Sabrina the Kitty Witch

Our family is growing once again.  We've been pet-free for a while now.  I have to admit, I've kind of liked it.  The doors can be left open without having to worry about letting anyone out.  There were no cages or litter boxes to clean.  There was no wet-dog smell.  It was peaceful having no animals in the house.  I'd kind of gotten used to it.

That's when my mom threw a monkey wrench into our pet-free existence.  I've got to admit, my first reaction was "how do I tell her 'no' without offending her?"  I didn't really want the hassle of a pet in the house, but I've got to admit, my mother made some good points.  When no one else is there for you or they just don't understand, your pet will always be there.  I get that and I don't think it's a terribly bad idea.  Actually, I think it's a really good idea given she's dealing with the divorce and everything else.

We contacted a breeder, given my mom wanted to get her a Maine Coon, just like she and my sister have.  The idea was it would give her something in common with the family and that would help her make connections.  Again, it's not a bad idea, but those are expensive kitties.  I was pretty worried about that detail, but Grandma covered that.  We made all the arrangements and were given the option of two kitties.  The breeder would be deciding the kitten she was willing to part with at the cat show.

At first Bunny Boo was attached to one kitten.  Her name was Boo Kitty.  It's not surprising given the name, but she was also the "cutest" because she had "thumbs".  The kitten was what's called by some "double pawed".  She was completely set on that kitten.

However, when we went to the show the breeder decided she wanted to keep Boo Kitty.  Thankfully, Bunny Boo fell in love with the other kitten before the breeder could say much of anything.  It was love at first sight, and the pictures did nothing to capture her personality.  I was just relieved it all worked out.

So for the next couple of weeks Sabrina will be making herself at home here.  She's had a big exciting couple of days with snow on her trip home and then the need to get used to loud kids.  She's already shown a good deal of interest in everyone, but by the end of the day she got overwhelmed.  Who could blame her?  We all know kids are excitable and they started another one of their daily arguments over something silly.  It was just too much for her. She disappeared under the couch for a much needed nap!

Why Sabrina the Kitty Witch?  The kittens from her litter were all named after Halloween things since they were born so close to Halloween.  Her name was Sabrina, based on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.  We decided calling her a teenager wouldn't really work, so we substituted "kitty" instead.  Bunny Boo is excited to have a Halloween kitten, and I can only imagine the stories that will inspire as time goes on, especially as we get close to Halloween again next year!

I may not have been completely thrilled at the idea of this new addition to our family, but I'm glad we go her.  She's sweet and loving, even without having settled in that well.  On top of that, Bunny Boo has taken to trying her best to keep her room clean and to help clean up after meals so it will be safe for her new companion.  She's doing her best to settle all the arguments without screaming and fighting so her kitty can really settle in.  On top of that, she's already started to be responsible for all the things a kitty need.  She checks her food and water several times in the day and gives her fresh water when things fall in the bowl, usually at her youngest brother's doing.  She ask after her kitten regularly to make sure someone is keeping an eye on her to see that she's okay.  Best of all, she's using her new kitten as an excuse to sit down and read more often.  She knows that cats aren't a fan of people being loud and wild around them, so she's taken it upon herself to live in as calm, relaxed, and quiet of a way for as much of the day as possible.  The difference is indescribable.  I can't wait to see what other effects this kitten has on our family.  She's done so much already and she's just gotten here!  Maybe this is just what our family needed.

Akasha

Well, so much for not getting anymore pets...  That idea has just gone out the window!  Now not only are we still caring for a Northeastern Cottontail that's resisted any attempt at being free (unless you count "being wild" inside the house), and a beautiful ball python.  I've realized just how much I miss having snakes in the house.  I've forgotten how much I miss having pets!

Our newest family member is our pretty ball python, Akasha.  She was given to us by my very dear friend because she could no longer care for her.  Her house holds four kids, two adults, two cats, two dogs, two snakes, and two bearded dragons, not to mention the guests and visitors.  Nope, she's not planning to build her own arc here to save us all from the flood.  She's just got a big and well loved family.  Though most of the animals are the responsibility of the whole family, she feels a personal responsibility for each and every one, just like she does her children.  Unfortunately, Akasha is a very needy snake.  She needs handling as regularly as possible the more frequent, the better, and as my friend has so many animals and kids to be responsible on top of a busy work schedule, she just couldn't keep up with it anymore.

Now, I have to admit, I now have even more respect for this friend as a pet owner.  It's sadly rare that pet-parents realize when they're no longer able to do the best job possible for their pets and make the difficult decision to re-home them.  It's not an easy thing to do, filled with guilty feelings over not being able to love your dear pet enough, but in the end, it's better.  If you can't care for your pet, it should be with someone who can.  That's the mistake I made with Sneaky a year ago.  I gave her to the care of a friend until I could care for her again, and instead of returning her, I got was informed that Sneaky was getting ready to lay eggs, and that she had been relocated...half way across the country.

Unlike that friend, I've told Akasha's owner that she's free to take Akasha back at any time.  She's a beautiful snake, though quite small for a ball python, and I do love her, but she's got to go where she belongs.  I understand my friend can't care for her right now, but some day she may be able to again.  It will be sad to let her go when that day comes, but there will be other snakes.  There's always other animals looking for good care and a good home.

Akasha really is a beautiful snake.  She's quite small for a ball python, and apparently hasn't grown since my friend has own her.  She's one of the most skittish ball pythons I've ever seen, as ball pythons tend to have a reputation of being rather mellow and placid.  She warms up to me quickly when I handle her, and seems to like just about everyone in the house well enough, though she's still a little skittish with the kids.  Who can blame her?  They move really fast and she's not always expecting them to be so close!  Thankfully, her instinct is to hide rather than bite, and she really is good natured.

I have to wonder, though, if she will get any bigger.  I know ball pythons typically grow to somewhere between three and five feet long, however, I think she couldn't be much more than two feet.  I could be wrong.  Females, as Akasha is, tend to be longer than males, and if that's the case, why hasn't she grown?  She's hungry.  She eats well.  So why isn't she growing.  I have to wonder what kind of treatment she had before my friend was given her.  I don't even know how old she is.  I have to wonder if she's already full adulthood and simply hasn't grown due to starvation or mistreatment under a different owner.

Still, Akasha has come to our home, from another very good home.  Whatever she'd been through before my friend had her, she was treated very well with my friend.  A snake couldn't ask for a more wonderful family!  I know she'll be treated well and cared for here.  I look forward to our happy times together.  Welcome, Akasha, to our wonderful home.  You will be loved here very much!

Baxt

Small and furry, cute and cuddly, no family is ever complete without their loving pets.  It seems like they are the magic ingredient that makes near any family come together and feel complete.  While, over the past few months, our family has become quite attached to the furry friends we live with, it seems it was time for us to have our own furry companion.

A month or so ago a friend of ours was leaving our house and found a wild rabbit on the side of the road.  The poor thing had been hit by a car and was dying.  It was likely one of the rabbits from around our house that had been living in one of the bushes on the property.  Unfortunately, she wasn't healthy at all and was likely going to die soon.  We had a small funeral for our little furry friend upon her passing, and it was a sad night for bunny kind.  We moved on, hoping the best for the rest of our bunny folk friends.

A couple weeks later the yard work was being done when the same friend found a small furry animal bouncing around by the ride-on lawn mower.  The poor thing could have easily ended up in a bad way if it had chosen to hop out in front of the mower, but instead our room mate found it, caught it, and brought it in.  It was a tiny little bunny.  We were pretty certain that the mama bunny was the one who died so tragically and we figured this little guy must be lost without her.  We all came to the conclusion that we would care for the little one until it was large enough to fend for itself, and then let it go.

As things go with animals, it's so hard not to become attached.  Try as we might, the little guy kind of grew on us.  We gave him the somewhat generic name of "Benjamin Bunny", though my room mate kept insisting we call him "Thumper".  He was such a social little guy.  I was in love with him.  He loved to e held, and we worried that perhaps he would become way to friendly to handle life out in the wild.  He might try and befriend some kind of snake!  And having food on hand and easy to access, he may not take to well to having to fend for himself when he got bigger.  We decided that the best option would be to keep him as a pet, at least until we were certain he would do well in the wild.

He's still a skittish little guy, but he's become quite friendly.  He's a bit of a bugger to catch when he's out and lose, or hiding in his cage, but once he's caught, he's the sweetest little love.  He cuddles right up to you and tries to snuggle in my sleeve.  His favorite place to hang out seems to be on the bed.  He runs around in circles, trying to burrow into the pillows, then pops his little head out again.  It's so cute to watch him!  He's become a real part of the family!  I've even given him a real name.  I've started calling him "Baxt".  He's quite frequently called "Baxty" by others in the family.  I found somewhere that Baxt means "luck" in Romani.  I think it's luck that we found him before some predator did.  Chesh calls him "Baxty" because he said it's his way of calling him "lucky".  He's our little buddy for sure!