Friday, May 3, 2013

Expo Prep

So today was spent mostly prepping for the expo on Saturday.  I contacted my two volunteers with the info on getting there and that day, and dug out my list of stuff to bring.

Well, since last year's pet expo, we've added... a lot.  I want to say, this time last year, we didn't have anything but rosehips and possibly rosebuds.  So, that means we added rosebuds (maybe), hawthorn berries, marigold petals, jasmine flowers, hibiscus, globe flowers, our healthy treat mix, apple & oat treats, and loofah.  Those type of items sell better at the expos than the chew toys (which, to me, makes no sense), but anyway.  So I got out my list, started boxing things up. 

The Lake County Pet Expo is one of very few expos that actually requires our own tables/chairs.  So, those went in the blazer first, followed by the chin cage and a folding small table.  Currently everything else is boxed up by the front door.  In the morning, I'm meeting Amber (of Wheeker's guinea pig rescue) to get some of the pigs that are being transferred to NWI, and she's doing a partial trade on one of the cages I have for sale, as well as picking up a friend's order from here.  So, I had to leave room for that cage of hers to fit in the car.  Well, it's like 4' long... so of course it wouldn't fit just stretched across the back (cause of that gosh darn spare tire that I *had* to have inside the blazer, rather than an external mount, right?), so I had to fold down the cage.  Which is no big deal, but it was just one more thing for me to do.  Still need to put her buddy's order in my blazer so I can get that to her in the morning. 

The person who had my crittertrail stuff on hold awaiting pickup decided they're no longer going to get it, so that's back up for grabs.  I need to re-post the pic on the NWI facebook page, but I figure I can do that during the day (versus 2:15 am), when people might actually see it.  This is why, as I have told a few people, if I actually make it to listing an item either online or on the webstore, whatever, I don't completely take it off or delete the pictures until it's actually been picked up.  This is why.  Even people I am confident will get things end up changing their minds, so until something is paid for and picked up, I don't delete pictures or anything of the sort.

Moving along, tomorrow is trash pickup, so I cleaned some cages.  A lot of the chin cages are still good, cause I have so few chins in them at the moment.  Cleaned the two holding cages that have 2 chins each, as those get more use, and cleaned the cage of another female that is pregnant, but still holding out on me.  Also cleaned some guinea pig cages, as those get bad real quick.  Currently have the rats and two of the pigs on carefresh, which I typically reserve for litter boxes (though, I have had very few litterbox-trained animals lately, so it's started piling up).  This stuff is amazing.  Usually, the rat cages have to be cleaned weekly, especially the ones with the males, but these can actually go at least another few days.  Will smell again in a few days and see if they need cleaning.  The cage that had the two male rats that was using this cozy-something bedding did need cleaned, and I replaced that bedding with the rest of the bedding (which was dropped off when the rats were returned).  I think it lasted like a week and a half?   Not bad, I suppose.  Spot cleaned a few chin cages -- Ace has taken to peeing in like 2 spots in his cage, so just scooped those spots out and replaced.  Same for a few other cages.  Could probably clean the cage that has the pair in it, but I think after the pair comes back from the expo, they'll go in a different cage so I can clean out the one they're in.

Went upstairs for the night, dug out my new business card holder (the one with the chin sculpted on it), to put with the rest of the stuff.  Scoured craigslist like I usually do and I think I found an ad with two of our chins.  I can't say the gray looks like a chin I specifically remember, except for the fact that it has a notch out of its ear, and the gray the family in question adopted had a notch out of its ear.... but the beige looks suspiciously like Tazzie... and that family adopted two chins, a beige and a gray.  So... I messaged someone to email them asking more information, before I go about calling the family saying, "hey..... are you selling the chins?  Yeah I thought so.  About that... you signed this contract saying you would contact us and bring the chins back...."  But before I do that to them, I want to be sure this is the same family.  So we shall see.  Course, now I'm antsy for this person to email them (hopefully, before the chins find themselves a new home), and see if it IS those people with my chins.  We shall see.  In the meantime, I'm going to look up their contact info.

...and now, having looked up their contact information, I see that with Tazzie, they purchased a used white/blue cage and a ferns hammock -- which, I can only see the bottom of the hammock in the pic, but it's clearly a fleece hammock (and let's be honest, how many places can you get those around here?) and the bottom is blue (as was for the ferns hammock), and from the tiny bit I can see of the top, I could believe that it is the same hammock. 

I may just call these people in the morning and not wait for my friend to check em out.  I'm pretty positive it's them. And you know, these were people that I would have thought definitely would have contacted me (well, they sure signed the paperwork and said yes, they would) if they couldn't keep the chins, but I guess it's different when it's between giving chins back to a rescue or selling them.  Grrr. 

I think I'll send em an email now and call them in the morning.  Fingers crossed.

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