A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper

A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper
Ever wonder what its like to share your world with a bunch of crazy critters? Tune in to find out!

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

July Month in Review


Wow - July has been a jam packed month - both for the humans and for the critters.  We kicked off with all the little critters and Ollie going to the vet.  Everyone is doing great and Ollie's levels are perfect!  :)

Emma survived another 4th of July - oh how she hates those fireworks!

The critters had a week with the hubs while I traveled for business.  He did a great job of caring for them - making sure they had what they needed and that Ollie got his meds.  Emma spent the week with her Grandma and Grandpa - she had much more fun playing with Quincy than sitting at home for a really long time waiting for her daddy to get home from work.

I caught the crud while I was traveling and had to avoid the ferrets and the hedgehog so I didn't share my germs with them - that was no fun but luckily short lived.

Zoey had her vet visit and was diagnosed with hyperthyroid, same as Ollie.  She started her medication a couple of weeks ago and seems to be doing quite well.

Nigel is doing well - he has had a bath and nail trim recently and seems to be happy and healthy.  Baby ferrets are great - happy, playing and generally wreaking havoc.  Maddie is fantastic - loving having the babies to play with and keep her company.  Clooney is bright and active and seems to be doing so well - I am really pleased.  Kitties are all doing just great - Phoebe is still the toy queen, Aggie is hanging out with her humans more and more and both Ollie and Zoey are thriving with the adjustment to their thyroid levels.  Miss Emma is great - her health is very good and for the most part she is quite the good girl - if we could just break her of scratching on the carpet....ugh.

So there - you have it...a busy July recap.  August will be busy as well - a bit of travel for the humans which means pet sitter standing in for us.  Aggie has her vet appointment in late August.  Phoebe may go in for her check up in August - but more likely - early September.  Wow - where did the summer go?


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

It's In the Bag

...at least he is in the bag.  Clooney loves to play in plastic grocery bags.  Yesterday after we changed the bed I gave him a bag to play with/in.  First he has to explore the bag - checking for holes, scratching to test how strong it is, etc.  Then he plays in the handles, sticking his head through and ending up getting the handle stuck around his pudgy belly.  There is some hopping and squeaking involved to get the handle loose.

Phoebe was in the mood to play so Clooney got in the bag and Phoebe proceeded to try to get him - Clooney thought this was much fun and made is happy squeaky noise.  To end his play session I gave him a stick which he promptly took into his bag and munched....it makes me smile that he squints his eye on the side he eats his stick on - what a silly little dude.



Monday, July 29, 2013

July Snaps

Here's the pile of snaps that never made it into posts for whatever reason.  I can't believe that its almost August:



This is one of the three baby birds that hatched in the nest on our porch - they come back every day for a bite to eat


















Sunday, July 28, 2013

Nigel

My pokey little boy.  He is doing well...he passed his vet exam with flying colors and seems to be a pretty happy and laid back dude.  We had a shower and a nail trim shortly before these pictures were snapped. He was cooperative so lots of snaps were snapped.  Trying to spend more time with him each day - we have been spending a bit less time together since the crazy baby ferrets joined the menagerie.














Saturday, July 27, 2013

Violet

My independent and vibrant Violet girl.  Just in the last few weeks there have been a couple of changes with my girl.  First - I am happy to report she has become much happier about being picked up and loved on - hooray!  Secondly - something seems to have happened with her and Clooney - they have started engaging with each other more and they are getting along so much better.  I am quite happy about both of these developments.  She is my helper - always in the middle of things investigating whats going on....love her.









Friday, July 26, 2013

Finnegan

My little Finney - okay - maybe not really all that little.  He is my big boy.  He loves to play - with his humans, his ferret sisters and with the dog's toys.  He loves big stuffed toys and he drags them around to different locations.  He is a sweet boy - affectionate and engaged - I do adore him.







Thursday, July 25, 2013

Zoey Update

Lots of  firsts today for Miss Zoey.  She starts her thyroid medication today.  Our pet sitter gets to practice putting medication on her for the first time today as well.  I am hoping she won't be too snitty.  I have been playing with her ears since I found out that she was going to go on the medication in an effort to get her used to it.

All in all I think Zoey is doing well - she is still leaping kitty.  She seems to be throwing up a bit less - that will hopefully go away completely once her levels get regulated by the medication.  She is being pretty social - hanging out with her kitties, humans and being fairly tolerant of the ferrets.

We will see how today goes - wish us luck with Miss Crankypants....


Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Aging in Ferrets

I have been reading up on aging in ferrets as my boy Clooney is 5 years old now.  6 is the official threshold to be considered an elderly ferret - he will be 6 next February.  Luckily he is in good health - he passed his vet exam with flying colors.  He has a pretty good deal of energy these days - he is playful some of time, sometimes not so much.  He does sleep more than he did when he was younger.

We have baby gates up blocking some of the rooms off from the baby ferrets.  I am not sure how this is still working because I am certain that the baby ferrets could climb them any time they wanted but....Clooney climbs them multiple times a day.  I am happy to report that he is getting along very well with the babies and Madison.  The four of them are peacefully coexisting.  He and Finn are no longer squabbling and he and Violet were actually playing together yesterday....ahhhh progress.

In the coming months there may be adjustments that we need to make for him as he ages.  I hope we keep him young at heart and that we have many good years left with my sweet furry boy.