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Post by 3piggles on Oct 25, 2016 21:24:39 GMT
We got the cost quote for getting the generator installed professionally, and a couple of other things we want him to do while he's at it. Sticker shock, but it's better than not having power if we need it. I took my walk, and when I got back was standing outside talking to two of my neighbors, when it start snowing. I think the neighbors dog and I were the only two who were enjoying the snow Just a reminder that winter is coming. No accumulation, just flurries on the wind.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 26, 2016 8:25:49 GMT
I don't imagine it to be cheap love but I agree, it is better than being left without power. I love the snow too and am always secretly pleased when other people are complaining about it. It just wish it would get it right and snow at Christmas.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 26, 2016 20:51:19 GMT
I love watching the snow fall. It seems to blanket the earth, and make everything so quiet. I love having a yard light that lights up the snow in the dark, turning off all the indoor lights, and just watching it fall. The bigger and puffier the flakes, the better I got the mail and was holding it while I was looking around the street for the piece of my earbuds that I lost yesterday. One of the neighbors came along and said I had dropped some mail. Great, I'm dropping more stuff, while I'm looking for what I dropped! I think I'm going to have to order some new ones. The ear buds come with soft covers that fit the shape of the ear, and that's what fell off. Not for the first time, either. I think I'll buy them in a different color, so I can find them when they fall off. I love the sound of these ear buds, so I really don't want to get some thing else. The replacement soft covers are about $5, so worth it to not have to get a whole new set of earbuds. My earbuds: www.amazon.com/Yurbuds-Ironman-Inspire-Black-Headphones/dp/B006TGQ9ZE
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 27, 2016 8:44:42 GMT
It happens to us all Piggles hunni, that is exactly the sort of thing that I would do lol! I too love the snow; I remember the excited feeling I used to get as a child as I would wake up and everything would be white. If it was a couple of days before christmas or around the 18th when we had our christmas party at school, even better. I so wish I could still get that excited feeling which I remember so well and yet know I am know going to experience again. Great earbuds Piggles love.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 27, 2016 14:40:56 GMT
The gutters are being installed, so that should end the water running down the windows in torrents. It's a gloomy day with snow forecast for later, so it's nice that they managed to get here and get the gutters installed, before the weather got in the way. Vic mailed in the deposit for the generator, so we should be getting that in about a month. Nice to be checking items off our To Do list
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Post by Bean on Oct 28, 2016 6:04:55 GMT
You're storming through it all, and these are great things to get sorted before the worst weather kicks in. Sorry you lost your earphone thingy, but glad your neighbours saved you from losing your post too!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 28, 2016 8:33:37 GMT
I have given up on my to do list as nothing ever gets done . Glad you are sorted for the winter Piggles love. Nice to see you back bean hunni. Hugs Jo xxx
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 28, 2016 21:31:28 GMT
I was going to order more earphone covers, checked mine to see what size it was, and both covers were on there. Vic said he didn't find and replace it, and I know I didn't, and I know it was gone. When the soft cover to go in the ear canal is missing, the end piece is a round, hard, black piece with what looks like metal screen on one end. Not to be confused with a soft, black cover with an point that fits in the air canal. I think he's pulling my leg. Either way, I have it back, so no need to hurry to get a new one. We didn't get any snow, but we did get half an inch of rain. Every drop counts when trying to come out of a drought. Today we got wind-driven rain, and lots of it, so no chance to get out to walk today, at all. It's a bit warmer, and a lot wetter. Not many leaves left on the trees, either, thanks to the rain and the wind. Trick or treat is this weekend, and for the first time since we moved to New Hampshire in 1979, we won't be getting any trick or treaters. Kind of nice not to have to spend a ton of money on candy, but it was fun seeing all the great costumes I think getting the generator installed will be the last thing on our list this year. It's getting late in the season to build a deck, especially with Vic working during the week, and only having the weekends to do the job. We do have to move the stuff out of storage in Nashua, so he can focus on that for the rest of this year.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 29, 2016 9:09:51 GMT
We never get any trick or treaters here and I must admit I miss them. These used to be old peoples' bungalows so the children had strict instructions not to call. I too would love to see all their costumes though. If we get any snow here it won't be yet and probably after christmas. Oh by the way, the lady has been to collect the snails which weren't mine so my babies now have plenty of room in snaily city lol!
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by bazookagoof on Oct 30, 2016 4:11:17 GMT
I didn't want to start a thread for this, so I just thought I'd ask it here: We shred our documents (old bank statements, paid bills, etc.) and I was thinking of using it as extra bedding for the piggies; I could use some of the scented stuff I buy, and combine it with the shredded documents to help stretch out the bedding supply.
I can't see any harm in it, unless there's something I had not considered. They don't chew the bedding, so I don't see them trying to chew the paper. Oscar occasionally tears away some of the newspaper under his bedding, but not on any regular basis.
Does this sound like an okay idea? I thought I could save some money if it works.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Oct 31, 2016 9:05:56 GMT
The only thing I would be wary of Baz love is the print but as many hutches are lined with newspaper I don't see any harm. Perhaps someone will think of something I haven't but otherwise I think it is a good idea.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Oct 31, 2016 10:38:50 GMT
Newspapers usually use plant-based inks and the paper is unbleached. The paper we buy for printers etc tends to be bleached and the coloured inks/ papers we use at home or work have more potential to be toxic if they do nibble on it.
When I do my shredding I quite often let them play in it (since we can't recycle our shredded paper) but don't leave them with it for more than a few hours, mainly because it makes a lousy bedding as it gets soggy and smelly very quickly. It doesn't drain anything away from the surface.
What scented bedding do you use? I think I'd probably be more worried about that irritating their airways than the danger of a bit of inhaled/ ingested ink. But if you have it, shredded newspaper is good if they have an area where they don't tend to toilet as it's good fun for them to play/ nest in if it stays dry.
We've had our Halloween bash while family were staying this weekend - it was good fun (some great costumes!) and I've got some sweets in incase we get any trick or treaters later (ones we will happily eat if no one calls!). We've never had loads here - it's not caught on in a major way.
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Post by 3piggles on Oct 31, 2016 21:25:23 GMT
Happy Halloween Baz, guinea pigs live very close to their bedding, so they can't get away from any scent of any kind, in their bedding. Depending on what chemicals are making the scent, being forced to breathe it constantly could cause upper respiratory problems. If you're using scented bedding, it's best to change to an unscented one. Last I checked, it was getting really hard to find a Carefresh that wasn't scented. There is a "Natural" version of Carefresh, which is the one I use, if I use it at all. A former member tried shredding newpapers and mail, and found it packs down very, very quickly. As Bean said, it's not at all absorbent. If you want to use the shredded paper, perhaps piling it in a small kitty litter tray, and letting the the pigs play in it would be a good use of it. Once it's all mashed down, toss it. Are you looking for a less expensive option, or just want to recycle your mail? I went to walk around 3 p.m. today, and even with a brim on my hat, the sun was low enough in the sky to be in my eyes. We set our clocks back next weekend, which you've already done in the UK, so the sun will be that low by 2 p.m. instead of even by 3 p.m. I really, really wish we'd all stop messing with the clocks, and just go with the normal hours. I'm glad I have the daylight LED bulbs, as they give a lot of good light, and don't cost much. Otherwise, I'd go into hybernation
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Post by bazookagoof on Nov 1, 2016 2:02:13 GMT
3piggles , on your advice I'm going to stop using the scented stuff- but I can't lie, I'm going to miss it- the lavender scent really smells nice. I was just looking for a way to possibly save a few bucks by combining the bedding with shredded paper, but after everyone's input I am not going to do that- it's not as if it's breaking the bank, anyway. Over here, unscented bedding is pretty easy to find. As far as I have noticed, only Theodore sneezed frequently until I changed his bedding to something unscented and a different style (instead of white bedding, it was brown chips that weren't wood, but some other kind of papery material. He preferred no bedding in his pigloo, so when I cleaned his cage I left a bare spot with only newspaper. He liked it that way. I did just buy another pack of scented bedding, so I have to use that up, and I promise to use unscented from now on. (on a side note, I have seen camouflage bedding available in stores; it's amusing.) www.petsmart.com/small-pet/supplies/bedding-and-litter/kaytee-clean-and-cozyandtrade-camo-small-animal-bedding-37943.html?cgid=600012
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Post by jolovespiggies on Nov 1, 2016 9:42:07 GMT
Merley just has a big pile of hay in his run which is added to each day. When we used to have piggies in hutches we always lined the hutches with newspaper and again, there was loads of hay in there and they were cleaned out every other day. Our piggies always had a space of just newspaper too and they seemed to like it but the hay was there to munch on and make nests if they so wished.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Nov 1, 2016 21:33:19 GMT
Baz, mix the scented bedding with the shredded paper or with unscented bedding, until it's gone. If you've gotten one sneeze, you'll probably get more. Jo, I use hay, too, and I get meadow hay, as I can't afford to use Oxbow Western Timothy as bedding. I do have the hay over the wood pellet bedding, though, and I only change that every few months. This is what I use: www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/equine-fresh-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb. One bag last a good year, as I only replace it every few months. I have fiberglass window screen on top of that, then hay. The girls love it. Since you can put a pigloo on the fiberglass window screen, you still have bedding under it, and Theodore might not even notice that he's on bedding
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Post by jolovespiggies on Nov 2, 2016 8:47:33 GMT
We get our hay from a farmer and it is always really good quality. The Oxbow hay goes in daily but obviously in much smaller amounts. It is lovely watching Merley make his daily nests.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by shades on Nov 2, 2016 12:24:09 GMT
I have fiberglass window screen on top of that, then hay. The girls love it. Since you can put a pigloo on the fiberglass window screen, you still have bedding under it, and Theodore might not even notice that he's on bedding is this the fiberglass window screen you're talking about? fiberglasswindowscreen.com/fiberglassmesh/fiberglasswindowscreen.htmWe've got a similar product on our windows to keep out the mosquitoes. I'm thinking about using it in the pigs cage too. How do you keep it in place and stop the pigs going underneath?
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Post by 3piggles on Nov 2, 2016 17:28:43 GMT
Yes, Shades, that's the stuff. It comes in different varieties, from super thick and very black pet screen-that won't be damaged by cat and dog claws, to the type I use which feels like fabric, and everything in between. The type I use isn't very good for window screens. We've tried it, and it's too soft, so it bags instead of pulling tight. The best thing is to feel each one, and get the one that feels most like fabric.
All the screen does is keep the poos and hay from mixing with the bedding underneath. If it did, I would have to toss all of the bedding weekly. This way, I just toss the dirty hay on top of the screen, and replace that. The screen can be washed in the washing machine, but I put it in a sink of hot, soapy water, slosh it around, rinse it and hang it on a drying rack to dry. The pigs will eat it, if they can get to it, but of all the beddings I've used over it (fleece, and hay), the hay seems to be enough to keep them from bothering the screen. They would go out of their way to move the fleece pads to get to the screen.
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