Help for Prince

[bengal77]

If her apartment is heated with electric then $100 a month is fairly reasonable, especially since she lives in Washington and they are in the middle of the snowmaggedon.

Tips for cutting your electric bill:

When you're done with an appliance unplug it. TVs and other electronics use energy even when they're turned off. Do this for computers too when you won't be using it for a while (like when you go to bed).

Put door snakes or a rolled up towel by the floor of your front door to seal off any cracks that are letting in drafts

Put up curtains or thick blankets over your windows, this will help keep the cold outside and your heat inside

If you like long showers, shorten them. It's pretty likely that your hot water heater is electric if your central heating is too. 10 minutes should be enough to get clean and relax a bit.

Turn your thermostat down to 68 or less. Wear sweaters and thick socks around the house.

Invest in a featherbed or down blanket (artificial works too). It will keep you toasty warm in the winter and if you stick your feet out you'll stay cool in the summer.

 

[Sweetie]

I am cutting my thermostat down as of right now. I will unplug my appliances that are not being used. I really cannot unplug my fish tank!

I am also turning off the lights when I am not in a room, that will cut down on my electric bill!

 

[Pipp]

Sweetie wrote:

Let them know that I am in Bremerton and that I don't drive. Please see if they can deliver the hay, the more hay I have the better and I will save money.

Wow. :shock: I have a better idea. Why don't YOU look on Craigslist and find the ad yourself and YOU ask them. :grumpy:

This is exactly why everybody is so exasperated with you. :X

Not only are you asking me to continue working on YOUR problem, you give me 'instructions' and expect the people to deliver? Horse people usually sell dozens of bales at a time, they'll be doing you a favor letting you split one up. Read the part of my post where I said: "You'll probably be able to obtain and carry a big garbage bag with several flakes. Take a friend and carry two."

You don't know anyone in Bremerton with a car? Or are they just fed up with this 'do everything for me' attitude too?

Craigslist has a rideshare section, and a 'volunteers wanted' section. Sheesh, post a notice at the equestrian center. Tons of ways around all this stuff.

Sweetie wrote:

Also Pipp: I know to mix the new with the old. How long do I do it for?

Just start with 1/5 new, 4/5 old and reduce it by a fifth every couple of days. But you really have to be giving them more hay than they can eat, and not a lot of pellets.

And make an effort to find free pre-compost produce. Read the links. (I'm not sure you bothered with that, either).


sas

 

[Sweetie]

I am on craigslist now and I found one a bit cheaper than $9. There is one in Central Kitsap selling hay for $5.

I am sorry I upset you! It is hard to find someone who is willing to give me a ride, because the people I know are busy with their own things. But I will see what I can do about getting more hay for my rabbits!

 

[Pipp]

Make sure it's grass hay and not alfalfa.

 

[Sweetie]

I will definitely do that! Another thing, which cut of hay is better for rabbits, for example: is 2nd cut or 3rd cut better?

I will keep looking for ways to save money. Today I grabbed filter cartridges for my fish tank, Fresh Step cat litter for the cat, along with the rabbit food at Walmart.

There is a guy who works at the local store near by, Ralph's Red Apple, who lives in the same apartment complex as I do. I may talk to him and see if I can get veggies and fruit for free for my rabbits. Are bruised veggies and fruits ok to give to rabbits, or do I need to cut out the bruised area and only give the nonbruised part to my rabbits?

 

[bengal77]

I think that the quality of the cut of hay depends on where it is grown and how long that region's season is. Generally the second and 3rd cuts of hay are best. But if you live in an area where the growing season is short the farmer may only do one cut of hay. So the general rule of thumb is to buy the second cut.

 

[Sweetie]

Ok! Then I will see about getting the 2nd cut hay and I will make sure that it is grass hay and not alfalfa hay.

 

[Pipp]

A variety of hay is good. And bruised fruit is good except that one apple should last them over a week. They really shouldn't get much.

Anything that looks brown and rotting (or wet and rotting) isn't good. Carrot tops are pretty crappy in the winter around here, but they're okay if I cut off the leafy part and just give them the stems. The core of the lettuce, leaves and stems from broccoli and kale, all sort of things like that from any kitchen are good.

But... I'm repeating myself. Please just read the recession-proofing article, it outlines the types of vegetable products that should be the easiest to get.

Glad to see you're making a good effort.


sas :bunnydance:

 

[Sweetie]

Thanks Pipp!

I have read the recession proofing article and I will read it again.

I will ask a neighbor if I can get some veggies and fruit from the store where he works that aren't sellable for my rabbits! I will give him a list of veggies and fruits that are safe for rabbits!

 

[undergunfire]

You've also been told before that cat litter is NOT okay for rabbits. I'm not sure how you can afford to buy things of cat litter for your rabbit, anyway....even since the cat is using the litter too. Fresh Step isn't the cheapest litter...shoot, not even Walmart's "Special Kitty" brand is cheap (the bag kind is, but thats terrible stuff).

You can go to Walmart (out in the garden center) and pick up a 40lbs bag of wood stove pellets for $5....that will last you a very long time if you use a net over the litter box to catch poop & hay and then scoop out the wet litter daily (will turn to a dust-like consistence).

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I have tried to help you before.

So i will try one more time. I would re-home the love bird they are very expensive to take care of.
Trust me Skylar is no longer in my care for some of those reasons.

I know you have to have a taxi or something in your area. Find a local feed Store.

I go next week and Buy a 50 pound bag of pellets Alpha base but very high in fiber.
18 bucks for 50 pounds
10 bucks for a bail of hay I will be splitting that with bunny buddies. Cause it will all go bad in my house.
And 8 bucks for forty pounds of horse stall bedding.

36 bucks will feed Storm for a year. You have two buns and the price would probably only go up to 44 for two bags of Horse stall bedding.

That for a year if your really broke and cant feed vegys fine. I am lucky in Storm can't eat them.

But he is healthy without them. So one year wont hurt some house bunnys only live on crap pellets there whole life.

I am glad to see your finally making a effort. But once I really started looking I found a place in 2 hours. One stop one feed Store and he special ordered the food for me.


I hope this help like I said before I am behind you but you have to want to help yourself. Get rid of the love bird don't get more pets when you can barely take care of the ones you have.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I also wanted to add sense you will be saving on doing that you only ned a car one time pay them 5 to 10 buck that bring the total up 54 for a year.

Some feed Stores will bring it to your home if you ask. They are normally owned and worked by the same person or just one employee. Depending on the size.

I have to say this if you really want to keep anypet in your care you will find a way to do it.
I have seen people come into the shelter and say i can't afford to feed my dog. The shelter gives them a 50 pound bag of Ol roy they are like I won't feed my dog that.

We then tell them that what they will get here.

But 50 bucks a year verses having to rehome a beloved pet.
50 bucks a year works out to Like four bucks a month.

Your buns should only be getting 1/4 a cup a day at the most of pellets the rest hay.

 

[Sweetie]

I am going to be asking my vet how much he charges for bird care. I have been thinking about rehoming my love bird, because I am getting annoyed with his loud chirping.

The cat litter is $6.98 for 20lbs of cat litter at Walmart.

I will take a look at the garden center next time I go to Walmart and see if they have wood stove pellets and how much they charge here.

I only have to scoop the litter box every few days, so about 3 times a week, and that is for the cat.

 

[~*sAbRiNa*~]

Sweetie, today I made an arrangement with the owner of the farm where I keep my horse that I can have the hay that falls out of the bales for FREE (yay)! There is nothing wrong with the hay, just when they open a bale in the hay loft, or if one breaks it makes a big mess but they hardly ever pick up the hay because its not enough to feed the horses. I checked everything for mold/dust and it all looks good! It only took me about 10 mins to fill a garbage bag full of amazing quality hay.
I know that I might be lucky because I keep my horse there but I am sure that you would be able to find a farm in your area who would let you essentially clean up their hay loft for them.
Also depending on the type of bedding that the farm has (i.e. rabbit safe) if they buy it in bulk they might be willing to sell it to you for a good price since what a rabbit uses is nothing compared to horses. Its worth a try to ask.

 

[Sweetie]

I will see about that also!

Thank you all for helping me find ways to save money and keep my bunnies together!

 

[TinysMom]

I used pelleted bedding (that is used for horse stalls) in my rabbits' litter boxes. I just bought some - it was $6.98 for a 40 pound bag at Tractor Supply Company.

I love this stuff - I can scoop out what they've used daily if I want and just put a tad more back in. It really keeps down odors too.

 

[Sweetie]

I will look at Walmart and see what they have and I will also check out some farms if I can find any around here.

 

[Amy27]

TinysMom wrote:

I used pelleted bedding (that is used for horse stalls) in my rabbits' litter boxes. I just bought some - it was $6.98 for a 40 pound bag at Tractor Supply Company.

I love this stuff - I can scoop out what they've used daily if I want and just put a tad more back in. It really keeps down odors too.

Peg, can I ask what brand the pellet bedding was? That is really cheap and I want to check it out. Thanks.

 

[Maureen Las]

Amy27 wrote:

TinysMom wrote:

I used pelleted bedding (that is used for horse stalls) in my rabbits' litter boxes. I just bought some - it was $6.98 for a 40 pound bag at Tractor Supply Company.

I love this stuff - I can scoop out what they've used daily if I want and just put a tad more back in. It really keeps down odors too.

Peg, can I ask what brand the pellet bedding was? That is really cheap and I want to check it out. Thanks.

I get Superior horse Bedding at Farm and fleet $6.98 for 30 lb so Peg gets a better deal but even mine is a good deal when compared to pet stores.