Why Should Fireworks be Restricted?

SPOILER ALERT: Animals, Birds and Fireworks Don't Mix

I've just signed a petition on Change.org calling for a review of the current Fireworks Act 2003 and Firework Regulations 2004, to further restrict the use of fireworks to very specific dates, limit decibel levels, licencing of public displays etc. Here's a link to the petition if you would like to have a look at it and maybe add your name too.

Here's a look at the comment I left:

Most of my pets live inside so aren't troubled by fireworks, I also have chickens who are not bothered by them. But I really signed up because of the adverse impact on wildlife, the abuse of animals with fireworks, and the way it seems to have become appropriate to have fireworks at any outdoor 'celebration' throughout the year. This last one makes it impossible for pet owners and livestock holders to prepare their animals and birds for the Armageddon they are about to experience. If firework use was restricted to the two weekends and in between for Guy Fawkes Night celebrations, plus New Years Eve, at least people would know to be prepared. Also, noise travels - it's no good just letting your next door neighbour know that you are having fireworks, it affects a much much wider area than that, including surrounding wildlife and livestock.

Now lets talk about Fireworks and their effects a bit more:

My Guinea Pigs, who are kept inside, never react to fireworks, thunder or other loud noises from outside. Stompy the Tortoise is phased by nothing either.

The only ones I worry about are the chickens. The first year we had them I made sure they were shut away in their coop by dusk, and checked on them repeatedly during the evening, but they were always sound asleep on their perch...in fact I think I was disturbing them more than the fireworks were!

The following year I shut the coop up as soon as they went to bed, and checked on them after all the fireworks had finished (around 10pm), and they were suitably unruffled.

I am lucky though. I know many animals and birds are completely terrified by loud noises, and people have to deploy ways of helping their pet cope, some use distraction techniques like food and music/ radio, some use sedatives, and some relocate their animal altogether.

Disclaimer - I am not an animal expert, vet or animal professional. If you have a frightened animal or bird, seek professional advice now.

Things you can try for domesticated animals and birds:

• Familiar surroundings and routine - This can really help keep an outdoor animal feel secure, and do try sticking to your regular routine, ie if you normally leave your horse/donkey outside overnight, then it may find suddenly being in a stable more stressful, and it could begin to associate its stable with frightening experiences, which obviously would be bad. Keeping companions together can also be beneficial
• Distraction techniques - Guinea Pigs and Rabbits can easily be distracted by a big pile of hay or ReadiGrass, or maybe a puzzle toy.
• If your animal or bird is used to the noise of tv and radio, you can leave one in earshot as this will help disguise sudden bangs and pops.
• Check the environment - A startled animal can hurt itself and others badly, so make sure fences are secure, and that there are no hazards in the enclosure (indoors or out).
• Speak to your vet about appropriate use of sedatives and other calming options. But remember that these usually have to administered well before the event.
• Make sure you have insurance that covers you incase your animal escapes and causes damage to another person's property, injures another person's animal, or causes an accident etc etc.

If you are going to be having fireworks, please remember the impact you have on other people, pets, domesticated animals and birds and wildlife

Before lighting your bonfire, check it thoroughly for hedgehogs, frogs, toads, mice etc seeking somewhere warm for the night - you might give them more than they bargained for!

Fireworks can disrupt roosting birds, be aware of any Schedule 1 species that roost and nest in your area. They must not be disturbed!

Wild animals can be frightened by fireworks, making them suddenly run out into roads. Studies show that the numbers of road traffic/ wildlife related deaths increase significantly during November and December. Be extra vigilent when out driving near firework displays.

But - and here is why I really signed the petition:

Letting off fireworks is becoming more prevailant  all year round, making it impossible for owners, farmers and wildlife to take necessary precautions.

I'm not a killjoy, but I do feel that fireworks should be even more strongly regulated, and letting them off should be limited to certain dates and times, with fines being applied to people breaking these restrictions. Don't even get me started on the malicious misuse of fireworks!

I'd be interested to know what you think, so do leave me a comment.

Love

Rebecca

PS: Me? I stick to sparklers 😉

Meet Stompy our new baby Tortoise

This week's video is all about my new baby tortoise Stompy, featured in the previous blog post.

Please take a moment to like, comment and subscribe to me here on Blogger, and also on YouTube, I'd really appreciate it.

Love
Rebecca x

Stompy the Greek Spur-Thigh Tortoise

My new pet - a baby Tortoise!

In my last blog post I mentioned some very strange plants that I'm trying to cultivate. The reason for these oddities is this little chap...

Stompy the Tortoise

Or chap-ess...it's hard to tell at this age!

We've named him/her Stompy (for now at least), and for ease I'll refer to this creature in the masculine from now on (otherwise I'll drive myself bonkers!). To be honest, I wanted to call him Om after the Great God Om (Holy Horns) from Terry Pratchett's book "Small Gods", but I think that got vetoed 😢

Stompy's Particulars:

• Stompy hatched in September 2017
• He weighs 63 grams (I haven't measured him yet - but his plastron is roughly 6.5cm long)

Stompy is very dinky - and I have small hands!

• He is a Testudo graeca graeca or Greek Spur-Thigh Tortoise (not to be confused with the African Spurred Tortoise Centrochelys sulcata, which grows enormous)

• He was bred by a work colleague, who has owned the adults Tilly and Trevor for years and years. Tilly had laid eggs before 2017 but they were never fertile. Then in August 5 babies hatched from a clutch of 6 eggs, then Stompy and one other hatched in September from two more eggs laid a little later.

• Stompy could live to be 100 years old, with the right care - I unfortunately will be long gone by then!

 Tortoise Habitat

There are approaching 300 species of tortoise and turtle in the world, 5 of them are known as Mediterranean, and they have all evolved to deal with slightly different environments.

The Greek Spur-Thigh Tortoise needs temperatures of around 20-35 degrees Centigrade during the day, the upper end being the all important basking temperature. UVA and UVB light sources are necessary for correct growth and metabolism, and a humidity level of around 40-50% is ideal.

While Stompy is so small, it's not safe for him to be left out in the garden to roam free, getting all his nutrients etc from nature, so we have to try to replicate his natural environment indoors.

The easiest and safest way to do this is by constructing or buying a Tortoise Table. Do not try to house your tortoise in a Vivarium, Terrarium or anything that the tortoise can see through. The first two are impossible to control environmentally, the latter will cause your tortoise to fret about the boundary line, constantly trying to get to what's beyond it.

Stompy's Tortoise Table

Research is King

I've spent months researching what Stompy will need to live a long healthy life, and while that doesn't make me an expert, it does mean I understand that Tortoise care is complicated and you can't take shortcuts. 

Initial cost is a big factor to bear in mind:

And then there's the cost of the tortoise itself. 

Expect to pay around £150 - £250 for a captive bred Tortoise with it's certificates. 

Admittedly once the initial set up is done, there will be less ongoing cost, but UVB bulbs need replacing every 6-9 month, substrate can be spot cleaned daily but needs totally replacing periodically, Vet bills must always be taken into account, and finding a good reptile/exotics Vet is harder than you might think, so do your homework, you need everything set up, tested and the basking temperature settled BEFORE you bring your tortoise home.

Stompy in his mini garden

Feeding

There are commercial tortoise diets on the market, but by growing the right plants, it is entirely feasible (and healthier) to never need to feed pre-prepared food to your tortoise. I have a several safe houseplants in the table; a Prayer Plant, a Boston Fern and a Spider Plant. I've also planted up six half sized seed trays with plants from my garden like violet, London Pride, hardy geranium, Couch Grass and plantain, plus I've sown seeds of cat grass, dandelion, harebell, zinnia, pansy, marigold and hollyhock, all of which are safe to feed. 

It's important to know that what you are feeding is safe for your tortoise to eat, that it hasn't been sprayed with pesticides, fed with chemical fertilizers. treated with slug pellets or been used as a bathroom for visiting dogs and cats.

You can download edible plant lists from The Tortoise Table, plus they have a really fantastic App that you can take with you on your mobile phone. 

I can't tell you how helpful The Tortoise Trust and The Tortoise Table websites are. There's a lot of conflicting advice out there, but if you start with these two sites you won't go far wrong.

So, please join me in welcoming Stompy to our family, we're captivated by him.

Love

Rebecca xx

NB All prices quoted correct as of April 2018.

I'm Growing Some Really Weird Plants!

Forget Carnivorous Plants, these are even weirder!

This week I've made a YouTube video all about some very odd plants I'm trying to cultivate. Don't be worried, they're just more likely to be the sort of thing a gardener would be pulling up, not planting in the garden...come and see what on earth I'm talking about...

Enjoy!
Rebecca xx

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