The Forum Chit-Chat Thread

jellybear

Awh they're beautiful tk123!

Yeah they're really fab tk!!

sdp

So lovely, What beautful beads.

micah537

My gf said today I shouldn't walk the dog as much in the frost as normal as its probably uncomfortably cold on her paws. I never really put much thought into it, I know not to walk her on the hottest part of the day when we get good weather.

Today we walked 2km to a field (the owner let's me use it for her to run without a lead), the road was icy but the field was half thawed and half frozen. She spent 90% of the time in the frozen part.

So does ice effect paws or not. She's a long haired GSD so since she's a shepherd breed the cold is OK right?

em_cat

I think the problem is that icy roads generally mean salted roads, at least in the city, so that can burn their paws. Our yorkie x won’t walk if it’s too cold, like the last couple of days however our Pom is happy to go out no matter what the weather.

Cherry Blossom

Yeah I was just going to say it’s best to avoid roads and paths that are gritted. The pads of their feet are very thick and leathery so I don’t think most dogs have any issue walking on a little bit of snow/ice/frost. It’s not freezing very badly either, if it was minus 10 or something I probably wouldn’t take dogs out walking but minus a few degrees i wouldn’t think to do anything different.

Fakediamond

I agree with em_cat and I think it’s more of an issue in more extreme climates than ours. My little terrier was fine in 2010, when it was below -10. Obviously I didn’t keep him out for hours, but he thoroughly enjoyed running around in the snow and walking on our frozen solid country road (unsalted).

Edit: Actually I didn’t have him in 2010! It must have been a later snow event, maybe 2018? I don’t think the temps were sub -10 but he certainly enjoyed himself and had no issues with his paws.

tk123

The paths around here have been gritted on and off since November as they’re beside main roads and never any issues. The only issue I’ve ever had was last time it snowed - Bailey got balls of ice caught between his pads and wouldn’t walk until I took them out so I made sure i clipped the fur right back after that. We walk early so would be below zero some mornings during the winter and all good. He’s 11 now so I do have him in a coat as needed because he feels the cold.

auspicious

I've seen horses using a picture board basically saying they want a coat put on on chilly days which itself is amazing, but this is next level!
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC4n1G-BIHCYu1suNxLRjcyg/videos

micah537

I've seen a couple of posts on Facebook from different vets giving off about pets getting treated and a few fatalities from hypothermia from living outside in the past week.

Why bother getting a dog if it's not good enough in your eyes to live in your house?

apache

I see my local Maxizoo is back selling guinea pigs and other small furries. That was all stopped during Covid. What has changed for breeders?

VonVix

apache wrote: »

I see my local Maxizoo is back selling guinea pigs and other small furries. That was all stopped during Covid. What has changed for breeders?

There were certain small animal mills (like puppy farms, but for hamsters, rabbits, etc, with a LOT of inbreeding involved, it's horrific) in the UK that stopped being able to supply small animals for the time being due to covid19. A lot of pet shops didn't have any access to these animals over the past number of months.

These mills may have restarted their operations.

Hold My Hand

Delighted to see cat footprints in the snow this morning. My little scamp had arrived home after been AWOL for 2 days. I spent the first 5 minutes hugging him and then the next telling him off for putting me through all of that.

apache

VonVix wrote: »

There were certain small animal mills (like puppy farms, but for hamsters, rabbits, etc, with a LOT of inbreeding involved, it's horrific) in the UK that stopped being able to supply small animals for the time being due to covid19. A lot of pet shops didn't have any access to these animals over the past number of months.

These mills may have restarted their operations.

Just wondering what has changed. I was told before from the pet shop it was because of Covid restrictions and they imported small animals from the U.K. but restrictions are still here.

zedhead

We've now had our little Milo for over 6 months and he is the light of our lives. I posted here before about some of the issues we were having with him for the first few months but I am so glad we didn't give up on him. He is such a joy. He was displaying signs of resource guarding me and snarling at times at my partner but that has completely stopped and while before it was clear he was more bonded to me he has definitely bonded properly with my partner now.

His reactivity to other dogs is still an issue but we are seeing some progress with him in this area - very very slow but its progress.

We were told he was originally surrendered to the rescue on Christmas eve 2019 and I thought about that a lot on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2020. It really highlighted how lucky we were that he found his way to our home and how he won't have to spend another Christmas without a family again.

Mollyb60

We've put in our application to adopt another cat from the adoption centre here. Now we just have to wait and see what they match us with. I'm equal parts excited and nervous.

VonVix

apache wrote: »

Just wondering what has changed. I was told before from the pet shop it was because of Covid restrictions and they imported small animals from the U.K. but restrictions are still here.

I'm not familiar with importing small animals from the UK, as I have only dealt with small Irish breeders (not mills), however there was never any change when it came to importing reptiles and fish. I only know of certain "mammal mills" having temporarily closed their doors while this whole Covid19 situation has been going on, hence why certain (usually larger) pet shops were without furries for a few months.

Since Brexit there have been a number of new hoops to have to jump through when importing certain things from the UK, I'm not sure if importing small animals has changed.

apache

VonVix wrote: »

I'm not familiar with importing small animals from the UK, as I have only dealt with small Irish breeders (not mills), however there was never any change when it came to importing reptiles and fish. I only know of certain "mammal mills" having temporarily closed their doors while this whole Covid19 situation has been going on, hence why certain (usually larger) pet shops were without furries for a few months.

Since Brexit there have been a number of new hoops to have to jump through when importing certain things from the UK, I'm not sure if importing small animals has changed.

There must be some kind of stipulation. I'm just curious as to what's changed. Thanks for the input.

Graces7

zedhead wrote: »

We've now had our little Milo for over 6 months and he is the light of our lives. I posted here before about some of the issues we were having with him for the first few months but I am so glad we didn't give up on him. He is such a joy. He was displaying signs of resource guarding me and snarling at times at my partner but that has completely stopped and while before it was clear he was more bonded to me he has definitely bonded properly with my partner now.

His reactivity to other dogs is still an issue but we are seeing some progress with him in this area - very very slow but its progress.

We were told he was originally surrendered to the rescue on Christmas eve 2019 and I thought about that a lot on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2020. It really highlighted how lucky we were that he found his way to our home and how he won't have to spend another Christmas without a family again.

Ah that makes lovely reading! You went through so much but never gave up! All joy to you!

Graces7

I think I have offended a neighbour! Ie stinkertom's owner... easily done..

Stinkertom has been haunting the place of late and one evening when I took food out to Tonto, he rushed in. He is wild this cat. And I realised he was very very hungry as in starving, ( I had been told by someone how well fed and cared for he is and the owner can be irascible)

So of course I put food out and his head was in the dish before I moved away.

I worried; in case the owner who lives alone is ill? I emailed someone at that end of the island stressing that I was concerned and knew how well fed the cat was. Could someone check please?

Silence since. No night visits. I am hoping Stinkertom in this bitter weather is being kept inside and fed well! Any hungry critter coming here will be fed!

apache

I didn't think the large tunnel I bought would bring such a sense of joy to my furries. Since I put it in their cage this evening they have been whizzing in and out of it and popcorning like crazy. Very amusing to watch. Things have quietened down now. They must be tired after that energy expenditure zzzz

Edit - Oh they are at it again. I took all obstacles out of the way except for a few hidey holes so they have more space to run.

em_cat

apache wrote: »

I didn't think the large tunnel I bought would bring such a sense of joy to my furries. Since I put it in their cage this evening they have been whizzing in and out of it and popcorning like crazy. Very amusing to watch. Things have quietened down now. They must be tired after that energy expenditure zzzz

Edit - Oh they are at it again. I took all obstacles out of the way except for a few hidey holes so they have more space to run.

Let them out on the floor with the tunnels, ours love it, I grown grass & some herbs for them, put them out like trees, I do a bit of piggietecture for them for floor time and they popcorn like mad little yokes. Our two small dogs watch them from the sofa as if it was tele, they are trained to stay on the sofa when B&H are out for floor time.

Graces7

He arrived back! And there was war.. But then peace. I am hoping that that means they have agreed not to fight any more. The noise of fighting cats is blood curdling.. :eek::eek

Graces7

Hold My Hand wrote: »

Delighted to see cat footprints in the snow this morning. My little scamp had arrived home after been AWOL for 2 days. I spent the first 5 minutes hugging him and then the next telling him off for putting me through all of that.

Awww all sounds blessedly familiar! Even out here when unless they have learned to swim ( small island) I worry if they are AWOL

NB I now have ALL FIVE on my bed with me! Need a bigger bed but so cosy .

Hold My Hand

Graces7 wrote: »

Awww all sounds blessedly familiar! Even out here when unless they have learned to swim ( small island) I worry if they are AWOL

NB I now have ALL FIVE on my bed with me! Need a bigger bed but so cosy .

Graces7 your set up sounds dotey. I’ve a pooch snuggled up beside me here. Will tiptoe out to greet the cats soon. My favourite man is back in my good books. I’ve discovered why he was AWOL ... last night he brought another cat home for supper. He’s such a gentlemanly cat. All the others attack the food but there he was, the perfect host, letting the new cat eat away. Im sensing a cat romance/bromance!

apache

em_cat wrote: »

Let them out on the floor with the tunnels, ours love it, I grown grass & some herbs for them, put them out like trees, I do a bit of piggietecture for them for floor time and they popcorn like mad little yokes. Our two small dogs watch them from the sofa as if it was tele, they are trained to stay on the sofa when B&H are out for floor time.

Ha they are like mad yokes!

I'll think of something to cover the floor as I used to have them out on the kitchen floor but I have black tiles and the (calcium?) in their urine was staining the tiles white.

The tunnel is 6 foot and the cage is 7 foot so for the moment they are ok but I'll have to figure something out.

What's piggietecture?

Graces7

Hold My Hand wrote: »

Graces7 your set up sounds dotey. I’ve a pooch snuggled up beside me here. Will tiptoe out to greet the cats soon. My favourite man is back in my good books. I’ve discovered why he was AWOL ... last night he brought another cat home for supper. He’s such a gentlemanly cat. All the others attack the food but there he was, the perfect host, letting the new cat eat away. Im sensing a cat romance/bromance!

lol.. My Oliver did that with Tonto. Clearly he met the starved cat on the lane and said" You look hungry, lad! You come along home with me. SHE will feed you" SHE will feed anyone." That was over two years ago..

em_cat

apache wrote: »

Ha they are like mad yokes!

I'll think of something to cover the floor as I used to have them out on the kitchen floor but I have black tiles and the (calcium?) in their urine was staining the tiles white.

The tunnel is 6 foot and the cage is 7 foot so for the moment they are ok but I'll have to figure something out.

What's piggietecture?

My OH is an Architect so when I go building different levels of hiding spaces across the floor he calls it that. I repurpose the card board boxes that come in parcels for the little houses. I sewed some fleece blankets together to cover the play area because we’ve solid wooden floors but mostly they are toilet trained.

Spanishpoint

Intesting post! I will keep tuned

Graces7

Stinkertom now wants to live here. That was I suppose inevitable.

If you have ever lived in a tiny community you will understand the ramifications of this situation.... there has been war over less than this.

You know though. If that is his choice; SO BE IT! lol.... I refuse to keep chasing him off! lol....

Tonto's previous " owner" had not missed him after TWO YEARS.