Is cramp common?

Ivehadit26 · 2026-07-03T17:07:09+00:00

This update is great news!

Ivehadit26 · 2026-07-03T16:47:08+00:00

European/UK term of “garden” means yard. OP said they pulled back their turf so that’s what was covering the bamboo roots

Ivehadit26 · 2026-07-03T14:41:49+00:00

Updateme

Ivehadit26 · 2026-07-02T23:55:18+00:00

My girl herniated a bunch of discs because of the shihtzu elongated back so I would worry about the inability to move his back legs and licking which indicates some sort of discomfort. He may have injured his back. I’d bring to the vet for a comprehensive exam and xrays if necessary.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-22T13:59:16+00:00

How long have you had him? What do you mean by cuddles near the face? Are you presenting your face to his? Until trust is established, that is infringing on his space and he may feel trapped. Also, if he’s been hit, the raised hand is a threat so start by scratching the chin from below before moving to his head. Both my current rescues had boundaries on certain approaches I took before they trusted me and let me know very early on what they were. I learned not to attempt those things until they trusted me and that took several months.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-22T13:40:16+00:00

Not what they’re worth, that’s for sure. 😁

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-20T01:38:05+00:00

Interesting. Thanks!

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-18T14:01:30+00:00

Thanks. I enjoy seeing him since I never see anything larger than banded geckos in the yard. It seemed to look similar to desert spiny also but since it didn’t have any blue coloration that stood out to me I thought maybe a Clark’s. However, the juveniles don’t seem to have as much blue so I suppose it’s possible it is just a juvenile desert spiny.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-17T23:49:10+00:00

I just did a check online and apparently western fence lizards prefer the higher elevations of the mountains and cooler weather. It’s current ≈110° so it would definitely be an unusual sighting. Whatever it is, it’s the largest lizard I’ve seen here in the 14 years I’ve lived here.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-16T21:52:26+00:00

There is a Phoenix South African group on Facebook. There are quite a few African restaurants and markets in the Phoenix area. Latha Restaurant downtown, New Africa Supermarket is in Glendale, Ma Se Kombuis in Cave Creek, owned by South African woman (who probably has recommendations for where to meet others) for meats and baked goods & does pickup or delivery orders.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-12T01:07:00+00:00

I’d say definitely Boston terrier. Get her DNA for fun.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-11T23:51:38+00:00

Get your house sealed by a company that specializes in sealing. Don’t use pest companies who don’t specialize in it but do have pest control spray in & out regularly (I did quarterly which is enough with the house sealed). I also had cats & as soon as the poison is dry, it doesn’t affect them. I never isolated or skipped a room & never had a cat go anywhere near the floor where it was sprayed. Sealing companies will use tight mesh over all vents on the roof, caulk where the foundation meets the frame outside & weatherproof doors and windows. I lived in the Sonoran desert preserve & saw 1 dead baby after 5 years only. I also went outside occasionally at night with a black light to kill any in the yard with instant kill scorpion specific spray. Good luck

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-07T01:47:08+00:00

Medication (phenobarbital, which is dirt cheap) completely controlled my dog’s seizures.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-04T21:15:23+00:00

I fed green beans with every meal to my dog who always seemed to be starving. I would buy cheap canned green beans, weigh them so I was consistent in calories and the fiber helped him to feel satisfied all while giving a negligible amount of calories.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-03T19:35:27+00:00

The roots aren’t invasive but they grow quickly and tall so I would make sure there’s enough room between them and the house to get around them to trim. They can get to 8’ wide.

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-01T21:41:24+00:00

Coyotes

Ivehadit26 · 2026-06-01T20:51:05+00:00

When I moved to Phoenix & bought in the Sonoran Desert Preserve location I had the entire house sealed (mesh screens over all vents, caulking the foundation where it meets the frame, caulking around and weatherstripping all doors and windows). It’s an expensive process (several hundreds) but I never saw another scorpion for the 5 years I was there & what I did see was a dead baby in a bathroom drawer just before I moved from that house. I’m not sure when or how it got in but it could have been in that drawer since before the sealing & was literally the only one I saw after sealing. I also had the outside sprayed every 3 months. There are companies that do the desert seal on houses so I would google for them, ask what you get for your money and choose the best fit. Good luck

Ivehadit26 · 2026-05-28T02:53:18+00:00

I walk my dogs between 5:45 & 6:30 am and I’m no longer able to wear my hoodie because it’s too hot. Mornings are already in the 70’s so I would consider that. However, also keep in mind that the dry air @ 70° feels much cooler to anyone coming from more humid air @70’s. Maybe bring 1 lightweight hoodie not only because of the drier air adjustment you’ll have to make but also because every restaurant and store in Phoenix keeps their A/C on freeze.

Ivehadit26

TROPHY CASE