Thank you all! I had a very happy b-day. In addition to being 31, I am also 10 weeks pregnant! That's the best b-day present I could ask for.

T - we have raccoons in our chimney, a whole family of them. They drive the cats and the dog crazy, because we can hear them moving around and squealing and such. Not sure how to get rid of them. They come back year after year. Last year, we put some peppermint oil in the bottom of the...

Chinchillas should *not* be put into exercise balls. The small, confined space can cause them to overheat and die of heat stroke. Exercise wheels are only appropriate if they are larger than 15" diameter, as any smaller causes the chins' backs to bend in an unnatural way. Wheels also need to...

I had chinchillas for many years and found them to be great pets. Pet Chinchillas | PetChinchillas.info This site has a great care guide that can help you determine if a chin is right for you and covers some of the basics regarding caging and nutrition. C&C cages are not generally considered...

Did this individual seek you out to ask you for help? Or did you offer? I ask because if you don't know anything about "companion" pythons then why would you be offering assistance to someone? Perhaps this can be a reality check that if you do NOT have the requisite expertise regarding a...

Yeah, more and more people are moving to TX, especially Dallas. The recession hasn't hit here as hard as it has most places, and property is at a decent price, so people are coming in droves. Of course, there are downsides .... TX weather sucks. We're right in the middle of both Tornado alley...

Ha - I'll have a huge house warming party when we move. I'll invite all the guineapigcages folk. But here's the other one we're considering. Considerably cheaper, but majorly freaky (in a good way). Check it out: 7507 Baxtershire Drive Dallas, Tx 75230-2403 - Dallas Real Estate, Fort Worth...

We're house hunting. I LOVE this house. It's got all original wood from 1958, it's got a flat roof (love that) and it's very modern on the inside. Plus, it's laid out kind of like a maze, which is very cool. No carpet either. What do you think? 11535 Hillcrest Rd Dallas, Tx 75230 - Dallas...

I'm glad you're all right. I've never understood how property can be so valuable (meaning expensive) there in SF when it's right over a fault line. <sigh> My husband and I always said that after "the big one" hits, the property value will drop, and then we can move there.

That's exactly what my fat cat does - bug me for more food ALL THE TIME. Thanks for the links and ideas.

Thanks! From all the links I've looked at, it seems like canned food is recommended, but I don't see that as a long term solution. Wellness seems to be a good deal, but I can't recall seeing it in any of the stores we frequent. I wonder if I'll have to order it online or if a store would...

I posted about this in a dog food thread, but I guess rather than derail that thread, I'll start my own. I need some information on good cat food. I'm too lazy to feed raw, so I have to use some kind of commercially prepared food. And I want to feed my felines whatever it takes to keep them...

Tserisa - (or anyone, I guess) - you don't happen to know anything about cat food, do you? I'm kind of at a loss for both a really good cat food (for 3 cats, 2 male, 1 female, 1 over weight, all indoor, no allergies, all fixed.) and for how to research a really good cat food. Everywhere I...

Just a note on this: Earrings on infants are a choking hazard, which should be a huge safety concern for anyone contemplating subjecting their infant to this. Also, circumcision is much more painful and traumatic than ear piercing. It's actually a minor surgical procedure, although one done...

A lot of insurance companies have actually started to refuse coverage for circumcision, based on the fact that it is now considered a cosmetic procedure, rather than a medical one. So I totally see the point - tail docking/ear clipping in dogs is no worse than circumcision (no better, either)...

Everything is ok - we went to our safe spot while the worst went through. It's fun being crammed in closet with 3 cats and a dog and 2 people. :) The storm passed us in about 5.5 minutes - very short. Lots of hail, though. As per usual, the real tornado went through Ft. Worth and N. Dallas...

My city sirens just went off for a Tornado. We're heading for the closet under the stairs with the animals. Think of us for the next half hour or so!

I'd really like to know *how* this woman afforded in-vitro fertilization if she has to rely on food stamps. Even doing a frozen cycle costs between $3000-$4000 dollars, plus there is a yearly cost to keep embryos frozen, that ranges from $300-$1000/year. If she had enough cash laying around to...

Please don't wait to confirm this story for yourself. You don't need to do this. For one thing, the child in question is probably going to lie to you. For another, you're simply wasting valuable time by trying to investigate this. The animal control authorities - PROFESSIONALS for these very...

Please do the right thing here and put these rationalizations aside. What is important here is protecting this dog from potential harm, and not protecting someone else's "parenting" or finding a no-kill rescue. If your parents aren't willing to do the right, responsible, adult thing, then you...