Animals

Quarantined Man Sends Dog On A Mission To Buy A Bag Of Cheetos

March 27, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

The need to stay isolated at home is forcing some people to come up with creative solutions to their problems. One young man discovered that his dog could help make quarantined life more bearable.

Quarantined Man Sends Dog On A Mission To Buy A Bag Of Cheetos

Photo Credit: ckarlozm | Facebook

A Crunchy Craving

Antonio Munoz is a young man in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, who really loves Cheetos and other salty snacks. Unfortunately, Mexico has instituted a strict self-isolation policy to combat the coronavirus.

Under the law, trips to the convenience store for a bag of crunchy, orange goodness are not considered essential.

After three days, Antonio’s craving had reached the point where he had to do something.

Photo Credit: ckarlozm | Facebook

A Done Deal

He hit on a smart solution that involved his dog Chokis, an adorable chihuahua. Antonio wrote a note to the owner of a convenience store across the street from his home. He strapped the note and some money to his dog’s collar.

Photo Credit: ckarlozm | Facebook

The note asked the store owner to give Chokis a bag of Cheetos and take the money from under his collar. Antonio also warned the store owner that Chokis would bite if anyone messed with him.

Chokis hit the streets and successfully closed the deal.

Photo Credit: ckarlozm | Facebook
“Hello Mr. Shopkeeper. Please sell my dog some Cheetos, the orange kind, not the red ones, they’re too hot. She has $20 attached to her collar. WARNING She will bite if not treated right. Your front neighbor.”

Funny Photos

Antonio watched the transaction take place and posted pictures of it on his Facebook page. He captioned the pictures, “Day three of quarantine and I wanted my Cheetos.”

Photo Credit: ckarlozm | Facebook

A Useful Dog Trick

After that successful run, he decided to give it another try. Chokis has come through every time. The clever pup has now been out three times to fetch his master’s favorite snacks.

Photo Credit: ckarlozm | Facebook

Shrewd Little Hummingbird Builds Nest With Roof To Stay Dry

March 16, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

Nature still has the power to astound us, and one little hummingbird is an example of just that. The little bird’s clever nest has captured hearts and news reports all over the world.

Shrewd Little Hummingbird Builds Nest With Roof To Stay Dry

Facebook | Bianca Caroline Soares

A WALK IN THE WOODS

It began last year when Bianca Caroline Soares was walking through a nature reserve in the jungle near her home. Soares works for the Moises Bertoni Foundation, a conservation organization based in Paraguay. Soares recounts that she was feeling incredible sadness one day about the fate of the world. With a heavy heart, she said, she went out to immerse herself in nature to get her mind off her troubles. As she was walking, she encountered an amazing hummingbird’s nest.

Facebook | Bianca Caroline Soares

SHE SPOTTED AN UNUSUAL NEST

Soares was used to seeing hummingbird’s nests in the jungle. These birds are known for creating complex, intricate nests, but this one stood out because it had an actual roof. The clever hummingbird built the nest on a twig directly under a large, curved leaf.

“In the midst of all these tragedies and all this bad news, I received this gift,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “It’s just more proof of the saying that nature is wise.”

SHE KEPT HER BABIES SAFE

The leaf provided protection from the rain and sun for the bird’s nest and her babies.

The news gets even better. Soares told the Dodo she continued monitoring the nest. One day, she realized the bird was raising two babies in that nest. They grew up and successfully flew away to live on their own.

Let’s hope they inherited their mother’s homebuilding skills.

US Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Warning To Protect Hummingbird Nests

March 10, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

Tiny, elusive hummingbirds are some of nature’s most marvelous gifts, and it’s a wonderful surprise to find them in your yard. Now, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is stepping up to protect these precious birds.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Kelly Campbell

PREPARE FOR SPRING SURPRISES

Workers at the service issued a reminder to be careful when you’re cleaning, pruning or mowing to get your garden ready for spring. Hummingbirds can build nests in the most unexpected places including hanging feeders, plant pots and the forked branches of trees and shrubs.

Hummingbirds build detailed, intricate homes that they decorate with lichens and moss. They build them in the early spring when the weather starts to turn warm.

TINY EGGS AND NESTS

In most cases, you’ll see them after March. If you live in a warm, sunny region, you might be lucky enough to see hummingbirds all year. In cold, northern climates, you might have to wait until the end of May.

Their nests and eggs are so tiny they’d be easy to miss if you didn’t know their location. As a picture from the government agency shows, a hummingbird’s nest is about the size of a fingernail and the eggs are the size and shape of jelly beans.

To keep these potential visitors safe, move slowly when you’re pruning or cutting shrubs and trees.

HELP HUMMINGBIRDS FEEL AT HOME

If you want to go further and attract these colorful, buzzing birds to your yard, follow these pointers:

Set out sugar feeders.
Plant brightly colored flowers.
Install a water feature with moving or bubbling water.
Leave spiderwebs alone because hummingbirds use spider silk to build their nests.
Plant native grasses and plants because hummingbirds prefer them for shelter and building materials.

ENJOY LASTING BEAUTY

Like all birds, hummingbirds are threatened by habitat loss. You can help them by creating a yard that’s welcoming and safe. Hummingbirds return to their same nests every year, so you’ll enjoy their visits for years to come.

Family Clones Their Beloved Labrador Who Passed Away From Cancer

March 4, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. 1 Comment

Do you remember Dolly the sheep? She became famous as the first successfully cloned mammal. Recently, a family in San Diego decided to create their own version of Dolly.

KGTV

Remembering a Hero Dog

David and Alicia Tschirhart got their beloved Labrador Marley when he was a puppy. Over the years, they naturally bonded with the adorable pup.

That bond became even stronger during a mountain hike that took place when Alicia was pregnant. As she reached for what she thought was a long stick, Marley batted away what turned out to be a rattlesnake.

KGTV

A Happy Frankenstein Story

When Marley died, the family wanted to honor their hero dog. In what you might call a happy twist on the Frankenstein story, they turned to ViaGen Pets & Equine, a company that specializes in pet cloning.

The result is Ziggy, a Labrador puppy who looks, plays and acts uncannily like Marley.

Is Pet Cloning Comforting or Creepy?

Do you think it would be comforting or creepy to see your beloved pet come back to life?

If you want to do the same thing, the cloning company says there’s a one-year waiting list for cloning and the cost is $50,000. Perhaps giving a loving home and a second chance to a rescue dog is a better alternative. We would love to know your thoughts.

Rare Rainbow Snake Spotted In Florida For The First Time Since 1969

February 28, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. 10 Comments

A woman in Florida had a once-in-a-lifetime experience when she encountered a rainbow snake. The rare, shy snake has not been seen in the wild since 1969 and many experts believed it was extinct.

Charles Baker

One of Nature’s Rare Jewels

Sometimes called an eel moccasin because it feeds on eels, the rainbow snake gets its name from its vividly colored scales. It stands out for the dark red stripes on its back.

These bright beauties are harmless to humans and more afraid of us than we are of them.

The Rainbow Snake is Shy and Harmless

The Florida woman spotted it while she was hiking in the Ocala National Forest. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, rainbow snakes spend their lives hidden under floating grass, water plants and Spanish moss. They rarely venture out in daylight, and it’s rare to see them anywhere close to human activity.

Experts at the Florida Zoo say rainbow snakes are harmless. They don’t have any venom, and they have no way to defend themselves if you capture them.

Scientists Thought They Were Extinct

Spotting this uncommon snake is a true gift of nature. Rainbow snakes spend most of their lives hiding from all human activity.

Sightings are so rare that in 2011, some conservationists listed them as extinct. Those same conservationists are celebrating this sighting as a sign of hope for the rainbow snake population in Florida.

It’s more proof that nature never stops surprising and astonishing us.

Photographer Captures Images Of Cats and Dogs From Underneath

February 15, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

Just when you thought there was no new way of looking at your pets, a team of photographers called Underlook has developed a special way of photographing cats, dogs, rabbits and horses from underneath.

Photographer Captures Images Of Cats and Dogs From Underneath

Underlook

Wait, how does that work?

As you can see in this video, the team at Underlook uses a clear glass table to hold the dogs or cats. Once the pet stands on the glass, photography equipment in the lower level takes the picture.

Catching Totally Natural Poses

Some pets are caught standing still, some are caught squirming around and others are snapped while leaping or running. The unplanned, totally natural poses make the pictures fun and guarantee that no two look the same.

Underlook

Success From the Start

The whole thing started when Andrius Burba, a photographer from Lithuania, started taking pictures of cats from underneath. The photos were a hit, and a German publisher issued a collection called Under-Katzen (Under Cats).

Underlook

The Underlook photographs gained almost instant popularity for their unique way of seeing animals in a new light.

Underlook

Get Your Own Underlook Art

The team’s photographs have appeared in art exhibitions and won several awards. At the same time, they’re still available to regular people who want their own samples of these unique pieces.

Underlook

Since 2017, their team has made it possible for individuals to get their own “underlook” pet photographs. Customers can contact them or attend an Underlook photo shoot.

Underlook

Man Plays Classical Piano To Comfort Blind And Elderly Elephants

February 15, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

Paul Barton is a gifted musician who plays for a highly select audience. He sits at a piano in the middle of an elephant sanctuary and plays classical music to elderly, blind elephants.

Barton has also done special concerts of Christmas music and music for baby elephants, but his special emphasis is on the old, blind and rescued elephants.

Here’s How It All Began

Barton is a professional pianist and artist from the UK. In 1996, he traveled to Thailand. He intended to stay only three months, but his plans changed when he met and married his wife Khwan.

Barton’s wife is a noted animal welfare activist in Thailand, and she got him interested in helping Thailand’s elephants. He became enchanted with the elephants at Elephant World, many of whom had formerly been abused or neglected.

Inspired to Serenade Elephants

Barton knew that some classical music can be peaceful and comforting, and he also knew that elephants are highly sensitive. He thought it might be worth trying a little musical experiment.

One of his first audience members was Ampan, an 80-year-old elephant who is blind in one eye. Barton says he will never forget her powerful reaction to his performance.

Spreading Love Through His Music

Since then, Barton’s life has totally changed. He has earned some well-deserved fame. He has a YouTube channel where he posts his professional work along with videos of his elephant concerts.

Barton’s decision to share his musical gifts with these abused, gentle and sensitive beasts has earned him a place in millions of hearts. Long may he play piano in the jungle.

Artist Turns Old CDs Into Amazing Lifelike Animal Sculptures

February 14, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

We all talk about recycling and repurposing, but one young artist is walking the talk by transforming broken, discarded CDs and DVDs into gorgeous animal sculptures.

Artist Turns Old CDs Into Amazing Lifelike Animal Sculptures

Sean E. Avery

Sean Avery is an art teacher in Western Australia who began experimenting with CD and DVD art while he was still at university. He has created dozens of the brightly colored, sparkling sculptures since then.

Sean E. Avery

A Sparkling Collection

They include gorgeously detailed bunnies, bluebirds, hummingbirds. monkeys, raccoons, dogs and snakes.

Sean E. Avery

The pieces are amazingly lifelike and intensely glittery. Some of them veer into the fantastic with their bright, dazzling colors. A platypus with purple scales, a kangaroo with a baby in her pouch, a hedgehog with a brilliant blue coat and a silvery koala are all part of Avery’s menagerie.

Sean E. Avery

Precise Details

Seeing them up close really gives you a sense of the painstaking level of work that goes into each one. Avery says it can take more than a week to create each one.

Sean E. Avery

Avery begins by creating a frame out of chicken wire. He then breaks the CDs and DVDs into dozens of tiny, sharp shards. He glues the shards onto the chicken wire frame. It can take up to 50 CDs to make one animal.

Sean E. Avery

Where to See More Animal Sculptures

You can keep up with Avery’s’s work on his website. Even if you can’t afford to buy one of his magical sculptures, looking at them will bring a smile to your face.

Sean E. Avery

Mother-Daughter Duo Turn Old Dressers Into Personalized Dog Beds

February 14, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. 1 Comment

Nothing is too luxurious for a beloved pet. Now, you can buy a handmade bed fit for the most spoiled furballs in the world.

Mother-Daughter Duo Turn Old Dressers Into Personalized Dog Beds

Sheltie Shacks

Wild Beauties

A mother and daughter who live on the ruggedly beautiful Shetland Islands north of Scotland are responsible for the gorgeous handmade beds. They make them by repurposing and refurbishing old dressers.

Sheltie Shacks

Kaylee and Tricia call their dresser beds “sheltie shacks,” but any breed of dog would find these beds the perfect place to snooze. Every self-respecting cat would also love one of these beds.

Sheltie Shacks

Doing It Shetland Style

Appropriately enough, they each own Shetland sheepdogs, which are affectionately known as shelties. Between the two, they own more than six dogs. Their love of their dogs inspired them to create these great-looking, cozy beds.

Sheltie Shacks

Their gorgeous, clever dogs have become local celebrities for traveling around in a much-photographed pack together.

Sheltie Shacks

The Doggone Details

Kaylee and Tricia said they started transforming old dressers into beds as a way to stay out of trouble, “but it didn’t work.”

Each dresser features hand painting and a thick cushion with a hand-sewn cover. No two dresser beds are alike.

Repurposed for a Purpose

Some of their company’s profits go to support worthy causes. One is the Humanimal Trust for human and animal medicine, and the other is the US-based Shetland Sheepdog Placement Services of New Jersey.

Sheltie Shacks

Get Your Own Sheltie Shack

When a dresser bed is ready, Kaylee and Tricia place it for sale on their Etsy shop. They’re happy to ship overseas.

Sheltie Shacks

Sheltie Shacks

Eleanor the Echidna Is So Chonky She Survived A Car Hit

February 11, 2020 by Good Living Guide. This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

Echidnas have lots of ways to defend themselves. One lucky echidna even used her extra fat as padding when she was hit by a car. Her hefty size helped her survive unscathed.

Eleanor the Echidna Is So Chonky She Survived A Car Hit

Eleanor the Echidna / Image Credit: Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Get to Know Echidnas

Native to Australia, echidnas are part anteater, part platypus and part porcupine. These endearingly odd creatures have long, sticky tongues that are perfect for pulling ants from anthills. They also use their long noses as crowbars to dig up grubs and worms.

A video from the Smithsonian shows how this “waddling pincushion” uses her needles as defense. Even a dingo won’t touch a rolled-up echidna.

Echidnas have even been able to survive fires by burrowing underground and slowing down their systems.

Ella the Enchanted

Eleanor surpassed all these survival efforts. While on the hunt for ants or grubs, she was hit by a car.

The Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania rescued her. Rescuers noted that she was “quite possibly the fattest echidna we have ever seen!”

Her chubby size, they said, prevented her from being seriously injured when the car hit her.

Good News Was Welcome

The cute story made news in a country that could use some happy news in the wake of devastating bush fires that killed millions of animals.

Ella had only minor bruises, and the sanctuary released her into the wild the next day.

Here’s to hoping for more good animal news from the land down under.