That pose on top of your jacket is classic Disapproving Cat.
Brooski
3058
Not pets, but some of the elk from the elk herd that lives in our neighborhood decided to stop in our backyard for some breakfast.
Skipper
3059
Now that’s a cool thing to see in your backyard. Bruce, you have to be pretty far north, are you in Canada?
I spot a falcon hanging out every few years in the city. One time it tried to catch a squirrel, but the squirrel was like, “Fuck off, leave me alone.” (The squirrel probably weighs roughly the same.) I never get the camera out fast enough. Oops, sorry this isn’t a wildlife thread.
Brooski
3061
Not in Canada, just Portland, Oregon.
CraigM
3062
I knew they always said they lived in Forest Park, now I have proof!
Nesrie
3063
We’ have elk here too. They’re not as common as deer, thank goodness.
Are they more destructive than deer? Aggressive?
Nesrie
3065
It’s the size. On a road… they can really damage a semi. I always have my eyes looking for deer, and there were some that came to my old house often, but there’s only so much you can do.
Beautiful animals though and there are elk viewing locations filled with them on the way to the dunes at the coast.
Skipper
3066
We supposedly have elk again in North Carolina, which I find crazy. They were reintroduced a while back along with buffalo. The buffalo, however, are within a farm setting and not free roaming through any state parks yet, that I know of anyway.
I have yet to go see either, but from what I understand, unless you catch the right time and day, the elk are skittish.
Since I’d never seen one in person, this picture gave me a better understanding of the size:
Nesrie
3067
Well I believe during mating season, both elk and deer can be quit aggressive. I’d say probably every year some gets attacked by some hormonal deer. I’d take a mad deer over a mad elk any day, again just due to size. And these are the males of course.
Mr.GRIM
3070
My wife like to add filters to the pets…
Ragan
3071
This is my chinchilla, Pudge. She is the only one I have right now, but I’ve had chinchillas for the last 20+ years.
I’ve always wanted one. Are they easy to take care of? Maybe after my dog passes. (Not for a few years hopefully.)
Nesrie
3074
She’s bigger than I expected, although I really haven’t seen many of them outside of some online shots.
Petsmart usually has one or two, but they are not that big.
Ragan
3076
Taking care of a chinchilla is easy and pretty cheap. Buying a chinchilla and all the setup isn’t.The standard greys run $75 to $125 and the more exotic color, the more expensive. The prices on this page (https://www.nwichinchillas.com/chinchillapricing.htm) are what I’ve typically paid in the past. Except for my last two, one was free as a rescue from a pet store (someone dropped it off and they knew I had chinchillas) and the other was $50 from a local animal rescue shelter.
When not getting a rescue chinchilla, I’ve tried to buy from a local breeder and not a pet store. You typically get a better chinchilla and cheaper from a breeder.
I just spent $12 on a roughly 5lb bag of chinchilla food and that will last me probably 2 months. They have a food that is made for them and I buy it in bulk from a local pet shop. Then I get a box (or several small boxes) of raisins for treats. Most chinchilla’s love raisins, I mean really love them. I’ve had some that would climb the cage walls and bite through the wire wall to get at a raisin. Pudge is a little different, she likes them, but she isn’t totally nuts over them.
You will also need to get a special dust for them and a container for the dust. Something like https://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Chinchilla-Dust-2-5-Lbs/dp/B001OVBCPG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=chinchilla+dust&qid=1581425747&sr=8-3
They roll in the dust to take their baths like this:
Most chinchilla’s take a bath once every few days, but again Pudge is different. Once a week is to often for her.
They are rodents, so they will need something to chew on to wear down their teeth. Never, ever, ever let a chinchilla loose and out of your sight. Everything is worth at least one chew. They will nibble on anything at least once just to see what it is like.
They are also nocturnal, so you don’t want to keep one in your bedroom.
My high school biology teacher kept a pair of chinchillas in his classroom - they were very sweet.
In other pet rodent news (not my own pet, though the thought has crossed my mind)
