Washingtonians

[justbugged]

Quote: We use an automatic waterer here. Most of the hose is now under roughly 4 to 6 inches of concrete. But there is still some of the hose that is exposed to the elements. Still when the temps really dip down into the low 20"s, I have to carry the birds water from the house. When the temps are that low we normally have shut the water off at the house, and have covered the hose bib already. So for the few days that are very very cold, it simply means more work for me. But I find that it's much easier to remember for the couple of super cold days, than it is for me to remember day in and day out.

A hose that is buried even an inch or two is going to be protected enough for most days here in Western Washington. There maybe micro climates where this isn't enough. But if you live in one of those MC's you should know by now that you may have to consider that fact. I am a King County native, and I have yet to be proven completely wrong about caring for water pipes around here.

We do protect our faucets when the temps are lower than 27 to 25 degrees for any length of time. Where I am I don't worry about overnight temps until about they dip below the previous noted range. We get cold fairly early in the winter here, because of living so close to one of the gap in the Cascades, and on a Plateau. But even most my hanging baskets manage short dips in overnight temperatures. The baskets are semi protected under the eves of the house.

I have also managed to winter over many plants in the very small greenhouse. I don't add any heat the GH until, we have extended freezing temps that are below roughly the 27 to 25 range. So far I haven't lost anything, that wasn't truly tropical. I did learn the hard way that Anthuriums do not like to get cold at night. My poor plant has suffered a lot this summer. I am planning on bringing it back into the kitchen soon. It will not handle anything close to freezing.

We also have found that when things are cold enough that we have carry water for the chickens, that we also have to keep the hummingbird feeder thawed. We now have year around hummers, so we are now feeding them through out the entire year. I am certain that I didn't cause the problem, but I am now trying to make sure that these little birds will survive our winters here. They used to migrate. Still I just couldn't bring myself to ignore the nasty little buzzards during a blizzard.

 

[JennS]

Well, bless your heart!! Sounds like you've had enough vet. problems to last a lifetime! Hope your kitty handles the insulin shots without much trouble. At the vet clinic I worked at we had a few that would board and many were a bit grumpy! Can't blame them, though, being away from home.

We are very lucky. Percy takes insulin shots like a champ. Give him a few treats to make him lean over, pull up some scruff, and stick the needle in. I buy the short insulin needles and they are tiny. He's been on insulin for 2 years now. If his mom had been the one to become diabetic, we would have had to put her down as she was terrified by pills, shots, or even looking at her funny.

One of my friends told me that I shouldn't look at it as always getting the pets with health problems. She figured they knew that they would get what they needed with us and found their way here.

Jennifer

 

[JennS]

Glad to hear she's doing better. Getting old is hard on all of us, isn't it!?! Are your greyhounds retired racers?

Getting old sucks!!! Seems like as soon as I had my son (at 36) my body decided it had had enough. It's funny though - my son mimics us when he leans over or picks up something bulky. The little grunts and groans are hilarious. Parenting is definitely a job for young people.

All 3 dogs were retired racers, adopted from Greyhound Pets, Inc. Fish (raced as Bass Fisherman) flunked out of racing in Colorado. I can't remember Spirit's racing name or track. Izzie, our last one, raced as Isleen in Tijuana and was fairly successful. Greyhounds have also taught us about tick borne diseases. Fish had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Izzie came with Babesia. If I ever live in an area with ticks, I'm going to keep a flock of guineas just to eat them!

Jennifer

 

[FirewifeJess]

Jeanine just walked in the kitchen to get something and when I asked her what she was doing she said she needed a fork to scratch the cat! *Sigh* The Little Mermaid is a BAD influence! Darn dinglehoppers! LOL!

 

[justbugged]

If you can, keep them confined to the coop and run until about mid-day. Most of the hens will be done laying by then (its not like they can just wait you out). When I let my gals out and take care of their immediate needs I collect the eggs, usually 5 to 6. Then later about 3pm I check and sure enough one more egg will be there. Apparently this hen likes an empty nest. Although from time to time I check the yard for eggs I haven't found any, thankfully.

Now to my waterpipe problem. I think I'll just lay a pipe out to the coop and at the house side I will connect it with a short designated hose. This'll be just for spring to fall. Winter I'm resigned to carrying water out to them. I'll just chalk it up to exercise.
Thanks to all who responded to my questions.

So I have been thinking. (I know it's a dangerous sport for me.)

Since digging is not a great option, what about watching for (free), or buying fill, and covering the hose where it lays? It would be kind of like having a speed bump in the yard.


Feel free to ignore me, be I will admit to not wanting to work more than I absolutely have to at times.

 

[justbugged]

Jeanine just walked in the kitchen to get something and when I asked her what she was doing she said she needed a fork to scratch the cat! *Sigh* The Little Mermaid is a BAD influence! Darn dinglehoppers! LOL!

Thank God for dishwashers!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
It does make me nervous how many other times she's done this and put the fork back in the drawer.

gross kids

 

[JennS]

Very interesting about the effects of bombing a house. I haven't bombed in years now. Since removing the carpets we simply haven't had any infestations. (That I have been aware of.

) I haven't been willing to risk the small finches that live in the house either. In the past, I have been known to use the chemical No-Pest strips. I found them to be helpful with controlling the both house and fruit flies. But then I got to thinking that even if it's clear across the room from the little birds, and the fish tanks, That I just don't want to risk anything. I would rather live with the spiders. With the flies on the other hand I have simply gotten very good at swatting them. I have also found that fruit flies are easier to nail if my hands are wet. I don't mind crawlies very much, but things that fly into my face are dead meat around here.

It all depends on how annoyed something makes me.

I am going to have to look up about the Hobo spiders though. I have been known to relocate a beastie, if it's not ignoring me properly.

I am fairly certain that the only reason that you even saw your spider was because of the dark. Most of the European House spiders prefer dark hidey holes. They are foragers, so they hunt and have been known to bite. The House Spiders are not considered venomous, but I will assume that the bite could still hurt a bit.

Many years ago I had a girlfriend that was bitten by a spider, and she had a very large patch of skin that turned very black.

While I like spiders, I do have some major limits as to where I will let them live.

I wanted a very hairy tarantula, then I read somewhere that they can live up to 30 years. I don't want any pet that will live that long at my age. So my all time favorite spider are Black and Yellow Argiope spiders. They are very polite field spiders, and don't want to live inside with me.

I looked a few pictures of the Hobo, and I know for sure that I have swept up dead carcasses of that kind of spiders. Now I don't think that I will ever be able to think of using bug bomb a place that I am plan to live in. One web site says that you need to bait for hobo spiders.

Bombing wouldn't work on hobos because they live outside the house. The ones that are seen inside are coming in looking for something, and won't become established if you keep baseboards swept, closets clean, clutter picked up, that sort of thing. This is the time of year that everyone sees hobos, because the latest generation has just become adults and the males are on the move, looking for love. In a month or two, they will be gone until next year. I have never heard of a bait that worked on spiders, they just don't feed on baits like an ant or roach. But who knows, maybe there is something new? I'm just skeptical.

If you can put up with a 10-15 year life span, there are many arboreal tarantulas that are very pretty. And you can always buy a juvenile sexed males. Male spiders have much shorter life spans than females. Tarantula males might live 1-1.5 years past sexual maturity, which comes at 3-5 years of age.

Jennifer

 

[VelvettFog]

Getting old sucks!!! Seems like as soon as I had my son (at 36) my body decided it had had enough. It's funny though - my son mimics us when he leans over or picks up something bulky. The little grunts and groans are hilarious. Parenting is definitely a job for young people.

All 3 dogs were retired racers, adopted from Greyhound Pets, Inc. Fish (raced as Bass Fisherman) flunked out of racing in Colorado. I can't remember Spirit's racing name or track. Izzie, our last one, raced as Isleen in Tijuana and was fairly successful. Greyhounds have also taught us about tick borne diseases. Fish had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Izzie came with Babesia. If I ever live in an area with ticks, I'm going to keep a flock of guineas just to eat them!

Jennifer

Psst .. ticks are everywhere ...

 

[justbugged]

Quote: X10 This getting old thing hasn't been very funny so far.

I am still looking forward to being the point where I will be old enough to get away with saying, or doing anything I want to though.

Your kid is very funny though. He sounds like a very cute kid.

as for ticks, I still wonder if that wasn't the cause the our Komondor aka "Puppy" didn't have skin issues for most of his life.

We got him when we were living in the Camas WA area. He came in deer ticks several times in his first year and a half.

Puppy had itchy skin the rest of his life. He would itch so bad that he would chew himself raw. That is really what killed him in the end. We tried everything to control the itching. I do know for certain that it wasn't related to the food he ate. He was on monthly steroids shots for the last 5 years of his life. I figured that at 8 years old, and with as large of a breed that he was, that I had nothing left to loose. I got 5 extra years with him. I don't have any regrets for having used the steroids now. I do miss him these days. I have a bad case of wanting another Kom in my life.

I do wish the greyhounds had long hair, I would so be willing to take on an ex-racing dog.