[Company Reivew] Pocket Pets at Sugar-Bear.com

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This review is from the point of view of a consumer, or to put more accurately a new 'mother' to a Sugar Glider that was breed by Pocket Pets.  (Yes, that is me.)

My mother bought Fritz for me in June of 2010 and I was thrilled to have a pet of my own to share my new apartment with.  Sadly, Fritz wasn't old enough for me to take him home yet, so I had to wait over a month to pick him up. 

During that time I researched, I read, I watched videos...I basically memorized every bit of information that Pocket Pets and their associated veterinarian website had available.

Then I started to ask clarifying questions to fill in holes that their information left.

But all I got in return were 'cookie cutter' answers where they basically copied and pasted the information that I already had into the email.  Definitely not what I was looking for.  With every other company I asked a question, I was able to have an actual conversation with the person on the other side of the line (either by phone, email, or chat).

The first couple times, I dismissed this.  Then I started digging around in the web-world outside of Pocket Pets and their associates.  And I started reading some very disturbing things, things I couldn't quite believe.

Pocket Pets, the very professional looking company who seems to be so helpful, was called a mill breeder countless times.  Yes, that's on the same level as those horrible puppy mills.  Others even went so far to call them liars and fraudulent because of their 'fake' vet association: the ASGV.

Plus, they kept on pushing off the date when I could pick Fritz up and take him home.

Needless to say, I became worried and suspicious.

So I sent them an email mentioning these concerns and asking for pictures of the breeding facilities as well as an update on Fritz.

They again gave me a cookie cutter answer, avoided the pictures all together using their USDA certification (which seems to be as useful as an FDA certification) and Better Business Bureau grade A standing. (Though we were able to set up a time for me to pick up Fritz, finally!)

-Quick Side Note: As a marketer for my family's business, I've had the Better Business Bureau (BBB) call us up and asking us to pay multiple of hundreds of dollars for a Grade A standing.  Excuse me?  You want me to PAY for a good reputation?  Sorry, that screams a scam to me.  But anyway, back to the review at hand.

I picked up Fritz and everything went so well that I let it slide.  I followed their directions to the letter and my research slowed basically a halt.  I was busy bonding with Fritz and making sure I had good toys, treats, and other accessories.  Plus, Pocket Pets couldn't be a scam, they looked to professional and official and Fritz seemed fine.

Then I met someone with a female he had bought from Pocket Pets and a male he had rescued.  They started to breed and their fur began to have a brown tint.  This didn't mesh with me.  The gliders were of different ages, so it couldn't have been them getting older.  Plus, I was worried about the state of their habitat (to the point I was thinking negligence) but not sure enough to step in or report him.

So I started researching again.  The first thing I did was email a question to Pocket Pets.  Their history was to email me back within 24 hours (a good habit to keep).  But they didn't follow that habit this time. (Note: It's been about 4 days since I sent that email with no response.)

So I branched out looking for advice from others in the Sugar Glider Care Giver Community (no, that's not an official name, lol).  This is when I decided to join the community at SugarGlider.com and get feedback from them.

I have yet to see proof of the claims about Pocket Pets being fraudulent and a mill breeder, but I'm definitely suspicious and not happy with their customer service post-purchase.

Have you (or someone you know) bought a Sugar Glider from Pocket Pets or used the ASGV?  I'd like to know your experience.

[Website Review] SugarGlider.com - a Forum

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I had gotten too anoyed with Pocket Pets and their cookie cutter answers to literally all of my questions (it was as if they were copying and pasting their articles into their reply emails), so I went looking for another source of expert opinion on Sugar Gliders.

And I found SugarGliders.com.  This was a forum that I had sumbled upon earlier but had ignored it because it was a forum (you never know who you're talking to).  But with my annoyance, I decided to give it a shot and dove right in by joining the chat room immediately after I signed up.

While the community as a whole has a tendancy to get a little heated on certain topics (only because they're trying to help the li'l furbats and they bump into the same questions/missconceptions frequently), they are a very helpful and informative group. 

And I'm thrilled to be able to have an actual conversation with someone when I have a question, idea, or concern that I need to bounce off someone. 

Here are some things I like about this website that I've discovered in my aprox. 2 days of being a member:

• the community is filled with helpful people with passion about their (and all) Sugar Gliders
• you can get multiple opinions and ideas with multiple people joining the conversation (very active community)
• they've compiled the 'Gliderpedia' as a place to put a large amount of basic and intermediate level (from what I can tell so far) knowledge about Sugar Gliders and their needs (advanced level needs to be found in the forum and is continued to be discovered because Sugar Gliders are so new to the world of pets)
• very well formated (despite being a little behind the times when compared to more modern social sites like Facebook) and easy to learn to navagate
• a well formated and comprehensive profile that you can customize (or not) as you wish
• lots of pictures, videos, and ideas spread throughout the forum for newbies to look at and glean from

Conclusion, this is definitly a good place to start any research regarding Sugar Gliders. Just don't let yourself get overwelmed when you get 10+ answers to one question (some of them slightly off topic because they want to provide the fullest picture possible).

What's your favorite pet-themed website(s) and why?

Before You Adopt a Sugar Glider

Like any pet, it's always best to do your research before adopting a sugar glider (or multiple sugar gliders) into your family.

1: they are highly social creatures = they need lots of attention and interaction

Yes, some gliders are more independent than others (thankfully I have one of those) but some have been known to go suicidal because they're lonely.  To counteract this you can...

• make sure they have a playmate (another sugar glider would be wise)
• spend at least a few hours daily with them (cuddling, 'wrestling', and playing)
• put the cage in the main room in your home (so they can see all of the activity) - remember, they're nocturnal so a bedroom isn't wise (unless you're like me and don't even hear a sever thunderstorm or earthquake when sleeping, lol)
• take your li'l furbat with you whenever possible (and introduce him/her to multiple people and animals to help keep him friendly to all)

2: they require a specific diet.  This is true, a simple kibble won't cut it. 

• certain people think that anything more than kibble gets too expensive and complicated
• but there are simple ways of getting them the nutrition they need such as widely recommended diets (I use the HPW diet) - these are often as simple as throwing the ingredients into a blender, freezing the mixture (I use ice cube trays for easy serving), melt, and serve nightly - can't get much easier than that
• also, depending on where you do your shopping, a fresh diet like HPW can actually be cheeper (don't you love it when nutritional/healthy things are less expensive than the popular unhealthy things?)

Note: like children, Gliders tend to eat the treats first. So make sure that treats are limited.  Also, avoid grape skins, chocolate, pork, and any plants that you are unsure of - if you can eat the plant, it should be fine.

3: since sugar gliders haven't truly caught on as pets (except in CA and FL, from what I can tell) there are not a lot of specialized toys, accessories, cages, etc...  Be prepared to make it yourself, buy baby/other pet toys, and have to order an expensive cage cause a typical bird or small pet cage will NOT work.

4: Sugar gliders can be costly.  They are considered an exotic pet which tends to drive up the price.

With the kibble food option, it generally takes about $5/month per glider to feed them.  However, they are expensive to buy, the 'starter packs' are expensive, and you need a vet who's used to working on them (usually an exotic pet veterinarian).  Costs like that can put a glider out of your budget.

5: It's said that Gliders can get along with most pets.  This isn't necessarily true and you need to keep in mind the temperament of any pets they'd regally meet. 

For example, my mom has a German Shepard with a high prey drive.  He's fine with Fritz except when he thinks Fritz is a toy or Fritz crabs at him.  Now, it's possible that if they lived in the same house together, they'd eventually get used to each other. 

But don't take it for granite that they'd bond with any other pets like they did with you - especially bugs, birds, and reptiles. 

6: Sugar Gliders can live up to 15 years as pets.  They are NOT a short time commitment!  (I have even heard of one living for 18 years!)

They're definitely adorable.  They're definitely rewarding additions to the family.  But they are not for everyone.  Take your time.  PLEASE do not splurge on a Sugar Glider until you're positive that you're fully prepared to be a new mommy/daddy for the fellow. 

Note: there is a lot of conflicting info out there.  Double check your sources, find multiple sources for the same topic, and see if you can ask questions of a local vet who knows them. 

Also, if anyone has any questions, please let me know.  If I cannot answer them, I can definitely pass along your question to the breeder where I got Fritz (Pocket Pets) and get back to you.  The breeder has been the top breeder in the nation for 16 years and they're certified by the USDA which regularly checks up on them to make sure they meet quality standards.

Note: diet section has been updated with improved information.

Local Business Showing Community Support to the Troops

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Hey! I know this is not in my list of topics that I'd said I'd be posting about, but it's a good cause and I'm trying everything I can to spread the word.

My family's business is working to send care packages to our troops serving overseas and they're trying to get the community involved as well.  This way our warriors get the best support possible; they deserve to know that we appreciate all they do.

Here's how you can help:

1: Help Spread the Word

• share this on any social media outlets you're on
• email your friends, family, coworkers, etc
• bloggers, reporters, etc are more than welcome to cover the event and/or interview me or another member of the Mercer Team regarding this community project

2: Donate Time

On Sunday, January 30th from noon till 4pm Mercer Carpet One is opening up our Downtown Westminster Showroom as a packing station to prep the care packages for shipping. Any and all are more than welcome to stop by to help out. 

Light refreshments will be provided (Birdie's is bringing the coffee!).  All who help will be given a small thank you gift from Mercer Carpet One.

If anyone serving in a uniform (military, police, fire department, etc) can join us, please wear your uniform so we can thank you appropriately.

3: Donate Money

It takes $25 to ship two packages. Please send or bring monetary donations to our Downtown Westminster Showroom.

4: Donate Items

The drop box is at our Downtown Westminster Showroom (26 W. Main St, Westminster, MD - the teal building) and we're accepting donations all the way up to the 30th.

Here's a list of ideas for possible item donations -

Top 12 Requested Items:

1.    Beef Jerky

2.    Good coffee

3.    Ziploc bags (to keep sand out of things)

4.    Individual wrapped snacks of all kinds

5.    Movies

6.    Nuts

7.    Wipes (to help keep clean)

8.    Cards or small games

9.    Powdered drink mix (esp. w/electrolytes)

10. White socks

11. Lip balm

12. Moisturizing lotion

Food/Snacks:

·         Cookies/crackers/pretzels (snack sizes)

·         Tuna in a pouch

·         Canned meats (no pork)

·         Any kind of jerky

·         Cheese spread (no aerosol cans)

·         Ramen noodles

·         Peanut butter

·         Pop-top canned fruit

·         Snack cakes

·         Gum

·         Nuts/trail mix/dried fruit

·         Granola bars

·         Pop-Tarts

·         Throat drops

·         Individually wrapped candy

Hygiene Supplies:

·         Razors and shaving cream

·         Deodorant

·         Toothpaste & toothbrushes

·         Facial cleansing pads

·         Eye drops

·         Soap/body wash

·         Shampoo and conditioner

·         Sunblock (High SPF)

·         Feminine hygiene products

·         Foot powder

Entertainment:

·         AA and AAA batteries

·         Books (mysteries, action, drama, SciFi)

·         Magazines (new or nearly new – sports, news, entertainment, travel, nature)

·         Playing cards

·         Small hand-held games

·         Crossword puzzles/word search/sudoku

·         CDs/DVDs

Sports Equipment:

·         Baseballs/softballs

·         Baseball/softball gloves

·         Soccer balls/basketballs/volleyballs

·         Pump for inflatable balls

·         Squirt guns

Other Good Ideas:

·         Socks

·         Cool scarves

·         Sand scarves

·         Blank cards/stationary/paper

·         Envelopes and stamps

·         Pens/pencils (w/sharpeners)

·         Pre-paid international phone cards

·         Disposable cameras

·         Cards and/or letters of support and encouragement

Notes:

·         All food items must be in the manufacturer’s original packaging

·         No chocolate except M-n-M’s

·         Wrap any potentially leaky items in Ziploc baggies

Any and all help is more than welcome! Thank you in advanced for everything you're able to do.

If you have any questions, please let me know using the comments form below or emailing me at Katlin@MercerCarpetOne.com.

Related Links:
 ~ Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=190734097608663
 ~ Coffee is to be provided by Birdie's Café (located on East Main Street): http://www.birdiescoffee.com/
(more coming as they go live!)

5 Things to Consider Before Starting a Blog

In today's marketing world with the importance of web marketing booming, it's considered a best practice for businesses to have their own blog. 

Trust me I'm not saying otherwise, there are numerous benefits to having a well run business blog.  But that doesn't mean that you're in the position right now to have one.

Here are some things you should keep in mind before starting your blog (business or otherwise) and during the pre-planning sessions.

 1: Time Commitment - guess what, while blogging can look like a free way to market yourself it truly isn't. 

Why?  Simple: Time Is Money!  And blogging can take a lot of time (especially when you're first starting up).  You need to be sure that either you (or one of your partners/employees) has enough time to regularly and frequently post quality content to your blog.

 2: What is the Goal of your blog - Make sure you know why you're starting your blog before you do.  What is the main purpose?  Does it have any secondary purposes?

Are you blogging to build SEO benefits for your website?  Are you blogging to spread the word about your company through the web?  Are you blogging to build the aura of expertise around you and your company? 

Note: if the ONLY reason that you're considering blogging is for SEO benefits, than you need to find something else to do.  Why?  Because readers and subscribers can tell when you're talking about/for you and not thinking about them.

 3: Who are you writing to?  Or, to be better put, who are you talking WITH?

Who are you looking to build a conversation with (basically: who's your potential customer)?  Think about gender, age, interests, communication styles, and more as you're building a profile for your target audience. 

Then, take that knowledge and build the theme of your blog (and the content) for that profile.  It needs to be interesting to your potential customer base, or you are just wasting your time.

Note: a blog is meant to build interaction between you and your readers/subscribers.  It is not a way for you to take a bullhorn to their ears (they'll just ignore you anyway).

 4: What voice will you use?  How will you be sharing your expertise and information with your audience?

Will you be chatty or informative?  Formal or informal? Note: keep the profile of your target audience in mind because the goal is to - Engage!

 5: How will you spread the word?  (What's the use blogging if you aren't reaching an audience.)

Where does your potential customer spend time on the web?  How will you let her know that your blog has content that she'd be interested in?  There are many ways to do this, which ways do you think will work best for you?

Remember: think outside of the box.

How about you?  Do you have any tips on what people should consider before blogging?  Or are you unsure on how to proceed yourself?

East Coast Wine: Good Wine Cheap

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There seems to be a conception out there that the only good wine is made in California or Europe.  So not true (and definitely not kind to your wallet)!

The first Maryland Wine Festival I was able to go to (right before I turned 22 because my birthday is the weekend after the fest) made me realize that there are some fantastic local wineries.  (And most local wines can be bought for less than $20!)

Ever since then, I've gotten into the habit of visiting local wineries during their special events and touring other local wine festivals.  And not just because you can get good wine on a budget there...

• Expand my horizons as a budding wine enthusiast
• Learn more about what's available locally and who does what best
• Have fun (definitely don't forget that!)

I've also been able to taste wines from other small wineries in the Mid-Atlantic States and have been excited for the taste results.

So far my favorite wineries include...

• Boordy Vineyards - Their Shiraz is fantastic (it's what got me from only a white drinker to also enjoy most reds)
• Terrapin Station Winery - Yes, they box their wine...but you cannot beat the quality, taste, and price!

How about you?  Do you enjoy local wine?  What are your favorites?

Website Review: Whole Grain Gourmet

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I was looking for some healthy cookie recipes (as I recently tried a pretty cool 'power pancake' recipe that turned out quite well) and stumbled upon this website:

Whole Grain Gourmet

The 2 recipes I looked at (see the links below) looked quite good and the comments were encouraging.  They were especially encouraging because many of them offered other substitution ideas and their results.  This is what made me subscribe to their eNewsletter, hoping to get a feel for the community and what it offered before registering.

• Whole Grain Banana Bread
• Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

I'm looking forward to trying both and learning more about this community of bakers.  What about you?  Do you have a favorite website (or 2, 3, etc) to find recipes at?  I'd love to hear about them!

The First Rule of Owning a Pet

Before you adopt a pet, any pet, you need to take into consideration how you will need to adapt your lifestyle to care for and bond with it.

Now, I have no experience with rodents, birds, snakes, bugs, and the like.  So I cannot speak for the lifestyle adaptions that need to be made by whoever owns them.  And there is minimal lifestyle changes for those who adopt fish (that I do know from experience).

But for cats, dogs, sugar gliders, and many other pets, they are often abandoned because their humans couldn't adapt our didn't want to make the necessary adaptions.

For dogs you need to be able to give them lots of attention (they are social creatures and get closely attached to their pack).  And you need to be able to be the 'Alpha' of that pack; you're the boss not them (yes, I'm a fan of "Ceaser's Way"). Also, dogs are high energy creatures, they will get antsy if they do not have regular and frequent exercise.

For cats, you need to make sure they get exercise, are able to hunt, have something to scratch beside your furniture, etc... 

Also, you need to consider allergies; not just yours, but those of your family and those who are frequent visitors. (You don't want to hurt existing relationships.)

Here's how I decided upon a Sugar Glider.

Personally, I'm a dog person all the way.  I love dogs.  I love big dogs (no little pom-pom, yip-yap doggies for me lol).  But I'm at work all day, live alone, my apartment is less than 400 square feet, and I don't have a large fenced in yard to utilize.  So, frankly, it would be cruel of me to adopt a dog.

Cats, the next most logical pet - talk about a good 'apartment-friendly' pet, right?  Wrong.  I'm allergic to indoor cats and have no way to safely have an indoor-outdoor cat.  Plus, I life in the suburbs so any outdoor cat I get will be in danger every time s/he left my apartment.  And, I have family members and friends who allergic to all cats so I wouldn't be able to invite them over again.

Ok, what about a bird or fish?  I love to travel.  How am I going to take them with me or keep them healthy and happy while I'm gone?  Plus, how do you connect with a fish?

And don't even ask me about a rodent, bug, or snake.  Just not my thing.

So frankly, I thought that I would have to go pet-less until my lifestyle changed through moving to a better location or getting a different schedule.

Then I heard about Sugar Gliders.  Frankly, I should have done all of my research before actually adopting li'l Fritz.  Thankfully, it has worked out.

Why was a Sugar Glider a good choice for me?

1. They're nocturnal, so he wouldn't get lonely while I was at work
2. They're small, so I have plenty of room to give him all of the exercise he needs by just letting him out of his cage for an hour or two in the evening.  Plus, talk about easy to travel with
3. Low upkeep costs: they don't need shots or medicine.  And it only takes about $5/month to keep fed and healthy.  So being just out of college I don't have to go into debt to keep my li'l furbat healthy. lol
4. They're highly social and intelligent: so I'll actually be able to connect and interact with him

Now, Sugar Gliders are not for everyone.  The most common reason I see that they're abandoned is because they often need a lot of attention and socialization to keep happy.  Also, they are often doomed to live miserable and lonely because their owners didn't spend enough time bonding with them when they were young.  (They're born with a fear of humans.)
What kind of lifestyle adaptions did you need to make for your pet?  Did you ever have to give up a pet because they weren't right for you?

I'm a Guest Blogger! "Hosting a Dinner Party in Less than 400sq.ft."

My Guest Post was just published on Gastro Travels and talks about how I served a party of 8 a full Thanksgiving Dinner in my tiny apartment.

"So, I’m not sure why, but I decided to invite 8 people over for a holiday dinner party in my two room (not including the 2 closets, one also acting as a laundry room, and the small bathroom).
What could go wrong with…

• most of the guests not knowing each other and being in such tight quarters
• my TINY stove and oven
• my never having before hosted a party (much less a dinner party)

Despite, or maybe because of, the challenges I was quite excited for the party and had fun planning the following menu…
Appetizer (to greet everyone with):
I sliced the top of a brie round and warmed it in the microwave for about 1 minute to melt it.  This was served with thinly sliced apples and pears as well as li’l toasties.  I also added in (last minute) a cinnamon basil jelly from a local farm; this was a huge hit."

Read more here!

I'd love to know what you think of it!

5 Blogging Pet Peeves

I don't know about you, but I only have so long to spend reading all the interesting blogs.  So, any post out there that doesn't include a mix of the following (or, even better, all of them)...

• pictures (to emphasise interesting points)
• bullets (or another form of lists)
• white space (give the eyes a break!)
• good punctuation (you'd be surprised)

Plus, I try to keep the number of websites I check per day down as much as possible, so I haven't set up a 'Reader' yet.  So here's my 5th pet peeve

• the lack of email subscription option

And frankly, if a blogger doesn't take advantage of all the various ways there are to subscribe (and make them easy to find and use) then I wonder if s/he even wants to have regular readers.

How about you, what is your preferred way to subscribe to an interesting blog?  What do you look for in a blog (other than interesting content of course) before subscribing to it?  Do you have any blogging pet peeves?