How do you go on vacation?

Evangeline

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:07 pm


When I leave, I usually call my vet and tell her who is caring for my animals, give her carte blanche to treat and make arrangements to be billed if whoever cares for my animals ends up bringing them in.

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whittibo

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:25 pm


I ordered the book. I guess I never have because I can get info here, and I did make a weight chart for all 3 piggies?? But it will be great having easy info right at our sitters finger tips.

I will put a call into the vet today. And will leave the vet info in the book.

I think I am going to have Jessica (our sitter) come over for a couple days of training. I know it's not hard, but seeing it done will make things easier.

I also tried a couple different ways of cleaning out the cage, the shop vac wasn't all that great. So by me trying and getting it figured out, it will make her life easier. Like I mixed all the bedding together. Usually I just take 50/50 and mix once it's IN the cage. So now all she has to do is scoop 10 scoops of 'bedding' into the cage.

Boy do I feel anal. I think about all the other piggies out there who live in homes that the owners don't even know better. They leave a bowl of food and fill the water bottles and leave. :s I am just glad I know now what I didn't know last year!

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Wheekers3

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 12:54 pm


I am a list maker. I just can't help it. I list the daily responcibilities in a checklist format. That way everything gets done and checked off. For example:

Monday: Pick up paper

Water plants on porch

Check parrot's food and change water, give veggies in
bag labeled "Buster"


Change Piggies water, check food, give 2 cups fresh
Veggies, from bag labeled "Piggies"


And so on.

I was afraid the House sitter ( Mother - in -law ) would be overwhelmed, and she would forget things. Last time she sat we had 3 piggies, 3 parrots, 3 fire-bellied Toads, and a Leopard Gecko. We took our elderly rat with us, because she required meds 2 times a day, and the Cat and Dog were boarded. The list helped her imensely.

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whittibo

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:22 pm


Thanks for the idea. Now I had made a list of "general stuff" like watering plants/heater use/cleaning etc (our house is for sale and could very well be viewed while we're gone). Then I made another list of "piggy responsibilities". I put the cats stuff in the general info, as they only need to be fed once a day.

Do you recommend I put everything together in a daily order? I am most worried about the piggy care. Although last year, I didn't know proper care, our sitter didn't do what I instructed either, and our piggy got scurvy a week or so after we got back from vacation. That was only 8 days last year, this year will be 11! *EEK* but we found a more responsible sitter too!

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Wheekers3

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:45 pm


Yes, I put mine in daily order with a check box in front of each task. I also labeled everything extensively. I keep the list and it makes it easier each year to go on vacation. I just pull out last year's list and make the necessary changes. I am anal that way too. I am a list maker, labeler, and compulsive file maker. There I am out of the "closet". Fell free to throw sticks and stones, but it gives me peace of mind. I wonder if there is an appropriate medication for what I have?

Evangeline

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:49 pm


Whittibo-
If you don't end up giving yourself a heart attack from all the frantic threads you have going on, we just might have to kill you. Talk about hysteria.

I think I've sprained my eyes from rolling them at you.

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whittibo

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 2:00 pm


I am just glad you're being nice about it E. Makes me feel special. I would rather have you rolling your eyes at me then telling me to "EFF OFF". LOL

I am just trying to make sure my little piggies are well cared for.

Wheekers3, I too am a compulsive list maker/organizer. We just started school on Thursday, I had to go shopping 3 times to get enough 'stuff' to organize my school stuff. I just inherited my grandma china hutch, I don't have china, so I put my home school stuff in there. WELL, I had to buy all kinds of new baskets/files/trays. Now if I was only as compulsive about making my kids actually DO their work.. :(

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GPL

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:53 pm


When my husband and I go away, my mom stays at our house. She takes care of the dogs, the cat, and of course the pigs. The snakes are on their own.

I leave printed instructions for her as to how to care for each animal. I also leave a long list of emergency numbers for her, such as all 3 of my vets' cell numbers, the clinic number, and the emergency clinic number, and of course she knows both of our cell numbers.

Inevitably she does something I wish she wouldn't, like overfeeding the cat, or leaving the dogs loose in the house as opposed to shutting them in our bedroom when she leaves, or getting timothy hay all over the floor in the pig room, but everyone survives.

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newwave_polly

Post   » Mon Aug 22, 2005 11:27 pm


What I do is leave the an emergency list with the pigs' and cat's vet numbers, the number of where I'll be, and the URL to Guinea Lynx in case of trouble. Then, I print out the care pamphlet to put with it.

As for veggies, I buy Ziplock bags and the day before I leave for vacation, I make up a bunch of little bags of salad for the piggies. I figure that makes it easier for the pig-sitter to see what their daily routine is, how much they eat and what the variety of veggies looks like. Even if you can't do up enough baggies for the entire time you're away, it sort of starts the routine. Then, I'd leave a few bucks so the sitter can do a veggie-run when the baggies are used up.

I've done it this way the last two times we went away (two different pet sitters even) and it seemed to work great. They both laughed at the crisper full of little salads in baggies with the pigs' names marked on each one! :)

Of course I still worry about my piggies while I'm gone, but at least I know they're being fed well!

So, enjoy your holiday! :)

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whittibo

Post   » Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:42 am


Can piggies be fed to MANY veggies? I will make up some baggies, but being gone 11 days, I don't think veggies will last that long.

I think, like what you said, if I make a few, then she'll get the general idea of how much she should continue to feed.

If they don't NEED veggies, then apparently they can't be fed too few of them. But where else would they get their vit. C? I am feeding Kleenmama's new timothy pellets, do they have the required vit. C?

I have my mom on "stand-by". She works at the grocery store near me, so I'll leave her some money, and she'll bring some veggies to the house half way through our trip. This should also insure we have some when we get back! I hate to come home to an empty fridge!

I'll start on my "daily list" today. I actually think I'll print out a list for each day, since it will change slightly from day to day.

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