BYC Café

[lularat]

Hi, mind if I sit in? Really enjoyed reading through the thread... you folks are really interesting. I'm one of the older folks here. I've been married for 41 years, have a son and daughter, and 3 grandchildren. I have 6 hens, and one very spoiled cat. I have had pet rats for the last 11 yrs and just lost my last one several weeks ago. Not sure if I will be getting anymore, but time will tell. I also do a little gardening. I have been a registered nurse for 25 yrs and presently working at a dialysis unit..... hope to retire in a few more years. I for one can't start the day without my coffee

 

[starbuck123]

Krista, is this milo?

Editing to add - my folks collected things on their trip (including some really cool candy) and sent us a little box - that picture above was what was in it. I'm betting it tastes like what we have here called ovaltine? I will try it tomorrow. They also sent the kids a packet of Vegemite - lol. Well, the dogs enjoyed it.

 

[sourland]

I believe the milo to which Krista is referencing is sorghum.

 

[starbuck123]

Hello lurarat and sourland. nice to meet you!

 

[Mtn Margie]

Krista, is this milo?

I am betting that that is it!
Never heard of it...... learn somethin' new every day. I personally like the Emergen-C packets when needed.
Howdy "guys", nice to meet you.

 

[KingOfFools]

Kris, Krista, Sourland, and Lularat, welcome!

I knew this Café would be a good idea, but I didn't think everyone would be so interesting. Y'all rock.

I'd love to learn about dairy farming. I know nothing, but I want some goats when I retire from the Navy, and my wife and I are excited to learn. Sounds like we have a Minnesota"hippy" in our midst, that's good. If you met me at work only you'd be surprised by how much I'd be interested in self-sustainment. I'm all about it. One burning question? You say you recycle eater from showers, I'm assuming for watering. Does the soap and shampoo not bother the soil?

Australia is a place I have always wanted to see. I've been all over, but never there.

Raising rats is not a common hobby I think. I hear that they are loyal, intelligent, and surprisingly clean. I remember a girl back in High School that kept a rat in her hood everywhere she went (except school).

I have son pets myself. When I got to my ship I was unaware how lonely ny poor young wife would be. We decided she needed company but could not get a dog. So I bought her two cats. I was very very allergic and i knew it but that is love. Going out to sea all the time would clear my allergies, but everytime we pulled into hone port, my eyes burned, throat itched, nose ran, sneezed... Ugh. Took me three years to get used to them. We also have a Galah (rose breasted cockatoo), four budgies, two red rumps, two parrotlets, a beehive, and seven hens. I'm also on shore duty now so I even get to enjoy it all.

Man these are big tables at tho café. Reminds me of the Hofbrauhouse in Munich, Germany!

Trib

 

[lularat]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I don't raise rats.... all of mine have been rescues. The rescue that I get them from is run by a veterinarian and all are spayed or neutered. Yes, they make wonderful pets and are very intelligent and social. Only draw back is their life span is 2-3 yrs. Little Man, the rat that just passed was 39 months and that was a good long life. That is the reason I'm going to take a break from them. They give so much, but loosing them is heart breaking. I usually adopt 4-5 at a time and about the same age, so more than likely, they all pass within months of each other.

 

[starbuck123]

You say you recycle water from showers, I'm assuming for watering. Does the soap and shampoo not bother the soil?

We actually use it to flush the toilet, when the bucket is full. We flush the usual way on a regular basis, yes, but do this as well. Since the bucket is in the tub we throw any leftover water in it, like left in our cups we use for brushing our teeth (the clean water, not the toothpasty stuff). You'd be surprised how much it adds up. Any mystery glasses the kids have used with water left in it..goes in the bucket. It doesn't take a lot of time and our water bill is next to nothing.

The trick to flushing (without getting too TMI) is to make sure there's more liquid than anything else in the bowl. When you pour a full bucket of water into the toilet, full force, it flushes the toilet. We usually get it so every third flush is a bucket flush. Seriously, it made a difference with our water bill and it was so easy to do. Think of how much water comes out of the spigot as you're trying to iniitially get the temperature correct - we just collect that. We have a shower curtain that hides it too, so it's not visible when company or friends come over..but our 'real' friends don't care.


For the garden though, we have a rain barrel. We got so much rain last year we could have used a second one!

**Lularat, how does your cat not eat the rats? These guys <------- would annihilate one in a second, so no rodent pets for us.

 

[lularat]

She might if she was given half a chance. They would stay in a large cage during the day and I would get them out at night to run around and play with them. I have a spare room, which we call the rat room for them to free range. She learned early not to put her paw in the bars of the cage.

Your dogs are cute. Are they Jack Russell?

 

[KingOfFools]

I realized I misread your post. Big difference between raising and rescuing. How did you start that? Just overheard the be talking one day, or answered an add? It seems so random. Awesome that you have a "rat room". Maybe one day in retirement my wife and I could try that in retirement.

Terrysgirl, that is interesting. Never would have thought of that. As far as rain barrels, I'd love to do that, but I'm afraid they'd be empty for 11 1/2 months a year where I live. Water o u t here comes from below us only and never above

By the way, I learned this evening that I could never eat chicken if it had the face of Paula seen. Almost lost spilled my coffee on that one! Lol