Queen Mum's Dancing in the Rain

[Queen Mum]

Interesting observation today:

The goats were all out and suddenly one of my doelings came into heat. SUDDENLY! All the boys away were going nuts and chasing the poor little thing hither and yawn and driving her into the ground. (I couldn't catch her to take her back to the barn.)

Suddenly Ian, the head buck, rounded her up, stood her for breeding and then chased all the boys away. She docilely followed him the rest of the time the goats were out eating and he protected her like a proud buck. He would not let another buck within 10 yards and he didn't bother her a single time while she ate in peace for about 3 hours. When we went back in to the barn, she stayed right by his side the whole way and if she got more than 5 feet away, he rounded her up and made her walk in front of him. He also let her walk beside me and her mother, but that was the extent of her socialization. I guess I was her designated protector when he wanted to browse a bit.

Of course, while Ian was eating, every buck did his level best to sneak in for breeding, but not one of them got within a foot of her and all of them paid a hefty price for trying. Bucks were flying here and there for the whole three hours. None were hurt as Ian is not a nasty or a mean buck. He is just sure to pick them up and throw them a couple feet. And he unhooks his horns if they get caught. But he does make his point.

It was pretty awesome to watch him.

Fortunately the doeling is 8 months old and so is not in any real danger from being bred. I would have prefered to wait a couple more months, but we shall see. I am going to have the vet check her and see if he thinks she should be luted.

 

[Southern by choice]

Wow, that really would have been something to see! Some animals are more amazing than others, he sounds pretty amazing!

 

[Queen Mum]

This is Bow... napping. He is kind of an odd kitty and finds the oddest ways to sleep. When I got him, he weighed about 6 ounces. He was very sick with distemper. He is now 6 months old and weighs 6 pounds. He is black with black stripes. He is neutered. (YAY for the CARE FOR ANIMALS project in Little Rock who did it for free.) He thinks he is a very big cat.

I love Bow. Bow loves me too, but not the same way. Bow loves my right arm and thinks it is a female cat. Bow wakes me up every morning at 7 am by straddling my right arm and talking to it while grabbing the back of my hand with his very sharp little teeth and trying to do little boy cat things to my arm. If Bow thinks another cat is outside, he fiercely protects my right arm. He paces bakc and forth speaking firmly to the "cat outside" and then turns and speaks purry little reassuring things to my right arm. Apparently Bow does not know that Care For Animals fixed his little "problem". My right hand is trying to teach Bow to leave it alone in the morning. I am now trying to find a small spray bottle to teach Bow a little more firmly about leaving my right arm alone in the mornings.

Bow thinks he is a 65 pound Siberian Husky like his buddy Angel, the Siberian Husky. They play every day in the living room. Angel likes to give Bow two pieces of dog food kibble in exchange for stealing Bow's cat food. Angel is very good about sharing her kibble with Bow as long as Bow doesn't try to take it out of Angel's dish. Angel and Bow also play Tug 'O' War. Angel throws a beat up blanky around and Bow gloms on. Then Angel gently tugs it around the floor till Bow falls off. Then they start again. Angel is very good about Bow grabbing her face with his sharp teeth and claws. She just scrapes Bow off with her paws.

Every day, Bow and Angel go outside and Bow tries to keep up with Angel while Angel herds the goats around the yard. Bow is not fast enough to herd goats. The goats do not mind Bow's instructions. It wears Bow out and he has to come back into the house where he takes a nap in my chair. Thus the picture above.

On cold nights Angel likes to sleep outside and guard the chickens. Bow has taken to sleeping outside with Angel. Lately some mornings when he is not loving my right arm, I find Bow curled up next to Angel's tummy. With Angel's hind leg draped over Bow. Nose to nose. Angel is nearly 12. I guess she needs a protector at night.

 

[bonbean01]

Just got to love our animals, eh? Each one special!

 

[Queen Mum]

I do love my animals. Bow just chased a rat over the kitchen stove, across the counter, onto the dining room table, down the chair, across my foot, through the living room and then through the hall. In the process, several dishes got knocked off the counter, a book got slammed the floor, my foot is still shuddering from the icky feeling of a rat running over it. My living room has stuff rolling all over the place and the hall looks like a cyclone ran through it.

Bow is feeling triumphant that he vanquished the rat. Although the rat is not dead, just well chased. I have no idea where that rat is hiding. But I am totally proud of Bow and creeped out by the rat.

 

[bigmike]

Queen Mum, Been reading through your journal.I just wanted to thank you for helping a VET out. I am one and I know what it is like to struggle with PTSD and Depression...Thanks and hang in there....Also you have some beautiful animals and some great stories......Mike

 

[Queen Mum]

Our guys and gals served and deserve everything we can give to them and more. Thank you so much for your service. You have no idea how much I appreciate your sacrifice.

 

[Queen Mum]

I SAW HER. The rat is a she. SHE was in a box tearing up one of my favorite sewing tool bags. She made a terrible shredded mess of it. ARGH! She is HUGE. Not much smaller than my 6 pound cat. She maybe weighs 3 pounds. I almost trapped her in the box. but she chewed her way out before I could mash her or get her out the door. Darn it, she is clearly pregnant and now I am going to have all sorts of little rats in the house if I don't catch her.

She is so cheeky. Clearly she thinks it's OK to be seen by me and my cat. I have to get her out of my HOUSE NOW. She is a BAD RAT, I tell you. A BAD RAT.

Maybe I can trap her. But how?

 

[purplequeenvt]

I SAW HER. The rat is a she. SHE was in a box tearing up one of my favorite sewing tool bags. She made a terrible shredded mess of it. ARGH! She is HUGE. Not much smaller than my 6 pound cat. She maybe weighs 3 pounds. I almost trapped her in the box. but she chewed her way out before I could mash her or get her out the door. Darn it, she is clearly pregnant and now I am going to have all sorts of little rats in the house if I don't catch her.

She is so cheeky. Clearly she thinks it's OK to be seen by me and my cat. I have to get her out of my HOUSE NOW. She is a BAD RAT, I tell you. A BAD RAT.

Maybe I can trap her. But how?

A trap with nutella. We had a cheeky rat too and nutella was his downfall.

 

[Goatherd]

Queen, if she's as big as you say, you could use a small box trap (Haveaheart or such) and use the Nutella, or peanut butter as your bait. I would almost guarantee you would catch her in one evening. A three pound rat would certainly trip a box trap.