The Pet Protect Project

03/26/2023

Found a baby possum wandering around out there all alone. This is unusual during the day. She looked to be wanting to go into Ahmet and Aiyla's habitat and that could be deadly for the youngster. I put her in a towel and spoke softly to her, and she stopped spitting at me. I thought since the bunnies love the opossum they would take to her, showed to Coco, and she slapped the wee one! Well isn't that a fine howdy-do! So I put her into a bunny tunnel I separated that area from the bunnies/turtles since I have to work to build a tower for them. Then got a banana broke off a few pieces, and made sure she saw me eat some so she knows what the hell it is. Then dug up some worms...she's on her own on that one and picked two kinds of miro lettuce, and spring wheat, and ripped it up for her. Hope her mom finds her tonight safe and sound in the tunnel.

03/26/2023

The boys seem to enjoy the turtles and bunnies.

03/26/2023

Asuka, my red-eared slider turtle.
She was stuck in a five-gallon trough
filled will frozen water. Once I discovered her, had to thaw
the water to get her out. She was completely underwater.
Turtles hide in the winter and I keep debris piled up for them to root under, otherwise, the bunnies make tunnels wide enough for them to go underground for protection. Since I have been dismantling old habitat structures, things have been a bit disorderly. I can only do so much each day. So far, I think I am accomplishing much, considering the severe relentless vertigo hindering plans. Asuka is a trooper, so glad she survived her horrid ordeal. What would have happened out in the wild? Would she have survived days and weeks of being frozen?
When I stayed with the monks on a mountain in Japan, I had a room with a private garden with a fish pond. The night before I was leaving, it started to snow, and I feared for the one fish in the pond, feeding him rice from my meal. He ate quite a bit before slowly becoming frozen in the water. I cried for him, what was I to do? The next morning the pond was covered with snow. I left with a heavy heart. I guess wildlife survives this winter event?

03/21/2023

The competition featured categories such as ‘the smallest kill’, with participants seen celebrating amount piles of dead coyotes.

03/19/2023

03/19/2023

Organic Heritage Red Bourbon Turkey Eggs $10 for 1/2 doz.
Contact me online, call 737-666-5184, or ring the bell at the Iron gate.
All proceeds go to The Pet Protect Project to care for the animals.

03/16/2023

I removed the old door to the egg house, and since I don't have chickens removed the Henny-ranger cutouts and honor system sign.
Yesterday I cut a piece of plexiglass and a hole in the door, along with 1x2 trim, and painted two coats of white.
Today drilled holes and screwed the front and back trim so visitors can have a peek through the window.
Then painted Ahmet and Aiyla with the only colors of paint I had left. I am SO out of paint! Need to reorder bad.
Hoping all is dry enough to install back on the egg house tomorrow.
Storms, wind and, cold arriving soon.

03/15/2023

As I was just out there checking on the kids making a new stone fort for the girls waiting for Baklava to go potty, I lifted some of the debris in a pile by the water. Both Asuka and Bronzilla turtles were napping right up against each other. It was so precious and pleased me well to know they love one another though of different species. Didn't have my tablet out there to take a photo, and they really don't want to be disturbed. So I tip-toed away real quite like, not to disturb them.
Photo of Bronzilla below, a three-toed turtle about 13 years old. Her sister, Asuka is a Red Eared Slider, a bit older than Bronzilla.
I have already plotted and planned out a turtle haven for them with pictures, measurements, and graphics of their paradise awaiting.

03/14/2023

The Boys.

03/13/2023

I added two perches for Ahmet and Aiyla for stability and to get a better view of the bunnies. He won't go up there until nightfall. She is all over it. Then I saw her hanging in the corner where she laid the first egg, hesitating. So I put a square bucket in there with debris, but she really needs more privacy than that, so added the cool walk-through I made for the hens and a roof. Now I think she can't get in there because of the bucket? I always thought hens can squeeze through anything for a perfect nesting spot. Perhaps not. I'm taking out the bucket. 🤦

03/13/2023

Bronzilla was taken out of the little red rooster house to be part of the world for a moment. She loves the turkeys and bunnies, but I think the turkeys more. She just stares at their ginormous size, remembering when they were 6 weeks old and she became their nanny taking naps with them. I showed her another stone cave, she was eager to explore. Asuka was still sleeping under the debris, her favorite hangout. The bunnies hide under there too and nap with the turtles, I mean right up against them or on top of them. Ah, the tortoise and the hare! It's a silly sight to see.

03/12/2023

My only turkey hen, Aiyla laid her very first egg!
It was just sitting there under the big wall fan staying cool.
She was not sitting on it which makes me happy.
I don't want to wrestle it from her.
The close-up photo shows the brown speckles real well.

03/03/2023

The first thing this morning Aiyla was being bred by Ahmet. Then when I scooted them into the stone coop for the night since a bad storm was coming, I pet them while they are up on the shelf. I showed Ahmet his black "Beard" on his chest by pulling it to see how long it was. He looked down at it with large eyes, as if seeing it for the first time. Funny and so sweet and innocent of him. Then I said to Aiyla as I was leaving, so you got bred today for the first time...she looked around as if to respond, "Who me? No, it never happened." 🤣

03/01/2023

Check out those impressive chest feathers.

03/01/2023

Some of these photos will be good to use for Thanksgiving.
I'm starting to now call them, my show turkeys.
They could win a ribbon, no? 🤷‍
🤭

03/01/2023

The snood.
It's like a worm he can control at will. 😬😮

03/01/2023

Ahmet and Aiyla.

03/01/2023

Cannele is digging a tunnel, and when she takes a break, Cocoalotta takes over. Cannele has to sweet talk the older bunny to let the young'n have her hole. She is victorious. She is spoiled rotten and seems to always get her way. In the meantime, you can see a bit of Grey fur on the ground, right of Cocoa. That is Bailey's fur. They both seem to take advantage of her vulnerabilities and down-right sweetness. She eats with Aiyla. If there wasn't a double wire between them, Aiyla too would take advantage of her and eat all of her breakfast.

02/28/2023

Cannelle and Cocoalatta.

02/28/2023

Last night.
Canelle and Bailey.

02/28/2023

Made a new attachment habitat for Ahmet and Eyila.
Took three days and they were stuck in the stone coop so I could revamp out there, they love it, and so do the bunnies bringing much-needed shade back there. Today I made a perch for them and a few minutes ago caught her already up there checking it out. I frown on her to perch on the pond gate, there is not enough room for him and that gate is not its intention. So I would usher them into the coop to sleep. Now I won't have to. They have a grand view of the bunnies and turtles to entertain them until sleep comes. But really, who can sleep with those adorable babies hopping around chasing each other and waiting with anticipation for the opossums to arrive? I'll take better photos of the outside of the building.

02/27/2023

🐓 In 2015 there was an equally deadly, global avian bird flu. This bird flu which started in 2022, has slaughtered over 58 million birds in the US alone according to the CDC, and reports have been over 300 million globally. The flu has spread to 1 human in the U.S. and to mink farms in Europe. It shows no sign of stopping. It has cost taxpayers $661 million. For over 1 year we haven’t been able to contain it and egg prices are up to almost $5 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

🌾 As the saying goes, the sign of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Slaughtering sick birds to then stuff more birds in tight confines creating situations so unhealthy that they just continue to get sick and spread disease makes completely no sense. It is beyond inefficient. It is beyond inhumane. It is beyond wasteful of water and the land to grow crops, the crops that could go to feed people but instead go to sick chickens that are obliterated. Finally, according to the U.N., the intensification of animal factories is the top reason for the next pandemic that spreads to people. And we can see that with our own eyes as we watch the avian bird flu spread to wild birds and 1 human.

🐮 Our system of animal factories just doesn’t work for us anymore. Clearly. On any level: natural resources destruction, pandemic risk, creating enough protein for a growing population, climate change, and human, animal and planetary health. For all of these reasons, it is time for a more efficient, sustainable, humane and SANE global food supply system.

🌱 That’s why we invest in Plant-based Innovation as part of the global food systems transformation: because what we have now isn’t working for us anymore.

Source CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-flu-summary.htm
Source U.N.: https://www.unep.org/resources/report/preventing-future-zoonotic-disease-outbreaks-protecting-environment-animals-and
Source: USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/02/18/bird-flu-outbreak-costs-billions/11290771002/

02/11/2023

02/11/2023

Every year 10 billion land animals are abused, exploited, and killed in the United States for food. There are few laws giving them any legal protection. We need your help to make this world a more compassionate place for farmed animals. Take action by following the steps below. Want to be the first....

02/11/2023

The three babies got really big.

01/21/2023

No law has done more to save life from extinction than the Endangered Species Act, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. But due to decades of underfunding and political attacks, species are slipping through the cracks. Without rapid action, we may witness the disappearance of several critically endangered species in our lifetime.

We can't let that happen. Tell President Biden there's no better way to mark the than to stand up for wildlife like the catspaw pearly mussel and Mount Charleston blue butterfly. https://biodiv.us/3wg67G7

01/05/2023

Cannelle has a great view of the big turkeys.

01/05/2023

Been working for weeks now on an outside area for Aiyla and Ahmet, then decided to frame in a section of chicken wire wall and put a walk-through gate for them into an enclosed pond area, rebuilt the old bridge, and made a gate for me to get through. They seem to be very pleased with it.

01/05/2023

Hard to believe they are only 9 months old.
Each wing is two feet wide plus a one-foot chest span.
My, they grow fast! 💋🦃

01/05/2023

The three babies, a girl, and two boys still in the nursery.

Update: Just finished ripping out all of their baby furniture and perches. They are getting too big and heavy to be up that high, so I have an old sturdy metal school desk that has handy cubbyholes to put their daily pre-filled containers of food in, and a perfect place to put the heater behind to keep them warm if they are so inclined.
Now they have more elbow room to spread their ever-growing wings. I earmarked on Amazon, some extra heavy-weight iron brackets to rig up lower branches for safer perching. I discovered putting down sand is a much better way to keep their room clean and tidy, than the pine shavings. Need to do the same with the big turkeys, lower the perches again, and fill their room with sand. I will totally remove all of the shavings once I get a couple hundred pounds of sand delivered.
I aim to please little angels, I aim to please.
💋💖🦃🦃 🦃🦃🦃
Mama is learning as she goes.