Thursday, February 23, 2012

Raising babies

Retrieverman is raising a new pup, with a mirror for "company" when alone.

I use an analogous technique with baby falcons. But with Post Office bears:

I also feed them from a timed automatic cat feeder to eliminate begging, and keep them in that kid's swimming pool in the living/ computer room 24- 7, with dogs, to socialize them. It works...

6 comments:

bill gilchrist said...

Wow, that's awesome, Steve! - Bill

Retrieverman said...

She's an interesting dog, but she's not mine. She's more like my niece. My sister and her boyfriend got her.

I am not generally of the type who would buy a very exaggerated dog breed with lots of health problems.

However, she did figure out that the mirror was a con. It worked for about two nights. She does have a sock that has the scent of her mother and siblings on it.

I tried using that stuffed toy trick with puppies once when I was a kid, and when they were four weeks old, they shredded it.

Anonymous said...

But do the falcon chicks get jealous because the post office bears have nice hats, and they don't? And is that most elegant oriental sighthound licking up bird poo in the one photo?......L.B.

Rudy said...

Steve
I have enjoyed your page.Being someone who is barely housebroken and
of the graying group.I first saw falconry in Dubai in the early 70's
Locals were not as kind to most things as they were to their birds which they took great pride in.The ruling family used to load up their camels on dhows and people and birds on planes and spend a month in the fall in Baluchistan hunting.
I have always been intrigued.Thanks
David Lohse

Anonymous said...

Sounds to me like Mister David Lohse REALLY needs to do a "guest post" or two!.....L.B.

Steve Bodio said...

Retrieverman: something similar generally happens with the bears -- we have to watch the birds carefully. At first the bears soothe their anxiety,long enough for them to switch their allegiance to us. But in a week or so they decide they are dead and try to eat them.

As they would do the same with real nestmates it's hard to blame them!