February 2012 - Livestock update

As predicted, our brood has grown over the winter. Just before Christmas, we finally gave in to the kids and they both received a rabbit, 2 little fellas, patchy and cute. Daughters is called Flumps and the boys is called Floppy. First check up visit to the vets revealed that they were not 2 boys, but boy and girl. We weren't terribly suprised as they had been playing mummies and daddies at every opportunity since arriving home. One new hutch later, we await the arrival of babies. Tuesday Febuary 21st, Shrove Tuesday, 7 little bunny babies arrived in this world. It appear we have 4 brown, 2 black and white patch and 1 little black baby. Here they are at 5 days old.

We plan to keep one and hope to find good homes for the rest....fingers crossed.

The guinea pig, pebbles, is still going strong and is into his 4th year of life. They can live to 7 or 8 years, so he still have plenty of time yet. He has spent the winter in his hutch in the quailarium, out of the horrid weather. He returned to the garden this weekend and had a lovely day playing in the grass and munching his way through a cabbage on Saturday.

The quail all look stunning in their winter plumage. Although the fox has been around, along with the new neighbourhood moggies, the reinforcements are doing their job and the birdies are all safe and sound. We do have an old rabbit run in with them so that should anything get in, they can hide inside, not that I believe for one moment they are that bright. We have been rewarded with an egg or 2 over the last few weeks and now that the days are lengthening, I will expect them to start laying more regularly soon.

The tortoises, Tom and Bertha, are still hibernating. I am not keen on this, the uncertainty of them waking. Hubby has check on them from time to time, and they are alive, but still sound asleep. Travis, our Herman torty, doesn't hibernate and he is relieved the weather has warmed up as he has spent the last few days out in the garden enjoying the warm sun on his shell. I wish the other 2 would hurry and wake up so the family can be reunited.

The lizard and snake are lizardy and snakey. The seasonal change doesn't really bother them. The fish also couldn't careless what time of year it is, apart from those in the pond who are also enjoying the balmy spring sunshine as they are eating again. The frogs in the pond are being very vocal, and appear to be giving eachother piggy backs around the edges. I guess it saves energy. :)

That is it on the animal front for now. Rumour has it that we might turn the now defunct playhouse at the back end of the garden into a chicken house over the spring, so perhaps some new feathered friends might make an appearance in our lives. I have my heart set on some kune kune pigs but alas that fantasy will have to wait until we sell up and move somewhere with a paddock or 2 for me to fill with bleating, oinking, mooing critters.