AZ Heat

Okay so we made it to Blog Paws Thank you for having us. We got to meet Marjorie from @DashKitty and attended a couple of interesting sessions. Marylin was part of Pawject Runway and rocked the Elizabeth Taylor Diva look. We didn't win but we had a lot of fun.

This was a first conference for the kitties both of who did wonderful to the point that Boyd was happy to perch on top of the stroller as we wandered the exhibit hall and made some great connects.

I promise as soon as I have more than a few minutes of internet I will get all the logs ins done.

Was planning on being in Washington state as of this writing but the Universe has other plans for me one of which is Jury duty so that means I need to find a way to keep my fur kids safe. The first option that came to mind was a hotel room for two nights. Granted that would make sure I had a shower so that I don't stink and a soft bed and wifi but it also means a pet deposit and dipping deep into funds that are already getting low.

The other option is a pet sitter or boarding we will have to see how that prices out.

So that leads me to the main reason for this post.

We've been camping at a place called Snyder Hill and for the most part have the place to ourselves. Meaning there is the occasional over niter and then there is the wildlife. We've seen coyotes, birds of all sorts, ground squirrels that look like miniature prairie dogs, lizards, but thankful no snakes.

Camping is great when the temps are around 80 degrees (26.6 C) but that is even too high for ferrets who do okay up to 78 degrees.

So how does one get around temps that soar to above 100 degrees (37.7 C)?

First and foremost is the van has all the doors open while this would normally drain the battery I have a solar battery maintainer that is doing a great job of keeping the battery where it should be and second the interior lights are off.

Next is to put a tarp over the ferret's side of the van with the silver side out. Believe it or not it does help to drop the interior temps a few degrees.

Then WATER and plenty of it. If I have bought a bag of ice I make sure they have a few cubes in their water dish and a bowl of just ice.

I keep a close eye on them and if I see they are panting too much I give them a dip in a tub of water. Think how much you love going for a dip when it is hot outside. While Marylin isn't overly fond of it. Messes up her perfectly groomed hair. Marcuz loves his pool time and will roll over into a semi sitting position and just chill for a few minutes.

Normally I do the squeeze the extra water off maneuver but not on days like this. I get them to drips before putting them back in their fan cooled cage. Yes they have their own fan, spoiled much? You bet.

Instead of hot blankets for them to lay on they have a product called a FrogTogg(r)it is made for humans and is for keeping cool. A friend gave me one and I cut it into three pieces two of which are just the perfect size for ferrets and one larger one for me. Although I think they have gotten the most use out of all the pieces.

Last night (July 7) I was worried about Marcuz as he was having a hard time with the heat and hadn't been sleeping well. I made a platform out of the cage door with some fabric on it for him to lay on and then putting the soaked FrogTogg(r) on top of him like a blanket. Marcuz faced the fan and fell asleep with a smile on his face. I just wish the lighting had been better for pictures.

Needless to say I didn't sleep well as I kept a watchful eye on him until he woke up and went to his hammock and pulled himself into it and went back to sleep breathing a lot easier than he had been earlier.

While it isn't the greatest set up it is working for now. But once I can get solar power I will have an AC unit that can be turned on to keep the heat at bay.

The cats are liking the fact they can be outside the van more like under it during the day and Boyd likes to be on top of it just after sunset.

More to come:

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo and the Furry Crew