Only two weeks until my holiday in Cyprus! It has been a very busy week, my plan to cut back on animals is working well. I have been running lots of short term, often one day offers and things are selling well. Some items have been bought in one go when I only meant to sell a couple at the cheap price. That will teach me for not keeping some back! It will certainly make my holiday a lot more enjoyable if I don't have to come back to an overwhelming amount of animals to feed and clean. I am only going for a week but there is a lot of planning involved. My hubby will be here (hopefully decorating the front room) but he won't be doing anything except spraying the bugs with water and keeping an eye on the temperature. I doubt the bug house will get too warm, judging by the current weather. He may just about manage to give the stick insects a bit more bramble as I have it growing in the garden.
Last Friday my daughter and I went to visit the Sealife Adventure in Southend -on-Sea, Essex. We had a lovely day, the weather was awful but the centre itself was full of amazing creatures. The newly hatched rays were adorable, the reptile and bug exhibition was well laid out and it was obvious that a lot of work goes into keeping everything looking so good (I should know). They have a huge Spider crab called Jasper, who is set to grow even bigger and a pretty Puffer fish called George. My daughter's favourite fish is a Puffer, she works in aquatics and is also called George. We already have plans to visit again (hopefully the weather will be better). Thanks to Craig for our behind the scenes tour, it was very enjoyable.
My husband was away in France this last week, he returned yesterday. Unfortunately his mobile phone stopped working but thank goodness I had no computer problems. I was really worried that something would go wrong and I wouldn't be able to contact him (I was also worried that he was whizzing around the alps on a motorbike with his friends). Whenever we have computer problems I have no way of contacting my customers as everything is on there, including phone numbers. Yesterday my daughter went to France to watch the Le Mans 24 car race. It is all coming and going here at the moment. My husband and I are up in London next weekend and of course the following weekend our daughter and I are off to Cyprus. I will be posting Monday-Thursday this week and next, so keep sending in those orders!
It is really difficult to know which bugs I should stock and which don't sell, I try to have a cross section of everything. I suppose it is like fashion, some pets in vogue at one time and then their popularity wanes. I really like scorpions but they are not that popular, certainly not like tarantulas. It looks like I made a mistake buying in so many baby Tri-colour scorpions, I am now trying to sell them at cost price and they are still not selling! I have them all together at the moment but I'm not sure how long they can live like that as most scorpions are solitary creatures. I think they are great scorpions, large and attractive. The Mysore scorpions that I had recently sold like hot cakes. I am also inundated with Indian stick insects, they have taken over my large 'mixed' stick insect cage. I have them on the site for pennies now as they have to go! I suppose that's why it is important for me to keep such a variety. It would be so much simpler and far less work if I could get by just selling tarantulas.
Lastly this week I asked permission to put on my blog a very touching letter from a customer. The email that she sent me made me cry, we often take our lives for granted and I am so pleased that her spirits have been lifted by one of my little animals.
Hello, I'm sorry to bother you.
I just wanted to send you a personal note of thanks. My Extatosoma tiaratum (Giant Prickly stick insect) arrived today safe and sound and is currently devouring a large bramble leaf in his enclosure. The moment I opened the box and took his container out he was trying to climb. He took my breath away!
I've been housebound for most of the last eight years due to illness and am seldom able to leave the house or do much that allows me to surround myself in everyday life; my room is filled to the brim with orchids, carnivorous plants and other animals and I am ecstatic to welcome this little one to our family! All these beautiful things in my room have given me a sense of purpose and I thoroughly enjoy the responsibility. They've all helped me through my darkest days and keep me hopeful and optimistic for the future.
I assure you the little one is in safe hands and I will do everything in my power to offer him the best life possible. I look forward to ordering from you again and thank you so much for adding a little extra light to my day!
It certainly made me feel content with my lot (I know I moan sometimes!) and I truly hope that this young lady recovers her health to enjoy a long, happy life. I won't say here what her illness is but it is something I have knowledge of and my heart goes out to her.
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