Panic time

Panic time, I'm at that stage of trying to get everything organised for the holiday but being freaked out about leaving all my little friends. I'm really looking forward to a break but I wish my husband hadn't talked me into going for ten days, our usual one week is quite long enough to leave everything. Obviously it is the biggest problem with my business, it doesn't carry on without me! I know my daughter will do her best with the animals but she wants day by day instructions to follow. I do everything on instinct, I don't know what will need feeding and watering when I can't see it but I will try to be as exact as possible with my instructions. Her boyfriend is more than happy to be in charge of watering the garden if it means he doesn't have to go near any bugs or snakes.

It's been a crazy week, I know I shouldn't moan (I am very grateful of each and every order) but so many people left ordering until the last moment that yesterday was crazy, I already have several orders to get off on Monday and we are going to Cyprus on Tuesday. Is isn't helped by the fact that my hubby is working up until Tuesday and I am out all day tomorrow. I'm sure things will get done, they always do in the end.

Everything in the bug room is going really well, I have now discovered that I have baby Ghana Banded millipedes. This is another species that I have never heard of being bred before. I thought I had babies of these a while ago but a customer told me they couldn't be because this species is impossible to breed in captivity! I seem to have cracked it with the millipedes, I just need to get to grips with breeding my scorpions now. I have several huge gravid females but the only species giving birth are the Asian Forest scorpions. I'm not sure what their needs are but if I ever get any time I will do some more research, although relevant information seems to be very thin on the ground.

I do wish I had managed to cut down on my stock a bit more before the holiday. When I get back I won't be in any hurry to get anything new. I will spend time sorting out what I already have. People are welcome to place orders while I am away but I have switched off quite a bit, especially the beetles and stick insects because I honestly don't know how they will do without me being here. I am still working on the idea of keeping only animals that can look after themselves for a week or so. There are a number of my animals that fit into this category, tarantulas, scorpions, millipedes, cockroaches etc. but some animals need more care such as stick insects, beetles, grasshoppers, leaf insects etc.

The weather has certainly changed since yesterday, it is wet and much cooler today but we have had some super weather here lately. Last weekend my hubby and I went to a summer fete, it was very nice but it was after the fete that was so great. We walked along a river and found a little wildlife area, there were sheets of corrugated iron placed along the river bank (obviously to attract reptiles). I lifted each sheet carefully and under the last one was a beautiful grass snake! I know some ladies consider other metals to be precious, gold, silver, platinum but my favourite is definitely corrugated iron! I was in my element, sunshine and snakes, what could be better? On the way back to the car I actually found another, much larger grass snake, it was just mooching around in the long grass. I saw another of my favourite animals this week, a Stag beetle that was flying in our garden. It looked a bit tired so I caught her and fed her a bit of peach. My daughter and her boyfriend couldn't believe that I caught her mid flight but it really wasn't that difficult, they are too heavy to fly properly and she obviously needed some extra energy (well I thought so and she fed for ages). Our garden may be very overgrown but I love my jungle. I hope it rains a bit while we are away. Although I have arranged for our neighbours to water the front garden and Stefan to water the back, the control freak in me doesn't believe that anyone will do it as well as me.

I now have enough peat for a while. When I collected it last Friday, the car visibly sank. I bought six huge bags but getting it into the car with the help of a small lady from the garden centre wasn't easy and when I got home I was a bit stuck (hubby was still away on his motorbike trip). Thankfully my new neighbour was around and unloaded the peat for me (he is a builder). I still miss Joyce next door but at 81 I don't think she would have been much help with unloading the peat (I'm sure she would have tried to help if I'd asked her though).

I have experienced my first foreign 'cyber warrior' this week. A very unpleasant and awkward young man. As ever he is upset that a spider wasn't "as large as he expected" (it was however exactly as described). He is threatening to do his worst on social media. I have decided to ignore him and let him do his worst. Hopefully people in Norway will see him for what he is. My hubby wanted to reply to his email (way too rude to send), my daughter's reply was way too polite and diplomatic. My reply was more practical and emotional but none were worth sending as some people are clearly impossible to please (even if I did give in to his demands). My mum always told me not to give in to bullies and let's face it there are a lot of them out there 'hidden' in cyberland. My thoughts are, with his attitude, life is always going to be one big disappointment. I however have a great family, great friends and get huge enjoyment out of my animals and plants.

The next blog will be on Friday 18th July. Be prepared to hear all about my snake and bug hunting exploits in Cyprus and how my little friends managed without. Thanks for all your best wishes regarding my holiday, most of you know that I do work hard and try to keep everyone and everything happy.