Hamsters don't take too kindly to being woken up during the day. She'll need to play with him in the evening. She'll need to scoop out "pee spots" every couple days, and thoroughly wash the cage once a week, or it will smell. You need to watch that the hamster's teeth don't get too long; even with chew toys, they sometimes need to be trimmed. The best and quietest wheels in my opinion are Wodent Wheels, but you can still hear them! You said that you're using a tank? Do you mean an aquarium? You will need to be sure that it is large enough (20 gallon *LONG*, not a regular 20 gallon) and has a secure screen top. If you're using an aquarium, you need to be extra careful to keep it very clean, or the ammonia fumes will build up inside it and be very irritating to the hamster. Also, please give the hamster a couple hidey houses to nest in and climb on. Hope this helps!

During the first twelve or so years of my marriage, I always slept in the same bed as my husband. Now, I almost never sleep in the same room as him. It hasn't negatively impacted my marriage *at all*. There was no big adjustment and no resulting problems. Both of us sleep better. Honestly, I can't see myself ever wanting to switch back. Don't worry about it; let your husband get a good sleep, and you do the same! :)

This. Some members of my family have bad reactions to vanillin. Were it not for that, I'd definitely be buying it! Chocolate is good for the soul! :)

I'll pray for you and your dad! Hope you have a good visit. :grouphug:

Romans 8? Maybe a comforting Psalm? 27, 46, 121?

I definitely like the one on the top left best. It doesn't run together as much as the others. I know you said to ignore the colors, but I really do like the two different colors in that one (blue and green). I think makes the logo easier to read and more distinctive.

I'd like to offer an alternate view of "The Care and Keeping of You." Let me preface this by saying that I am not *at all* shy or bothered by openly talking about anatomy, puberty, and sex. At least one of the children's books I own contains drawings of male and female anatomy, and I have zero problem with that. However, I feel that the drawings in "The Care and Keeping of You" are unnecessarily graphic. I don't think children at that age need to see a detailed cartoon of exactly how tampons are inserted, or drawings of the various shapes their breasts may grow into. I realize that this is a personal preference on my part; I just wanted to put that information out there for anyone who, like me, might be bothered by the pictures. Good luck, OP! :) I'm sure it will go fine.

I'm going to take the plunge and try coloring my hair for the first time. I wear a head covering and so have not worried much about my hair for years. However, I'm going increasingly white and it's starting to make me feel old! I am probably only about 10% white, but it is very noticeable in my dark brown hair. I'd like to try demi-permanent color that washes out in about a month without obvious roots. I also need something that will be very gentle on my hair, since it is long (about halfway down my back). I would love brand recommendations! I am utterly clueless when it comes to hair. Thanks! :)

For littles, I highly recommend Elizabeth Mitchell! Her music is gentle, folksy, and a little alternative. My husband and I really enjoy listening to her, too! She has several albums; here is one favorite: You Are My Little Bird Her music is not religious. For Bible songs, we like Cedarmont Kids (search on Amazon).

Great idea! YouTube also has videos that show how to pick them up. No normal-sized aquarium is big enough for a guinea pig. I have used a screen-topped 20 gallon *long* aquarium for a single hamster, but that's the largest rodent I'd recommend for one.

I wouldn't worry about it too much with 2-3 year old guinea pigs in good health. Obviously keep an eye on them, but they should be fine. Please keep us updated! :)

I think Suzanne is referring to actual pigs. :) Your guinea pigs' cage shouldn't smell so quickly. I've heard this can be a problem with fleece bedding--are you using fleece bedding? If the smell continues to be a problem, I would recommend switching to kiln-dried pine or aspen shavings, or Carefresh, or a mixture, and that should take care of it. You also have a used cage, right? Did you wash it down thoroughly when you brought it home? If not, you'll want to take everything out of it and wash it with soapy water. If there are urine deposits, you can spray vinegar on them and let it sit there for a bit before wiping it off. I wouldn't let piggies chew on duct tape if I could help it, because of the adhesive and because if they ate it, I imagine it could cause a blockage. It's okay for them to chew a little on their igloos and on the coroplast, as long as they're not taking off big chunks. Don't put the veggies all together in a bowl; spread them around the cage so each piggy can find some. Darkness is fine at night and probably healthier for them, too! If their nails are so long that it is making them uncomfortable, I would probably take them to a vet and have him do it the first time. You can watch how he does it, and he'll be able to do it more quickly and with less stress. If the nails aren't super long, you could leave them for a week or so until you've had a chance to learn how to handle the pigs. If it were me, I'd probably let the kids put their hands in the cage tomorrow and pet the piggies a little, but I'd give the pigs some time to settle in (a day or two) before attempting to pick them up. I don't know how old your kids are, but little kids shouldn't be allowed to pick up piggies by themselves; falls can be fatal. Depending on the age of your children, it might be better for you to pick up the pig and then place him in your child's lap, with your child sitting on the floor. The pigs *will* very likely run from you when you try to pick them up. Just corner them and quickly and confidently pick them up, with one hand on top and one hand under their body. Put them up against your body right away so they feel safe . Usually once you've picked them up, they will stop struggling. Good luck! :)

Congratulations on your new family members!! :party: What beautiful puppies!

"And he [David] said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:22-23

Mine was on a big classroom-type table. It kept the piggies safe from our dog and also put them at a convenient viewing and petting height. :) We kept bins of bedding and other supplies under the table.

Absolutely yes!!! Most of the C & C rabbit cages I've seen have tops on them, unlike the guinea pig ones. Here are some great examples: http://breyfamily.net/bunnycage.html http://www.michiganr...e.org/condo.htm http://www.qrabbit.c...er-housing.html http://www.therabbit...cages-cubes.asp I definitely recommend keeping your rabbits in the house rather than outside. It will be healthier for them and they will become much more tame.

I have medium brown hair with some gold highlights. If I dye my hair with a slightly lighter shade than my natural color, will it cover the gray without changing the color of the rest of my hair? (Hope you don't mind me chiming in here with my own question, OP!)

Granted! However, many people use the bathroom without washing afterwards, and then those germs are on their *hands* and can be transmitted to whatever they touch. This, to me, is more of a real concern than possible germs in a dog's mouth. But, then, I let my dog lick my face and it doesn't bother me in the least, so I freely admit I'm not the most unbiased of people... :)

Let me preface this by saying that I do *greatly* sympathize with people who have allergies, and I do believe people should abide by posted rules of businesses. However, I really don't understand why people have such a strong reaction to having dogs around food. Dogs aren't inherently "dirty." Yes, they shed, but so do people. ;) You are *infinitely* more likely to catch something from a sneezing adult, or a child who just used the bathroom and didn't wash her hands, or the toddler who is picking his nose, or the baby putting everything in her mouth. I personally would be not be bothered in the least by seeing a dog in a grocery store, but seeing a baby chew on a shopping cart handle gives me the willies. A dog is not going to waltz up and lick the produce in your cart. Cupcakes, anyone? ;)

:iagree:

I had a 2 x 4 with one loft. It had two hidey houses under the loft, a water bottle, two food bowls and a corner litter pan (that didn't get used much!). The guinea pigs had plenty of space. I think it would have still been fine with two fleece beds in there. You could put the fleece forest under the loft, I suppose, and put either the beds or the igloos behind it. My guinea pigs didn't end up liking their ramp and the second story wasn't used much. The ramp also does take up some of the floor space. On the other hand, they did like hiding under the loft and under the ramp. :) If I bought another cage, I would probably get a one-story. If you add a bridge, be sure that the guinea pigs won't be able to fall off. They're not really natural climbers. Some people use fleece tunnels that velcro on the ramps/bridges to keep the pigs safe, to give them secure footing, and to help them feel more comfortable. You'll find that your guinea pigs have favorite spots, and it's possible not all your accessories will even be used. Hope this helps!

Our Target does, too, and they were all 25% off this past weekend. I bought some for about $17.

Biblically speaking, your son is correct. Good for you for raising such a discerning young man! :)

I wouldn't put them by a door that is ever used during cold weather. Drafts can be very dangerous for small animals. I wouldn't worry too much about the carpet. I personally never had much bedding kicked onto the floor with our C&C cage, and it vacuums up easily.

You don't want them to be exposed to drafts, so I wouldn't put them by a door.