trillium
Well-Known Member
Well. I'm learning how it feels to be a pincushion. I'm not sure that I'm impressed by my new status.
I thought I'd try maybe adding another boy into the mix at some point soon, and I'd been eyeing that lonely male Shivers up at Orangeville Humane back when he was added to their website. I found out last week he was still there so...
Went to visit just to see what his situation was, and he cuddled into my neck. I was sold. He was just a stunning PEW with bright jewel eyes and healthy shiny fur, add in the name -- Shivers -- it was impossible to resist.
Whoo hoo I've picked up my first challenge. :roll: Hubby quickly took to calling him Shark Boy. He's definitely nervous and scared of handling. Definitely cage aggressive and hormonal (foot rubbing, side rubbing, poofing at me if I try to touch his back or sides, tracking and zeroing in on hands around his cage), but even when he's out of the cage on the bed he will actively search out bare skin and bite!
I need to go look up other people's threads about these types of boys. I'm trying to be so careful, but he's managed to "get" me every single time he's been out because he'll just casually wander up to some part of my skin I've forgotten to protect and take a chomp. Really weird actually because he's usually not poofy at those points, just wandering around, but if he sniffs out bare skin look out! He even got me on the neck the other day because I was lying back on the bed and thought it was really mostly a hands thing. Nope -- little vampire sniffed his way up to the side of my neck = chomp. The little beast always looks for a reaction after he does it too because he quickly backs away and watches to see what I'll do. He draws blood every time too. :gaah:
Good news is that he's started coming forward in the cage to greet me when I visit, rather than cowering at the back trying to escape. I've been lifting the whole cage top off to allow him out and giving him lots of exposure to clothes I've worn to get him used to my smell to see if that'll desensitize him a bit. I think a neuter is on his horizon. Not sure that'll totally solve the issue since he seems to just bite out of habit. I probably can't get him in for that until February so I'll have a while to try to figure him out anyways.
I'll post pics once I get my camera linked up 'cause he is one sexy beast, quite the character. I'm not sure yet if the name Shivers will stick. Now that I know him a bit better, I think he needs something a bit, um, stronger to fit his personality. :giggle:
Any suggestions?
EDIT: Introducing Shivers!
Shivers think the Ark is darned comfy... This is the life...
Shivers in his first days at home - Hmmm... Fingers or Treat? Which do I want more.... Hmmm...
Getting used to the idea of a hammock.
He is such a beautiful boy.
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Shivers is recovering well, I think, from his neuter. I think I see a reduction in his aggression. He's just much less focused on biting while he's out running around - a bit less interested in dominating me? I hope so anyways!
Still hates me messing around in the cage at all though. I think the breakthrough day for me might be the day I can reach in the cage to change food or something and he doesn't immediately go poofy and turn to track "the evil hand".
I thought I'd try maybe adding another boy into the mix at some point soon, and I'd been eyeing that lonely male Shivers up at Orangeville Humane back when he was added to their website. I found out last week he was still there so...
Went to visit just to see what his situation was, and he cuddled into my neck. I was sold. He was just a stunning PEW with bright jewel eyes and healthy shiny fur, add in the name -- Shivers -- it was impossible to resist.
Whoo hoo I've picked up my first challenge. :roll: Hubby quickly took to calling him Shark Boy. He's definitely nervous and scared of handling. Definitely cage aggressive and hormonal (foot rubbing, side rubbing, poofing at me if I try to touch his back or sides, tracking and zeroing in on hands around his cage), but even when he's out of the cage on the bed he will actively search out bare skin and bite!
I need to go look up other people's threads about these types of boys. I'm trying to be so careful, but he's managed to "get" me every single time he's been out because he'll just casually wander up to some part of my skin I've forgotten to protect and take a chomp. Really weird actually because he's usually not poofy at those points, just wandering around, but if he sniffs out bare skin look out! He even got me on the neck the other day because I was lying back on the bed and thought it was really mostly a hands thing. Nope -- little vampire sniffed his way up to the side of my neck = chomp. The little beast always looks for a reaction after he does it too because he quickly backs away and watches to see what I'll do. He draws blood every time too. :gaah:
Good news is that he's started coming forward in the cage to greet me when I visit, rather than cowering at the back trying to escape. I've been lifting the whole cage top off to allow him out and giving him lots of exposure to clothes I've worn to get him used to my smell to see if that'll desensitize him a bit. I think a neuter is on his horizon. Not sure that'll totally solve the issue since he seems to just bite out of habit. I probably can't get him in for that until February so I'll have a while to try to figure him out anyways.
I'll post pics once I get my camera linked up 'cause he is one sexy beast, quite the character. I'm not sure yet if the name Shivers will stick. Now that I know him a bit better, I think he needs something a bit, um, stronger to fit his personality. :giggle:
Any suggestions?
EDIT: Introducing Shivers!
Shivers think the Ark is darned comfy... This is the life...
Shivers in his first days at home - Hmmm... Fingers or Treat? Which do I want more.... Hmmm...
Getting used to the idea of a hammock.
He is such a beautiful boy.
----------------------------------------
Shivers is recovering well, I think, from his neuter. I think I see a reduction in his aggression. He's just much less focused on biting while he's out running around - a bit less interested in dominating me? I hope so anyways!
Still hates me messing around in the cage at all though. I think the breakthrough day for me might be the day I can reach in the cage to change food or something and he doesn't immediately go poofy and turn to track "the evil hand".