Arlington TX SPCA bust - General Discussions

[Essentia]

I would also be a huge fan of carriers for bonded pairs. I was wondering how that was going to work since a lot of them are paired up already, and most of us were interested in the bonded pairs.

Fantastic idea! Are the supplies going to be really expensive?

 

[mishellyshel]

Fantastic idea! Are the supplies going to be really expensive?

if not funded by the spca, i would be willing to donate a small amount toward supplies. after all it would help me in the long run and perhaps make the move for the chins a little less stressful if they are kept with their current cage mate.

 

[Essentia]

Exactly. I would be more than happy to donate a bit towards it.

 

[tunes]

I just want to point out, that travelling together is not always a good thing. The travel can be very stressful on chins and could cause them to turn on each other, even if they are bonded pairs. Having been to many shows, and brought home many animals, I can tell you that after a drive like the one Rick has laid out, you aren't going to have a huge issue getting them back together. When I come back from a show and put two animals together, I never have a problem. They are so tired/stressed/anxious from the drive that they don't give me any problem.

Building a bunch of carriers so they can travel in pairs could just be a waste of money and actually may end up with chins fighting rather than being safe within their own compartments. Just something to think about.

 

[NOLA Chins]

That is what I was wondering. Even with quick transport, some are going to be in carriers for about 3 days (those will be in regular carriers though, not the wood ones). The problem is, if 2 are left with someone and they don't bond, there isn't an option of separating them due to the lack of cages. Maybe we should stick to the original plan. Or-how long would it take to tell if they will get along?

>Building a bunch of carriers so they can travel in pairs could just be a waste of money and actually may end up with chins fighting rather than being safe within their own compartments. Just something to think about.

 

[mishellyshel]

I have several cages, so if the ones that come to me are not bonded I will separate and keep next to each other and do appropriate intros. If it doesnt work out than they will be separated.

I have never transported chins that were in a carrier longer than 6 hours, so I will take the advice of the experienced.
I would also assume that if they are in separate carriers that the carriers would be marked with who "was" staying with who before the separation for travel.

This is strictly my opinion, but I think it would be easist to indicate on the cage who is getting which chins, that way there isnt too much switching around when they go thru their routes and no one gets sexes or bonded pairs mixed up.
with the wood it could be written in a sharpie right on the cage, with the carriers, labels could be made up. If you need help with labels, I would gladly make them and mail them to you. or type them and you could print them.

 

[NOLA Chins]

I'm not sure what supplies are meant. What ever is left at Arlington should be going with the chins. Pellets are the only thing I am concerned with. I will bring hay and haycubes, water, pumice stones and chew sticks. Tamara has picked up 2 bales of aspen bedding in Dallas.

There is very little difference in cost between a 4 hole and a 2 hole carrier in the
building.

I have spent about $150 so far on materials and tools (plywood, an electric staple/brad gun) and pumice stones. I have hay. The van rental will be about $300. No idea on gas but I would guess the trip will easily run $1000. I am trying to figure out a Paypal donation button, I just need to call them. In any case, Sue (she who must be obeyed) has provided a credit card to fund this.

 

[Essentia]

Rick, if they do travel separately, could we mark the individual holes on the carrier so we know which chins were housed together before? I do have 3 smaller cages for the chins if they decide to turn on each other once in my care, but I would prefer to at least try to keep them together once they get here (if possible).

 

[NOLA Chins]

I am going to number each chin in it's ear with a sharpie. That will wear off in a month or two. The number, color, sex and who they are going to will be kept on dupicated lists. The carrier hole will be marked inside and on the top with the chin's number.

I have kept chins for a few days in our carriers in the car with us during hurricane evacuations. I found that they ate some hay cubes, drank little and generally were quiet.

 

[mishellyshel]

i meant if you needed supplies to build the carriers and supplies to get them to us.
sounds like you are organized and ready to go!! let us know when you have a donation button ready.
as for the pellets, i do not use the oxbow, but i would gladly buy a small bag to at least mix until they get on my feed. i also always line my carriers with a small piece of fleece and put a hay cube & apple stick in to keep them busy.

 

[Essentia]

I am going to number each chin in it's ear with a sharpie. That will wear off in a month or two. The number, color, sex and who they are going to will be kept on dupicated lists. The carrier hole will be marked inside and on the top with the chin's number.

I have kept chins for a few days in our carriers in the car with us during hurricane evacuations. I found that they ate some hay cubes, drank little and generally were quiet.

Well aren't you a smartie! You sound like you have everything under control.

 

[fanov8]

I can't wait to see some pictures of these chinnies!!! :thumbsup:

 

[NOLA Chins]

I have added a Paypal donation button to our website to help with the cost of transporting the chins.

 

[tunes]

That is what I was wondering. Even with quick transport, some are going to be in carriers for about 3 days (those will be in regular carriers though, not the wood ones). The problem is, if 2 are left with someone and they don't bond, there isn't an option of separating them due to the lack of cages. Maybe we should stick to the original plan. Or-how long would it take to tell if they will get along?

I personally would stick with the original plan. It's different if you've got a mom and kits travelling together, and even bad things can happen as I've experienced first hand. Animals get upset, they start jumping, and babies/roomies end up mangled or dead. It would even be different if these guys had been together for years or even several months. They haven't. They have been forced together without a proper introduction other than just the stress of removing them from one place to the next, and now they may be facing a 16 or even 18 hour drive or more depending on where they are going, shoved into a cage with a relative stranger. The last thing you need is to be hauling butt down the interstate and have a fight break out behind you. We all know it takes seconds to do some serious damage. Maybe not life threatening, but it only takes one good bite to gouge out an eye. If they were getting along before you transported them, odds are they will be fine again when they get to their destination.

Stick with the single carriers.

 

[Rescue Momma]

Rick seems to have a plan for all of this and is an amazing organizer!
I'm amazed everytime I read these posts. :thumbsup:

In my case bonded pairs would be a blessing if possible.
I can keep them all seperated if I had too but it would be nice to have some chins that actually liked being together.
My three males at the moment are all in seperate cages. One of them just is not having another chin in the vicinity.
Being able to cut down on cages would be nice too. They all have a FN to themselves at the moment. Putting two in together would be great and not have to seperate them would be fantastic.
I know in the end that may not be the case but it's nice to dream.

I will see about making a pay pal donation to help out a little more.

 

[alpayton]

I personally would stick with the original plan. It's different if you've got a mom and kits travelling together, and even bad things can happen as I've experienced first hand. Animals get upset, they start jumping, and babies/roomies end up mangled or dead. It would even be different if these guys had been together for years or even several months. They haven't. They have been forced together without a proper introduction other than just the stress of removing them from one place to the next, and now they may be facing a 16 or even 18 hour drive or more depending on where they are going, shoved into a cage with a relative stranger. The last thing you need is to be hauling butt down the interstate and have a fight break out behind you. We all know it takes seconds to do some serious damage. Maybe not life threatening, but it only takes one good bite to gouge out an eye. If they were getting along before you transported them, odds are they will be fine again when they get to their destination.

Stick with the single carriers.

Yep...what she said. :thumbsup:

 

[NOLA Chins]

>Stick with the single carriers.

I think I will, then. I'll be sure to have cagemates next to each other. I have 56 holes made. That should do it, with the 23 carriers I am bringing for the last NC chins and then the FL chins on my route.

There are still chins available. I am on the very last of the references and transport is coming together, too. The 2 bad spots are 1) I 40 closed at the T/NC line and we need to get 20 chins from Roxboro to Fredericksburg, 8 of which go further north.

 

[alpayton]

The 2 bad spots are 1) I 40 closed at the T/NC line and we need to get 20 chins from Roxboro to Fredericksburg, 8 of which go further north.

Not sure if this helps or not, I guess it only helps knowing that there are detours in effect due to the rock slide that caused the I-40 closure. But anyway, here's what I know from the NC DOT website...

DUE TO A ROCK SLIDE, I-40 IS CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BETWEEN EXIT 20 (U.S. 276), 24 MILES WEST OF ASHEVILLE, IN NORTH CAROLINA AND EXIT 421 ( I-81 INTERCHANGE), EAST OF KNOXVILLE IN TENNESSEE Travelers can still reach Western North Carolina.

Both directions of I-40 are closed between Exit 20, West of Asheville in North Carolina, and Exit 421 (I-81 Interchange) East of Knoxville in Tennessee due to a rock slide at mile marker 2.6 on I-40 in North Carolina. The road is not expected to reopen for several months.

Official Detour: Motorists traveling on I-40 West are advised to take Exit 53B, I-240 West. Follow I-240 West to Exit 4A, I-26 West. Follow I-26 West (a North Carolina Scenic Highway) to I-81 South. Take I-81 South and follow back to I-40, Mile Marker 421, in Tennessee. This route is 53 miles longer than I-40.

Motorists can access Asheville via I-40 from the east and I-26 to the north and south. Exits 20 and 27 on I-40 provide access to popular destinations west of Asheville.

In Tennessee, Exits 432 through 451 are open to local traffic.

 

[threewingedfury]

Rick, I told you I didn't mind helping transport the 20 to Fredericksburg, but I wasn't traveling that way and it's about 3.5 hrs from me, so if someone could meet me on I-85 half way to Fredericksburg (south of Petersburg in Dinwiddie is about half way) then it would be great.

 

[NOLA Chins]

Thanks, Tiffany. I know I wrote that down somewhere. I'll start the transport thread again tomorrow.