Bedding and other random thoughts.

The new bed pads arrived today. They are exactly what I wanted, ultra absorbent, ultra thin. Unfortunately they are a bit smaller then I expected so I need to order a couple more. Since pillowtalk has set postage I figured I'd ask my mother if there was anything she needed so we could split postage. Big mistake, she has a list of about twenty things she now needs from the website. Soooo hopefully the bed pads are still on sale by the time she works out exactly what she wants.

But I thought I'd put the recommendation out there. Safe and Dry replacement mats are absolutely perfect for fleece bedding. A double bed pad measures 80 x 136 cm and can absorb up to 2000mL of liquid. They are quite thin and very well quilted. Their RRP is $39 however I purchased them on sale for $12 each. Since they are a rather ugly beige colour with exposed stitching I'll quilt them between a layer of fleece and a layer of homespun to make neat looking cage pads for my four 'show animal' cages.

I've also been working on designs for the eventual expansion of my caviary. Right now having all of four cavies and housing for up to 18 cavies and four in coat longhairs it's not needed. However I hope to expand as the numbers rise.

On top the current two level bank I'll add another level of four 60 x 60 cages for my show animals. Then I'll build a new stackable bank for where the rabbit cage now stands. This will consist of a 75 x 120cm bottom level for the rabbit (though he also has free run of the animal room) and then two stacked 120 x 60cm cages. This should take capacity up to 26 cavies with four in coat longhairs which is honestly as much as I probably would ever have. Even then I'm doubtful I'd have four longs in wraps at any time, but four cages gives me a chance to run on a few babies and then select which I'm going to show.

I'm still intending to stick to two litters a year so the numbers will only increase slowly.

At the summer show in February I'm also hoping to collect a new boar. Hopefully I'll be able to purchase one, but if not I've been offered the chance to borrow a boar. Borrowing end sup more expensive then buying a boar though as it's a fourteen hour round trip and I'd have to go down to collect him and then return him six weeks later.

I'm also hoping to purchase another sow at some point. I really want to introduce crests into the line so I'd be after a coronet or merino sow, preferably not agouti. Don't get me wrong I like agouti, but I also really like the surprise of different colours, but golden agouti is so dominant in a few generations that would be all I was getting, golden agouti longs.