I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Alpal

I had a recipe for something (can't remember what) that called for parsley pesto - made exactly the same way. It was really good. (I had parsley growing also and was happy to find another use for it).

Anonymous

I use it on dog but he does have hair.  Probs best to check with vet.

Pesto sound great !  I always grow basil in the summer.

1Athena1

Barbara - one of my favorite cousin's four cats, Oscar, an orange tabby, could not stop licking himself either for many months. This was years ago. He almost licked all of the hair off his back. My cousin consulted every specialist and even took Oscar to an acupuncturist. The final diagnosis was stress. He eventually recovered on his own.

annettek - and Shirley - what can I say....Born Free, Christian the lion. Nothing makes me cry more than those stories.

Glad this thread is awake again. :-)

leggo

Linda, I was waiting to hear how the knoedel turned out. Good for you for going through the trouble! Our cat used to lick herself raw too. After hundreds of dollars in vet bills and meds, we found out it was the scented cat litter. Funny thing.....I didn't see Born Free until I was older and married. I watched it with my husband and cried at the end and then he goes "you know they ate her, right?" Didn't need to hear that.

Anonymous

I was thinking stress too.  Based on shelter cats I have had experience with.  They actually pull their fur out, then lick.

Maybe Barbara's cat is feeling her stress with the bro.  Is this new or has she been at it awhile?

molly52

My older cat licks his front leg - each spring.  It goes bare for a while and then it regrows.  Don't know what it is about spring.

I saw that our Wikileaks - Assange - will be sent to Sweden  - unless he successfully appeals.  Anybody have thoughts they are willing to share on, wikileaks, assange's crime and Sweden's rape laws?????

1Athena1

Ahh molly, you have jogged my memory. Yes. I remember the vets telling my cousin that weather had something to do with it. Now, for the life of me, I can't remember which way it went, but whenever the temperature went in one direction, Oscar would lick, and when it went in another, he wouldn't lick... It was stress and the weather.

1Athena1

on wikileaks, I have the following to share. I know my opinion is probably in the minority:

As with so many spy novels, IMO, yawn!!! What a mountain out of a molehill. The entire bruhaha confirms my suspicions that half of what is classified as secret is little more than cocktail gossip. My other thought: Assange is neither a hero nor a villain and the only reason why I think those sex charges could be trumped up is because it is the sort of thing a secret service agency of any country would do to try to discredit an embarrassment. Finally, if our national security were truly at stake as often as our politicians and "intelligence" people say, we would have been decimated long ago and would be living as a tribe of starving hunter-gatherers.

ananda8

Erica,

Your wild possum eats from your hand?  Wow you must have known her since she was just a little thing. 

Our local energy plant used sea water to cool things and the intake would draw in small fish.  I was called to rescue a large male possum from the dumpster where he had jumped in to get the fish.  I wonder if possums in different areas of the country have different preferences based on what's available? 

AnneW

Where I live it's actually illegal to feed the wild animals, but it's done. Dept of Wildlife feels the human diet is harmful to animals and it keeps them from being independent hunters.

But everyone does it anyway. If you get bitten hand-feeding a fox, you'll be in trouble. They're just so darned cute...

Alpal

I made an attempt last night to learn more about possums, hoping knowledge would make me feel better about them. Didn't really work, but every thing I read said that they'll eat anything - including road kill, and that's the reason they so often end up as road kill themselves. Several sources also said they love fruit better than anything else. Erica - I know Opossum is the correct spelling. When you say the word is the O silent? Just wondering. Here in red neck land they're just called possums! BTW - Erica's picture of her little buddy is the only thing I've seen that makes me understand why some think they're cute!

208sandy

Re: Pesto

Freeze it in ice cube trays then pop it out and store in freezer bags - it's an awesome thing to have on hand in the winter - it is wonderful on fish too.  I use walnuts instead of pine nuts now because of the price.

Anonymous

O is silent

I have never heard of a law that bans feeding of ALL wild animals, usually they specify what animal(s) you are not allow to feed  So many animals feed from peoples garbage and bird seed.

Feeding birds does not make them dependent on feeder as only food source, and squirrels and chipmunks that eat birdseed

Notself - The opossum here is the "Virginia Opossum"   National Opossum Society is a good reference site.   www.opossum.org   or  http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/  

The opossum takes food I hand to him/her, I guess that is not  eating out of the palm of my hand. 

jenn3

I am not a regular here, but saw where a dog chewed up carpet.  I'm not an expert, but do have 4 dogs and generally when dogs are tearing up stuff they're bored and need more activity, such as a good long walk, at least 45 - 1 hour if you have a big or active dog.  And......it's best if the dog can be walked first thing in the morning after a long night of sleeping and before bedtime - just a thought and good luck.

Our vet told us years ago that the reason one of our dogs was constantly licking his paws was because he was allergic to the food - of course we didn't believe him, but tried the expensive food he offered and it worked.  We've since experimented with less expensive, but more natural foods and find that all of the dogs do better with the new food.

Wow!!! I'd be terrified to hand feed a opossum - brave and exciting.

bluedahlia

My dogs are such bad eaters. They get bored of their doggy food so fast. And they beg for table scraps which are very bad for them. What do you guys feed your pooches.

Alpal

Science Diet - small bites. Makes for nice poop, too. Hahaha! The only table food I ever feed are tiny bites of cheese. When they hear the cheese package come out of the fridge, they come running! Every time I've ever fed them anything else, they end up spitting it up. Doesn' stop them from begging, though!

Ang7

Alpal~

That is too funny!  My kids can get a piece of cheese out of the fridge and 3 dogs will be high-tailing it to the kitchen.  We used to feed ours Eukanuba?  but our dogs did not like it so now we feed them Iams. 

Wabbit

Blue Buffalo Wilderness ... she does not do well stomach wise with grains and this does not have any.

We try to limit treats of people food but often fail ... so she get bites of chicken, cheese, etc probably more often than she should.

We have bird feeders and have rabbits, squirrels and even ducks coming around to eat what the birds spill on the ground.  We've thrown apples over the fence to the field next door ... always thought the deer would get them and had no idea that possums would like them too.   

kad2kar

Hi!  pets I can relate to. In my 64yrs Ive been without a pet maybe a total of 4yrs. A myriad of dogs,shelties,collies, a mini poodle I won) tarantula my Dad brought home. he got rid of it real quick!!! A squirrel of my brothers, that Mom,Sis and I chased around the living room,screaming and laughing,trying to catch.A turtle,snake,my duck Peeps, an Opossum named Percival,frogs, and a cat. I was lucky to be the one to clean out Dads patrol car and a skunk encounter. After I grew up and was married black lab,siberian husky,cocker spaniel,keeshond mix,some kind of malamute mix, and a coyote/lab mix, and CATS, so many blacks, and a few other colors.  We loved them all, now we just have our black&white cat. She is about 10years old, not sure she was/feral sweet with a nasty temper. Have a good evening and a good morning.   kar

Anonymous

Looks like everyone can relate to pets here.

My brats beg, they are used to getting last bite of something.  Raw Carrots are not a bad treat for dogs.  I give them small pieces, they always know when I am eating carrots.  I feed them Purina Pro-Plan.  Try to buy Organic treats - Made in USA, not China 

Just found a new one - MADE IN CANADA !!!!!   Grandma Lucy's Organic oven Baked Dog treats.  Sweet Potato is one of the flavors.  They are small - like an oster cracker,  They love them

molly52

Wabbit

I've always heard that carrots are excellent treats for dogs but none of the dogs I've had will eat them.  I wish she would and keep trying but so far she just spits them out.   

We recently got some doggie cookies made by Three Dog Bakery ... all natural and made in the USA.  The carob and peanut butter ones have been a big hit ... her eyes light up when she sees that box come out.  They smell good enough to eat yourself.  Chicken breast strips are a favorite too.

ananda8

Alpal,

It may be that the only way you will like opossums is if you go to a wildlife shelter and hold a baby.  It's almost Spring and baby season is just around the corner.

Almost every animal that eats meat eats road kill.  Its a tough world and animals eat what they can when they can.

AnneW, 

I think the rules about feeding wild animals apply to hunters baiting game animals.  Feeding wildlife will not make them dependent because animals are not stupid.  They always have multiple sources for food.  However, the late winter and early Spring are times of great hunger.  Sometimes a feeding station does make a difference in the survival of an animal or bird. 

I place a birdbath in my garden to draw birds.  Birds hate tomatoes and the only reason they would stick their beaks in one is to get moisture.  Fresh water draws the birds who will repay you by eating garden pests.  Hummingbirds love some types of small Sunflowers and they are among the best predators of small sucking insects.

I also place a container of water on the ground under a tree so the wee beasties like mice and other small mammals can have a drink.

YramAL

Our dog was constantly licking her paws and the vet told us the same thing that you were told, Jenn3, that she was allergic to the food we were giving her. We switched her over to Avoderm-chicken and avocado. No more licking!

I can so relate to the cheese stories-we say that Annie can hear the snap of a string cheese wrapper a mile away. She can be sleeping up on my bed, and if I open the fridge and start to open a piece of string cheese-down she comes!

She can also hear the clatter of a spoon in an ice cream dish or one of those plastic pudding cups.

Mary 

Alpal

Mary - just posting because I don't want you to think you killed the thread for the night! Chicken and avocado? Have you tried it? Sounds delicious!

BarbaraA

RE: Assange - with Athena on the ho-hum national security thing but am totally hoping he gets nailed for rape. If they can prove it at trial, then lock him up. That is wrong no matter who does it.

RE: licking, you may be on to something. It started around the time bro went into hospital. I will ask the vet about the bitter apple spray.

Anonymous

RE: Assange -

Innocent until proven guilty.

AnneW

I agree with Laura.

What's wrong with me???

BarbaraA

I hope y'all did not misconstrue what I said. If they find him guilty, lock him up. Since he has been charged, the evidence is beyond a reasonable doubt but he still deserves a trial and to be judged by his peers. IF they find him guilty, lock him up. Rape is deplorable.

Alpal

What? I don't have any feelings about Assange. Know nothing about it. BUT- where does being charged equal evidence beyond a reasonable doubt?? Why have a trial then? That's certainly not the way it works here.