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Thanks National Geographic Channel for giving me something else to be angry about.
There are an estimated 15,000 primates being held as pets in the U.S. It is legal in all but nine states to keep them as pets, and federal law prohibits their importation. There are exotic pet breeders who raise them and sell them for $5000 and up.
In the wild, capuchin monkey babies stay on their mothers back and will nurse up to two years. Their diet thereafter consists of fruits, nuts, bugs, bird’s eggs and small vertebrates. They live together in groups of ten to thirty-five males and females, family based groups. They are social, smart and have large territories.
When someone decides to buy a baby monkey, aka ”monkid” or ‘forever baby’, they can simply go online and search for monkey babies for sale. It costs a small fortune for the babies, which are pulled off their mothers backs as soon as three days. They’re given a stuffed animal to cling on to and handed off to the buyer. The new parent is responsible for the monkey for it’s entire life- about 40 years. The parents are told that the diapers they will have to use to prevent the animal from crapping all over the place will cause unnatural calluses to form on the baby monkey’s behind.
After a few years, when the animal reaches sexual maturity, it becomes aggresive and will bite anyone or anything. It must be continuously attended to because without direct attention it gets upset (due to their social nature and the fact that they’re mentally stunted from being raised as human babies) and lashes out. The show featured a woman some call the Monkey Whisperer who highly recommends removing the teeth of this wild animal to prevent biting. The parents are encouraged to ‘alter’ the wild animal by neutering it.
Just like American kids these days, the Monkids living with humans tend to eat a lot of food they are not designed to eat. This leads to serious problems like diabetes which does not occur -at all- in the wild.
I think these monkey parents are insane. Primates are wild animals which simply should not be kept as pets, for no other reason than they are wild animals and nothing a person can create will ever compare to the life they would have in the wild. Domesticated animals are one thing but wild animals will never be trained, tamed, they will never be little people who love you…They are wild animals who need to stay in the wild in order to live a good life. Living in a cage inside a home, being on a leash, wearing diapers, sitting on your shoulder, none of these things are good for a monkey and none of them will ever make it happy. These people buy them to satisfy themselves, to have something they equate to a human baby to spoil but this only leads to problems in the animal like the constant rocking they can spend hours doing.
I hate thinking about keeping wild animals as pets, when I rehabilitated squirrels, possums and bunnies it was understood that they were to be released back into the wild, not kept even a day longer than was absolutely necessary. I wouldn’t want to stunt or hurt an animal in that way and I wish I couls make others understand that line of thinking.
The likelihood that these people will ever change and realize their selfishness in keeping wild animals as pets is almost nonexistent. If these monkey parents could only understand what it is to truly do something good for these animals they would certainly surrender them to a sanctuary where they could live out their lives. Sadly, once a monkey has been kept as a pet it is not able to get into a zoo program or even be rehabilitated back into the wild because it has none of the traits a wild monkey has. What is even more upsetting is that many of the sanctuaries are already full of animals people surrender ( usually due to the animal biting or acting out) so they get sold over and over again- never finding a forever home which truly suits their natural behavior.
1. Our new place. It’s a single story but only 500 sf less than our townhouse. It’s got a big fenced-in backyard and a detached garage for both our cars. With Krisann here, we’ve got 4 cats and Atticus. It’s like a zoo!
2. Dining Room. The owners have great taste and the room already had paneling and red walls plus that adorable chandelier. It’s beautiful.
3. Living room is comfortable, with a wood burning fireplace. The flat screen was the very first thing to go up on our walls when we moved in.
4. Peter and Pablo. I am Pablo’s favorite but he seemed awfully comfortable on Peter that night. He is the silliest little cat- we call him ‘Bigfoot’ for obvious reasons.
5. He follows me wherever I go. When I wake up in the mornings, he is in one sink bowl while I brush my teeth in the other.
6. Krisann is turning into the crazy cat lady. That’s Emerson wrapped up like a baby. Nice.
7. We went out to eat at Shem Creek and afterwards got drinks a couple weeks back. There were dolphins and pelicans everywhere!
8. There are so many frogs here, you wouldn’t believe it. They are everywhere.
9. The cats enjoy the frogs too.
It is very important to keep busy while Peter is away, otherwise I’d lose my mind. Thanks to Nationwide firing my ass last year, I discovered my passion for wildlife rehabilitation and found a place to participate and learn about wild animals. Luckily for me, the founders of the refuge liked me too! Evelyn’s Wildlife Refuge became like a second home for me during Peter’s last deployment. When Peter got home, he was very accepting of my new hobby and even volunteered when he was able.
Now that Peter is gone again, Evelyn (the founder) has come up with loads of stuff for me to do to keep me busy. Since it isn’t orphaned wild baby season, she is doing educational outreach at local schools and giving classes at the refuge for rehabbers. I will be joining another rehabber, Marjorie (the one who introduced me to the refuge) and Evelyn at a presentation for elementary school students next Tuesday night. I made a flyer for the children, so they know what to do if they come upon sick, injured or orphaned wildlife.
Next month, I am joining her for a presentation on a Thursday evening to a youth group. She is also planning two classes at the refuge for new rehabbers and veteran caretakers. She has asked me to handle the class for the new rehabbers and I’m very excited! I’m not certain exactly how I’ll be setting it up jsut yet but I’ll start working on it tonight.
I am also continuing to look for Nico, no sign of her yet. There is a little black neighborhood cat who makes the rounds. I have seen him somewhat often.
I have met with my old coworkers from Nationwide for lunch or dinner. It was great to catch up with everyone.
Peter’s email communications haven’t been as regular as last time, I’m hoping that as time goes by they will allow more email access. He sent me a couple long emails and several short ones. He seems to be holding up well being away from me. It must be harder for him than it is for me…
So a while ago, two days after the wedding, Peter and I decided to release 5 of my 7 baby squirrelies. I took some photos before we went to the place to release them…They were so hard to catch that day! It took me about 20 minutes to catch them and get them in the travel box. Then we headed to a wildlife refuge south of here. With a box full fo squirrels in the back seat. We bought them some peanuts and cheerios on the way so we could leave them food.
We arrived at the the site and hurried the box down the path to the spot we decided would be perfect. I pulled back the lid and they froze like popsicles. It was hilarious and shocking. So I pulled the first one out- The March Hare (so named because his large, rabbit like ears) and he took off. Next came The White Rabbit (also a character from Alice in Wonderland, he had a very light colored coat, almost white, and long, rabbity ears) and finally The Mad Hatter (originally called Roadkill due to her crazily uncontrollable movement I figured would surely result in her being hit by an automobile. Then I felt bad for naming her that and renamed her.) anyway, she, the Mad Hatter, took off out of the box all by herself. She moved so fast I didn’t even see her leave.
Then I took out Dave Brubeck and he ran towards the pond. We didn’t see where he went after that and the final one, Dolly (she wasn’t fat, just fluffy) left on her own after I tipped over the box and shook it. They all took off except The White Rabbit. He lingered and posed for a few photos. He was always very fond of me and I think he wanted to see me walk away as badly as I wanted to watch him scurry off into the woods.
The pics:
The squirrels in their cage | Clockwise from top left: Dave Brubeck, the March Hare, Dolly and the White Rabbit | Dave Brubeck | Dave Brubeck | White Rabbit | White Rabbit | popsicles | White Rabbit free | This is where I live now??? | Dolly in profile | His last look
Sorry for the unintentional hiatus. Things have been somewhat busy here and I no longer get paid to blog.
Not that I ever actually got paid to blog…I t’s just that I used to have time to blog while at work. This new temp job is really cramping my creative freedom. I mean, they’re nice people and the work is steady so the days seem to fly by, but I literally have to work from 11 until I get off at five p.m. just to get it all done. It’s crazy.
So what’s new with you? Really? Thats boring. Let me fill you in on whats been going on around here. I successfully reared and released 5 orphaned squirrels. Oh yeah. I, along with Peter, helped plan and volunteered for Ride on the Wild Side, a very successful fundraiser for the refuge I support and love. I picked out a gorgeous informal wedding dress, coordinated and had a mini-wedding at the Courthouse…yeah…I got married.
I am scheming ways to buy a home- The Home. It is my dream house in Portsmouth, VA. Peter and I put an offer in on it over a year ago, before we bought our current home, but the owner did not accept it. So we moved on and ended up here. I love this house in Portsmouth and it is still for sale. For WAYYYYYYY less than what we offered over a year ago. Holy crap, I love it so much and it KILLS me that we bought this place instead.
We went to a halloween party dressed as the loves of our lives: each other. I know…so sweet…but wait until you see the pictures.
There is a possibility of something good happening to me over the next several days and I am asking for your blind support and hope that it comes through for me!!!
(it isn’t a wedding or pregnancy so calm yourselves down)
I don’t want to blow it yet by blabbing all about it but it would be total awesomeness if I could manage to get this good thing to come my way & work out. So if you have a spare moment or day, please send good thoughts my way and wish on a star that You wish My wish!
Will update next week if anything good happens, and Thank you!!!
In other news: My second time at Nationwide comes to an end on Friday. Then I will be unemployed again.
I have 6 new squirrels. They range in age from 4 weeks to almost 6 weeks and boy are they a wild bunch! They are the most active little guys I ever met. 4 boys and 2 little girls, only one still has her eyes shut but even she runs around; climbs the walls until she hits the ceiling or crawls across the floor until she hits a wall. No names have been given yet but we’re working on it.
We’re accepting any suggestions you have for names so put them in a comment here!!!
I’ll try to get some photos on here asap of vacation/birthday extravaganza week as well as the squirrels cause I know thats the only reason you check back regularly.
Do you know how lucky I am? Let me list the ways for your time-wasting reading pleasure:
Peter looked up my chinese numerology and calculated with his genius brain that my numbers are super lucky! I’m not certain how it works, I just know that it involves adding numbers which correspond to the letters in your name. Don’t ask me- ask him.
I get to volunteer somewhere I love to volunteer and the owners of Evelyn’s Wildlife Refuge L-O-V-E Love me! They give me babies, let me help feed new babies, teach me all about species of animals that I would otherwise never have personal access to. They comfort me when I lose babies and reassure me that it isn’t me despite my feelings of complete failure (more to come on that subject.)
Krisann is so talented with her awesome photoshopping skills and her mastery of text arranging. And the patience of a satellite. The girls got mad skillz, what can I say? And since we’re so close I get to take total advantage! She has created an awesome flyer for a Charity Bike Run to benefit the Refuge. She made a super hilarious picture of a raccoon on a motorcycle, she sends me messages that make me choke on drinks or food I am consuming. She totally gets every thought in my head…Nobody could have a better sister…I am so lucky she is mine. ALL MINE!!!!!!!!!!
I have a view of an awesome Jeep that was made possible by my love, Peter. I sit at my desk and right out the window is my Jeepy baby. I love you Jeepy!
I am getting a few thousand dollars in October from a pension which will allow me to pay off the remaining student loans I have and should allow for some leftovers to save for a wedding.
I’m going to turn 30 in 8 days and I’m totally okay with it. Maybe that is what I’m so damned happy about- I am looking forward to my future instead of wishing I were reliving great times from my past. I feel like there is a lot of good stuff in store for me and I am excited for it.
I feel pretty. (song kicks in- you can sing the rest to yourself)
I’m using the neti pot every morning and it has cured my allergy symptoms. Thank goodness too because I was having to take 3 ibuprofen at a time all day to deaden the swollen glands in my throat plus an allergy pill! I know it may not work for everyone but it works for lucky me!
I am going on a weeklong vacation beginning Saturday then I will return to work for one week and I will be let go from this job…again! I can continue to collect unemployment until I find something new.
I was lucky enough to discover http://blisslist.typepad.com/ If you like awesome music- music you won’t hear on your regular annoyingly repetitive radio stations- music that hasn’t been processed, packaged and marketed directly to you by some record company stooge- then check this site out. She has amazing ears, that girl.
My license is about to expire so I went to the DMV yesterday and got to go take a new picture so they can send me a new license in the mail and I had a Good hair day for this. My hair is having a lot of akward days (thanks Joseph via Krisann for that! Care to join the Akward Hair Club with me?) recently- specifically my bangs- so I was slightly worried about what state my hair would appear to be in the photo but (though I have yet to see it) I believe it was good based on the look of my hair in the rearview before and directly after I was inside the DMV.
I have an awesome bikini that I couldn’t find locally in my size but was able to find one a few months back while I was in Charleston! And, it was on sale for like, $10 bucks a piece!
I get to marry a man who, of his own accord, tore up the old stones and concrete and laid down a new pathway to the refuge backyard! I had nothing to do with getting him to do this and, in fact, he actually suggested it to them. Wow, I know- Evelyn was tempted to make him her *new* favorite, but I cannot be so easily replaced. I now know he is vying for my spot in her affections.
I’m also lucky to have found Peter. I don’t know how I did it but somehow I managed to get the best man out there. The ‘pick of the litter’, if you will, The brightest star in the sky, the best cook in the kitchen, the #1 best of the best, sorry all you other ladies cause I got him now you have to settle for google-only-knows-what. (I am absolutely choking on corn here, are you? sorry- I’ll stop for now but beware, I may make this a regular post)
Last night I headed over to the Refuge for a while and ended up getting three more baby girls. Now I have six total. They are all doing pretty well, the newest three are not drinking the bottle as well as the others but they’re just getting used to it. Two of the three new babies have eyes open. The other is the same size but hers are still shut. They will open soon.
Sandy Claire is a running, chewing, playing maniac. She checks the othrs out when they wake up and she reviewed the newest additions last night. She eats twice as much as the others and is beginning to eat a solid food diet as well.
Cindy Lou is doing well, her eyes are now open also and she is at home today with Sandy Claire. Sarah Jessica is not doing quite as well. She came into the refuge with injuries- internal damage as well as some bruises on her back and shoulders. Evelyn warned me to watch out for her because it is difficult for such a tiny squirrel to overcome the internal injuries like hers that were evidenced by the dark belly. I thought she was doing so well yesterday I had left her home with Sandy all day but last night and this morning, it is obvious that she isn’t keeping up in size with the others and when I fed her this morning there was blood in her mouth. I checked her out and she seems ok- she had a very healthy appetite and her mouth did not seem to bother her one bit. I brought her along with the three new babies to work today and will be feeding her the formula diet a little longer & more often than what is traditional for her age just because she isn’t quite as healthy as the others. I will update with pictures of the new girls once they settle in and are comfortable.
Here is Sandy, Cindy and Sarah: 1. in my shirt, 2. & 3. learning to climb, 4. erady for the bottle!
I walked around the office several times today with a squirrel inside my shirt. Either the little rice heating pad I made was needing to be remicrowaved or she was just being uppity so I stuck her in there since it seems to calm her down.
I have to feed them 5 times a day until their eyes open so I take the young ones into the office with me so I can feed them at 11am and 3pm. I haven’t kept it a secret from anyone besides the brass who were here the other day but I haven’t broadcast it for everyone to know that I am rehabbing babies in the office either. So I could be wandering around sorting mail and a coworker comes into the mail room and we chat for a minute. Little do they know, there is a tiny baby squirrel snuggled up in my tanktop staying warm.
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Two of the squirrels have opened their eyes since I received them. When they opened their eyes, I was the first thing they ever saw! Can you imagine- they must assume I’m their mommy and that they’ll grow up to look just like me, those lucky little bastards. But they’ll turn out even cuter- the most adorable little girly squirrels ever!
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Squirrel update: I have received a third squirrely girl whom I named Sarah Jessica. She had some injuries from a fall when she was little and several bruises on her back and shoulders. She was the same size as Cindy Lou but has since opened her eyes, indicating that she is closer to Sandy Claire’s age than what I thought she was despite her size. I left Sandy Claire and Sarah Jessica at home today to play and brought Cindy Lou to the office though her eyes have since opened so I will leave all three at home tomorrow.
I got these two over the weekend. It is the season when squirrels have their second litter (if they have one) and in the last few weeks, a couple dozen have come into the refuge. They’re beind distributed to whoever can take them so I volunteered to take these two. They are both girls, one is 5-6 weeks, the other is just 4 with eyes still closed. The older of the two came named: Sandy Claire so I named the small one Cindy Lou!
The first picture is Cindy Lou. The next 4 are all of Sandy Claire and the last picture is both of them cuddled up next to Peter’s neck. Sandy Claire is the one you can mainly see and she is trying to get under Cindy Lou where it’s warmer.
They love their bottle feedings and Sandy Claire enjoys crawling all over me. She eats like a little growing teenage boy and will continue to suck the nipple even after I take the bottle away. She has loads of energy and she is slowly starting to eat solid food. Over the next few days I will transition her from 5 bottles a day to 4 then 3…until she is eating her solid diet only. Cindy sleeps when she isn’t taking her bottle. Peter watches one while I feed the other and they really love to cuddle up to him- the warmer you are, the more they love you so they nestle near his neck for their naps once their bellies are full.
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