Scott Naturals Tube Free Toilet Paper Review

I never expected to be blogging about something that we all use, toilet paper. But Crowdtap sent me a free 4 roll pack to use and review and I felt like not enough people knew about this new tube free toilet paper so I thought I would do a little write up on it so more people knew it was a good product. 

I was skeptical at first. I mean, how does this work on a roller without a tube? Right?

It just does. The hole in the middle was a bit smaller than I had thought it would be and it took a few extra seconds to get the roll on the tube holder but once it was on, it worked just fine. 

I thought that when it got down to half or less of a roll that it wouldn't keep rolling and would fall off the roller but it didn't. It kept its shape like it's supposed to until it got down to the last few sheets and then it wasn't round anymore but it still stayed together and for that reason alone I would give this a positive 5 star review. 

Now having rats I do sometimes use the tubes as treat holders that I put in the rat cages and let them tear apart the tubes to get at their treats inside but I can do that with the paper towel tubes as well so I really don't miss the toilet paper tubes and since I already buy Scott toilet paper, I will continue to buy the tube free from now on.

Even my hubby was happy with the new tube free Scott Naturals and he got our new puppy to pose with him since the first thing he used this tubeless toilet paper on was a small puddle the puppy left for him on the bathroom floor. 

Disclaimer: I received a free product in exchange for an honest review. 

How to Give a Rat a Subcutaneous Injection

*Marbles*

There are many ailments that can cause a pet rat to become dehydrated where you may have to give him a subcutaneous injection of sterile saline. If your rat has surgery to remove a tumor or repair a broken bone, you could be sent home with the supplies to give your rat a subcutaneous injection should he become dehydrated.

Symptoms of Dehydration
The easiest way to tell if your rat is dehydrated is by gently pinching up or 'tenting' the skin just above the nape of the neck. The skin should immediately relax into its normal position. If however the skin remains 'tented' up longer than what would be a normal duration, your rat is dehydrated and is in need of fluid therapy. A dehydrated rat may also appear to have sunken eyes and may be lethargic.

How To Give A Subcutaneous Injection
Your veterinarian will give you the materials and instructions to give your rat fluids if he becomes dehydrated but here is the easiest way I've found to give the injections. Subcutaneous injections usually cause minimal pain and can be done quickly as long as you are ready with the supplies before taking your rat out to give him the injection.

Gather all your supplies together in one place to fill the syringe with saline.
You will need:
Syringe
Small gauge needle, usually an insulin needle.
Blunt fill needle (This needle is only to fill the syringe and should never be used for injection)
Sterile saline vial that should be at room temperature, not refrigerated.
Alcohol swab

Take the cap off the vial of sterile saline and discard. Open alcohol swab and wipe off top of sterile saline bottle. Take syringe and blunt fill needle out of plastic and attach the blunt fill needle to the syringe by twisting it on. Take the cap off the blunt fill needle and insert it into the top of the sterile saline solution vial. Draw up the amount of fluid your veterinarian told you to, usually between 2 and 3 ML.

Discard the sterile saline bottle and snap cap back on the blunt fill needle, then twist it off the syringe and discard. Take the insulin needle out of the plastic and twist onto the syringe. Take the injection needle cap off, the shield will still be in place. Hold the syringe upright and gently tap it then gently push the plunger up to remove any air from the syringe until a few droplets appear on the tip of the needle.

Now take your rat out of his cage and talk gently to him. The easiest place to inject fluids is into the loose skin right above the neck over the shoulders. Unlike with humans it's not necessary to swab the area with alcohol beforehand because you will most likely only get the fur and not the skin itself and prolonging the time you have to restrain your rat may cause him to panic. Before you pick up your rat, carefully push the shield away from the injection needle and set aside until you are ready to inject the fluids.

If you have not done this before you may want to ask another person to help hold your rat in case he moves. Place your rat on a table either on a blanket or towel and grasp him around the back of his body with your right hand if you are right handed and with your thumb and forefinger grasp the loose skin over the shoulders and tent it up between your fingers. The injection needle should go just under the skin not into the muscle or meaty part of your rat.

Pick up the syringe with your other hand and insert the entire injection needle in one quick motion into the center of the tented skin you are holding with your thumb and forefinger, now slowly push the plunger of the syringe all the way down until all of the fluids have been injected. When the syringe is empty, pull the injection needle out at the same angle you put it in and let go of the skin. Flip the injection needle shield up until it snaps into place, this means the injection needle is now protected.

Gently pet your rat and talk softly to him, he should perk up after getting the fluids if he was dehydrated. Try hand feeding him some water until he is drinking on his own again. A rat who is in pain or sick will sometimes stop drinking from the water bottle which can lead to dehydration and a simple subcutaneous injection of sterile saline can make a big difference.

Fluid replacement therapy is quick and easy to perform, and can be lifesaving.

Caring For An Older Rat

*Marbles*

Most rats live 2-3 years but some have been known to live a little longer. I had a rat that lived to be five years old. Each rat is an individual so it depends on the health and care of your rat as to how long he will live. When you adopt a rat you should always ask how old it is so you will know. Keeping track of your pets age may help you determine what's wrong with him as he gets older. As rats age they may begin to show certain symptoms for you to look out for.

Diagnosing problems early, the use of appropriate medications or foods, making trips to a veterinarian and changing your pet rats environment can often times help keep them healthier and happier as they get older.

Skin and Fur Changes
As rats get older they can sometimes have a hard time grooming themselves, but you can help by taking a damp cloth and doing a daily wipe down, especially on the abdomen and tail area if your rat is having bladder control problems. You never want to let a rat sit in their own urine as this can cause skin problems. Your rat will also love the extra attention you are giving him.

Diet and Weight
As rats get older their diet might change and they might not eat as much as they once did which can lead to them getting thinner. Giving a few extra, high calorie treats each day is a great way to keep the weight on and help with muscle condition. When my rats get older and start eating less I tend to give them high calorie treats I know they will like including things like, nuts, yogurt, ice cream, pudding, custard and avocado. I also add a vitamin supplement to my rats water. If eating becomes hard for your rat, you may need to hand feed much of their food several times a day, and make sure that the water bottle in low enough in the cage that your rat can easily reach it.

Changing the Environment
Depending on the type of cage and the accessories in the cage, you may have to make some adjustments to the inside of the cage so it's easier and safer for your aging friend to get around more comfortably.

Replacing steep ladders with low, wide ramps and covering them with fabric can make them easier to grip and walk on. When your rat starts to get really wobbly while walking, taking all ladders out of the cage is the best thing to do so he stays on the ground floor and can't fall off a ledge and hurt himself. Placing food bowls and water bottles on the ground floor so your aging rat doesn't have to walk far if they are hungry or thirsty will also help.

Changing to an all fabric bedding instead of litter can make sure that small pieces of bedding don't get into his eyes, mouth or nose if your rat has problems walking around. I use all cotton baby blankets.

Behavior Changes
Most rats as they get older love to be with their humans but instead of running all over the place when they come out, they just want to cuddle with you or sleep on you. This is a great time to spend more time with your rat. As rats get older they tend to become big, squishy cuddlers. I have 4 male rats right now that are just over a year old and they are all cuddlers who love to come out and lay around on or next to us on the couch.

Trips to the Veterinarian
If it looks like your rat is in pain or having trouble breathing you need to take him to the veterinarian and talk to the doctor about euthanasia. Most time as long as your pet is happy, walking around feeding and grooming himself and isn't having a hard time breathing there's no need to euthanize but that's something you should talk about with your veterinarian. When deciding whether or not to adopt a small pet like a rat you should consider if you can give this type of care when your pet gets older. If the answer is no, then maybe you shouldn't adopt a pet that may require this type of devotion.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a 'Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to samples like these at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:

A Spiral Hair Curler.
A LED Headlamp.
A Boar Bristle Hair Brush.
A sample of Beyond Dog Food.

What freebies did you get this week?

How Did a Dog Become Man's Best Friend

Dogs are social animals that have high intelligence and have worked with humans for many years. They become a part of the family and we in turn become a part of the pack. Most people have heard the saying, "A dog is man's best friend" or something similar to that, but if you are like me you probably don't know how dogs got the title of "man's best friend".

The Case
The first time the saying "A man's best friend is his dog" can be found is the manuscript of an old trial about the killing of a black and tan hound named Old Drum. Charles Burden who was the owner of Old Drum was a farmer and a neighbor of Leonidas Hornsby who had lost some sheep on his property, from what he thought were attacks by local dogs. He swore to himself to kill any dogs he found on his property and when Old Drum wandered on his property he ordered a hired hand to shoot the dog.

Charles Burden went to court and sued Hornsby for damages but after several appeals in lower courts the case finally ended up in the Supreme Court of Missouri. During the trial which was held in September of 1870, George Vest, the lawyer for Burden gave a speech to the court, that some call his "Eulogy to the dog", that won the case. Some of Vest's speech was not preserved but the first portion was: what follows is the speech that gave rise to the saying, "A dog is man's best friend."

According to History Place,  George Vest, the lawyer for Old Drum's master said these words to the court, "Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stones of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog."

"Gentlemen of the jury, a man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fierce, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come from encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

"If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of his company to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in his embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death."

The Outcome
At the end of the trial Burden won his case and was awarded fifty dollars. In 1958, years after the trial had ended, dog lovers throughout the U.S. pulled together and had a bronze statue of Old Drum erected in Warrensburg, Missouri, on the southeast corner of the current Johnson County Courthouse lawn. The bronze sculpture depicts a hunting dog standing on all fours with his head held high. On a plaque on the front of the statue there are the words that won Burden the case and is also the origin of that old saying most of us have heard from time to time, "A man's best friend is his dog."

Gerber Graduates: A Healthy, Nutritious Snack for Rats

Rats enjoy many different treats and foods. They will eat just about anything that we eat but that's not always the best thing for them. Some treats are better than other and fatty foods can make them overweight which can lead to health problems.

I used to buy a lot of the rat treats found in places like PetSmart but they can sometimes be expensive and fatty which is not healthy or good for my budget. My new favorite place to find rat treats is in the baby food isle and the organic food section in the grocery store. In both sections you can find dried fruits and and healthy snacks for your pet rats.

Healthy Alternative Treats
Gerber Graduates Banana Cookies are made with real banana puree and banana flakes. My rats love these Banana Cookies as a treat.

Gerber Graduates Fruit and Veggie Melts are made with real fruit and vegetable purees and juices. I used to feed my four rats Yogurt drops from the pet store but they are very fattening and these Veggie Melts are half the price of the Yogurt Drops.

Gerber Graduates Lil Crunchies are made with whole grain corn flour and are a better alternative to things like Cheetos. Gerber Graduates Puffs are a great alternative to sugared dry cereal since they are flavored with fruit puree and fruit juice.

Not only are these alternative treats better for your pet rats, but they will save you money as well. I found some of these for as little as $1.69 which is cheaper than most of the rats treats you'll find in the pet stores.

How Many Treats Should I feed My Pet Rats
Treats should be given daily but should not be more than 10% of their daily diet because most treats are fattening. Giving healthier treats will make sure they don't become overweight and stay as healthy as possible. Small amounts of Fresh fruits and vegetables should also be given to your pet rats daily. But remember to remove any uneaten fresh foods from their cage at night to prevent spoiled foods from being eaten by your rats.

While there are many sources for treats for your rats, in my opinion Gerber Graduates have clearly been made for rats, because on the back of the package it says, "Perfect food for little fingers" and rats do have some of the tiniest fingers you'll ever see.

Unusual Rat Behavior: Barbering

*Scribbles*

For those of you without pet rats, you might not know that rats clean themselves a lot. For the most part they keep themselves so clean that we don't need to give them a bath at all, unless they get into something toxic, smelly or sticky. At that point a ratty bath may be necessary. But rats will also clean themselves so much that they start pulling out their fur or in some cases, they nibble off their cage-mates fur.

What is Barbering?
Barbering refers to the excessive and compulsive cleaning in which the fur is actually nibbled off or pulled right out of the skin. Rats in a cage with a cage-mate may barber each other leaving bald spots on the other rats fur.

What Causes A rat To Barber?
There are many reasons a rat may barber himself or a cage-mate. The most common are because of mites, ticks, fleas or lice. These tiny insect may be hard for a human to see on a rat but they can itch your rat's skin and make him chew the fur off to get rid of the itching.

Baby rats may barber their mother's stomachs when their teeth come in and some lactating mother rats may barber their own stomachs if there is any irritating around the nursing sites.

Other reason might be because of skin ulcers, lesions, small cuts or abrasions. Rats will sometimes over groom any small cuts they get on their skin, leading to barbering. A rat might also barber when they are stressed, annoyed, or lonely.

How To Stop a Rat From Barbering
Most times when you see rats grooming each other, they are not barbering. They are just grooming each other and it might even look like one is combing the fur of the other with their teeth while nibbling them at the same time.

If barbering is apparent and bald spots start occurring, check for mites, fleas or lice. They are sometimes hard to see but a trained veterinarian will be able to tell you if that's the problem.

Put more toys in the cage, take the rats out and play with them more often. Rats are very social animals, being lonely or bored may cause them to barber themselves or their cage mate. Buy a bigger cage. A larger cage and more toys will give them something to do and things to explore.

But in some cases there's not much you can do if the rats are barbering for other mental reasons. In the end it won't hurt the rat being barbered or the rat doing the barbering, but you might end up with rats who have no fur on their face, head or legs.

Happy Raturday!

Welcome to a new weekly blog post I'm calling, Raturday! I've seen Caturday and while that's really cute, I think the rats needs some photo time so everyone can see how cute these little animals are. I've gotten permission from Rat Logic's fb page to share their pictures on my blog. So get ready to smile because these are cute. 

*click pictures to enlarge*

Review: SterlingPro 6 Cup French Coffee Press

Product Description:

Brews 0.85 liter, 28 oz. of the best tasting coffee.Carafe is made of durable, heat-resistant borosilicate glass.

The first and only coffee press use Double Screens System---No more GROUNDS in your coffee.

The only Stylish Christmas Red color Coffee Press in Amazon. ---Great as Wedding, House Warming, Retirement, Christmas & Birthday Gifts for Coffee Lovers

1 pieces BONUS stainless steel screens(over $12 value)---FREE!--Limited Quantity!

My Thoughts: 

This is my very first French Press and I love it. 

I usually drink instant coffee and so does my hubby but I had 5 bags of ground coffee just sitting in my cabinet waiting for me to use it so I decided to give this French Press a go. I don't drink ground brewed coffee because I think it's bitter unlike instant which is not. But making coffee using this coffee press I found that the coffee isn't bitter at all. 

It's much bigger than I had thought it would be and I love that since hubby and I drink our fair share of coffee during the day. I think it's also great for when company comes over because it's large enough to make coffee for several people. 

I found this French Press very easy to work and figure out, it's not at all complicated even for someone who has never used one. I know you're supposed to use coarse ground coffee with this so that that little grit and smaller grounds of coffee don't slip through the filters but I used the regular bagged coffee that I had in my cabinet and it worked perfectly fine, no grounds in my coffee at all. 

I am extremely happy with my French Press and will definitely be using it a lot. There are only a few parts to take apart when cleaning and that made this really easy to clean and put back together. I love the red color of it and have had several compliments on it already. This will come in real handy for the upcoming holidays. 

If you would like to purchase one of these for yourself, you can find it on Amazon. 

Disclaimer: I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Review: Mary Kay Clear Proof Acne System

I was sent this Clear Proof Acne System from Influenster to test at home for free. I began using it right away. It's a 4 step system that contains a clarifying gel, blemish control toner, acne treatment gel and an oil free moisturizer for acne prone skin. The active ingredient is Salicylic acid. 

I've tried over the counter Salicylic acid so I knew my skin wouldn't break out into a rash from using this and it's gentle enough to use each day. I have mild acne and it comes and goes but it's mostly on my chin, probably because I lean my hands on my face while at the computer. 

I did find that if I didn't use all 4 steps that it left my face feeling dry and tight. I highly recommend using the moisturizer each time to help with that. I've always had a hard time keeping my face especially my forehead oil free without using astringent several times a day and drying out my face. I used this system once a day and saw a great improvement in my skin being less oily, less shiny. 

I started seeing an improvement in about a week. It really didn't take long at all for the breakouts to start diminishing and go away completely. 

This is my before and after pictures taken just a week apart after starting to use the Clear Proof Acne System. I have a few blemishes on my chin and that's where I usually get them but they cleared up after using this system. 

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a 'Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to samples like these at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:

A book: A Death In Vegas by Christopher Meeks
Sample of Truly Radiant Tooth Paste
Fructis Hair Oil
2 samples of Ovaltine
A coupon for a free 1/2 gallon of Silk
A pair of ear buds from a FB friend because some of us participated in a "Pay it Forward" gifting. We posted that the first 5 people to respond to that post would get a gift from us at some point during the year. I was one of the first 5 to respond to his post. I've now sent out 4 of my 5 gifts to those who responded to my post. I thought it was a great idea to Pay It Forward. 

Review: Vizeri Beauty Boar Bristle Hair Brush

I bought this brush when the company released a code that made the price of the brush just $1. I thought, wow, that's too good a deal to pass up and I was right. This is good for me because I have long hair and the dainty small brushes I usually buy aren't really working for my hair. But I can see this brush working for just about any type of hair since it's made so well and the spacing between the bristles are a good size. I even used it on my hair after I curled the ends and it just glided right through. 

I almost never brush or comb my hair when its wet because it's so long and ends up breaking or snapping off before I get to the end. I tested this brush out on my wet hair just to see if it would work and for the most part it did a good job but i don't think this brush would work on really detangled wet hair. I made sure to brush my hair before I washed it and used a leave in conditioner to make it easier to brush and it still pulled my hair in a few places. 

What makes this brush unique is that it's curved unlike the usual flat brushes this one fits the roundness of your head. The other thing I really like is that the little bristles really do feel like a small scalp massage when you are brushing your hair. The bristles are nice and soft and don't scrape my scalp like some of the other brushes I've used. I would definitely recommend this brush.

If you'd like to order this brush you can do so on Amazon. 

Review: Xtava Spiral Hair Curler

Product Description:

Professional constant temperature curling Iron - fast heat up to 400°F

Spiral Curl Guides designed to effortlessly align your hair onto the Curling Barrel - Will not leave creases in curls

Simply clip the end of each hair mesh and twist

360° Swivel Power Cord with "On" indicator light

Ceramic Technology reduces static and frizz for healthy-looking hair

My Thoughts:

I have very long hair, it's so long that I can sit on it right now. I have incredibly straight hair so curling can take quite a while to get done. I usually roll my hair into small foam curlers at night when it's wet and sleep in them. By morning time when my hair is dry, I have curls. It can be a pain to sleep with curlers in your hair, even the soft foam ones so when I got a chance to try this curling iron out I was excited to try this out.

The curling iron came in a really nice black box for easy storage. It heats up really fast and has a little plastic guard at the end so if you touch it, your fingers don't get burned. I really liked that about it. it's different from other curling irons that I've used and it does take a little practice to get used to it but after a few tries I found it easy to use. 

This curling iron works really good. My daughter even wants to borrow it from me now. I have really long hair and could only get part of my hair into the curling part of it and so only the bottom part of my hair really got curled. I think this is better for someone who has shoulder length or medium length hair, not longer hair like I have.  If you'd like to buy one for yourself, you can find it here.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Power Tek Flash Premium CREE LED Headlamp

Product Description:

168 Lumens of Darkness Busting Power for Up To 110 meters of Visibility - MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE #1 HEADLAMP ON AMAZON!

Up To 120 Hours of Battery Life on 3 AAA Batteries - Efficient Enough for Weeks of Use

Superbright CREE XP-E LED Lasts a Lifetime - Never Worry About it "Burning Out" - 6 Different Lighting Modes Including SOS and Red Night Vision Modes

Adjustable Super Comfortable Headband Allows Extended Use Without "Brain Squeeze"

FREE SURVIVAL GUIDE EBOOK WITH EACH PURCHASE!

My Thoughts: 

This headlamp is bright! I put the 3 AAA batteries in the headlamp and turned it on and made the mistake of having it pointed right at my face and I have to say that this is the brightest headlamp I've ever had. My husband who is an apartment maintenance man was also quite impressed with the brightness of the light and very pleased when I let him know that I was going to let him have the headlamp. 

I really love that it has a blinking SOS function where the light will blink in an SOS formation and it also has red lights for easy use at night. The headband easily adjusts to fit your head and doesn't give you a headache like some headbands will when you wear them for more than a few minutes. 

I really love this headlamp and recommend it highly. My husband also recommends this headlamp and he's had several over the years that he's used during his many years as a maintenance man and he said that this is the brightest one he's ever had. 

It's well made, very sturdy and seems like it will last a long time. If you would like to get one for yourself you can find it here.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review.

Happy Raturday!

Welcome to a new weekly blog post I'm calling, Raturday! I've seen Caturday and while that's really cute, I think the rats needs some photo time so everyone can see how cute these little animals are. I've gotten permission from Rat Logic's fb page to share their pictures on my blog. So get ready to smile because these are cute. 

*click pictures to enlarge*

Product Review: Midwest 141 Ferret Nation Single-Level Ferret Cage with Ramps

I bought this cage from Amazon.com for $117.00 and it came with Super saving shipping, which means it was shipped to me for free. I didn't have to pay any shipping and handling charges at all. I like buying from Amazon.com for just that reason. This cage is advertised for ferrets but I bought it for my four adopted baby rats and it works quite well for them.

Product features
The cage measures 36 inches by 25 inches by 38.5 inches. It's the largest cage I've ever owned. It comes with a plastic floor pan and large shelf with a ramp. It has a dual locking door latches that can be operated with one hand. It's on wheels so it moves easily and has locking casters on two of the wheels so the cage will stay where you park it until you move it again. Large storage area beneath the cage lets you store all your pets accessories. Very sturdy construction and a platinum-gray hammer-tone finish and a one year limited warranty.

Problems
The only things I found wrong with this cage were the ladder leading up to the shelf has bars that small feet can get caught in and break. I chose to take a large sock and stretch over the ladder so their feet wouldn't get stuck between the bars.

I also saw that there was a space where the ladder hooks into the upper shelf where small feet could get stuck and chose to wrap that entire area with black tape. My rats didn't chew on the tape and now I don't have to worry about their feet getting stuck between those bars either.

This cage is almost perfect, it is very big, big enough for 4 rats to run, jump and play. The bars make it easy to attach toys, beds, hammocks and wheels to the inside of the cage. This cage is very durable and even if my rats chew on the bars, the finish in unlikely to wear off. The large doors that open the entire front of the cage make it easy to clean and play with your pets. I bought this cage for my baby rats and after getting them in their new home I quickly found out that they could stick their heads right out through the space between the bars of the cage.

We were easily able to remedy the problem by using black tape and screening material. We cut the screening material to fit the sides and back of the cage and taped it on, top and bottom. Then cut enough of the screening material to fit half way up the front of the cage doors and taped it on. We were able to remove the screening material as soon as they get a little bigger and could no longer get their heads through the space between the bars of the cage.

The cage comes in a large box and you need to assemble it, but after reading the instructions my husband and I were able to put the whole thing together in two hours.

While this cage is made for Ferrets, I found it great for Rats also. With just a few adjustments this cage can be a great home for pets.

Why "Free To A Good Home" is a Bad Idea

Because of people who I will refer to as 'Animal Harvesters' we all have to be more careful who we give our free puppies, kittens and even hamsters to. These Animal Harvesters look for free animals so they can sell them for a profit. Most of these animals will be given to Research Facilities, Puppy Mills for breeding purposes, or may end up as bait in dog fighting rings, while smaller animals like rats, hamsters and gerbils could be used as food for pet snakes.

How to Keep Animals Away From Pet Harvesters
If you want to make sure that your pet is really going to a good home, list an adoption fee. If the prospective pet owner has no problem paying an adoption fee, this can prove they actually want the pet and are responsible.

Another way is to ask to see the home where your pet will be housed and ask to see the interaction between the pet and everyone who will be living in the household. Pet Harvesters do not like to wait, they want quick results and aren't likely to go through this in order to get the pet.

What To Do If You Find A Stray Animal
While most people will call the Humane Society, or the local animal shelter to pick the stray animal up, in some instances people will keep the animal and try to find the owners themselves. Pet Harvesters also prey on these people because they think it will be easy to say they are the owner and come to claim the animal.

If you find a stray animal, do not put your address in the flier or ad. Post your phone number and a brief description of the animal but be sure to keep some information to yourself that only the owner would know and only tell the would be owner your address if they get all of the descriptions right.

Responsible owners will find people they are sure will take care of their pets that they can't take with them when they move, new litters or stray animals they find and want to re-home. One of the simplest things you can do is to ask the potential new owner to fill out an application with just a few basic informational questions, like address where the animal will be living, a phone number where they can be reached and what the name of their veterinarian is. Most animal lovers will gladly give you this information when they see you just want to make sure your animal is going to a good home.

We all want to believe that those searching for animals are doing so because they want to give a deserving animal a good forever home, sadly that is not always the case.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a 'Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

 This week I received a lot of free stuff. So much in fact that I took 3 pictures. Above is a picture of the Zep Cleansters that I received for free from Crowdtap. 

This week Crowdtap also sent me supplies for a Millstone House Party. They sent all of this stuff for me to share with friends and family. 

5 bags of Millstone coffee

a box of assorted dried fruit

4 coffee cups and saucers

a Scrabble game

4 Coffee spoons

$5 gift card

Smiley360 sent me a box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and a cute plastic bottle to store it in as well as a pamphlet with tips for using the baking soda for cleaning and household freshness.

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Uses

I was recently sent a free box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and a cute plastic container to keep it in by Smiley360 in exchange for my truthful review. 

In the box was also a pamphlet with helpful solutions and tips for Holiday & Entertaining. One of the tips that I'm ffeaturingtoday is how Arm & Hammer Baking Soda can be used as a silver polish. 

Mix a little baking soda and water until you get a paste.

Mine was a little watered down but I found this worked best for me.

Find a piece of silver jewelry that needs to be cleaned. I used one of the silver rings that I wear every day. 

Rub a little of the baking soda paste on the silver jewelry with a soft cloth, rinse off and dry.

It does work and it left my ring sparkling. 

#BakingSodaTips

How to Easily Clean Silver Jewelry

Silver jewelry is beautiful and shiny when you first buy it, it's durable and looks great with everything. It will however tarnish easily if left exposed to air and water. The silver rings I wear everyday will become tarnished but there is an easy way to keep them clean.

The Tin Foil and Salt Method
I recently saw a website called How To Clean Stuff that had this great recipe, "Fill the jar or bowl about half full with hot water.

1. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the jar or a couple of tablespoons of salt to the bowl and mix to dissolve.
2. Add a few strips of aluminum foil to the jar or cover the bottom of the bowl with a sheet of aluminum foil.
3. Now simply drop your silver jewelry in the water.
4. You can shake it around in the jar or swish it around in the bowl. The aluminum with the salt acts as a magnet, pulling the tarnish off of the silver.
5. Allow the jewelry to sit in the saltwater/aluminum foil mixture for a few minutes.
6. Remove and rinse under running water.
7. Repeat as needed until the tarnish is removed.
8. Dry with a soft towel.

I tried this method for a few pieces of my silver jewelry that was extremely tarnished and it worked within seconds for my sterling silver bracelet 2 pairs of sterling silver earrings. I was shocked at how fast this method actually works.

Recipe: Seafood Salad

I make my salad in the biggest lidded pot that I have because I like to have leftovers. I started with 4 large tomatos and 2 large cucumbers and diced them. 

Then I diced 1/2 a head of lettuce and put that in the pot. 

I then added 2lbs of cooked shrimp.

I also added 2 large diced avocados. To make it easier to slice them just cut in half, take out the seed and slice in a checkerboard pattern while still in the skin. Then just scoop out with a spoon. 

I also added 2 cans of crab meat- drained first. 

And lastly I added 8oz of imitation crab meat. I love this stuff. Just dice into chunks and add it to the pot.

Mix it all together and put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. I like to make this when I want something light to eat and I always make enough so that we have some for lunch or snacks the next day. It's so tasty by itself that I don't even add salad dressing to it.