Now that is funny.... Anywhooooo....

I just have to think it is a he. Too many male characteristics... I mean, after all, he took over the yard (typical man w/TV remote), looks down over "his" territory, like "don't mess with it." Neighbor's cat is scared to death of him... And he ACTS hot (like guy w/new Corvette), possessive w/new mansion and all... Sometimes I think I see him winking at me... Aloof, when Bluejays pound him... (Arnold like) Got to be a guy, don't you think???

Cathie

I'm glad you get so much joy from animals. I like Boo ,Mr.Boo. Can you only find out its gender in that specific way or could you tell by the color for example? I like Frank or Jake too. If I ever get another dog I'm going to name it a human name.

I cannot believe all you people and animals!! I'm not allowed to have a pet in my apartment. They actually mean cats and dogs. I did have a hamster when my son was 11. I bought it for him, (to teach him the responsibility), yeah right!!!

Who do you think got on the floor with the hamster in the rolling ball thing? You should have seen Alan walk through the door and he sees this animal rolling in a little ball around the floor. He just looked at me.

Oh, you animal lovers will love this.

Before I got the hamster, (we had been living here a few months), I wanted to get some pet that we would be allowed to have, like a gerbil, hamster, whatever. I asked Alan and he said "No, Frank won't take care of it, so no, don't buy anthing".

He calls me from the office one day and I said "Oh, Alan I was in the pet store and I couldn't resist". Alan said "you couldn't resist what??" and I said "his name is Iggy". And Alan said "Again, you couldn't resist what?? And I said "Oh, he's an iguana". I hear this dead silence and he's gulping, (yup, he was gulping trying for air) and I hear him say "Oh my god, you have an iguana in the house??, where the heck did you put him"? So I said "why, in the tub of course, where do you think one puts a 6 foot iguana?" The phone went dead, he is trying to find words and I said "Gotcha, I bought a hamster".

You never saw a man so relieved in all his life. And we started with a little rolling ball so he could get exercise.

In two months, my living room looked like Habitrail city. I had a motel spinning in the air, I had a race track where he could run the ball around. I had a connecting tubes. I'm telling you, this hamster had a very very good home. I should have taken photos. Who knew back then?

But after a few years, he got a tumor and died. I stayed with him till 3 a.m. I never forgot that little guy. That was the end of pets in this house.

So I give you guys much credit for your love and care of your little friends.


Melody

Whooter???? Make sure u use the 'w'.

One apt I had pets weren't allowed, but, you'd see folks walking their German Shepards thru the 'routines' daily...Duh?
I moved in there with a kitten, about 11 months old...He got BIG..Very. But the apt. was large for me and a roomate..and the windows were almost 'colonial' as the building was solid block-brick-concrete-plaster...the sills were well over 14" deep and the cat loved to sprawl out on them. He'd get too comfy tho and well, fall off. My downstairs neighbor a LOL [not by any definition of anyONE here! BTW] was in her 70's and timidly asked me if I'd gotten a 'puppy'? Told her no, would you like to meet cat? She LOOOVED him! Well, cat grew- to a healthy 18 pounds! Not at all overweight-just one big and long cat. Never knew a cat could stomp across a room such as he did! I actually trained him to a harness and leash and would take him for long walks in the park. When he got tired tho, I'd have to carry him home. 18 pounds can get very heavy -even when one is healthy! Beasts, creatures we have, and who 'have us' are a joy to watch. Nature's creatures are always a miracle to me tho. Their life is soo very much harder.
Appreciate any and all life out there. Even the ones we hate? Bugs, those in the 'vermin' category and all life. There IS a delicate and amazing inter-relationship between it all. Tho, personally, I really have no desire to have the 'undesirables' sharing MY space, If I can kick them out, I will. - j

Umm Name? Mouse Master or M'nM for short?

Daniella: I don't know about determining the sex. I would have to read more on the little Screech Owls. If they are like some others, the female is larger, but then how do you tell if there is only one?

Also, like some of the other owls, if they produce, then mamma probably stays on the nest and dad brings (yuk) food, but I am not sure exactly how this works with these birds...

Mel:

I know some New Yorkers have animals in their apartments, and I have never understood how they are able to housebreak dogs. If you live on the 50th floor of a building and have a puppy, how do you make it outside in time? And what happens when people work and have a dog that needs to go? It is not like you get a lot of notice, and puppies, especially, have small bladders... They can't hold it for 8-10 hours. Here, you watch the dog and if he/she starts acting fidgety, you open the door and put it in the yard-QUICKLY. Some dogs stay outside. Some have doggie doors. So how does one make it to the park in time?

Cathie

Cathie:

I can tell you how some people don't take out their pets. I have friends around the corner. Many many of these people on that block have dogs or cats. MANY!!!! I know all the doggies by names. Most of the dogs, well they bring them out in the morning and whenever you have to bring your dog out. They also (by law), have to have a pooper scooper (or some kind of doggie doody picker upper thingee).

Now around the corner on that block, these houses are either multiple or two apartment houses. Many people have dogs. Also, many people never take their dogs out. The other day I asked my friend. Does your daughter in law or son ever take Angel out of the house for their "business". She said "not really, once in a while, if the weather is nice'. I said 'but how does the dog do their "business'?? and the answer was WEE WEE PADS.

Now I've seen these in the apartments (I gather all of you dog owners know what a wee wee pad is).

So my friend said "they have trained their dogs to do ALL their business on the WEE WEE PAD, and then they put the stuff in shopping bags, and then throw them out.

So I gather this is how a person living on the 50th floor (and who chooses not to take their dogs out for walks), well, I guess they train the dog to go on a WEE WEE PAD. It's the only option they have, right??

I mean, cats use a litter box. But dogs either go outside with their owners, or do it on the WEE WEE PADS.

Now, also in NYC, where you have all the large apartment buildings, 50 floors, etc, many of these people also hire professional dog walkers. When Alan and I go into NYC for an appointment, we often see a person walking 7 or 8 dogs at a time. These people are paid to do this and this is how the dog gets his exercise, and does his 'business".

See?? I got to actually answer a question on this forum and I don't even have a pet. lol

Melody

Thank you for that information, Mel. This now makes sense. People in a 50 story building probably don't have a lot of options...

Some people in our area may train their dogs like this, but I have never it done. When we discovered doggie doors, we thought we had died and gone to heaven... Dinner with 2 dogs before door=dog wants out, dog wants back in, other dog wants out, other dog wants back in. Scream...

Miss Minnie, my renal failure dog, gets the urge in the middle of the night-husband to the rescue. If he had to go down 50 floors, we would be in trouble... He would be pi**ed and she couldn't hold it...

Cathie