rehomed from someone that was no longer able to look after them. I have also looked after countless Degus for friends while they holiday.
Degus are small grown Chilean rodents that are closely related to Chinchillas and Guinea Pigs. They are sociable animals that live in groups in the wild. They are prey to ground predators as well as birds of prey. They are excellent burrowers and will work together to dig their burrows.
Degus do make good pets but they are not the easiest animals to look after. They look very cute and appealing in pet shops and their obvious intelligence makes them a popular choice.
Degus do have their negative points. They have a very concentrated urine that can ruin carpets and any other soft surface they urinate on. They can be destructive and will pull in and chew things if they can reach them. They can be fast if not tame and occasionally one will bite if it is sufficiently frightened. They require a special diet and do have some health problems that they are more likely to suffer from than other rodents.
The good points of Degus are their charm and intelligence, their lack of odout and the entertaining noises they make.
If you plan on keeping Degus get more than one Degu and unless you want to breed them, which I wouldn't advise as there are too many unloved Degus out there needing homes, get a pair or group of unrelated females or males.
Degus must have a proper diet. Failure to provided it is likely to result in the Degu getting Diabetes. The Degu spends its time grazing on grass with a low nutritional value in the wild. It cannot digest simple sugars properly and needs a special Degu food available in pet shops and constant access to a good quality hay such as Timothy hay. You can give your Degu treats such as grass from your garden, dandelion leaves or clover. Any treats are just that and should only be given in moderation.
Degus also require constant access to fresh water from a water bottle. Unfiltered water is what they need as filtered water has some important minerals removed during the filtration process. Degus need these minerals. There is a mineral in fresh water that makes Degu teeth orange and if your degu doesn't have orange teeth this is a sign it is not healthy.
Another important thing is a sand bath. Degus require a container full of sand to roll around in. This is how they keep their fur clean and prevent too much grease building up. The ideal situation is to have a bath available for them all the time but at least a couple of times a week is vital.
Degus will need a big cage and things to do. They will run in exercise wheels and the complete plastic ones are the best as the ones with treads can be dangerous. A multi level cage with places to hide, dig and climb is ideal for degus.
Degus that are cared for properly can still have problems. The most common is cateracts. These are white growths inside they eyes that ultimately leave the animal blind. There is no cure and these can often appear in Degus, probably because of inbreeding.
One of the degus less endearing habits is that they eat their own pooh. They do this so they can digest all the complex carbs in their diet. It is normal and is also done by other pets like hamsters and rabbits.
My three wise men were rehomed from someone that just didn't have the time to keep cleaning them out and handling them. They were tame when they came to me and quickly learned when they were going to be fed. I noticed that they had a pecking order. The same Degu would always eat first. He turned out to be the one that lived the longest and I named him Chatterbox becuase he was always making noises at the others and at me too. Degu disputes were always solved by squeaks and I never saw any biting.
Degus can live 8 years or more. My rescued Degus were not young and after a year and a half I was left with just Chatterbox. He looked bored and depressed in his cage so I had him out all day on a chair and only put him in his cage when I had to go out. He slept in his cage too but was always so keen to get out and spend time with me in the morning.
He used to sleep on me. He would wake up turn over click his teeth then go back to sleep. I never found out what this meant. I guess I don't speak Degu. He also had a funny habit of dropping his pooh from the top of the chair at a certain spot where it would bounce off a tin and make a noise. He seemed to find some amusement in this.
When he did eventually pass away it was a gradual decline into old age. He slept more and more and ate less and less and one morning he wasn't there waiting to come out as always and then I knew he was gone forever.
It was a very special thing when the first thing I ever sold in my shop was a magnet featuring a photo of my beloved Degu. Since then I have also sold a greeting card with his photo on. It is very special to me that I can share my memories of him in this way.
Here are some things I made featuring my little Degu Chatterbox, starting with the two things that have sold from my shop.
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Beast or Beauty?
The Large White Butterfly, Pieris brassicae, also known as the Cabbage White, is a common visitor to my garden and with very good reason. This butterfly is a very beautiful creature but is best known as a pest of vegetable crops, particularly cabbages, but it also feeds on other Brassicas such as Broccoli and Brussels. It may also incur the wrath of some gardeners with its taste for Nasturtium leaves.
It is actually the caterpillar that causes the problems as the butterfly is merely the egg-layer and does not damage the crops itself. The adult butterfly feeds on nectar, which it collects from lots of wildflowers including common garden weeds such as Dandelion, Thistle and Bluebell.
This particular butterfly begins laying eggs in spring. The larvae will quickly hatch and gorge themselves on the foodplant they have hatched on. They are quite a mobile species and will move to neighbouring plants. They begin by sticking together when they first hatch but soon move away from eachother to find fresh leaves to feed on.
This caterpillar doesn't have things entirely its own way. There is a parasitic fly that injects its eggs into this species of caterpillar. The eggs hatch into larvae which feed on the caterpillar. When sufficiently full the larvae burst out through the skin of the caterpillar. They will then spin a silken coccoon in which they change into wasps then hatch and fly away to start the cycle over again. This gruseome sight is very common but does not aid the gardener as the caterpillars continue to feed on the crops while the parasite develops inside them. Once the parasites beak out the caterpillar stops feeding and twitches defensively when you go near it. It is basically tricked by the parasites into guarding them until they are safely in their coccoons. The caterpillar then starves and dies.
A second brood of caterpillars hatch later in the summer and will overwinter in the form a a pupa to hatch in spring and begin the cycle again. THere is another species of butterfly called the small white. This is, as you might expect, smaller than the large white and the caterpillar is a velvety green colour, whereas the Large White caterpillar is a mottled mixture of greens and yellows.
I grow Broccoli and Brussels in my vegetable patch and I also typically grow some nasturtiums in a wild section of my garden. I see a lot of both Large and Small White butterflies in my garden and many of their caterpillars on my crops.
I can't bring myself to but bug spray and kill them all off. Instead I make a trade off with them. I bring the caterpillars indoors and keep them in containers. They munch on my old Broccoli leaves that will wither and die if left on the plants. This way my crops are safe, as long as I check for caterpillars every day, and they get to live and become butterflies.
This system works very well and I get the pleasure of releasing the adult butterflies back into the garden where they belong when they emerge from their chrysalis.
On one occasion I was fortunate enough to have my camera handy when one landed on a Cape Daisy flower in my garden. I don't know if it was taking nectar from the flower or just having a quick rest.
I managed to get a lovely photo of this butterfly, which I was later able to identify as a female based on the spots on its wings. I made this image into lots of different products in my zazzle store Natural Beauty. I'm hoping my dedication to this much hated pest might bring me a reward in the shape of an odd sale here and there. If not no matter I will carry on caring for the last few caterpillars of this year and start anew next year with another generation of hungry mouths to feed.
Here are some products featuring a photo of the butterfly I raised and released that sat on the Cape daisy flower for just enough time to allow me to get the shot.
Butterfly and Pink Flower Ladies T Shirt by Fallen_Angel_483
Browse zazzle for a different tshirt zazzle.com
It is actually the caterpillar that causes the problems as the butterfly is merely the egg-layer and does not damage the crops itself. The adult butterfly feeds on nectar, which it collects from lots of wildflowers including common garden weeds such as Dandelion, Thistle and Bluebell.
This particular butterfly begins laying eggs in spring. The larvae will quickly hatch and gorge themselves on the foodplant they have hatched on. They are quite a mobile species and will move to neighbouring plants. They begin by sticking together when they first hatch but soon move away from eachother to find fresh leaves to feed on.
This caterpillar doesn't have things entirely its own way. There is a parasitic fly that injects its eggs into this species of caterpillar. The eggs hatch into larvae which feed on the caterpillar. When sufficiently full the larvae burst out through the skin of the caterpillar. They will then spin a silken coccoon in which they change into wasps then hatch and fly away to start the cycle over again. This gruseome sight is very common but does not aid the gardener as the caterpillars continue to feed on the crops while the parasite develops inside them. Once the parasites beak out the caterpillar stops feeding and twitches defensively when you go near it. It is basically tricked by the parasites into guarding them until they are safely in their coccoons. The caterpillar then starves and dies.
A second brood of caterpillars hatch later in the summer and will overwinter in the form a a pupa to hatch in spring and begin the cycle again. THere is another species of butterfly called the small white. This is, as you might expect, smaller than the large white and the caterpillar is a velvety green colour, whereas the Large White caterpillar is a mottled mixture of greens and yellows.
I grow Broccoli and Brussels in my vegetable patch and I also typically grow some nasturtiums in a wild section of my garden. I see a lot of both Large and Small White butterflies in my garden and many of their caterpillars on my crops.
I can't bring myself to but bug spray and kill them all off. Instead I make a trade off with them. I bring the caterpillars indoors and keep them in containers. They munch on my old Broccoli leaves that will wither and die if left on the plants. This way my crops are safe, as long as I check for caterpillars every day, and they get to live and become butterflies.
This system works very well and I get the pleasure of releasing the adult butterflies back into the garden where they belong when they emerge from their chrysalis.
On one occasion I was fortunate enough to have my camera handy when one landed on a Cape Daisy flower in my garden. I don't know if it was taking nectar from the flower or just having a quick rest.
I managed to get a lovely photo of this butterfly, which I was later able to identify as a female based on the spots on its wings. I made this image into lots of different products in my zazzle store Natural Beauty. I'm hoping my dedication to this much hated pest might bring me a reward in the shape of an odd sale here and there. If not no matter I will carry on caring for the last few caterpillars of this year and start anew next year with another generation of hungry mouths to feed.
Here are some products featuring a photo of the butterfly I raised and released that sat on the Cape daisy flower for just enough time to allow me to get the shot.
Butterfly and Pink Flower Ladies T Shirt by Fallen_Angel_483
Browse zazzle for a different tshirt zazzle.com
Sunday 12 September 2010
Me and my goldfish
I have a small fish pond in my garden. I was given some fish to put in it and they get along fine with the newts that were already living there.
All the fun started last October when some unseasonally mild weather caused the fish to spawn. They should be spawning in the spring so their babies can grow big enough to survive the winter at the bottom of the pond. You actually stop feeding outdoor fish when the weather turns cold and they survive on what animal and plant matter they can find at the bottom of the pond.
I was so worried about the little things that I scooped them out and put them in a tank. I decided I couldn't let them die so they came in the house and I reared them.
It was only a small tank and I knew a lot of the smaller ones would be eaten by the bigger ones as happens in nature. I had to get water fleas from the pet shop every week to feed them on in addition to fish food to help keep them healthy.
Every day through the freezing cold winter, which by the way I completely hate, I had to siphon out half the water in the tank to keep it clean. It was a chore of epic proportions but ultimately after about 6 months caring for these tiny fish they grew up and got their freedom.
It was actually quite emotional for me when I released 22 young fish into the pond. After 6 months looking after them I had grown fond of them even though they didn't appear to feel the same about me for some reason.
I am happy to report that coming up to this winter those fish are still out there and doing very well. I cleaned out the pond in the summer this year and found that they had grown enormously. I also discovered to my complete shock that there were smaller fish in there that seem to have been too big to have been born this year. This makes me wonder if I missed some last October and they made it all on their own. Maybe I got wet and cold all winter for nothing last year who knows. At least I feel like I did the right thing.
Here is a photo I took of one of those fish and added to some products in my store.
Oh and if you don't have a wicked sense of humor you should probably not click on the first one.
All the fun started last October when some unseasonally mild weather caused the fish to spawn. They should be spawning in the spring so their babies can grow big enough to survive the winter at the bottom of the pond. You actually stop feeding outdoor fish when the weather turns cold and they survive on what animal and plant matter they can find at the bottom of the pond.
I was so worried about the little things that I scooped them out and put them in a tank. I decided I couldn't let them die so they came in the house and I reared them.
It was only a small tank and I knew a lot of the smaller ones would be eaten by the bigger ones as happens in nature. I had to get water fleas from the pet shop every week to feed them on in addition to fish food to help keep them healthy.
Every day through the freezing cold winter, which by the way I completely hate, I had to siphon out half the water in the tank to keep it clean. It was a chore of epic proportions but ultimately after about 6 months caring for these tiny fish they grew up and got their freedom.
It was actually quite emotional for me when I released 22 young fish into the pond. After 6 months looking after them I had grown fond of them even though they didn't appear to feel the same about me for some reason.
I am happy to report that coming up to this winter those fish are still out there and doing very well. I cleaned out the pond in the summer this year and found that they had grown enormously. I also discovered to my complete shock that there were smaller fish in there that seem to have been too big to have been born this year. This makes me wonder if I missed some last October and they made it all on their own. Maybe I got wet and cold all winter for nothing last year who knows. At least I feel like I did the right thing.
Here is a photo I took of one of those fish and added to some products in my store.
Oh and if you don't have a wicked sense of humor you should probably not click on the first one.
Thursday 9 September 2010
My carnations are blooming in September!
Went out into the garden this morning as usual to check the crops and found that a couple of my carnations are flowering again. They had all finished during all the unseasonally harsh wind and rain that we have had but now apparently a couple of them have decided to flower again.
These carnations really do get better with age. They are now in their second year and have produced much earlier than they did in their first year and there were many more flowers.
I do find that they are the most difficult flower to photograph. Not sure what it is about them that makes them look awful in almost every photo I take.
Here are some products I made with my best carnation flower photos to date. I guess now mine are having a second flurry of activity I should get out there and try again to photograph these beautiful flowers!
These carnations really do get better with age. They are now in their second year and have produced much earlier than they did in their first year and there were many more flowers.
I do find that they are the most difficult flower to photograph. Not sure what it is about them that makes them look awful in almost every photo I take.
Here are some products I made with my best carnation flower photos to date. I guess now mine are having a second flurry of activity I should get out there and try again to photograph these beautiful flowers!
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Delightful Digitalis
Digitalis is both a pretty flower and a really useful medicianl plant. If you think you haven't heard of it before you might recognize it by its more common name Foxglove.
Foxgloves come in a range of colors and in the UK they grow in gradens, often turning up without being planted. The seeds are blown on the wind and are quick to turn into wonderful plants that will grow year after year and provide food for insects and a great deal of joy to a gardener.
You may also be thankful to this plant if you suffer from certain heart conditions and take medication for them. Check on the ingredients list for Digoxin. That is the active ingredient extracted from the foxglove. The ingredient is obtained from the leaves of the plant.
Here are some products from my store that I made using a macro photograph of a Foxglove petal. You can clearly see that there is much more to this pretty plant than meets the eye.
Foxgloves come in a range of colors and in the UK they grow in gradens, often turning up without being planted. The seeds are blown on the wind and are quick to turn into wonderful plants that will grow year after year and provide food for insects and a great deal of joy to a gardener.
You may also be thankful to this plant if you suffer from certain heart conditions and take medication for them. Check on the ingredients list for Digoxin. That is the active ingredient extracted from the foxglove. The ingredient is obtained from the leaves of the plant.
Here are some products from my store that I made using a macro photograph of a Foxglove petal. You can clearly see that there is much more to this pretty plant than meets the eye.
Saturday 4 September 2010
Iris Surprise
I have a really small pond in my garden where the fish and the newts battle for supremacy. I only have room for two pond plants, the water marigold and the water Iris. The Iris has always been a favourite of mine becuase of its pretty purple flowers.
I finally got round to adding a photo of it to some products in my store yesterday and woke up today to find that one of the products had already sold. It looks like people love that little flower as much as I do.
Here are some of the lovely things I made with my favourite photo of my favourite pond plant.
I finally got round to adding a photo of it to some products in my store yesterday and woke up today to find that one of the products had already sold. It looks like people love that little flower as much as I do.
Here are some of the lovely things I made with my favourite photo of my favourite pond plant.
Thursday 2 September 2010
Funky Flower Beetles
I know that bugs aren't everyones cup of tea but flower beetles are really cool. They feed on pollen and not surprisingly, given their name, they are often found on flowers. Sound pretty normal so far but wait I haven't got on to the good bit yet.
These guys are sometimes known as fat legged beetles simply because the males have chubby little legs.
Here are some products from my store featuring the funny looking male flower beetle, enjoy!
These guys are sometimes known as fat legged beetles simply because the males have chubby little legs.
Here are some products from my store featuring the funny looking male flower beetle, enjoy!
Sunday 29 August 2010
Know your local patch
Just a quick message for all the people that want to go out and get great photos of wildlife. It is so important to know your local patch. I recently went down to my local woods to try to photograph some animals.
On the way was a piece of land that I have walked past hundereds of times without much thought but when I stopped to look at the seemingly empty area of long grass I was amazed to see two hares bounding around and grazing amongst the grass.
I got some long distance shots thanks to my zoom lens and this made my day even more than the squirrel that I tracked in the woods and photographed as it fed on an acorn.
Sometimes the most empty piece of land is the most full. Take a stroll around near where you live and see if you can find any hidden gems that you never knew about. It will definately make your day.
On the way was a piece of land that I have walked past hundereds of times without much thought but when I stopped to look at the seemingly empty area of long grass I was amazed to see two hares bounding around and grazing amongst the grass.
I got some long distance shots thanks to my zoom lens and this made my day even more than the squirrel that I tracked in the woods and photographed as it fed on an acorn.
Sometimes the most empty piece of land is the most full. Take a stroll around near where you live and see if you can find any hidden gems that you never knew about. It will definately make your day.
Thursday 26 August 2010
All the small things
I love to use macro photography to capture small insects and plants in lots of detail. It is often amazing when you see a macro photo blown up large on the computer screen for the first time and you marvel at the detail and complexity of nature. Even animals and plants that you completely take for granted can be so fascinating when you view them this close.
Here are some amazing macro photos on products in my Zazzle store Natural Beauty.
Here are some amazing macro photos on products in my Zazzle store Natural Beauty.
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