Mooka finds this month's cover story in National Geographic a VERY stimulating read.
Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Animal Mind
Mooka finds this month's cover story in National Geographic a VERY stimulating read.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Goose diapers?
Mr. Enzo the goose seems to be learning from the duck that it's great fun to chase after and peck me. I adore the dear creatures, but can't help but wonder...am I sending them the wrong message with my reactions? We could definitely use a "goose whisperer" around here, and fast. Searching the web for "goose training tips" wasn't turning up anything helpful, but then I came upon this.
"This," if you don't feel like clicking on the link, is a website which advocates outfitting your waterfowl in diapers, thereby making it possible to form a deeper relationship with your bird. Once diapered, they can be welcomed into your house, on your couch, and even in your bed.
Quote from The Goose Mother website: "Diapering your duck, goose or chicken is the first step to enjoying the rewarding experience of living with one of these amazing creatures."
Could this be the answer to our behavior issues?
What do you think Popsey? Want to try it?
Popsey?
Popsey?
Poooppppsey?!
He's ignoring me.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Beware of Duck
Popsey and I still have not come to agreement over our interpretations of behavior displayed by Jacques the Duck.
He continues to insist that it is not "anger," "rage," or "fury," yet, does he have a better explanation? Well, if you consider "It's just instincts" to be a good enough explanation, then maybe you're satisfied. But, I wanted to delve further into the mystery.
I placed myself in the line of fire to demonstrate the process of what could possibly be perceived as inciting a duck to anger. Maybe there is a duck expert out there who will read this and provide a better explanation for us.
It starts innocently enough, with an offering of lettuce. This is fresh organic red leaf lettuce, one of their favorites. There should be nothing to complain about here. Maybe it's a tad wilted. Nevertheless, Enzo, the goose, is more than willing to sample some.
While Enzo continues to take bites of the lettuce, Jacques hangs back, eyeing me suspiciously. ["That's not suspiciously!" Popsey objects.]
Enzo chews, dipping his leaves in the water. Jacques swims forward to give me a stern quacking.
Enzo is really quite a charming fellow. Jacques looks at me askance.
They both draw back, Enzo appearing concerned. He's probably thinking "Hey Lady, you better watch out. I'd be backing up if I was you. This duck over here is getting pret-ty mad."
Uh oh... Jacques is glaring at me, and his head starts trembling. Normally, I'd step away at this point, but for the purposes of this "duckumentary," I force the issue and offer one...more....piece...of lettuce....oh dear....
I've really done it now. Jacques begins the wind-up, swimming in rapid counterclockwise circles chanting "Quack-Quackity. Quack-Quackity. Quack-Quackity. Quack."
Enzo's toenails make a skittering noise against the bottom of the pool as he desperately tries to get out of the way. Jacques takes aim.
AAAAAAAAHHHH! RUN!!!
He continues to insist that it is not "anger," "rage," or "fury," yet, does he have a better explanation? Well, if you consider "It's just instincts" to be a good enough explanation, then maybe you're satisfied. But, I wanted to delve further into the mystery.
I placed myself in the line of fire to demonstrate the process of what could possibly be perceived as inciting a duck to anger. Maybe there is a duck expert out there who will read this and provide a better explanation for us.
It starts innocently enough, with an offering of lettuce. This is fresh organic red leaf lettuce, one of their favorites. There should be nothing to complain about here. Maybe it's a tad wilted. Nevertheless, Enzo, the goose, is more than willing to sample some.
While Enzo continues to take bites of the lettuce, Jacques hangs back, eyeing me suspiciously. ["That's not suspiciously!" Popsey objects.]
Enzo chews, dipping his leaves in the water. Jacques swims forward to give me a stern quacking.
Enzo is really quite a charming fellow. Jacques looks at me askance.
They both draw back, Enzo appearing concerned. He's probably thinking "Hey Lady, you better watch out. I'd be backing up if I was you. This duck over here is getting pret-ty mad."
Uh oh... Jacques is glaring at me, and his head starts trembling. Normally, I'd step away at this point, but for the purposes of this "duckumentary," I force the issue and offer one...more....piece...of lettuce....oh dear....
I've really done it now. Jacques begins the wind-up, swimming in rapid counterclockwise circles chanting "Quack-Quackity. Quack-Quackity. Quack-Quackity. Quack."
Enzo's toenails make a skittering noise against the bottom of the pool as he desperately tries to get out of the way. Jacques takes aim.
AAAAAAAAHHHH! RUN!!!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Duck & Goose Q & A
Our mailbox has been overflowing with reader inquiries regarding the goose and duck, so we'll get down to business and answer your most pressing questions, interspersed with some random pictures.
Q: Do the duck and geese respond to their names?
A: As you may remember, we named them Enzo and Jacques. They might respond to their names if we ever remembered to call them by their names, but mostly we call them “Hey duck” or “Ow, that’s mean”.
Q: Is it possible to train them?
A: It depends on your idea of training. If you chase them they might happen to jump through a hoop, but they’re not the best runners, and trip over things a lot. They’re not the best flyers either. But they are very cooperative about going into their pen at night and being herded around.
Q: Are you planning to plump them up for a big meal?
A: Not anymore than we’re planning to plump up the dog for a big meal. If anything, she might enjoy them for an impromptu meal, but we’re trying to prevent that.
Q: How does Mooka like them?
A: I’m not sure exactly how she feels about them, but since they’ve arrived she’s eaten more vegetables than ever before. She has a longstanding policy that any food offered must be accepted. She is attendant at every feeding, willingly glorping down all manner of fruits and vegetables, sometimes trotting back to her bed with a leaf of lettuce. Our yard is becoming littered with single, wilted lettuce leaves that she was planning to eat but must have forgotten in her rush to get another one.
Q: Does the duck need water to swim in?
A: They both need water to swim in, the more the better, especially the duck. They are water creatures, and spend a large amount of time swimming and bathing. Sometimes they even take a nap in the water. We use cement-mixing tubs for pools, because they are big and have sloped sides so they can climb in and out of the water easier.
Q: Can you pet them, or do they run away?
A: They run away. The duck is pretty bad-tempered, but easier to catch then the goose, which only makes him angrier. When he’s mad you know about it. I’ll be hand-feeding him the choicest of lettuce, but no matter what, eventually his eyes glaze over with fury, and his head starts trembling with barely contained rage. When he cannot handle your insolence one moment longer, he charges, giving you a nasty rubbing with the rough bottom of his beak, until he reaches some skin to bite. He has a chip on his shoulder, ironic considering his lack of shoulders. It doesn’t hurt that bad physically when he attacks, and I try not to let it get to me. Popsey insists that I’m misinterpreting the whole thing, and that it is just instinctual behavior, or that “it’s just his way of relating to people." Bottom line, if you’re looking for a cuddly pet, waterfowl may not be the best choice.
The goose seems sweet despite all his noisy bluster and bravado. Popsey discovered that it helps to wear an orange baseball hat. I tried it today and they did seem a lot more friendly when I had an orange beak too.
Q: Are they noisy?
A: Duck sounds are wonderful. He quacks in rhythms and it sounds like we have a pair of maracas in the yard.
Geese make a variety of sounds, sometimes soft and sweet cooing, and more often sounds that resemble a hog being slaughtered. Sometimes he sticks his head in a bucket of water and honks, blowing bubbles out of his nostrils.
Q: What do you feed them?
A: Vegetables, fruit and goose mash (a mixture of chicken scratch and waterfowl pellets). Their favorite fruits and veggies are lettuce, watermelon, cauliflower, tomatoes and apples. They have shown a preference for organic lettuce over lettuce from Costco.
One source of food we've found is the local health food market. They leave their unsaleable produce in the back of the store in garbage cans for people to take for compost. Depending when you hit it, you can find them filled with whole heads of pretty good lettuce. Sometimes it's so good we almost wish we had some salad dressing. I know most of our readers would not eat old veggies out of a trash can behind a store, but if you ever find yourself in need, or feel like you’re coming down with scurvy, this could really help. You can thank me later.
Q: Do the duck and geese respond to their names?
A: As you may remember, we named them Enzo and Jacques. They might respond to their names if we ever remembered to call them by their names, but mostly we call them “Hey duck” or “Ow, that’s mean”.
Q: Is it possible to train them?
A: It depends on your idea of training. If you chase them they might happen to jump through a hoop, but they’re not the best runners, and trip over things a lot. They’re not the best flyers either. But they are very cooperative about going into their pen at night and being herded around.
Q: Are you planning to plump them up for a big meal?
A: Not anymore than we’re planning to plump up the dog for a big meal. If anything, she might enjoy them for an impromptu meal, but we’re trying to prevent that.
Q: How does Mooka like them?
A: I’m not sure exactly how she feels about them, but since they’ve arrived she’s eaten more vegetables than ever before. She has a longstanding policy that any food offered must be accepted. She is attendant at every feeding, willingly glorping down all manner of fruits and vegetables, sometimes trotting back to her bed with a leaf of lettuce. Our yard is becoming littered with single, wilted lettuce leaves that she was planning to eat but must have forgotten in her rush to get another one.
Q: Does the duck need water to swim in?
A: They both need water to swim in, the more the better, especially the duck. They are water creatures, and spend a large amount of time swimming and bathing. Sometimes they even take a nap in the water. We use cement-mixing tubs for pools, because they are big and have sloped sides so they can climb in and out of the water easier.
Q: Can you pet them, or do they run away?
A: They run away. The duck is pretty bad-tempered, but easier to catch then the goose, which only makes him angrier. When he’s mad you know about it. I’ll be hand-feeding him the choicest of lettuce, but no matter what, eventually his eyes glaze over with fury, and his head starts trembling with barely contained rage. When he cannot handle your insolence one moment longer, he charges, giving you a nasty rubbing with the rough bottom of his beak, until he reaches some skin to bite. He has a chip on his shoulder, ironic considering his lack of shoulders. It doesn’t hurt that bad physically when he attacks, and I try not to let it get to me. Popsey insists that I’m misinterpreting the whole thing, and that it is just instinctual behavior, or that “it’s just his way of relating to people." Bottom line, if you’re looking for a cuddly pet, waterfowl may not be the best choice.
The goose seems sweet despite all his noisy bluster and bravado. Popsey discovered that it helps to wear an orange baseball hat. I tried it today and they did seem a lot more friendly when I had an orange beak too.
Q: Are they noisy?
A: Duck sounds are wonderful. He quacks in rhythms and it sounds like we have a pair of maracas in the yard.
Geese make a variety of sounds, sometimes soft and sweet cooing, and more often sounds that resemble a hog being slaughtered. Sometimes he sticks his head in a bucket of water and honks, blowing bubbles out of his nostrils.
Q: What do you feed them?
A: Vegetables, fruit and goose mash (a mixture of chicken scratch and waterfowl pellets). Their favorite fruits and veggies are lettuce, watermelon, cauliflower, tomatoes and apples. They have shown a preference for organic lettuce over lettuce from Costco.
One source of food we've found is the local health food market. They leave their unsaleable produce in the back of the store in garbage cans for people to take for compost. Depending when you hit it, you can find them filled with whole heads of pretty good lettuce. Sometimes it's so good we almost wish we had some salad dressing. I know most of our readers would not eat old veggies out of a trash can behind a store, but if you ever find yourself in need, or feel like you’re coming down with scurvy, this could really help. You can thank me later.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Mooka's New 'Do
New Mooka:
Old Mooka:
Mooka got an estimated 15 pounds of fur clipped, her first time at a professional groomer. Foxtails, which are rampant around here this time of year, kept getting buried under her thick coat. The second time one became embedded in her skin and infected before we found it, the vet suggested we get her clipped.
Clipping Australian Shepherd coats is controversial. Some people have their dogs clipped regularly in the summer to keep them cool. Other people say the coat has thermal qualities that help them regulate their temperature better. This may be true, and is certainly a concern for us, since it gets very hot here. But due to the foxtail issue, and the vet's advice, we decided to try it once and see how it goes. The groomer said it's best not to do it more than twice a year, because their fur qualities will change if you do it too often. They have an outer coat and an undercoat, and the outer coat can forget to grow back. Also, you want to be careful not to cut it too short that the dog will get sunburned. We only plan to do it once a year at the most, and kept it long enough so her skin is protected.
She would have felt remiss had she not created at least some pandemonium during the whole experience, so she got that out of the way early on. They led her into the back room on a leash where she was supposed to wait in a kennel while the last dog was finished before they could start on her. Unsuspecting, she willingly followed the stranger, distracted by all the new smells. After the door swung shut behind her and she got a glimpse of what was in store for her (there were huge hoses everywhere and blowing noises, and dogs barking incessently), it must have dawned on her that we weren't with her anymore. She houdini-ed right out of her collar and tore back into the front room. I was standing behind the counter with one foot in the air ready to head out, when she burst through the doors and came barreling toward me, the groomer trailing after her holding a leash with an empty collar attached to it.
We managed to pull her back into control, and I assisted in getting her installed in the kennel. The groomer assured us that she cooperated perfectly after that, and during the bath they massaged her and she even (reportedly) grunted the whole time. During the actual shaving process I held her while the groomer used the clippers. She was struggling at about 50% effort, and was quietly whining during that part. Popsey was waiting outside in the store (this was a Petsmart) watching us through the window while we wrestled, and a small crowd gathered to witness it.
I think she's much more comfortable now. How could she not be? Look at that booty in the before picture! It's enormous! Granted, that picture was taken in the winter, at her most fluffy, but frankly, I've been getting a little tired of people telling me I'm feeding her too much. I keep trying to explain that it is all fur, but no one ever believes me.
Old Mooka:
Mooka got an estimated 15 pounds of fur clipped, her first time at a professional groomer. Foxtails, which are rampant around here this time of year, kept getting buried under her thick coat. The second time one became embedded in her skin and infected before we found it, the vet suggested we get her clipped.
Clipping Australian Shepherd coats is controversial. Some people have their dogs clipped regularly in the summer to keep them cool. Other people say the coat has thermal qualities that help them regulate their temperature better. This may be true, and is certainly a concern for us, since it gets very hot here. But due to the foxtail issue, and the vet's advice, we decided to try it once and see how it goes. The groomer said it's best not to do it more than twice a year, because their fur qualities will change if you do it too often. They have an outer coat and an undercoat, and the outer coat can forget to grow back. Also, you want to be careful not to cut it too short that the dog will get sunburned. We only plan to do it once a year at the most, and kept it long enough so her skin is protected.
She would have felt remiss had she not created at least some pandemonium during the whole experience, so she got that out of the way early on. They led her into the back room on a leash where she was supposed to wait in a kennel while the last dog was finished before they could start on her. Unsuspecting, she willingly followed the stranger, distracted by all the new smells. After the door swung shut behind her and she got a glimpse of what was in store for her (there were huge hoses everywhere and blowing noises, and dogs barking incessently), it must have dawned on her that we weren't with her anymore. She houdini-ed right out of her collar and tore back into the front room. I was standing behind the counter with one foot in the air ready to head out, when she burst through the doors and came barreling toward me, the groomer trailing after her holding a leash with an empty collar attached to it.
We managed to pull her back into control, and I assisted in getting her installed in the kennel. The groomer assured us that she cooperated perfectly after that, and during the bath they massaged her and she even (reportedly) grunted the whole time. During the actual shaving process I held her while the groomer used the clippers. She was struggling at about 50% effort, and was quietly whining during that part. Popsey was waiting outside in the store (this was a Petsmart) watching us through the window while we wrestled, and a small crowd gathered to witness it.
I think she's much more comfortable now. How could she not be? Look at that booty in the before picture! It's enormous! Granted, that picture was taken in the winter, at her most fluffy, but frankly, I've been getting a little tired of people telling me I'm feeding her too much. I keep trying to explain that it is all fur, but no one ever believes me.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Duck Duck Goose
We brought home two new members of the posse yesterday, a goose and a duck.
Popsey loves geese. Years ago, before I met him, he kept a pair of geese in his backyard. They built a nest and hatched eggs. When they got to be too much for his small yard, he released them into the wild.
Now that we have more room, he's been on the lookout for some to adopt. The duck and goose come from a neighbor who raises livestock of many kinds, including geese, and she needed to find a new home for one of her ganders. The goose's best friend is the duck, so she didn't want them to be separated.
Their working names (still keeping our options open as we get to know them) are Jacques (the duck) and Enzo (the goose). You may recognize them from one of Popsey's favorite movies, The Big Blue.
The duck is the dominant one of the pair, and has an intelligent look about him. He makes a quiet quacking sound that is very endearing. Whenever he gets near water he shakes his tail. It's fascinating watching how water grabs their attention. If we hold a hose out on spray, they automatically walk toward it and want to get under the water.
This is the coop Popsey built:
On the inside the walls are wrapped with aviary 1" square mesh, to keep them from sticking their heads out—which, as we've been grimly warned countless times, raccoons will quickly bite off.
The coop is inside the courtyard. As they get accustomed to it here, it should be okay to let them out of their coop during the day to roam inside the fenced yard. They will have to be in the coop overnight for protection.
Yesterday they did some exploring. This is their first foray out of the coop:
Discovering the bathtub:
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
A reason to be thankful
World peace begins at home. Here two species who have historically been at odds, find out the other side might not be so bad after all.
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