The NFC B-Day Chat Thread

[bruceha2000]

We'll be getting her on the 8th of Dec....just a week from tomorrow.....just can't wait to get her home....

What happened to her coming home TODAY???? The agony of having to wait one more week!!! Plus, now I'll never remember what day you brought her home.

Mine isn't ornery , but he does like to shred toilet paper rolls.

DD1's cat - that is why the TP is kept in a drawer next to the toilets instead of conveniently on a "dispenser" on the cabinet side.

I just finished stripping the meat off the turkey carcass.

I let my chickens do that, they are very good at it and turn it into eggs. Well, some of them do, the rest are being lazy until February or March.

 

[CntryBoy777]

@bruceha2000 it will be really easy....Dec 8th is my Dad's b'day....and just remember that it was a wk after your special day....Happy Anniversary...btw.....

 

[N F C]

@bruceha2000 it will be really easy....Dec 8th is my Dad's b'day....and just remember that it was a wk after your special day....Happy Anniversary...btw.....

@bruceha2000 you had an anniversary? Did you mention it here? Was I awake when you did? Anyway...hope it was a good one and congrats!

 

[rjohns39]

@bruceha2000 you had an anniversary? Did you mention it here? Was I awake when you did? Anyway...hope it was a good one and congrats!

X2

 

[CntryBoy777]

I don't think it was mentioned here....it was on my journal page on BYH....it is his 27th wedding Anniversary....

 

[N F C]

So better late than never @bruceha2000

 

[sunflour]

@bruceha2000

Congratulations on your anniversary....

 

[ShrekDawg]

Happy anniversary Bruce

 

[ronott1]

Happy Anniversary @bruceha2000 !

 

[ShrekDawg]

So you don't have time to care for or spend time with your current pets but want more?

My goodness @KDOGG331 I bet ya was good at Hopscotch wasn't ya?....most animals require maintenance and care, if they don't receive it they die. Just owning animals to own them, but never giving them proper care is the definition of irresponsible. When the decision is made to attain an animal, then the responsibility has to be considered and committment has to be to take the time to do such...no matter what has to be missed, sacrificed, or lost to do so. If the dedication and committment can't be made, then the best decision is to enjoy others animals without owning any. Just think if your needs weren't met and nobody around ya cared about whether ya was clean, sick, warm, cold, or left in a room full of smoke to breathe in. You'd be better off saving your money and not wasting it on things ya will just flush, bury, or toss out. Lack of motivation or desire of committment isn't excused by being distracted. This isn't written with any malice or rough tone in any way, but just a tidbit of reality for ya to chew on. I know ya are young and all 4 of my daughters are older, tho the youngest is 25 and this is what I would tell one of them.....tho, I'm not attempting to be your dad, but more like a big brother. There is a big difference between wants, wishes, and desires and the reality that comes along with them.....

Yeah, gold fish are probably the ‘messiest’ of pet fish and do require regular filter cleans and ¼ water changes plus complete tank cleans and gravel vacuum etc.

Many moons ago, I used to have 1 x 6 foot tank with large tropicals and 2 x 4 foot tanks, one with gold fish and one with guppies.

I found the maintenance required to keep them healthy and happy was becoming too much when my life changed and I had other, new responsibilities and sadly, I had to make the decision to sell them to someone who had more time.

We did, however, have gold fish in the ponds in Brisbane and found their care in a pond to be much simpler once you have the correct set up. However, once we have finished the ponds this time around, we have decided not to get goldfish and go with something smaller. We are looking at a breed which likes to eat mosquitoes!

Me! I was very attached to my pond fish which I had had for approximately 5 years up until we moved here. They had grown quite large. I was, however, able to find them a good home.

I put black mollies in my pond. They did a good job eating mosquito larvae.
Not trying to pick on you KD, just trying to make you realize that if the water smells so bad in your room you need to do something about it. You can keep it cleaned out or if that is too much work, sell or give them away and get smaller fish that are easier to care for. As for your chickens , only you know if you really want to keep them and care for them. Just decide to do the right thing for both of you. Big hugs ! We do love you.

@KDOGG331 , I do weekly water changes of up to 90% of their water. I us a gravel vacuum when I do my changes. Your fish shouldn't stink. You need to do some water changes before they die. Tropical fish are just as much maintenance if not more because they are more delicate about water changes and water conditions. I have had the same goldfish since 2003. They need fresh water.

Okay, I know now this was not the intention but honestly I gotta say when I first read CF and CB replies it made me cry and even still somewhat does. I know it wasn't the intention but honestly I think it was like the way/tone it was typed and said felt like a personal attack and I wasn't really anticipating the backlash.

But I've since realized the actual intention and think I can somewhat form a coherent answer. Or try to.

I know you guys are just looking out for the animals but I do think parts of my post might have been misinterpreted.

Yes I know it jumps around a lot and sounds somewhat immature with all the LOLs and stuff (it's just how I type but working on it) and the list of animals but in no way was I saying I was going to go out and buy any of them right now. And also when I said I don't spend enough time I meant as pets. I don't hang out with them as much as I used to and liked to do. Like treat them as a dog anymore. I still do basic care. They are not neglected.

That said, yes, the fish are probably suffering a bit atm so when I go home I think I'll finally fix that. I mean, it takes like 2 seconds to change a filter and add water. And I know I need to do it. But I don't know why I don't.

Maybe I should sell them, idk. I've always been bad at fish and more intimate, detailed care. But I want to give myself a chance first and really work on changing. I've been saying that a while, yes, and I go through phases where I'm more into the care, like when I bought a bunch of filters so I could change them frequently, then haven't since then.

But I am working on changing it.

I don't know, maybe that's not good enough or just an excuse but it's not like I'm hurting them on purpose. I know none of you are implying that but just felt it should be said.

As for the chickens, the past few months/summer especially I have gotten worse about even going outside to check them daily cause I can just see from the window and my mom has helped me to do food and water sometimes too but they've never been without any. And up until that point, I was going out and checking them every single day, even multiple times, and while I still wasn't cuddling them or hanging out with them much, I at least went outside more often.

So yes, I guess I have hit a bit of a patch. But that's just it: a patch. The chickens have never suffered or been hungry or anything and until recently I was the only one that took care of them. I love them and I'm not going to give them up. There's no reason to. They're not suffering or starving and I'm sorry if that wasn't clear. All I meant by not spending much time with them was hanging out and treating them as pets like was my original intent 2 years ago. But they have NEVER suffered or been neglected. And they are moving to a new, much bigger, coop, that my dad and I built, as soon as we can get the muscle to move the current run over there.

The only other "bad" thing I suppose I might do is I forget to change the cat's litter box so my dad usually does it.

Yes, I realize I am not making myself sound any better here and I don't know, maybe it's true that I like having the animals but don't like doing the work, I really don't know. But what I think is the REAL problem here is that I've just sort of hit a funk. Or maybe I've been in one. I have, or I guess had, depression and it can be hard to actually do stuff sometimes. The whole "I meant to do X but never did" thing isn't just limited to the animals. I have a lot that I've meant to do. Like put together and learn how to use the camera I got in freaking April. Learn guitar. Work on this project I wanted to do back in April (also semi goes along with the camera, it's a video). More recently, some of my homework (though that's more procrastination and it always eventually gets done). Cleaning my room. So it's not just the animals or that I hate the care. I just literally can't get moving.

BUT.

I know that none of that is an excuse and some might say it's just laziness and maybe it is. I don't know. When I'm away from my house/parents or when they go away I get a lot done. So maybe it's enviromental. But they're not gone often or for long so I can't say for sure whether I would keep up that pace or eventually burn out and sink back to old habits.

But anyway, what I am trying to say is because I know that I have these problems, I need to work harder to change it and go against it, which I really haven't done at all. So I am going to give myself a chance and start actually trying.

It can be hard, sometimes I don't even shower or brush my teeth daily, but I do want to try.

And I know it sounds like I am but I'm not trying to say any of this for sympathy or excuses. I just want to state facts or what might cause it, even if it doesn't excuse me. And believe me, I am VERY aware of my wrongdoings/shortcomings and what I need to be doing.

Anyway, on that note, even though I have problems with stuff like that, I LOVE animals, would never do anything to hurt them, and would NEVER get them before I am ready.

This kind of goes with CB last sentence that I bolded. That wishes and wants etc are different than reality.

Believe me, I know that full well, which is why I am not going out and buying more animals.

Besides, they are also expensive, and I'm not about to go out and buy 12+ different animals right this second.... Or even any time in the near future.

I also ALWAYS do tons of research before I get a new animal. And have done research on every single animal listed except maybe green cheeks.

I am not like those annoying people that just go buy a new dog and then take it to the shelter a few months later when it's no longer cute or too high energy or they "move." I would never ever in a million years do that.

I think maybe if there's one thing I'm better at it is the researching portion. The actual care part, which yes, I know is the most important part, I might be lacking a little bit. But I'm also kind of OCD/have major attention to detail so I do tons of research before and continue after getting animals. Like for example, the fish I put in a 20 gallon tank and filter and everything and not just a bowl. The dog and even cat I am constantly researching ingredients and the best foods, training, etc. Even the chickens I'm still researching and finding new information.

And I do feed the pets and do the walks (when we go on them) even if I don't do the litter box.

And I do think I might be better at larger/less involved animals like dogs and cats but even sometimes, I took better care of the chickens than I did them.

I think traditional pets and farm animals are what I'm best at so maybe the smaller animals aren't for me and if that's the case, then I am okay with that and I'm not going to go buy one. Yeah, previously I might have gone and bought one (though I still would do all the research first) but now I am starting to realize that maybe small, super involved, inside animals might not be for me. Which sucks because I would love to have them. But I'm not so immature and selfish that I would get them and make them suffer.

And maybe I should even rehome the fish, I don't know. But I want to try again with them and maybe I will eventually, who knows.

And also, I somewhat already said it but most of those animals I would not get now or ever. They are just that, wishes and wants. Not sure where the idea that I'm going to go buy them all came from.

And on that note, I never said I have no time. I have plenty of time. I am home all the time except a few classes. I simply meant, as mentioned before, that I don't hang out with them, as pets, anymore.

But for example, with this list of animals:

"I do wanna get those too. (This being the gerbils). And goats. And another cat. And another dog. And more chickens. And indoor birds like parakeets, cockatiel, or a green cheek conure or something similar. And horses. Or at least a mini horse or two. And alpacas. I want everything LOL"

Gerbils I think I might be allergic and I might not get them. Goats, would LOVE them, and my dad is actually on board with this idea too so it's not just me, but I know that we aren't prepared right now. We would have to clear some woods out and build or buy a shelter, plus pay for minerals, feed, and hay, and everything that comes along with it, and I don't think we could afford another type of animal right now (even if they would mostly hay and brush). So I won't get them. Cat, my brother is allergic and like I said, I hate litterboxes so I won't. Dog, I don't think my dog would get along with a second dog plus he's getting older and somewhat sickly so it's not the best time. Maybe once he dies or if I move out. And also on this note, there are TONS of breeds that I want to try but I never will or not anytime soon because I know that they are way too energetic and/or intelligent for me atm and I couldn't keep them happy. So I won't get that breed. Chickens wouldn't be too much more work and a couple more could probably fit in the new coop but I don't want it to be cramped or to deal with baby chicks right now so no more chickens. Indoor birds are just too loud, messy, and needy/involved care. Horses and minis are wayyyy too expensive so there is no way plus the fact of building a separate area or paying for boarding. Alpacas just cost too much to buy atm.

Just because I want everything or want it eventually does not mean that I am irresponsible and will buy it right now or that I am unaware of responsibilities or reality. In fact, I would even argue that it's the fact that I AM aware of that stuff and have done my research on the care requirements, needs, cost, etc. That I haven't gone out and bought 20 animals yet.

I am sorry that this post got so long, I kind of just typed everything I thought, which was more than I expected to type, and I'm sorry, I realize it probably sounds like I am really defensive or something but I don't know, I do kind of take offense at the suggestion that I am irresponsible, unaware of reality, not meeting any of my animals needs, and stuff like that, just because I am behind on the fish care.

Although I do realize how the lack of care for the fish probably makes me look and I can understand the concern for the fish, but I can't really understand how their needs correlates to every one of my other animals being neglected or that I'm going to go buy and bring home 20 animals right now with zero thought or research put into any of them.....