Spun vs Spit

Sharps

 As usual Ruby slunk across the barn to greet me on Sunday morning.  I thought to myself, oh, she has such frosty whiskers this morning.  Then I awoke from my morning fog - it's not frosty whisker weather!  Those are porcupine quills flapping on her face.

I let her out of the barn to eat her food while I returned to the house to get hubby.  Millie was not appearing in this time, likely hiding with her own face full of sharp quills.  Hubby and I each did some quick internet research on the day's crisis.  IN addition we called good friends with lots of quill removal experience.  We listened to their advice and absorbed their best wishes.  We gathered up the necessary tools and equipment.

When I returned to the barn Ruby had managed to eat most of her food by dumping it out of the bowl and gathering it off the ground rather than bump the sharps on the inside of the bowl.  I quickly fed the other animals and put the flock out.  We met Ruby at the back of the house.  There we spent a solid hour painfully pulling out quills.  Ruby dragged us through the wet grass, slinking under and around us.  Finally, she began to thrash and caught hubby across the ear and face.  We had all reached our limit.

I hung upside down and peered under the veranda after we located Millie there.  Yes, her face was decorated too.  We did not pursue Millie.  I gave each dog painkillers and an antihistamine.

We went off to the day's event returning in the late afternoon.  Millie came out from hiding.  She easily allowed me to remove a quill by hand which encouraged me and I went to find the pliers.  I slowly removed from her top lip the quills I could see.  She began to burrow her nose to keep me away.  I stopped.  I had removed enough that she could eat.

For dinner I fed them soft food in a shallow dish and they managed.  Ruby was feeling much better but I could still see four quills.  I already had a Vet appointment for Ruby the next day, Monday.

On Monday when I called the Vet they said to just come whenever I was ready.  Millie had been to the Vet on the Thursday before and treated for a broken dew claw and the removal of the actual claw.  She was already receiving antibiotics and painkillers.  I had become confident about getting Millie to the Vet again and here was my chance to find out.  Yes!  I was able to get all 102 pounds of Millie into the car by myself. My neighbour had helped on Thursday but we were good now and Millie seemed less stressed and less resistant about going.

At the vet I said "She's back!".  When I explained it's getting easier, the Vet Tech said, "Of course.  Every time she comes here she gets to go to sleep!"

Yes, they sedated her - again - and removed many quills.  Some were on the inside of her top lip, which I would not have been able to get to.  They were thorough, checking her feet, her legs, between her toes, her chest, her throat, etc.

I drove Millie home and put Ruby in the car.  Oh, Millie had vomited in the car and now it was Ruby's turn.  Ruby too got to have little sleep at the Vet's.  In addition to the four quills I had not removed there was one inside her nose.  These hidden quills convinced me of the importance of the Vet visit and sedation.

Needless to say the Vet bill was A LOT!

Upcoming Fashion Debut

I have a new expression:  "I feel a blog coming together" and this is how I feel with some recent work I have begun making this year's scarecrows.  Hubby ordered some cool looking cardboard figures.  I am spraying them with a protector and this is taking time.  And then the design work takes time too as I have to sift through what I have and create the stunning look.  So, coming to a blog real soon - "Scarecrow Fashions."

Mrs. Bogart

She's been here for about one week now.  We are sticking with the name she came with, Marjie, with the addition of Bogart.  A real pair, Mr. and Mrs, Humphrey and Margie Bogart.  She is a lovely tortoise shell kitty.  A feral cat, there is no love between us, which suits my allergic self pretty well, actually.  Originally a barn cat, she was recently rescued by an organisation at the request of the new farm owners who did not want the cats in the barn.  She has been spayed and vaccinated and now, re-homed.  Or, is that re-barned -? 

In order for the wild thing to understand that this is home, we have to keep her crated for two weeks, at least.  She needs to learn where the food is coming from and the normal noises of the place.  So, I placed the dog crate atop four bales of hay in a barricaded corner of the barn.  The lady who delivered Marjie thought this was perfect.  The cat carrier door was removed and the carrier - avec le chat - was placed inside the dog crate.  Then a litter box, food dish and water dish were added to the crate.  There is now no floor space left in the crate.  However, Marjie could, if she desired, sit on top of the crate and fully observe the goings on in the barn.

I have never seen Marjie stand up, never mind come out of the carrier or sit on top of it.  She now regularly eats her food, drinks her water and uses the litter box.  Sometimes she faces outward and other times she faces inward.  So, I no she moves.  The greatest movement I have observed is the blinking of her eyes.

Humphrey greeted Marjie when she arrived.  Frequently Humphrey is now found sleeping on the floor in that barricaded area.  I have moved Humphrey's bed on to the top of the dog crate and now feed him next to the crate.  He 'talks' to Marjie and has tried very hard to make her feel welcome.


Henrietta - spun and spit

She really can be a cranky thing, Henrietta.  Since hubby took care of the fishy smelling dead snake, that we think Henrietta killed, she has been nasty to him a few times.  She snorts and spits and aimed one day.  She also went at him with her chest, pushing in to him.

Henrietta has been downright nasty to me for awhile.  Some new learnings about llamas indicate that are stroking, cooing and giving her treats is not a good idea.  She is unclear of her order in the pecking sequence.

So, when she spits I raise my voice and tell her "No!"  As well, we are trying to ignore her.  We no longer offer treats unless it is a training session and the treat is a reward.  I catch her and stroke her as if I am brushing her to get her more used to that.  I don't brush her unless I can hide the brush on my person while I catch her. 

It will take some time, but we are learning more - again - about llamas.

I have been regularly attending a Friday afternoon group of handspinning.  This has allowed me to finish one project - spinning some Rideau Arcott mixed with Mohair - and begin a new project - spinning Henrietta.  I is BEAUTIFUL!  There are chunks of hay and vegetable matter but it is so very soft and spins up very finely.

The spun is much nicer than the spit!