Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

We have three Bears named "Brian," two Bears named "Pudge" and four Bears named "Buncha."  (Because they are a bunch of Bears...  Get it?  )

We also have several commercially made Bears with the same names.  We always get a "Snowflake" teddy from WalMart to sit under the Christmas Tree every year.  We've been married for 8 years and we will have 8 "Snowflakes" under the tree next holiday season.

For the "Brian" Bears, there's "Bear Brian,"  "Big Bear Brian" and "Bigger Bear Brian."  (Or "Bear Brian's Big Brother," "Bear Brian's Baby Brother" and just "Bear Brian."   Etc., etc., etc...)

For the "Pudge" Bears, there's "Pudge" and "Pudge-er" or just "Big Pudge" and "Little Pudge."

Fort the "Buncha' Bears" there's...  well...  Just a buncha Bears... 

However, if you really want the authority on names, ask T.S. Eliot.  He wrote a poem about naming cats.  But around these parts, we just change the word "cat" into "Bear" and just about everything still holds true.

On the Naming of Bears -- by T.S. Eliot (Improved by "Us Bears.")

The Naming of Bears is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a Bear must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a Bear needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his ears perpendicular,
Or fluff up his fur, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one Bear.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE BEAR HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a Bear in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

You're right but I was just suggesting...

This orangutan is a little different.  She is used to eating people food.  She is used to living in a human environment and probably knows more about how to open doors and get into drawers or cupboards and things.  She was reported to get cranky when she isn't given the food she wants.

The thing that goes in our favor is that she's too fat.  She'll probably less likely to be trouble in a proper monkey enclosure because there are less things for her to get into trouble with.  The times when she does become troublesome will be less because she's too fat to move around like a skinny orangutan can.

She should be on a proper diet.  Not arguing that.
I just think that the first order of business would be to keep her quiet during the first few days or weeks of being in a new environment.  Completely changing her environment, moving her to a new home, being around new people and new orangutans is probably pretty stressful.  I'm just saying she should have SOMETHING that is familiar, even if only for a little while.

Dogs and apes are certainly different but when we got a new dog, we always bought the same kind of food it had been eating before we adopted it.  After a few days, we started changing his food to what we fed all the other dogs.  We always eased them into their new diet.

I'm just suggesting the orangutan be eased into her new diet too. 

Oh, wow!  That is one fat ape!
I don't think I've ever seen one that fat.   

Yeah, she needs to be on a diet but I don't think a strict no-frills diet is right.  She's used to eating junk and she won't be happy eating nothing but "twigs and berries."  What will happen is that, the first chance she gets she'll eat anything and everything she can get her hands on, regardless of whether it's good or not.

Yes, she needs to eat her veggies and learn to eat things that orangutans should eat but I think she should get one or two of the foods she's used to at reasonable intervals.  At first, once or twice per day.  Then, after she's acclimated to her new home, only once or twice per week.  After that, only on special occasions should she get a treat then, finally, she can be on a normal diet.

It's just like the same thing that happens to people.  If they go on a "heathy" diet and never eat a treat, they become prone to binge eating later on.  If they make a promise with themselves to eat a healthy diet and slowly taper off, they're more likely to maintain a healthy diet.

First, people should keep a good diet and only treat themselves to a small dessert after dinner IF they have eaten healthy all day long.  After that, they should maintain a healthy diet all week and only treat themselves on Saturday evening.

I made a deal with myself to eat healthy all month long and, if I do, I can eat anything I want on the first day of each month.  So, if I eat all my veggies all month long and don't eat any junk food I can go to Burger King *ONE* time.'

Y'know...  After I do that for a few months, I start losing the urge to eat junk food at all.
At first, I would go out and have my burger fix but, then after a while, I only went out and had an ice cream cone instead.

Previously, If I deprived myself of ALL junk food all the time, I would have more frequent junk food binges.  But gradually weaning off junk food solved that problem, almost completely.

I think this would be a good strategy for the orangutan, too.

I don't think it was cowardice.

I think it was sheer stupidity.

Like I said, I think it was somebody who had hunter's fever.  ("Buck fever" or, in this case, "bear fever."  Whatever you call it...)

It's an inexperienced hunter who becomes so focused on the quarry that they don't notice details in their surroundings.

I've seen and heard stories about people with buck fever who have almost shot other hunters or have done any manner of unsafe things just because their attention was so focused down their gun sights that they didn't use common sense.

Whether you like hunting or not; whether you like bear hunting or not, people like that don't belong in the woods.  Inexperienced hunters like that are a hazard to everybody around them.  If a person like that wants to go hunting they should have to be accompanied by somebody else who knows how to hunt safely.

In Pennsylvania, people have to take Hunter's Safety courses before they are allowed to get a hunting license.  Young hunters from 12 years old (the minimum age) up to 18 years old must be accompanied by a responsible adult.  I think people who have never hunted before should have to be accompanied by a responsible, experienced hunter for their first year regardless of age.

That's the way it works with driver's licenses.  Isn't it?  Even if you are 30 years old but have never had a driver's license before, you still have to apply for a learner's permit before you can get a driver's license.  Right?
So, why don't we have learner's permits for hunting?

Back in the "old days", the pioneers hunted without licenses but they virtually never hunted alone and young hunters were almost always accompanied by an older, more experienced family member.  I think that's the way it should be today.

I said it before.  I think it's true in hunting and I think it's true in everyday life:  There's always one idiot who spoils things for everybody else!

In the past, the PA Game Commission has marked areas of the forest off-limits to hunting, citing wildlife or biological research as the reason.

They have even fenced off kilometers of land and collared/tagged the wildlife then posted signs all around the area, "No hunting under penalty of law."  There were rings of signs on posts all around the research areas then there were signs posted on the fences, themselves.  It was pretty clear that people were not supposed to be there.

With bears, things are a little different but there's no reason that some areas couldn't be posted off-limits.

Now, let's take the Devil's Advocate position for a minute:
(Remember, I already said I'm okay about hunting but I don't care for hunting bear.)

We're sure to hear bear hunters complain about the forest being off-limits but, the Game Commission can say that this research will help preserve bear populations for the future.  Therefore, there will be more bears for hunters to take for years to come.

Short term sacrifice for long term gains.

This approach has worked in Pennsylvania.
A few years ago, the Game Commission raised the antler limit on deer.
Previously, the minimum was 6 inches long or 4 points on the antlers.  Then they raised the limit to 6 points or more.  You can't shoot 4-point buck or "spikes" regardless of how long they are.

Oh!  Hunters squawked about that rule change!  They screamed and cried every kind of argument you could think of but the Game Commission didn't give in.  (They had research to back up their claims!)

But, after a few years, there were more bucks in the woods, there were more trophy bucks in the woods and the deer populations, overall, grew in size and number.

Now, all the hunters in Pennsylvania are BRAGGING about the size of the deer they shoot!  Only a few years ago, they were making such a fuss about the change in the laws.

Why can't they make the same argument for bears?

Do some research on bears.  Mark areas of the forest off-limits.  Learn about bear biology.  Raise the minimum limits on bear hunting.

Then, in a few years, there will be MORE BEARS FOR EVERYBODY... Photographers, nature lovers and hunters.
(Though, I still can't wrap my brain around the reasons why people hunt bear...    )

Hunting while under the influence will get you locked up in any state.
Besides, if you can't see straight you can't shoot straight.

Ask Timothy Treadway if bears need to have guns.
One of the last things you ever want to do is peeve off a bear!  It WAS the last thing Treadway ever did!

Hunting over bait is illegal in Pennsylvania.

It is illegal to place bait in the field during the hunting season or at any time up to 30 days before hunting season starts.  It is illegal to hunt in an area that has been baited for 30 days even after the bait has been removed.

This includes salt licks, corn, sweet feed or anything else.  It's even illegal to pick apples from an apple tree, put them in another place and hunt over the area.

You can be cited and you can lose your hunting license  for up to five years if you shoot an animal over bait.  Even longer for a repeat offense.  You could even lose your license *forever*, pay a hefty fine and/or even do time in jail.

You don't even have to kill an animal.  Just shooting at it carries the same penalty as actually killing it.
Technically you don't even need to actually shoot the gun to be cited for poaching over bait.  Simply possessing a loaded gun is an offense if they can show, beyond reasonable doubt, that you knew the area was baited.  You don't even have to be the one who put the bait there.  Just knowing there is bait is enough.

In some circumstances, game wardens in Pennsylvania have more power than the state police.
If a Pennsylvania game warden finds a flashlight in your car while you also have a gun in the passenger compartment at night he can write you up for "spotlight hunting."  The gun doesn't even have to be loaded.  It only has to be accessible to the driver or passenger.

Pennsylvania takes its game laws seriously! 

Truth be told, I'm ambivalent about hunting.  I could take it or leave it.  Regardless, I have absolutely no tolerance for poaching!

Bear season doesn't start in Pennsylvania until the middle of November and it's over the first week in December.  I didn't think that every state's bear season was so late in the fall but I figured it would be at least October for most states.

Even if it was open season for bear, shooting a tagged bear is still considered poaching.  The guy is still a criminal.

I don't have any problems with hunting, provided you eat what you hunt.  But, frankly, I don't care for bear meat.  Neither do I find it palatable nor do I like the idea of shooting bear unless it is attacking a human.  Since most bears don't care to be close to humans, much less attack, I don't see defense as an issue in 99.9% of cases.

Bottom line, deer hunting, turkey and small game hunting are all right with me but I just don't see much use for hunting bear.

Even so, I don't hunt very much any more.  I just don't have time.  It's been so long I'm out of practice.

However...  funny story...
When I was in high school I hunted almost every deer season.  I'd go to camp with all the adults and I often got my deer on the first or second day.  After that I'd take my 35mm out to the woods and go camera hunting for the rest of the week.

I "shot" more deer with my camera than most of the other guys even got a look at.  :cool:

Here's the thing.  Some guys only go hunting once per year and it's more of a vacation in the woods than it is a hunting expedition.  I've known a lot of people who spend more time at camp playing cards than they do out hunting.

I'm sure you've heard about "buck fever."
Basically, you get so excited about hunting and your mind becomes so focused on "bagging that buck" that you don't notice details in your surroundings.

I'll bet you the Nimrod who shot that bear had "bear fever" and was so focused on getting his trophy that he didn't notice that it was tagged.

People like that don't belong in the woods with guns... regardless of whether you like hunting or not.

People who can't calm themselves down enough to hunt safely and obey the law are a HAZARD.

It only takes one idiot to make things more difficult for 1,000 other hunters who hunt safely and obey the law.   

It's not bear hunting season.  Whoever it was that shot the bear was not a hunter.  He is a criminal.  Even the act of shooting at a bear out of season is a crime, let alone shooting a bear that is off limits to hunting during the open season.

Don't know what I can say to help you feel better but how about a Teddy Bear salute for your son?

You give me beaver...
When you kiss me...
Beaver when you hold me tight
Beaver...
In the morning...
Beaver all through the night.

Oh...  Wait a second...  Something's not right, there...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4hXyALR9vI

Just be glad the cat didn't think it was a litter box!   

"Can I have this?"

It was all so many years ago but I still remember.

We weren't allowed to touch them very much at all until they opened their eyes.  Then we were allowed to pet them but not pick them up unless Dad was there.

When they started to walk, we got to pick them up and play with them just a little bit but we weren't really allowed to do much with them until they were able to get out of the puppy box by themselves and walk around.  Then we could play with them almost as much as we wanted.

We also got to feed them when they were old enough.  Teaching them to accept food from humans/kids at an early age is also important.

I'm glad to see that the mother is letting you handle the puppies.  That way they'll be acclimated to humans better.  Pups that are used to human contact from a young age socialize better with humans when they are older.

Puppies that are born feral or born in pounds do not learn to socialize with humans well.  They are more skittish and hand shy.  Some "pound puppies" never fully get used to being around people.  Your puppies will have that advantage over those that don't have human contact.

Are there any young kids who can play with the puppies?  (When they are old enough, of course.)  Let some kids play with them... and let the puppies play with the kids.  When they are old enough to adopt they will be more salable or adoptable if you can say that they are acclimated to kids.

My dad used to let us kids play with his pups and we just thought he was being nice.  Of course, he was... but he was also crazy like a fox.  I never realized until I was older, what he meant when he told people, "Oh, yeah, they're good with kids."

"Pull my finger!"

Riding a bicycle is one of the few times when a human is able to outrun a dog.  It only makes sense that somebody would invent a way that a bicyclist could bring his dog along with him which gives the dog a way to ride along if/when he can't keep up.

Like you said, the dog can ride in the back seat until he gets to the beach so he won't be tired out when he gets there.  When it's time to go home, you won't be stuck dragging a tuckered-out dog all the way home.  Furthermore, you don't have to worry about riding too fast for the dog to keep up or worry about a dog on a leash pulling you off balance at the least inopportune moment.

Then, when you finally get where you are going, the cart can double as a doghouse so he can have a place to hang out and keep out of the sun if he wants to cool off.  If the dog gets sick or hurt, you don't have to schlep an injured pet to the vet without any help.

If you have any personal stuff to carry along, wrap it up and put it in the cart right along with the dog.  Who in his right mind would try to steal your stuff when there's a big dog guarding it?

Maybe some people would spoil their dog with a cart like that but it also makes a lot of sense if you like to go outdoors with your dog a lot.

You've still got 8 healthy ones!

That's 8 noses, 8 tails, 16 ears and 32 little paws that are soon going to be pitter-pattering around your house!   

Sad...   
But, unfortunately, fairly common.   

When my dad bred dogs, there was usually one, sometimes two pups that did not survive.
There was more than one occasion when the mother killed the runt and tried to bury it.

Out of all the times we had puppies, I only remember one time when the runt lived very long.  We even tube-fed that pup and kept it alive for a couple of weeks but, eventually, it was just too weak to live.

There was only one time I remember when all the pups lived long enough to be adopted.

It's not a very happy thing to happen but that's Mother Nature.

Everybody's doin' a brand new dance, now!
Come on, baby!  Do the Locomotion!

Puppies are always cool!   

Wait two business days.  Send another e-mail.
If a week goes by without a reply, write them off.

Depending on the policy of the website you are working under or your own policy, you may mark the Bear "pending adoption" or some such thing but, after seven days, it is perfectly reasonable to let somebody else have a chance to adopt the Bear first.

How would you do it if this was a real-life store?  There might be some modifications to your policies for selling on the internet but, most of the time things are the same...  only you can't see the other person.

Flower!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2_vNvEl5Aw&NR=1

Use this link instead:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytedC1heY_8
(Direct to YouTube instead of embedded.)