Morning of virtue...

[fajrdrako]

Beulah's going to pick me up shortly after ten, to go to Greely - a village just outside Ottawa. Determined to get something done beforehand, I put in an hour of yoga, and then decided it was time to take care of the pets and their cages. Time to pretend I'm Archie Abernethy. He wouldn't neglect anyone in his care.

David had told me that Squeaker's guinea pig cage has to be cleaned and wiped with vinegar once a week, and yes, it was starting to smell. Meanwhile, though I clean the bird cages every day, I haven't taken them apart for a good thorough scrub in six months. This was the morning.

First step: I put the John Barrowman CD of Cole Poter songs on. (Can't scrub cages without music.) I put Squeaker on a towel by the armchair, with instructions to stay put. David had told me she always stays quietly on the towel.

On the towel? Only by a technicality. Quietly? Hardly. She was feeling lively this morning. She ran all around the towel, and when that seemed old territory, she started wandering off it to explore the carpet - but always kept at least one toe on the towel, just in case. Not necessarily always the same foot.

Meanwhile, as I should have anticipated, as I was working on the cage belonging to Logan and Gambit, Logan made his escape and flew straight to Pryde's cage for a visit. Gambit went to the curtain rods. Once they were out, I took advantage and rearranged the toys and perches and the hamster wheel in their cage. Exercise is good for them anyway, right?

I thought the whole dismantling-and-scrubbing process would take about half an hour. I should have estimated half an hour per cage... when you factor in the vaccuming afterwards of hay, wood shavings, and seeds.

Now everyone in the household is pristine clean except me, and I'm going to have a shower now.

I wonder if Logan and Gambit will ever return to their cage. The inside of it, I mean. They love climbing around the outside.

Comments

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

Time to pretend I'm Archie Abernethy.

LOL. Your next guest will be called Hughie...

she started wandering off it to explore the carpet - but always kept at least one toe on the towel, just in case. Not necessarily always the same foot.

That's very clever!

Now everyone in the household is pristine clean except me, and I'm going to have a shower now.

And then you'll be clean and virtuous :) Enjoy the rest of the day!

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

On the towel? Only by a technicality. Quietly? Hardly. She was feeling lively this morning. She ran all around the towel, and when that seemed old territory, she started wandering off it to explore the carpet - but always kept at least one toe on the towel, just in case. Not necessarily always the same foot.

OMG, Honey would be like 'fuck this towel, I OWN THIS PLACE!' and end up in the kitchen. o____O

I can't imagine making a guinea pig stay on a towel unless there was a fence, LOL. Maybe I just get the undisciplined, lively ones.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Aw! I am delighted your little furred and feathered friends have nice, clean houses, anyway.

A hamster wheel for the budgies? What a great idea!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't think Hughie will fit into my apartment. The doorway's too small.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Honey would be like 'fuck this towel, I OWN THIS PLACE!'

That's Logan's attitude. Honey should come and visit, she'd fit right in! And she could teach Squeaker a thing or two.

I think Squeaker is getting bolder by the day. maaseru says I have that effect on budgies.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I am delighted your little furred and feathered friends have nice, clean houses, anyway.

They seem happy with it. Not to mention the extra helping of spinach I gave them all, which disappeared with amazing speed.

Two of the first budgies I had already had a hamster wheel, and it was a favourite plaything. They would run in it, like a hamster does. They would run on the outside of it. They would sleep inside it. They would climb on it. They would perch on it. Sometimes they both ran in it together, one upside down and the other rightside up, so they looked like a mobile yin/yang symbol.

Pryde still likes to sit in her hamster wheel to nap, while Logan and Gambit don't pay much attention to it most of the time. Depends on their mood, I guess.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

She would certainly lead Squeaker astray. A few weeks ago I had Honey stay at mum's, didn't realize she was in heat, and she tried to have sex with EVERY SINGLE pig, including Yuki who is three times her size.

My mom was so shocked she checked to make sure Honey was indeed a female, at which point I was gravely offended: "Can't females be just as horny?? How sexist to assume she might be a boy!"

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

LOL. I don't know what Squeake would make of Honey, but it would be fun to see!

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

It would! How old is Squeaker? I want photos!!!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have no idea how old Squeaker is. I'll ask her family when they get back from England. I'll get you photos, too. Really. Sometime soon. (Note to self: ask maaseru if I can borrow her camera this afternoon.)

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

:D