Category: Other Exotics

2019 in Review

On By Wildlife Education by BernieIn C. Lynx, Other Exotics1 Comment

Well, 2019 was a heartbreaking and busy year for us. We lost two cats, Teddy in March who had a stomach mass and Spooky in September who we believe had cancer. Both were about 12 years old, obtained the same year (they were dumped) and both had the same eye removed due to health reasons over the years that we had them. They had to have been brothers but different litters and found their way to our house needing to be neutered, of course. Both were between 6 months and a year old.

My sister got married May 11th after 10 years of being together but then he had a stroke and died June 7th. She is still struggling.

And then I lost Willow Ferret in November. She just stopped eating, became lethargic and the vet said she had a heart condition. She was a bit over 4 years old. I have yet to own a Marshall-bred ferret live to 6 years old. I  believe they are inbred.  December 8th I rescued two adorable little ferrets but they are middle to late in age. Frankie is 3 and Frannie is 2 but I will love them like crazy in the little time that I’ll have them.

Poppy rabbit got a new hutch. Oh boy, that was a chore to put together but it gives her a chance to be on grass and out in fresh air. She loves it. Max loves it too as he can watch her from his enclosure. Enrichment! I have to move the hutch every couple weeks to give her fresh grass.

Lots of improvements were made to Max’s enclosure. I took down the wire roofing which was right under the barn roof. I had to attach it to the sides of the barn beams from the sides of the panels, so the little devil could not leap over the fencing. I never finished two sections but he hasn’t noticed.

May I installed bamboo fencing to give one end a cozy feeling. Of course I had to add Plexiglas behind it to protect the metal panels from rusting when he marks his territory. So, not a cheap improvement. I found a fake boulder online and purchased it. Max loves to hide behind it as if I can’t see him!

In June I created a corner cubby for the boy. It was not fun because the fencing had been delivered in the rain and got warped in their boxes but I managed. I finally got around to painting the shelving and bottom pallet in September.

In November, I hauled a dead tree into the enclosure and balanced a portion of it on the fake boulder. Now, Max loves the big old scratching post! I also built him an elevated walkway for days in the winter when it floods or gets icy. On the ramp, I had to add wooden rungs for Max to steady himself. I haven’t had a chance to post a video of him on YouTube using it but it’s on my to-do list. It took me days to get the posts in and then the shelving all before the snow and frost showed up!

I dialed it down with programs during the year. I presented five and Max was in four of them.

Frankie – 3
Frannie – 2
A backyard visitor – Red-tailed Hawk
Another visitor – Grey Fox
Poppy’s Hutch
Poppy!
Fake Boulder & bamboo fencing
Max was hiding behind Boulder
A big rock
Is it real?
A moment of contemplation
Before
After
After painting
Corner Cubby
Scratch me please!
Ooh Yoga Kitty
Oh yes, I am High (wired so he can’t get over the fence)
I sleep high
Dead tree
Dead tree tapered down
Dead tree in enclosure
A hiding spot
Sniffing
Enjoying the weather
Cat in the Box
Elevated Walkway
Max enjoying the Walk
connects to other enclosure
Sitting Pretty

2020, I plan having a loft built under the pole barn on one side. Good friends Christine, Evan & Vinnie the cat have helped financially. I’m not sure when it will be completed but the contractor is good, reliable and says he will get it done.

A Name is Born

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What’s in a name? Naming an animal is sometimes easy and sometimes not. We had a difficult time naming my new hedgehog. We took all the suggestions by you and picked our favorites. Then threw them in a jar & picked one out. The winner was Quillie Nelson Hedgehog UNTIL I was sitting at the table with the little guy and he was eating out of my hand but the least bit of movement sent him into all quills. He twitched this way and then that way and it occurred to me that his name should be Twitch. And so a name was born. Meet Twitch Hedgehog.

Twitch Hedgehog
Twitch Hedgehog

Baby on Board

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Since I lost my two hedgehogs and following them Miss Pansy ferret, I needed the hole in my heart filled and we now have a new face in the house.

His name is …..??? No name yet. I’m grabbing suggestions from my Facebook friends. He’s a wee lad of 8 weeks old (born 1/15/15) with a pinto coloring or a high white pinto coloring. I’m going to have to research those colors. He’s all white with three patches of black down his back. Anyways, he is friendly but cautious. I gave him this big cage with three levels and sure enough he investigated every inch and found he really liked his wheel. He does like to snuggle but I didn’t want to overwhelm him too much. I’ll give him more hands-on as time flies.

Blue Monday

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Mondays are hard enough but harder when you are faced with putting your two hedgehogs to rest. 
Sweet Henry (3.5 yrs old) was living out the last of his days in a luxury cage when he developed an orbital tumor in front of his eye. Then other health issues began too. He went to the vets last week along with Harry (1.5 yrs old) who had an eye issue also. It should be noted that they were in separate domiciles. Although Harry would not uncurl, the vet determined that they both had conjunctivitis and I received ointment for each for twice daily medicating the eye. Henry was easy sine Henry was sweet. Harry, on the other hand remained curled up. We tried everything to get him to uncurl. It only made him frustrated taking it out on himself by biting himself and ripping his third eyelid when we did get the ointment close. After a week when there was no progress, I made that very tough decision. 
This morning it was determined that Henry didn’t have conjunctivitis but it was indeed a tumor. I figured that he got it because Harry chewed off his ear tip last year. It was the same eye and who’s to say that infection didn’t lead to a tumor. The vet thought it was unlikely. Harry evidently scratched his eye on the shavings when the parrot ventured into his cage sending him in a protective spiny fury. Or it could have been my footsteps. Harry was received last year at this time and he was unsociable then. He did not improve with age. Being not able to medicate him meant a slow death and I could not allow that to happen even to this primitive unsocial animal.
So, that’s how my day began and ended with a migraine after work. When I arrived at home, I was trying to discuss a wildlife program on the phone and Burt Parrot was screaming as always. I let her out and she wandered around my bed talking until I finished my conversation. I went over to her as I have done for the past four years and kissed the top of her head. Only this time she grabbed my nose and chomped down. What the heck? I just couldn’t understand it. She is always affectionate on the bed. I rushed to the kitchen and place an ice pack on my face after putting the portable phone down on the table. Portable phone. That was the trigger. She does not like the camera in my hand or anything. Perhaps she thought she was going to get her nails trimmed again with the dremel as she did last week. I don’t know what she was thinking but I do know my nose hurts and another hard lesson was learned. Have nothing in your hand when you are interacting with your parrot!
Is it Tuesday yet?

Grafton Lakes Winterfest 2015

On By Wildlife Education by BernieIn C. Lynx, Exhibitions, Other Exotics, Program ThemesLeave a comment

It was a fabulous event with hundreds of attendees including myself, Max Lynx and Willy Weasel. Our theme this year was Wild about Weasels which included specimens within the Mustelidae family and Willy the ferret. Max was a special add-in since it was Grafton’s 30th event. Many exhibitors educating and displaying their wares. There were lots of activities. Hopefully, you were able to attend. Max wanted to nap but the noise level kept interrupting that train of thought, so a friend of mine, bought him a homemade catnip toy. It mellowed him out tremendously. Here’s a few photos of my display, Max and a few birds of prey. You can visit our Youtube Channel – Wildlife Bernie to see Max Catnip video.

 

The Passing of Friends

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It is never easy talking about the death of your animal, your friend, your beloved one. 2014 began with the death of two of my animals. Pedro ST Opossum passed February 26 and Jill Degu on March 16. You can find their memorial pages under the heading “In Memory.” It took me three months to get up the strength to write about Jill. Need I say, tears were shed anyways.

Pedro and Jill have been buried in our pet cemetery where many others lie except Bella Hamster. An animal dug her up and ran off with her two days after being buried. Well, it is the cycle of life! There are many memories of my animals and since lifespans are short with small exotics, I can expect a few more to pass this year. It is something I am not looking forward to, but that too….is life.