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

Things are a Changing

The idea of this blog was to enlighten people to ferrets and the ownership of them. But while that will still be part of the blog the Universe has decided that it should go a different direction.

It will become more of a traveling blog as we now live on the road full time and will be incorparte the ferret's facebook mini blog here. Boyd and Dood will become part of the Enlightened posts as well.

This Blog Paws will be a major turning point for me and the kids. I am taking a huge leap of faith in knowing things will work out in the best possible way.



So have a chittering and meowy good day,

Jo and the Furry crew

Update

I know it has be a long time since I've posted anything about ferrets and I am sorry for that. I can't say I'll be better about posting as I don't know if I will have much to say. I know this is pet dental month and others have posted some great information about brushing your pet's teeth. I've done a couple of posts in the past and they can be found Here and Here.

Losing Manny last year put me in a tail spin I am just starting to pull out of. Marcuz, Marylin, Boyd, and Dood live with me on the road in a 2001 Chevy Venture. It isn't always easy and for a while there I wasn't sure I could do it. I am not sure where I would be if it wasn't for the furry crew.

The van has been redesigned around the ferrets and cats. Marcuz was almost bald in August of last year now has a new coat with one small bald spot on his back. He didn't get an implant and the only thing I can figure is the fact he and Marylin get a natural light cycle. While his coat isn't super thick it is a lot softer than it was. Marylin's coat is thick and soft and the markings she had lost are coming back.

I should also mention that it wasn't only a natural light cycle but they along with the rest of us experienced the temperature ups and downs. I can't say they helped the ferrets to have great results but I can't say it didn't either.

So Marcuz and Marylin update their traveling blog on FB a bit better than I do here.

Last year they were in PA, OH, KY, OK, NM, AZ, and we took a wild, scary ride through the desert to be outlaws in CA for Christmas. This year I am hoping to take them to the beach we shall see how that works out. Hoping to make Blog Paws in Phoenix this year along with the Buckeye Bash in Columbus, and maybe even be at the Greatest Ferret Show on Earth in Chicago. We shall see how it goes.

So if you see a tan van with two cats and two ferrets driving by give us a honk and a wave. See ya on the flip side.

Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo and the Furry Crew

Semi Wordless Wednesday

Marylin the Diva 

Marcuz the Explorer

Boyd the Adventurer

Dood the Hider

Have a Chittering good Day,

Jo

and the traveling crew 

Nomadic Life with Pets

I know it has been awhile since our last update and for that I am sorry. Things don't always go as planned but most of the time it has been surprisingly happy mishaps.

Since the last post we have traveled to Kentucky back to PA and then to Ohio and landed back in Kentucky for a bit. After the last day of work in Eau Claire, PA the crew and I headed to Kentucky to see my friend C. It was nice to see him and just catch up with him.

C has rats named Fred and George so there was some trepidation about the cats being inside the house but after a close call in the van, the cats were slowly introduced to Fred and George and there was no issues at all.

Nope I didn't hold them as chisel teeth and I don't mix well. Fred is the darker one. They are cute and make C smile.

After two weeks I made the trek back to PA to pick up some mail and spent the month hanging out at the local park in Grove City and boondocking between Wal*Mart and the TA. Boondocking is dry camping in a parking lot. Wal*Mart allows you one night in their parking lot and then you have to be gone for 24 hrs before you can do it again. The TA is a truck stop so overnighters are normal there.

The park was great because at the front of the park was a pavilion that had free wifi so I was able to stay in touch with friends and family...at least until my computer decided it was going to have some problems staying on. Typing on a smart phone can be difficult as the keyboard is small and even with my small hands I often hit the wrong button.

At the back of the park away from the crowds was pavilions that had outlets so I was able to do my sewing and stock up my inventory of ferret clothing and other items to sell. So my day was get up and go to the park after feeding and watering the crew and if I had enough change I'd get a coffee from Sheetz for a $1.00.

Believe me rewards cards are great. Once you get ten cups of coffee or soda you get a free one from Sheetz along with three cents off of gas.

Spend an hour online checking emails and conversing on Face Book, occasionally updating my GoFundMe campaign then to the back of the park where I would set up the playpen for Marcuz and Marylin inside the pavilion  
 and at first the cats would go in their crate since they had the run of the van at night. But after I started getting them use to being on leashes I was able to make a small run from the pavilion to the van, which Boyd thought was great as he prefers to hang out in the van and come out on his own terms. Dood on the other hand thinks he is a dog and will run back and forth while learning some tricks for a treat.

                              Boyd has the white paws. Hanging out in Wal*Mart's parking lot.

Don't let anyone ever tell you that this life is glamorous it has it's moments but there are days when everything just goes wrong and I had one of those days. It was a tuesday and nothing went right from the computer shutting off seconds after it loaded up, the phone acting up, it raining so badly that I couldn't sew, ate half cooked zucchini since I couldn't keep my fire going long enough to get the water to stay boiling. Boondocked at Wal*Mart routine was to walk the ferrets, then Dood, and lastly Boyd. I put my phone, keys down on the floor board just inside the door and took Boyd out closed the door and we went for our walk. once back at the van Dood came over and locked the door. Yep he stepped on the lock, normally he unlocks the door. I tried to get him to come back and unlock the door to no avail. 

The driver's side door wasn't closed all the way but I had nothing long enough to hit the button to unlock the door. Two girls came and tried to get the door open as well. At one point I must have leaned just enough on the door to shut it the rest of the way. The stress of the day came to a head at that moment as the frustration welled out and the tears flowed down my face.

Those two girls stayed helping me find a way to open the van at one point one of them went and found two guys and a girl in jacked up truck. It was them that got the van opened using a fence post and an antenna to hit the button. Needless to say that one set of keys is always attached to my hip now so that will never happen again.

Then thanks to the generosity of two very awesome ladies I was able to go to the Ferret Buckeye Bash, which is considered the largest ferret show on the east coast, as a vendor. These same two ladies made sure I had a place to stay for two nights and the crew loved being in a hotel room with Craig who Boyd decided to adopt as his human for the time period. 

My table at the Ferret Buckeye Bash.

I had a lot of fun again and got to meet Travis Livieri in person. I interviewed him via email back in 2009 regarding the Black-Footed Ferret when I first started this blog.

After the Bash the crew and I have landed once more in Kentucky at C's and the crew got a vacation from us as we went camping, a neighbor pet sat for us. The trip was suppose to be for two nights but rain dropped it to one night.

We were going to hike a trail that was 13 miles one way but after hacking for 4 hours to make it only 2.5 miles and not being able to see the trail markers we returned to camp. Which was a good thing for me as my feet were covered in what are called seed ticks. These things look like strawberry seeds and are tenacious about hanging on. Thankfully C had a scrapper and knew what I needed to do to get rid of them. Only problem I've had is that my psoriasis has flared so badly that is has shown up on my legs which it has never done before but at the same time I am wondering if maybe I brushed up against some poison ivy and when I took my shower I spread the oils. Either way I am scratching badly.

So that is where we are at now. I am running low on ferret food and at the moment no one is buying anything on the auction site that I have some items listed on. We also need some gas money so we can get headed west to Oklahoma where I am hoping to meet up with my dad for a bit and help him out somehow on the apartments he owns there. I owe him a lot since he did buy me the van so I would at least have a roof over our heads.

The plan after that is to head towards AZ where I plan to find a place for the crew and I to land, but as I said plans can change quickly in the nomadic life.


Have a Chittering Good Day,

Jo and the Crew