Sunday, September 30, 2012

Fruit Flies!

We have a cool tank of frogs. They're awesome. The kids LOVE watching them (ok, so do I..) We quickly discovered that they get hungry and have to eat but are can't eat regular size crickets yet. Upon some research, flightless fruit flies are what these cute little froggies eat. We get some. THAT is fun to watch!

Now, most people figure out how to provide food for their new pets before they start down that path, but not us. So we have this big tank of an entire gaggle, herd, marsh.. (whatever) of frogs and have to figure out how to feed them a regular, steady diet of flightless fruit flies. Enter the jars of flies:





Each of these 5 containers has fruit flies and maggots. No, they can't get out - that would be gross. There is a food medium on the bottom and the sprout stuff is a filler so they have more room to climb about in the tub.

So, over the past few weeks we've been working on the life cycle of fruit flies. Because honestly, how many people study that? We do butterflies, frogs, and other pretty things. But flies? They're nasty little things, but have an interesting life cycle that is very, very similar to that of a butterfly. Well if you count *maggot* the same as caterpillar.  


If you look super duper close you should see tiny little specks. Those little specks are the fruit flies. They are surprisingly hard to photograph.




This was our first trial vial of fruit flies. They are just hatching out of their little cocoons from maggot to flies. Soon they will all be snack-a-doos for frogs.  And yes, it does sort of look like I have a few extra fingers, but I don't. It's just the awkward way I'm holding the vial so I don't drop it.





Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Terrible Tuesday..

I figured Terrible Tuesday was an apt name for a follow up to Bloody Sunday. I should have learned my lesson by now that *if* you take a kid to urgent care you WILL get sick. And TA DA.. Guess what has happened? The Sore Throat of Doom has descended upon me (as well as the facet nose, oozing eyes, and mucusy cough, but whatever). I should know better than to go into an Urgent Care well and come out well. Oy.

On Sunday afternoon I got bored (well not *bored* exactly, but close enough) and started clicker training the dogs. I must admit the theory sounds kind of bizarre, but oh my goodness! It's working! It's like lazy super fast dog training cool stuff. The dogs have always been fairly well mannered, but ever since Timmy (Yes, Killer the Beagle -  the thumb eater) I've been a bit afraid of the dog's mouth. It probably doesn't help the issue that I have to go to the hand specialist tomorrow to get the thumb looked at since I still can't grip with it.


This has led to a good amount of just flat out ignoring the dog. Not really on purpose, just... One of those things that happens when you have your thumb crunched by a dog and then you get paranoid of the dog, ignoring happens. So subsequently, some minor bad behaviors started creeping in - more outside barking, not coming as quickly when called. Things you might expect when you ignore a dog. (Go figure right?) Anyhow. Instead of just getting rid of the poor Beagle (who is really blameless in the thumb eating incident) figured I should just get over the paranoia instead. The Beagle, especially, LOVES it. He bolts to attention when he's called now. He can *almost* bark on command. (It's about 70% there, with the theory that if he does it on command he won't do it as much other times.) He pounces to the ground to down.He dives into his crate when asked to. But best, he's lost that *crazy* look he's been having, probably from being ignored too much. Not as much crazy look, not as much paranoia = more time out.

Bear, the actual puppy, is a bit more lazy about his approach than Beagle. He has picked a few things up, but he kinda sorta lopes places like a giant, black polar bear with nothing in particular to do. He *may* come hastily if the treat is super good, but mostly he'll amble over when he's ready. He's the laziest 7 month old puppy I have ever seen.

Hopefully I can get some pictures soon of them both doing something cool. We're working on Speak (barking on command), Leave It (ignoring whatever it is they are sniffing), Down (mostly for Bear because he's lazy and won't do it on purpose) and whatever other random things we can come up with. Maybe something like get your bowl or something useful.

As a follow up from Sunday, the Boy is no longer breathing like a Helicopter, but is instead a moody ball of steroid crying mess. He's not eating yet either (ie today he's had a cut up apple, half a banana, and 1/4 of a small slushee from Sonic - it's 3 pm.), which has me concerned because usually steroids make people eat like raving loons.


 The kids want to clicker train the cats, but we're tried a few treats and can't find anything they really want which is the first step of the battle so once we do it'll be easier. May try hot dogs next time we have some or something like that, but since we have so many cats, it may be a little harder.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Bloody Sunday..

Ok, it's not really all that bloody, but it IS Sunday. I am currently sitting on the edge of the bathtub with my foot in a roasting pan of soapy water soaking a bloody toe nail-less big toe while I use the new toilet paper roll stack as a laptop holder as I listen to the wee boy wheeze like a helicopter getting ready to crash. So I guess technically blood is involved.  As I sit here (bathrooms are really boring if you are sitting there for 15 minutes randomly) I ponder a vast number of completely none related things. Surprising, I know.

1. 3 cats DO NOT fit comfortable in my cupboard.  They tried. They failed.

2. The edge of the bathtub, really uncomfortable.

3. The tile in this bathroom is hideous. It's even worse when it's dirty.

4. The boy really does sound like a helicopter even after his breathing treatment. I know where *I* am gonna be later.. And it's not in my bed asleep..

5. I really need to reculk the tub. Eww.

6. People get really freaky about their dogs. Almost more so than their kids. It's a dog, there is no *right* or *wrong* (as long as you aren't actually beating it) way like kids so get over it and don't be so darn weird about it. (This is about some odd interaction I saw at PetsMart where someone was talking to a lady about adopting a dog and then walked off because they weren't *doing something right*. The lady was pissed.)  It's a dog. If you want to spoil it, go for it. *I* treat mine like dogs, but I have plenty of ALL day issues to work around and don't pander around to a dog too much.

7. Don't get toenails removed. It is very effective torture.