hazliya: (stamp)
I killed a mouse tonight.

For the last few months, we've had a mouse problem in the building. We tried to get rid of them peacefully - getting rid of garbage, putting everything in plastic containers, have-a-heart traps, you name it - but they were still here, just not eating anything.

uDon installed the noise-emitting repellers on the first two floors, but hasn't gotten around to ours yet. So they've fled to our floor, and become more and more obnoxious. Not eating anything now - there's nothing for them to eat - but just leaving evidence that they've been on the counters and skittering through the walls loudly. I'm tired of scrubbing the counters every day. I'm tired of trying to scare them off and discourage them from nesting in the walls. I was pretty sure I'd overcome my compunction about not killing them.

I bought a pack of the classic kill traps today, just to see if they'd work. I was dubious, after seeing too many cartoons and never actually using them myself, but they were cheap enough to be worth a shot. The mechanics were simple enough, and they had enough power to snap a neck instantaneously. I set them when it was completely dark, and headed to bed.

After an hour of reading, I got up to use the bathroom and heard a tiny shriek. Sure enough, one of the mice had successfully eaten the bait from two traps, but been caught on the third. A big male, too. [livejournal.com profile] elenuial let me cry a little, then I gathered myself up, grabbed a plastic baggie, apologized to the mouse, and picked up the body, trap and all. My first instinct was to bury him, but I know all too well that that would humanize it and make it far too difficult for me to continue doing this. Throwing them in the garbage distances what happened and makes it easier to deal with.

The knowledge that this is how serial killers often process their kills is not comforting.

I feel bad, but this needs to happen. And I need to be behind this 100% until that third emitter is installed, otherwise we'll all go crazy.

It just sucks.

And what makes it worse? A tiny scientist part of me is impressed that the damn things even work and that I was able to load them correctly. I feel like a little less of the person I thought I was now.

EDIT: Make that two mice. One of the ones in a drawer near a suspected nest was successful. A smaller female.
hazliya: (sam)
I really hope I'm a good dog mama.

Seriously, I'm worried about this.

I want to give this dog the best life possible. But I also need to work, have a social life, spend time with [livejournal.com profile] elenuial, and have other pursuits. Ideally, I want this dog to be completely happy and healthy and have a fulfilling role in our family. My mother has offered (read: practically begged) to babysit, so having to kennel him won't be a problem, but then again, he'll need to be crated while I'm at work.

I know of so many people, especially working where I do, who are broke, live in shitty apartments, don't take care of their dog's hygiene, feed it cheap food, don't train it at all, and generally don't set pack rules. Their dogs are still generally happy creatures.

I have a steady source of income and am building up my "puppy account," live in a nice place that will (hopefully) be organized by the time he arrives, plan on a weekly grooming regimen, did research and narrowed his diet down to three companies, will train him extensively, and will have a healthy pack structure.

Everything's sorted out, right? Why am I so worried that I won't raise him right?
hazliya: (Default)
I can't keep walking by Bowie's tank and bursting into tears. I have to have something living in there, and soon.

I have pretty much narrowed it down to two species: the Spotted Python and garter snakes. Here's a helpful table. Price is very much not an issue.

Point Pythons Garters
Size 100-140cm 60-160cm, depending on subspecies
Can live in pairs? Yes Yes
Color Brown spots with iridescent coat Many, though I'm mostly looking at blue and possibly orange. They're all vivid.
Availability Slightly rare in US Very common to very rare, depending on subspecies
Taming Very easy Mild
Activity Low High
Maintenance Low Slightly higher
Diet Mice only Mice, minnows


Thoughts? Anything else I should add up there?
hazliya: (Default)


Butterfly garden was amazing. And full of butterflies. And warm. And pretty. And full of MORE BUTTERFLIES.

They had my favorites around. I love swallowtails and admirals.

ExpandLots of pictures. Again. Though not as many this time. )

I should fine-tune some of these photos for prints. Later, when I need something to do. But for now, sleep.

Which would make good prints?
hazliya: (solarblue)


Yesterday, [livejournal.com profile] jingsaw, [livejournal.com profile] buddhagrrl, and I headed off to RI for Roger Williams Zoo! My home zoo. The butterfly exhibit was at its peak, and there was a baby giraffe. Also, it was slightly overcast, which meant that it wouldn't be packed with throngs of screaming children, and the animals would be more likely to come socialize.

So yes, oodles of animals! And after the zoo, Thayer st for dinner and me picking up a cute blue dress with a GIANT hoodie pocket.

[livejournal.com profile] jingsaw got to see monkeys. That in itself would have made his day.

Warning: there are like, four separate photos of a red panda sleeping and ten of the baby giraffe. You have been cautioned.

ExpandLots of images under the cut. )

Pictures from the butterfly garden to come.
hazliya: (sam)
Like wolves? Like baby animals?

This is so cute.

And not just because I'm a dog trainer.

hazliya: (sam)
I have actually found a chihuahua that I actively like.

I swear. Despite ranting to the contrary.

She's a 2-pound (if that), ten-inch, nine-month-old black and white smooth coat named Chile (we call her Chilly Dog in the store) who is a total lovebug. She runs up to people and sits at their feet, looking up and tucking her ears back so that she can be scratched behind them. She's also reasonably good with other dogs, too - big dogs, mostly. Hyper little dogs like Westies she might nip at so that they'll stop freaking out at her.

And all of this is a testament to her owner's hard work. The woman comes in every day (sometimes more than once) with Chile on a leash and wearing a little pink jacket, and the dog runs ahead of her to see what's changed since her last visit. The woman never carries her (hardly ever picks her up) and never babies her, ensuring that she'll have a well-adjusted, social, confident chihuahua. Not fearless, mind you - a healthy dose of caution is good for a dog, especially a small one - but confident enough to run up to strangers and whore for affection.

And she has more than enough willing volunteers to cuddle her. She's tiny, cute, and happy. And, due to her owner's influence, a gem in the gravel.

I cannot compliment that lady enough.
hazliya: (bayuh)
First off, thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes. It was a good birthday weekend for Haz. =)

Friday:
Kilroy show! Kooky and weird, but funny. Got to see a bunch of people I hadn't in a long time, which was excellent.

Saturday:
In the morning, worked. Lots and lots of work. But my puppy and intermediate classes always make me happy, so it went quickly. I also got to be the first to handle the brand-new California Kingsnake hatchlings at work: An albino spotted and a black/yellow striped morph. Fueling my reputation as the Snake Whisperer, they bit everyone except for me. They were squirmy, but adorable.
In the evening, I got to see They Might Be Giants, which was epic. The opener was a little bizarre (a mix of Queen and Jack Black), but TMBG played a host of new songs (accompanied by confetti cannon!) and two encores. After that, I barely managed to pack before passing out at home.

Sunday:
My annual Day with the Aunties (tm). First, shopping at Kohl's was very lucrative. I found three pairs of pants! Three! As well as this adorable 50s brown and white housewife dress and some flats with zippers. The a quick lunch and shopping in Providence (more score! Shoes this time! Shoes that fit my size 5 feet!) and A Christmas Carol at Trinity. The Ghost of Christmas Present this year was the Mad Hatter, which was awesome. Then chinese food. And emailing about a certain rescue snake.

Monday:
My birthday! Woke up semi-early, helped around the house, then was told all at once that everything for the ball python (including the snake) could be ready by 2pm that afternoon. So I argued a 30 or 40 gallon (still not sure) tank down to $20 off of craigslist, including screen top (usually goes for 60-70 bucks) and arranged that the rehoming fee for the $90 snake be reduced to $40, including accessories. Score!

ExpandIn which we rescue a ball python. )

So I left her feeling much, much better. Fed, warm, and sleepy. Happy snake.

I think that that's a good way to spend a birthday. The best, actually. I had this weird feeling afterward, as I was telling [livejournal.com profile] elenuial, like it was the most rewarding birthday I'd ever had. It seems appropriate (and I think I'd like to make a tradition out of this) that on the anniversary of your birth, you do something that makes you glad you were born.

Rescuing the abused snake made me feel that way.

Anyway, between the time I set the snake up in her tank and the time mum got home, I took dad to see Wall-E at the dollar cinema. He loved it, as I knew he would. We'll do our shopping day later, but for now, I was glad to spend time with him. (He actually held the snake! And liked her!)

Later this week, I'll go check on the snake and see how she and mum are faring. In the meanwhile, I have an obedience class graduating tonight, and I need to think up prizes for the perfect attendance students. =)

-Haz

Aminals!

Feb. 19th, 2008 10:53 pm
hazliya: (bayuh)
I got to meet a red fox, a screech owl, a monitor, and a red-tailed hawk today, among others.

I get to meet a polar bear and more tomorrow.

This is a happy Haz. =)

December 2011

S M T W T F S
     123
45678910
111213141516 17
18192021222324
25262728 293031

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

Expand All Cut TagsCollapse All Cut Tags
Page generated Jul. 7th, 2025 11:54 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios